<p>So I am applying to Andover, Exeter, Hotchkiss, Choate, Loomis, and Northfield Mount Hermon, but I haven't been able to visit any of them because of financial reasons, and I was wondering what people thought of the different campuses. If I get into any, then of course my family and I are going to travel back east and visit them, but does anyone have some input?</p>
<p>Andover has the feel of a small, highly selective liberal arts college. Wealthy suburb not too far from Boston. The campus is traditional with a public road running through it. Andover has a very special aura of intelligence and purpose. Exeter's setting is nicer than the buildings on campus. Exeter 's campus blends in with the charming town of Exeter. Ugliest gymnasium that I have ever seen (a concrete monstrosity). I asked when the gym would be completed and they told me "xxx years ago".Architectually speaking, the campus is similiar to many bland state school universities, but the setting is magnificant. Northfield Mt. Herman is okay, but was always dreary when I visited. NMH's campus is nice and similiar to a small New England LAC. NMH probably deserves more praise than my comments suggest. Hotchkiss is beautiful and the students appear to be wealthy. It is situated in Litchfield County, Connecticutt, one of the most beautiful counties in New England. Hotchkiss has its own golf course. My opinion, however, should not influence you as many factors affect one's perception. All are very exciting and stimulating environments for students. Hopefully other posters can be of more help to you.</p>
<p>thanks, that helps a lot. I look at all of the brochures and videos and they all look the same. I am sure they hire the most brilliant photographers, taking pictures from the best places at the best times. It is hard to go off of photographs. But your opinion really helps.</p>
<p>Middlesex, Concord Academy, Deerfield Academy and St. Paul's School are all gorgeous campuses worth a visit if you are in the area.</p>
<p>I've only visited Andover for Summer Session and I loved the campus! I really liked everything about it, except that's it takes a really long time to walk from one side of the campus to the other, but that's expected of a school of around 1,100 students, but the long walks can be really fun if you're with someone, or even when you just want to listen to music and have time by yourself. The Great Lawn is great when it's warm. Everyone plays frisbee and football and it's just really nice to lay down on the grass and talk. George Washington Hall (Gdub, GWash, GW,) is fun spot to hang out, and it's air conditioned! Commons is going to go through a huge renovation and it's going to be amazing, but for the next year or so, everything has to eat in the old skating rink or something. </p>
<p>The only aspect of the campus I didn't like were some parts of a few dorms. Rooms that looked like they should be singles were doubles, and this one dorm had a really strange set up where there was a separate room for sleeping and studying. The sleeping room was probably about 7 x 7. It was insane. Also, some of the bathrooms were kind of weird, but it all depends on what dorm you end up in! I've heard Rockwell and Nathan Hale are the best for freshmen.</p>
<p>thanks Jonathan...do you know anything about the dorms for sophmores? I am a freshman this year at my public high school, so I am applying for tenth grade.</p>
<p>The dining hall is undergoing a renovation, so the campus has some fences and construction vehicles around, but they aren't too bad. They did a very nice job on the temporary dining, and it still has a cozy dining hall feel. Many people that tour comment that it looks more like permanent dining. Andover has a lot of dorms, which differ greatly. Many doubles have the set up of having a separate bedroom or two. It's actually quite nice, since you are rarely in the bedroom the size doesn't really matter. You also don't have the temptation of studying on your bed late at night and then fall asleep before your work is done.<br>
What dorm did you stay in Jonathan?</p>
<p>Sophomores (we call them lowers here) live with uppers (juniors) and seniors. There are many dorms for this group that range from 5 person houses to 40 person dorms. They are generally pretty nice, and the school does a good job of placing kids in the different dorms.</p>
<p>I stayed in Whitey House.</p>
<p>sugerkim, do you go to andover?</p>
<p>Yes, I am a senior at Andover.</p>
<p>Do you really like it?</p>
<p>Yes, I love it. Going to Andover is one of the best decisions I've made.</p>
<p>sugerkim, where else were you accepted?</p>
<p>NMH is very pretty. It is a "stand alone" campus (vs having a road in it like Andover) and the new art center is going to be beautiful "reflecting" various architecture on the campus. </p>
<p>Loomis is similar to NMH in that it is a "stand alone" campus. It is right on the river (flooding in the spring) and pretty, but I would say the NMH campus is MUCH nicer. </p>
<p>Have not been to the others, but Hotchkiss is in the middle of nowhere - something to consider as far as off campus activities. The towns of Lakeville and Canaan are close, but they are small. Any mall, etc is pretty far.</p>
<p>I'm only applying to Choate and Hotchkiss out of your list.
They are both very beautiful
but Choate felt more casual and Hotchkiss felt more like...well...a wealthy campus
I liked Hotchkiss' dorms better too
I think I liked Hotchkiss' campus the best but Choate is my first choice lol</p>
<p>NMH and Loomis are both very casual as well.</p>
<p>what do you mean by "casual"?</p>
<p>I think the whole campus has a less formal feel in a large part due to the lack of a dress code at the schools. In addition, many of the teachers at NMH have students call them by their first names.
Also, the dining hall at NMH is open almost all the time - you can always get a sandwich, salad or snack in the dining hall. I think those things combined make the campus feel more "casual" to me. </p>
<p>Loomis - harder to describe, but I got a similar feeling.</p>
<p>hmm. well i think hotchkiss mantains a casual atmosphere because of the friendliness of the people who go there.</p>
<p>sure we have a dresscode and really nice facilities, but the people are pretty much the same as at any school.</p>