<p>also, why isn’t groton included, it is known as one of the best boarding schools in the nation…</p>
<p>What about Northfield Mount Hermon? From what i hear, it is just as good academically, and athletically.</p>
<p>Northfield Mt. Hermon is in the same league as these others, but as people have said… it’s just a matter of personal preference as to where you want spend your high school years – that’s what makes something the “best” imho. Though I will say that the type of person who cares about a thread like this (aka, prestige, button-down shirts, and summer homes in the Hamptons) isn’t your average NMH student.</p>
<p>We can’t forget Loomis or Taft… most definitely not.</p>
<p>No Groton?</p>
<p>Seriously no Groton? Prep schools exist for one purpose: to prepare and get their students into college. As far as college matriculations go (I’m considering HYPMS, but the Ivy data isn’t much different – the spreads are just a little bigger, as one would expect with more schools), Groton is less than half a percent behind Exeter and just a little farther behind Andover. Groton also is also ahead of this list’s #3 by nearly 3%. Groton also gets, taking into account the size of the respective student bodies, nearly 3 times as many applicants in as does Loomis Chafee.</p>
<p>**DISCLAIMER: I am a student at Groton, so I am undoubtedly biased, but here the data is on my side. Here’s the site I am referencing: [Boarding</a> School Stats : Matriculation Stats](<a href=“http://matriculationstats.org/boarding-school-stats]Boarding”>http://matriculationstats.org/boarding-school-stats)</p>
<p>Boarding School Stats : Matriculation Stats is more than 18 months old…many of the stats have changed, some significantly.</p>
<p>Stats may have changed, but they will change again before you graduate. 2011 stats are as good stats as any, although an average would give you a better perception. The 2011 stats aren’t any better a glimpse at any one of these schools than this year’s stats; also, most of the stats <em>are</em> averages – the matriculations were gathered over a number of years. Look at the column to the far right.</p>
<p>Stats and averages are changing more rapidly than usual. As applications to boarding schools rise in record breaking percentages, the measured criteria are materially impacted.</p>
<p>Sure, but matriculations are impacted equivalently across the board; all schools benefit almost equally.</p>
<p>^ Actually, I don’t think applications are rising equally across all the schools. I think some of the “Hidden Gems” like St. Andrews, Thacher etc are rapidly becoming less “hidden,” with applications increasing faster than the average. Savvier families (IMO) are getting better at tuning out (or down) some of the HADES noise and more self-confident about recognizing and acting on the best match for the student, wherever that journey might take them.</p>
<p>No one seems to mention The Hill School as a “hidden gem”! It’s a fine boarding school in Pottstown, Pa. It has excellent academics but formal sit down dinners once/wk, a dress code, and an honor code. May not be a HADES school but it is a very fine boarding school with a new headmaster. Please take note!</p>
<p>@Parlabane Here I actually agree with you; there are a lot of hidden gems, which are likely finding a rise in applicants highly beneficial, However, in the case of the Ivies (and I’m sure this is relatively true across any selection of top colleges), a difference of 12+% (more than twice as many students) of the graduating the graduating class going two Ivies seems impossible over two years, even if this will likely occur due to this rise in applications.</p>
<p>Choate, while a very good school, is not “elite”. Elites are Andover, Exeter, Milton, Roxbury Latin and possibly Deerfield. As someone who attends a prep school and has has family members at six different prep schools, I think some of the opinions on here are unfounded. Lawrence, Groton, and Taft do not even come CLOSE to the caliber of Milton Academy.</p>
<p>I love it when ignorance and self-assurance come together. It’s a beautiful thing.</p>
<p>@xc: u high bro?</p>
<p>@Parlabane And which elite prep school did you attend?</p>
<p>xc2015…I’m not on this site much anymore, but returned to it today and saw your post. While I might not have chosen Parlabane’s words, and taking into account that you’re likely a kid, you ought to reconsider your thinking and your tone, neither of which do you any favors. Many of the schools you dismiss as non-elite are more selective than the ones you like. If your criteria is social and not academic, which is an even more unsavory commentary on your view, Groton or SPS would be the better of some of those on your list. I’m not sure what criteria you use to make your claim other than the fact that a bunch of your family went to boarding school, which is true for about half the people on this site. Honestly, and I truly do not mean to offend, you sound ridiculous.</p>
<p>@rebelangel While I appreciate your response and polite disagreement, I would like to point out “selective” is not synonymous with “better”. I’ll admit my previous comment was fueled by some idiotic comments earlier in this thread. Choate, Lawrence, Taft, and Groton are all amazing schools and if you do well there you are essentially set for life. My viewpoint is most definitely centered on academics and not only founded by family experience but actual facts and numbers. I think we can all agree however that there are most definitely different “tiers” of prep schools which all have their strengths whether academic, social or athletic. It’s a matter of opinion. Agree to disagree. Ya’ll have a nice day!</p>
<p>^ please enlighten me with said “actual facts and numbers”.</p>