The 2013 Hidden Gems Acceptance List

Prep School Admissions
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<p>honoraryamom: Unfortunately, I don’t know the details of kids’ experiences at SMS, just that the families who sent kids there were happy with it. You’re correct, the schools are significantly different and offer different experiences (my first kid was accepted at both also, so I’m somewhat familiar with their program). The only real difference I can say is that the kids I know who went to SMS were much more serious about sports.</p>

<p>With regard to switching from day to boarding at CA, I’m under the impression that it’s not hard to do. It’s possible that the interviewer wasn’t completely familiar with the process since it’s handled outside the admissions office, or maybe they may downplay it during the regular admissions process, or I may just be wrong :-). There is a process for it in the school handbook, so it’s definitely not impossible. The student makes a request by Feb 1 and talks to the dean in charge of boarding and the associate head of enrollment. I believe that if everyone (parents and school representatives) agrees that the student would fit as a boarder and if there is a boarding spot (shouldn’t be a problem for a rising sophomore, might be a problem for a rising junior since there may be no openings), then the request should be accepted. The decision is made by March 10.</p>

<p>The best way to get more information would be to call the admissions office to see what they say and then maybe call the dean of student life or the associate dean for enrollment. Or you can ask during revisit day if you can track down the correct person.</p>

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<p>OK, thanks photodad, we will inquire about switching to boarding status for next year. Yes, sports are huge at SMS, and for that reason, we were initially not very interested. But then we learned that our neighbor’s grown children graduated from SMS. One was artsy and non-athletic, and even he loved his time there. The whole family has nothing but good things to say about the school, so that made us take a second look. And the more carefully we looked, the more we liked.</p>

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<p>I’m always interested to hear what other people think of St. Mark’s. From my child’s experience, I would not say that “sports are huge.” Girls’ field hockey and girls’ lacrosse, and cross country have done well. Boys’ basketball has been very strong, but last year a number of really strong players graduated, including Nik Stauskas and Kaleb Tarczewski. (I’m not a sports fan, so that’s about the extent of my knowledge, and I had to resort to Google to confirm some details.) </p>

<p>My child is not an athlete; there are a good number of students who are not athletic, but thrive at St. Mark’s. I appreciate that there doesn’t seem to be a huge divide between the athletes and everyone else. My child has happily attended games to cheer on classmates. There is respect and support for the students who put so much time and effort into sports, because everyone knows how hard it can be to balance the time commitments of varsity athletic competition with classwork. </p>

<p>The arts programs are strong at St. Mark’s, in my opinion. Again, there doesn’t seem to be a social division between “the artsy” kids and everyone else. Students who are athletes can also explore their creative side, through music, visual arts, ceramics, drama. As we’ve attended arts productions at St. Mark’s, we’ve noticed students coming from games or sports practices to attend a play or concert. The students also seem to know what’s happening with the robotics team.</p>

<p>As students get older, there is a tendency for them to find the areas which appeal to them the most. Seniors who have fulfilled graduation requirements can double up on courses in areas of interest. Looking at the list of last year’s college matriculations, a St Mark’s graduate went on to the Parsons School of Design. Another graduate went on to the conservatory at Oberlin. If a student has the interest, the support is there. I love seeing the student artwork on display throughout the school. </p>

<p>Concord Academy and St. Mark’s School are fine schools. It’s a question of which school you and your child prefer. Concord Academy is about 58% day, so its programs are better known in the surrounding towns. St. Mark’s is currently only 23% day. Concord Academy’s campus is smaller, right in the center of downtown Concord. St. Mark’s School is also in a town center, but the campus is more self-contained. Students walk to Starbucks and Coldstone Creamery, but it’s a longer walk. </p>

<p>Concord Academy’s reputation is more artsy, probably in part because it shares Concord with Middlesex. Local day students who feel they’re more artsy than sporty are likely to focus more on Concord Academy than Middlesex (and vice-versa). At St. Mark’s School, there are sporty students, and there are artsy students. There are also students who wouldn’t describe themselves as sporty or artsy, and some who will discover talents during high school. So the community as a whole has space for a diversity of strengths, and the school is small enough that students know each other pretty well.</p>

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<p>Periwinkle, I didn’t know you had a child at SMS! Thank you so much for the information!</p>

<p>I think we have the impression that “sports are huge” there because they pushed athletics so much when we visited. We don’t live far, so we visited more than once, attended an open house, had three different tours among us, spoke with parents of current and past students, and chatted with a faculty member. All I can say is that overall, they emphasized athletics much more than any other school we researched (including Middlesex). That’s just our impression. But we were favorably impressed with the student art work, and blown away by the faculty member, so we know that sports are not their only strength.</p>

<p>I have no worries about my C fitting in at a school where athletics are emphasized as much as they are at SMS. C is actually a decent athlete, enjoys team sports, but believes the chances of making varsity and/or getting a lot of playing time will be greater at CA, where the teams are less competitive. So the weaker sports are actually a plus, in C’s mind. </p>

<p>But there are advantages to St Mark’s, too, so you’re right, it is just a question of which school our child prefers.</p>

