<p>There is so much talk of the HADES schools and the "Ten Schools" that sometimes it gets a bit old. I am going crazy by the wait and would love to hear others impressions of school that don't fall into that category. (Just something to pass the time). We went to a "Ten schools seminar" and went through many CDs and litature but the only Ten schools our son applied to was Lawrenceville. And while that is his "reach" school it is not my favorite. (We also visited Choate, but it definitely would not be a fit. I personally love Tabor. Everything I have read leads me to believe it is more relaxed and the kids are happier, while still getting a top notch education. AND...since the average SSAT is a bit lower than the Hades school I think my son could flourish there with an 89% SSAT average instead of just keeping up. I love there Marine Science focus, and since my son's strengths are math and science I think he would love it. I am obviously hoping for Tabor. But I also Loved Mercersburg. It seems like such a well rounded place. I love that they don't have Saturday classes and still have sit down meals. AND they have an amazing out door program that can count for there athletic requirement. Those are my top two favorites and feel my son would be happiest at one of those schools. I think the HADES schools get most of the attention because they are precieved as more prestigous, but really what is important is fit. Where will your child thrive the most. What are your non HADES non Ten Schools favorites? Impressions? Gut feelings...just thought it would be a fun topic as the wait is killing me.</p>
<p>Well, I’m a kid, but my favorite non-10 schools school is Milton. Academically it rivals HADES, but has a really cool atmosphere that gives kids independence and freedom.</p>
<p>“Rivals HADES?” It <em>is</em> a HADES school. </p>
<p>This is why “HADES” should be superseded by “GLADCHEMM” (excuse me!), or, better yet, just say “elite,” which is just as short and easy to use as HADES.</p>
<p>I know it is basically a HADES, but she said non-10 schools, so I named my favorite. Jeez!</p>
<p>Lolzbabe, </p>
<p>What is it you like about Milton? Do you attend there?</p>
<p>I love Salisbury School in CT! Unfortunately I could not visit any of the schools I am applying to, because of the distance, but Salisbury seems to have a great community, I can imagine to fit in very well.</p>
<p>There are many great schools beyond the most competitive. Following these boards, sometimes I worry that applicants influence each other to only apply to the most competitive which doesn’t lead to a happy outcome for everyone. </p>
<p>At least on the college boards the application lists are more balanced, and if they aren’t, they are usually adjusted. </p>
<p>Joyhuffles – Good luck with Tabor and Mercersburg! Sat. classes have the advantage of longer vacations. However, at Mercersburg I imagine it’s good that they don’t have them because they have to travel some distances for Sat. athletic events.</p>
<p>I think highly of Blair Academy.</p>
<p>I loved tabor with their like ocean feel and marine science and stuff but then I looked at their financial aid… The highest grant was like $20,000 or something and their tuiton is around $45,000. I need basically a full tuition grant or I won’t be able to attend any of the schools. I have a feeling there is a much greater population of upper-class people there then middle and lower-class.</p>
<p>I am applying to Middlesex (not in 10 schools thing) and I found it to be on like the same-level of the other 10 schools.</p>
<p>I don’t go to Milton, but my dad and I visited and loved it. We have friends who have gone and had a fantastic experience. It is academically super-challenging, great location, right amount of trust in students and structure, more independence in education choices (i.e. course choices),good mix of boarding and day students and we got a really well-rounded impression of the place. Not too pressuring in any area. My only concern is the athletics there, though.</p>
<p>Boarding School is not a right but a privilege, nor is it an entitlement for the privileged, but a privilege for those deserving as much. Unfortunately, there are so many more willing and able students than there are well known boarding schools. The same holds true for faculty. The endowments are still larger than 35 years ago and the facilities coupled with seasoned faculty have made the less prominently known schools extremely appealing to those that have truly taken the time and energy to investigate. So many tangible schools are available than what are commonly mentioned here on CC.</p>
<p>Joyhuffes: We visited many schools both hades and what some would refer to as a step below and then some even lower. We were looking for the best fit. What we felt in the end was that the hades had better facilities but that the ones considered just a step below were comparable education wise and to our standards, still beautifully equipped. We did see quite a difference in those considered at the lower end however and did not apply to any of those as they did not seem to be an improvement on staying home.<br>
We did not visit Tabor. Our son applied to Hades and non Hades. In the end we chose a non hades mainly because my son felt the kids looked happier at that school vs the others he had been accepted to. Despite being a straight A student and 96% on SSAT, he is very challenged academically at his new school. He does feel much more pressure to succeed than he did at his old school but is loving it. He loves the students, the teachers, the classes and the sports.</p>
<p>I love reading all the schools people have been to and it makes me wish we could have visited more. I agree with you Cdnhockeymom about the “second tier” schools. That has been my impression as well. I visited schools of varying levels and felt that in some of the 3rd or 4th tier schools it may not be worth the cost if the local private (or public if you are so lucky) have a comparable education and opportunities. But many of the “2nd tier” schools have just as many opportunities and a great education and are not as hard to get in to. And sometimes the kids seem less stressed. </p>
