<p>Having said that - I still think Governor’s is a good school or I would have asked my daughter not to apply. Sometimes it’s the underdogs that are the most nurturing - because while everyone is aiming at my alma mater, they miss the other campuses that might be right for them.</p>
<p>Because my father graduated from Governor Dummer Academy, I also attended what is now The Governor’s Academy. I can say, with all honesty, that it was the worst experience of my life. Set in the Newbury, Massachusetts countryside, it has the appearance of being a wonderful, traditional New England private school. But don’t let appearances fool you. It is a catch-all for students who couldn’t get into the best private schools. In other words, rich rejects. After two years of being bullied by adolescent apes in Brooks Brothers garb, while being talked down to and even mocked by less than stellar faculty members, I transferred to Phillips Exeter Academy. It may be Snob Central (and it is), but at least it imparts a first-rate education, value for money. From there I went to Yale. But when I think back on my youth, it is with tremendous bitterness about the two years I wasted – and I mean wasted – at that wannabe institution outside Newburyport. Don’t judge a prep school by a glossy brochure, or by the vaporous opinions of those who do. Send your children to top-tier schools like Groton, St. Paul’s, Exeter, Andover, Deerfield or Choate. Otherwise, save money and just send them to the local high school. Don’t make them suffer what I endured.</p>
<p>Perhaps I should explain what I mean by calling Phillips Exeter Academy “Snob Central.” I refer to the school’s operating mode of intellectual superiority. In the isolated, rarified atmosphere of Exeter, New Hampshire, students and faculty bustle about under the tacit assumption that they are smarter than everyone else. It’s a given, an unspoken but pervasive hubris. The students are unquestionably bright and work hard; but smarter than everyone else? When they graduate and go to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford or the like, they discover that there are others as smart or even smarter. It can be a rude awakening. Life inexorably knocks one down to size as part of the maturity process. It is unfortunate when a secondary school’s college preparation doesn’t also prepare for life by somehow including humility in the curriculum.</p>
<p>Hi all</p>
<p>This thread is very interesting to me, as the mom of a potential Governor’s applicant. Our family is returning to the US after a two year expat assignment, and my DS needs a new high school. My son picked Governor’s to research as they’re one of the few BS that offer German language instruction. From Tribbles remarks - it would seem better to find a really excellent public high school with German instruction, than to attend GA. We are not a wealthy family - it would be a major sacrifice to have our child attend BS. But if GA is a lesser caliber education, and the student body is composed off too many “rich rejects” that’s a big red flag. Anyone else care to comment?</p>
<p>Tribbles’ characterization of The Governor’s Academy is unfair and off the mark, Having considered all of the elite NE schools as well as GA, my children chose GA because it offered the best/right fit for them. They earn excellent grades in honors and AP courses; they compete on championship teams; they are involved in the life of the school, including an impressive arts program. Their teachers know them very well. Their friends are caring. My peers (other parents) are unpretentious and wonderfully involved. GA is vastly underrated. You should visit and discover for yourself whether it is the right place for you/your children.</p>
<p>I’m going to agree with AndoverMan. You can always find someone who hated their boarding school and recommends other people shouldn’t go. I was laughing when Tribbles tore down Governor’s then transferred to Exeter and referred to it as “Snob Central.” This seems like someone who wouldn’t be happy anywhere. Frankly, every school has their share of slackers (yes - even at Exeter). Also, Exeter was aware my daughter was looking at GA as an option and if it were a concern, they would have told me privately. As it is, I met teachers at GA whose kids when to Exeter and staff members at Exeter whose kids when to GA. </p>
<p>Exeter has 3,000+ applications for only a few hundred spots. Clearly not EVERYONE who wants to go to Exeter can gain admissions due to space. And many who apply only to Exeter, Andover, SPS, etc. often find themselves without a spot because all of their competitors are applying to the same schools. Cumulative those three schools alone only have about 900 spots (or less). That leaves a lot of students without options. Leaving out other viable choices doesn’t seem like a good idea, IMHO.</p>
<p>Gosh, I spoke harsh words about Governor Dummer Academy. Well, they were honest and deserved. If I save one kid from wasting his (or her) youth in that third-rate prep school, then I have succeeded. And when I refer to Phillips Exeter Academy as snob central, that doesn’t mean I don’t respect the place. Unlike GDA, it’s probably the finest high school education money can buy in the United States. But no place is utopia, and PEA’s flaw is its habitual self-satisfaction. As one teacher sniffed to me, “This is not P.S. 33.” But the education one receives at PEA more than makes up for the smugness. Nothing compensates for the overpriced mediocrity of GDA. I just want parents and students to know what to expect, what isn’t stated in the brochures – this from someone who attended both schools, unlike my critics here who pronounce judgment on what they clearly know nothing about. </p>
<p>Interesting. I know two graduates from the last four years from GDA. Both went to top LAC’s. Both are also incredibly nice, well spoken kids who are a pleasure to be around. They loved it. </p>
<p>@Tribbles, were you a day student or a boarder?</p>
<p>according to the boarding school review, gda is among the 24 schools with the lowest acceptance rates. </p>
<p>it hardly deserves to be described as “third-rate”</p>
<p>I never knew the school I’m going to next year is a “third-rate” school…</p>
<p>It is not either right or fair to judge schools based on single individual’s experience. </p>
<p>Or practical, considering that there’s a huge variety of views out there. I for one, doubt the validity of the extremely negative things said on here about Governor’s.</p>
<p>he had made 3 posts so far, and 2 were against gov. In the other one, he described exeter as “snob central”</p>
<p>I have found that negative posters on one thread tend to be negative posters on others. I’m seeing some patterns. Gather what information you can from this forum, take it with a grain of salt, and ground-truth it with your own experience. </p>
Well said. years ago a lady that works at the College where I teach,invited me down to her nephew’s graduation from high school. The location was 3 hours from my home but she and I drove down to the location.
As each student walked across the stage, the principal stated what each student would be doing after graduation. “so and so got into this college.” “so and so got a job at Home depot and will be starting next week.” and on and on. At one point, the principal said “_______ will be attending Harvard university in the Fall.”
This was school in Harlem, often cited as one of the worse schools in NY state. Bottom line, you can go wherever you want from anywhere in the world. Most importantly should be an environment that supports you.
There is also a way to say negative things in a much better way. Just from the way that they wrote their post I would take this person’s views with a grain of salt. If people at Governor’s AREN"T like this person, then maybe it is a good place to go 
Although I miss Exie and welcome accidentally reading her old posts, this thread is old and nothing good or relevant is being commented.