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<p>@periwinkle My C is considering SMS. C is not particularly artsy or atheletic, more the academic type. How strong is SMS in the sciences and math? I looked at their matriculation list for 2012, and saw a lot of liberal arts colleges. As I don’t think C is gifted in that direction, would he be better off going somewhere else?
@etondad Where is the SMS thread you mentioned? </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>@parent5656: That’s interesting, because I was looking at the same list and was thinking it contained relatively few liberal arts colleges. My kids’ school has a strong science program and sends many kids to liberal arts colleges.</p>

<p>After having gone through the college process not so long ago with a science-oriented kid, I’ll say that a lot of liberal arts colleges have great science programs. Most of the ones we looked at had either build a new science center in the past 10 years or were in the process of building one. Studies by the National Science Foundation have shown that the schools that send the highest percentage of their students on to STEM PhDs are research universities and selective liberal arts colleges. So I wouldn’t let the presence of liberal arts colleges on the matriculation list dissuade you from SMS.</p>

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<p>I believe SMS has some pretty interesting science research opportunities for advanced kids as well as grants for students to do summer research in science. The grant recipients for this year were just in the news on the website. Their robotics team went to nationals last year. Maybe Periwinkle knows more?</p>

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<p>My daughter was accepted to Emma Willard and Millbrook. Now the decision between coed or all-girls. I thought it was too funny that she asked a friend who’s already at an all-girls school about it, and her friend said, “Ugh, now you can’t introduce me to any guys at your school.” Ok, not too helpful!</p>

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<p>Parent5656, NEKreader had a good point about St. Mark’s news items on their website. I recommend you read them for details about what St. Mark’s students choose to do. I note that a current St. Mark’s student won an American Mathematics Society competition, “Who Wants to Be a Mathematician” last month. I know a pair of brilliant twins who did exceedingly well in the National Chemistry Olympiad went on to Ivy League universities. </p>

<p>The robotics team had a competition at the beginning of break; I don’t know how they did. The school began independent research fellowships under faculty supervision in the fall. Admission is competitive. Long description here:[Detail - St. Mark’s School](<a href=“http://www.stmarksschool.org/news/detail/index.aspx”>http://www.stmarksschool.org/news/detail/index.aspx&lt;/a&gt;?
LinkId=2398&ModuleId=253)</p>

<p>This is all part of the STEM initiative, part of the strategic plan. </p>

<p>On the website, I also see that the STEM facility will be renovated and expanded over the course of the next year, beginning this summer. [Edward</a> and Pamela Taft Make Transformational Gift for STEM Facility - St. Mark’s School](<a href=“http://www.stmarksschool.org/news/detail/index.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=2486&ModuleID=267&NEWSPID=4]Edward”>http://www.stmarksschool.org/news/detail/index.aspx?pageaction=ViewSinglePublic&LinkID=2486&ModuleID=267&NEWSPID=4)</p>

<p>Remember that any college prep school must, ah, prepare students for a college education. All prep schools (in my opinion) must offer a good college prep curriculum, which will include science, math, languages, and the humanities. The individual student may choose to fit in more arts classes, or double up on science or math, but all the schools should prepare students to be admitted to liberal arts colleges OR university programs in the STEM fields. It’s possible for a student who wants to be a great novelist or opera singer to be friends with students who want to be scientists, and for all of them to attend the same school. </p>

<p>And yes, as photodad states, liberal arts colleges prepare scientists as well as humanists. If your child is still interested in the sciences at the end of high school, he should consider Williams and Amherst as well as MIT (etc.)</p>

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<p>Thanks Photodad, NEKreader, and periwinkle, so helpful!</p>

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<p>@flatbrook: my gut leans toward Proctor, if your D likes the atmosphere at the school. Kent’s Hill is fine, too, but more isolated and insular–good or bad, depend ing on your sense of the community there.</p>

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<p>I would disagree that Proctor’s resources are quite the same as anyone else’s . . . they have their own ski mountain, which gives students the opportunity not only to ski, but also to be members of the ski patrol - a rather extraordinary responsibility. And their art classes include one of the very few metalworking programs I’ve seen anywhere. Proctor is not your average school!</p>

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<p>I really only saw myself there, but my parents made me apply to some others, got in everywhere, including L-ville, I like the size of Blair and the high % of boarding versus day students.</p>

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<p>@flatbrook - I’m a current Proctor parent. Please feel free to pm me.</p>

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<p>Congratulations, laxdude33! Sounds as if you had the same experience as our child, who is a current student. Accepted to excellent schools, and had already decided to attend Blair if admitted based upon what felt right personally. You are in for some great years ahead! Let me know if I can answer any questions.</p>

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<p>All wonderful schools- Congratulations everyone!!</p>

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<p>@Momof7thgrader - I am unable to PM as I do not have sufficient posts . If you are able I would be very grateful if you could PM me about Proctor.</p>

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<p>@malia123 - done.</p>

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<p>@momof7thgrader I also cant pm because I have just joined so if you could pm me about Proctor I would be very grateful.</p>

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<p>@flatbrook - done.</p>