<p>Lolzbabe Milton sounds great. I wish we had the opportunity to visit it. I found visiting the school very important. We found that what you see on schools website may be presented better than the real thing. I found this true visiting one of the Hades schools, that most people on CC love. I hated it. The office was rude when we called to book a visit and they couldn’t be bothered with us since we would be applying for the following year. (We were traveling and would not get a chance to get back to the campus the following year). After a very kind and polite email to an admission person directly requesting to be put on cancellation list in case a slot became available, we were we invited for a tour/interview. When we got there they were too busy sucking up to some atheletic kid they were trying to recruit to hardly greet us, and after a 30 minute wait we went on a tour. We couldn’t wait for the interview to be over so we could leave. We found the school to be stuffy and conceited. It really left me with the impression that the school was full of snobs. We were so surprised. We even thought the campus was ugly and the dorms were very smelly and dark, and the common area was dirty and cold and uninviting. In the schools defense it was winter and maybe that contributed to us thinking the school was ugly because so many people say how nice it is. But it was a definitely no for us. I am sure it may be a great school for others and that is why I think a visit is so important. </p>
<p>Burb Parent do you have a child at Blair? That was one of the schools I likely on the web but never had the opportunity to visit. It sounds really great. </p>
<p>Well guys, only 19 more days until we hear something. Could the time pass any slower?</p>
<p>Joy,
My daughter attends M’burg and is a member of Endeavor, the outdoor leadership program. It is a wonderful program. She has gone ice climbing, slept in a snow cave, hiked mountains with rocks in her backpack for extra weight, and learned emergency wilderness first aid. It has been a love/hate experience, but mostly love. It is fairly competitive to get into, but bragging rights are huge.
zp</p>
<p>Joyhuffes, why don’t you tell us what hades school it was you had bad experience with? There may be people from that school lurking around. It is good for them to know how families feel when something like that happens and they may make efforts to improve. I don’t think it’ll hurt that school’s reputation. Otherwise that school’s reputation is just too fragile. As you have noted, there is much more positive feedback on this board.</p>
<p>Zuzu’s petals, We loved Mercersburg and the outdoor program was one of the biggest draws for my son. It was the first school we toured and we loved it. It became the standard we set while touring other schools. We would feel very honored if he was accepted there. Were you totally nervous about your daughter climbing mountains or camping in freezing weather? Was the love/hate thing for the BS experience or the outdoor experience?</p>
<p>Benley, I stand corrected. It was not a HADES school but it was a “Ten schools”. I don’t want to be flamed…or CHOked…so I’d rather not say the name…if you really want to know I’d be happy to PM you…</p>
<p>Joy,
The love/hate (mostly love) was with Endeavor. My daughter absolutely loves bs and has from day one. Best decision we (she) ever made.
zp</p>
<p>The 10 schools came into my area, midwest and gave wonderful information, but as tie went on, as my research progressed, i learned the term, “best fit”. I then began the search to “again”. </p>
<p>Berkshire was nice and beautiful, but our guide was not happy to be there and had never heard of the harkness table-that bothered both me and my d. The academics were not what she needed.</p>
<p>I loved Cushing, d was just luke warm, thus she didnt do the eassy, even though she took the interview and tour and I thought she was sure to get in. In the end, she said she rather stay home ( if she doesn’t get into bs she will begin college in the fall–local hs is over for us–lol)</p>
<p>Loomis-beautifullllllllll. The best tour guide of the 7 schools we visited in 4 days. Great writing program.</p>
<p>Great topic. We have visited a lot - as one poster said - in many categories - the “top,” just below and then below that.<br>
I would agree that the “top” generally have the best facilities but that is changing. The “just below” are gaining and fast.</p>
<p>I caution everyone to not be caught up in the name of the school. Go for the fit. What feels right. We were told by one admissions rep this (and we found it to be very true): there will be 3 kinds of schools: #1 - you feel so comfortable there you can’t wait to start. #2 - you can see yourself there and are sure you would fit in and #3 - You can’t wait to get off campus, and wonder if you should even do the interview. </p>
<p>For us, at least one in each “tier” fit into each of those categories.</p>
<p>My son had two experiences like the last one you described, Linda. I’m pretty sure he was just going through the motions during the interview at those schools because I saw a HUGE difference in the feedback I got from the interviewers. It was just really obvious that those two school weren’t “right” for him. Because he wasn’t excited about the school, he wasn’t excited during the interview. One school, in particular, was so obviously wrong that when I shook hands with the interviewer, it was as if he already knew that my son wouldn’t be applying; and I could tell too, even before speaking with my son! Interestingly enough, it is the only school that didn’t send something in the mail every two weeks. I respect that completely. Why would they encourage an applicant who is not a fit? It’s kind of a relief.</p>
<p>There is one “HADES” school that my son won’t even step foot on the campus of…it just creeps him out that much. Why bother with a tour and interview when there are so many great schools out there?</p>
<p>This “creeps” stuff really does say a lot about how the “fit” is both so important and so specific to the individual. There have been several people here on CC who have named a couple of HADES schools that they found “creepy” when they visited. Yet those same two schools were and are our son’s favorite ones! Go figure.</p>