The board’s been sort of boring for a few weeks post M10/A10…so I figured I try to spice it up. After all, it’s been months since I’ve started a thread that gets shut down.
Lately, I’ve seen a few “Is School X ‘better’ than School Y?” questions. The actual schools being asked to compare doesn’t really matter, IMO. What matters is that this question is largely unanswerable/the answers from some anonymous forum are not the sort of thing I’d base my kid’s future on.
Here’s just one reason why the question is moot (anyone remember that SNL skit?): What makes School X great for Kid A (and now I’m lapsing into Radiohead references), might make it terrible for Kid B. Without knowing a lot about that kid…and probably more than should be shared on the public side of the forum, it’s really impossible for even a parent with a kid at one of the schools (or even kids at both schools) to say.
If you are asking about relative academic rigor, I am of the opinion that any of the schools mention on here can serve 98% of the population just fine. If you are or have a kid that is already in Calc BC in 8th grade, then the field narrows considerably…but honestly, if you are or have such a kid, I trust that you are sufficiently savvy about this game called education that your expertise/knowledge (especially that of yourself/ your kid) would trump anything you could learn on this site.
If you are asking about prestige, I cannot help you there. Nor do I want to. Earlier this season, I gave the example of Pebble Beach (or was it Augusta) vs. Pine Valley. The average person who is even aware of golf to the degree that they recognize any of these names (and there are plenty who are not), might say “Oh, Pebble Beach is a much better club.” But to those who know, Pine Valley is considered one of the best in America. And it’s in stinkin’ New Jersey fer Pete’s sake! After buying in to the notion that it mattered, and having chased it down several rabbit holes over the years, the best I can say is that “prestige” is very illusory thing. Prioritize it at your own peril.
/steps off soapbox
This could be a great thread. Since I dumped my kid in boarding school so I could have early G&Ts, let me run get one while I watch!
Seriously, SevenDad has (once again) hit the nail on the head. Prestige is subjective, as is academic rigor to a certain extent. Each kid is an individual, with individual hopes/dreams/strengths/goals. It is impossible for us here on the forums to say what school is best for any kid other than our own. Any of the 50 best known schools are excellent for most kids. Heck, even the next 10-15 after that probably are.
I suggest that any family starting this process now should FIRST write down what you hope to gain by choosing boarding school. THEN (and only then) start looking at schools. It is too easy to be swayed by slick marketing and urban legends…begin with the what you know, then see what aligns most closely…
I never even read those threads. Define “better” – there’s a rabbit hole. To me, anyone who poses such a question about any of the schools mentioned here is trying to split meaningless hairs, doesn’t understand that only their own research/opinion matters, or is 13 years old.
(I don’t read threads about clothing either. Laundry, on the other hand…)
Ooh. I love the laundry thread.
If I had a hammer, I’d hammer a nail on the head like @SevenDad always does. 
Well, if you folks are bored, take a look at this thread on the College Parent Forum…your eyes begin to cross around page 15…and your head might explode by page 26…
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1772882-disappointed-in-your-childs-college-decision-p1.html
I made it to page 5; do I get an award? Come to think of it, my parents should NEVER have let me go where I did or make any of my own decisions about college. I was a nincompoop.
Yeah, I’ve been following that thread just for entertainment. The mother is entitled to her feelings but the fact that
is all there is to it. He’s happy and she admits:
There really is no point to the thread but God bless CC for being able to kvetch for 33 pages strong.
(Are Amherst and Northwestern better ranked than Michigan State? I know Michigan is a better school 
but the other two?)
Yeah, I saw that thread, too . Good times. 
+1000 to @twinsmama . Have I ever told you how much I love the word Nincompoop ?
I hope I didn’t derail a great thread with my fondness for a word near and dear to my heart…
I will add : Perfect stats doesn’t necessarily mean a student is ready for BS. Perfect stats doesn’t necessarily mean a student will survive OUTSIDE the classroom at a BS. Perfect stats should NEVER limit your choices to only 10 boarding schools.
Just so we’re clear : The Top 10 don’t have a lock on the best and brightest students out there… Let’s not get carried away.
Parents must look at their child and do a honest assessment prior to starting this journey or an AO will do it for you… during a 20 minute interview.
What’s worse? A boarding school doing it for you after your kid is enrolled. That always ends well.
BS name recognition should be the least of your worries. I’ve seen “Top” schools eat “gifted” students alive because their parents were negligent ( Notice I said, negligent not wilfully stupid like I wanted to say ) when it comes down to fit and culture. Know what you’re getting your child into and do your research. Branch OUT.
To the 8th grader taking Calc BC : You will definitely benefit from a BS experience but it won’t be in a classroom. Tell your parents to relax.
I wish comparisons were banned from this board. I think it would be better if people could only give their particular experiences, and then other people could see if they fit into those. I also hate when people post. “Don’t go there, it’s awful” or other comments that are not backed up by anything and then when people question them, they disappear. I’ve gotten a lot of wonderful info on these boards, but so often the advice is pretty poor because it’s just random stuff people are throwing out. Some of my favorite posts have been about Episcopal, Mercersburg, and SAS because of the great amount of info I’ve gotten out of them. I’m sorry if I can’t remember exactly the posters who write these great posts.