<p>matrix- Are you going into ninth grade? Also, are you a boy or a girl if you don’t mind saying?</p>
<p>I’m a guy entering 10th.</p>
<p>To really be able to give you insight about where to go, it would be good to tell us a little bit about yourself. These are the best boarding schools in the country, yet they are very different in many ways. Its rare to see a student accepted into both SPS and PEA. Congradulations!</p>
<p>When I first applied to a boarding school SPS was my first choice and Exeter was my second after getting accepted and revisiting both I chose to go to Exeter. Here are some reasons why:</p>
<p>Exeter: More organized and more open campus to go into and out of town. Also, great quad space for relaxing, pick up sports games and hw.
SPS: Randomly placed buildings, hard to get to places, etc but beautiful buildings.</p>
<p>Exeter: tie for boys for classes, everyone still looks classy
SPS: less formal but still neatly attired</p>
<p>Exeter: three all school assemblies (all with many famous speakers or student skits and student music performances) plus meditation (a senior or faculty member will speak about how an event, or multiple events, has effected their lives)
SPS: the whole community comes together 4 times per week during morning chapel for an all school meeting</p>
<p>Exeter: day students (great so you can get off campus with them and outside the “exeter bubble”); faculty live in dorms and off campus
SPS: all boarding, all faculty live on campus, “sps bubble”</p>
<p>Exeter: If your child doesn’t make a Varsity or JV team, will take “Prep Spaz”, a PE course where you choose a sport you want to look at for next year or you can choose to do multiple sports to sample what sports are available. many students go into varsity sport from this program.
SPS: If your child doesn’t make Varsity or JV team (which might be easier in the case of JV given the smaller school size) you child can take fitness class or sign up for several different choices </p>
<p>Exeter: campus melds into town with town streets running through campus; easy access to small downtown area, good distance from large shops and small boutiques
SPS: within walking or biking distance to town but campus is more isolated and hard to get to with plenty of green space and woods for exploring</p>
<p>Exeter: lots of different classes and 6 classes available plus sports, music lessons and additional audit lessons if you choose
SPS: more schedule flexibility gives students freedom to take an extra class if they can handle it</p>
<p>Exeter: Most students stay in the same dorm for all 4 years, creating bonds that can last a lifetime, i know i came to exeter with no siblings but i now have 34 amazing, smart SISTERS to count on. your dorm does not limit your friends. my best friend is not in my dorm but it doesnt make our friendship difficult. I think being in he same dorm promotes community and support and friendships that are valuable.
SPS: It is unusual for a student to stay in the same dorm</p>
<p>Also, the town is very friendly and when my friends and I need to go get some lunch in town( rather than go to dhall) very easy to get to… our periods are flexible and give us the time to be social and get our homework done. Sports are also great at exeter. Athletics is a big part of our school and our program has earned its well known and well deserved reputation as a strong and dedicated program. Teachers here are also dedicated to your success and are given more of a chance to channel their enthusiasm with HARKNESS, a style of classroom that is used in ALL classrooms.</p>
<p>No, no, no, no, no, no, nonono NO!
SPS vs. PEA is NOT the ultimate showdown…they aren’t even the two best boarding schools in the US.</p>
<p>Although PEA does get my vote, because when I applied, they were very kind and courteous throughout the whole process. And SPS didn’t even accept me, much less respond to my many emails…so…
(I’m not against SPS because they waitlisted me, I’m against their general attitude. Plus, their endowment isn’t as large and their college matriculation is less impressive, albeit still excellent.)</p>
<p>5SchoolApplicant, it seems like SPS was the last trophy for you to claim but it escaped from you. St. Paul’s may be ranked third behind PEA and PA in all the lists, but just because a couple emails went unanswered doesn’t mean it’s not as good as the other two. And the only general attitude you can get of a school as an applicant is of the admissions office, a place at SPS that I also found to be kind and courteous to me.</p>
<p>SPS and PEA are both fantastic schools, and no matter which one you go to, you will receive superb (and arguably similar) educations. The whole debate is subjective and pointless.</p>
<p>@KCcansps15 - Your post was highly accurate…however, I don’t view schools as “trophies,” and my moaning about not being accepted was simply because I would have appreciated a wider variety of schools to choose from, as SPS is obviously a prestigious academy itself, and I was very seriously considering attending. However, I don’t hold their decision against them, which I of course have no right to do.</p>
<p>What I meant was that their stats are not as awe-inspiring as perhaps 3 or 4 other schools out there, and even more up-and-coming schools may have the potential to rival it, which is why I stated that it was not one of the two best boarding schools in the country. (Notice how I never mentioned Phillips Academy in my previous post. Please do not jump to conclusions, as that was in fact NOT the institution I had in mind.)</p>
<p>We are two different people. We are reacted to differently, and interpret things differently, and I merely stated my opinions about the apathy of the school, and I of course respect your opinions. Simply based upon the time I spent on each individual application, the numerous receptions and visits I attended - I was very invested, emotionally, financially, even physically, etc. Therefore, I did not feel completely satisfied with the detached way the Admissions Office delivered my decision. That is all. I do, however, wish you all the best when you yourself attend in September. You will receive a fantastic education regardless, and good luck.</p>
<p>5school, which stats are you referring to?</p>
<p>Well I appreciate your opinion, and it is very clear. I think SPS is one of the top 2, but you don’t. We can agree to disagree. (:</p>