What's the biggest difference between Exeter and Andover?

Prep School Admissions
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<p>For journalism it does not matter.</p>

<p>Seriously, either will give you as good a high school education as you can get. Neither will be better for any career. </p>

<p>This is high school. </p>

<p>Both have papers, but for journalism at this point you need to learn to write, that is way more important than whether you work on a student paper in high school. </p>

<p>The only Pulitzer-winning journalist I know personally did not start writing for any paper until after she graduated college. She got a good liberal arts education and that came through in her writing.</p>

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<p>Uniforms are a good thing! I go to a private day school where there are no uniforms and it is known in my city as the rich school, so all the girls try to "outdress" each other and have the nicest and best designer clothes. Parents have been trying to get uniforms for years</p>

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<p>Bump!,.,.,.,..,.</p>

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<p>Is the Harkness Method as exciting as Exeter makes it sound? Anyone from Exeter feel free to correct me on this as this is coming from someone who chose Andover, but I’ve heard from people with a math/science bent that Harkness can get really annoying in those classes where kids need to first learn from the teacher and then perhaps discuss the material. I’ve heard that such classes are easily derailed by one person or a small group of people who don’t understand. I can fully understand and support Harkness discussions in opinion-based classes like English, History, RelPhil, etc. where the students read something and then need to discuss it in class. I don’t see why this method would be useful in math or science, when it is more beneficial to learn the concepts directly from the teacher. I think Andover does it better (again, I’m biased). In technical classes, we learn directly from the teacher (we’re free to ask questions and bounce around ideas, but it’s very much directed by the teacher) and if we still don’t understand there’s always conference period (half an hour set aside three times a week just for going to meet with teachers), personal meetings with the teacher, study groups, math/science study hall, etc.</p>

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<p>In science and/or math classes, here’s an important educational benefit of the Harkness method. Even for those students who’ve readily grasped a concept, they really will gain much from a discussion focused on helping another (comparably talented) student grapple with their difficulties in fully understanding the same concept. (And, next time around, the roles may be reversed too!) Education is so much more than just digesting course material; it’s also about improving one’s understanding of the entire thinking process.</p>

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<p>Here’s a link to Math with Harkness; it includes a student testimonial:</p>

<p>[Phillips</a> Exeter Academy | Mathematics with Harkness](<a href=“http://www.exeter.edu/academics/84_9409.aspx]Phillips”>http://www.exeter.edu/academics/84_9409.aspx)</p>

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<p>wow this kind of turned into an essay. Hope this helps, though.</p>

<p>I hated and loved Exeter math. Having taken AP Calculus AB in 8th grade before entering Exeter, I found that I could not solve most of the math 2 problems (which is what I started with, in transition math). I hope I’m not making it sound like Exeter math is tough even for people who are advanced in math and so people who haven’t taken precalc wouldn’t survive or whatnot. I’m seriously not good at math and the only reason I got so advanced in middle school was because I was good at memorizing solutions. The point I’m trying to make here is that “traditional” math classes didn’t teach me anything compared to what Exeter math taught me. I felt so incredibly dumb then. But I now have a much clearer grasp on concepts, and I know how to solve problems better. Also, I find Exeter math refreshing compared to textbook math, because it is not straight forward and formulaic. You get to think and discuss with your peers when you are stuck, and when you finally get the solution, it’s the best feeling. There is a famous (infamous?) math problem we call the Alex in the Desert problem that appears in math 2, 3, and 4. I don’t remember if math 5 had it. Anyway, you learn to solve the problem differently each time using the new concepts you learned. I remember in math 4, I was like, omg this is so easy calculus is awesome, but in math 2 it was so hard (algebra is hard). I also think that you cannot really evaluate Exeter Math unless you’ve experienced it. It shocked me when I got there, that’s for sure.</p>

<p>On a side note, I have a friend who was never able to “get” Exeter math. I don’t know why… but she had to learn it the “traditional” way on her own. But I never really understood why she had so much trouble with it so I cannot really speak for her.</p>

<p>As for science Harkness classes, they’re a bit different from math classes. Because…how can you logically reason out the organelles of a cell without having prior knowledge? So for physics classes, from what I remember, you have a reading and problems to do, and then you go over the problems. If you have questions, you discuss. I remember doing a lot of small group work and labs. But that was a long time ago. It’s similar for chem… chem had more discussions I think because for chemistry you can logically discuss properties of atoms and molecules. Biology - I loved (LOVED) Exeter biology… actually this depends on your teacher, but I had Mr. Chisholm who is amazing and brings in papers from the real science world. Fascinating stuff. </p>

<p>I think when it comes down to it, Harkness isn’t about teaching you what is right. I think it teaches you why it’s right. I loved that. Of course, I do believe that Harkness isn’t the necessary ingredient for learning the “why,” I’m sure you could learn it at Andover too, since there are other variables like class dynamic and the instructor, but I think it does a good job of facilitating it.</p>

<p>I am kind of a science/math oriented person though, so I would be interested to hear what a humanities/arts focused person thinks about Harkness math and science. I loved English and history classes, too. Actually for history classes, Harkness made history fascinating to me (quite a hard feat) but since Exeter doesn’t make you memorize anything for history, I don’t remember much from my courses. But maybe I wouldn’t have remembered anything from cramming events and dates into my memory either.</p>

<p>Overall I think Harkness would have been the main thing for me to consider if I were choosing between Exeter and Andover. The thing is that Exeter uses Harkness for all classes, so if you and Harkness don’t mesh, then that kind of really sucks.</p>

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<p>Lol you’re “seriously not good at math”? You completed AP calculus in 8th grade and heading to MIT, probably got a 800 or close in SAT math and subject test, and you’re not good at math.</p>

<p>You’re amazing at math. I’ve never heard of a middle school that offered AP calculus you had to have gone to the local highschool…</p>

<p>What math class did you get to by senior year?</p>

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<p>I totally get what tuesdayair is saying about not really learning math but learning the solutions before Exeter. Just because you know how to do it doesn’t mean you know it. The emphasis on state tests in publics drills process into the kids, not understanding. I hate the way most schools teach math. They tend to destroy the beauty of it by focusing on the minutia and students never get to experience the horizon of logic that makes math so very cool. When working with my own children, I often stop and ask, “Does this make sense to you? Because it has to make sense. It making sense is the whole point.” One doesn’t study quadratics because they will need to calculate the trajectory of a ball thrown from a building, (or whatever). One studies math because it is the only chance to experience pure reason. There is no angst. There is no interpretation. It just “is.”</p>

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<p>I personally prefer andover’s flexibility in teaching their respective subjects compared to Exeter’s harkness method in all classrooms</p>

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<p>mpicz - like I said, memorizing the solutions to problems isn’t the same as understanding math and being good at coming up with new solutions. Getting an 800 on the SAT has nothing to do with how good you are at math, either, just how quick and precise you are at calculations.</p>

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<p>Yes I know, I understand what you’re saying. Doesn’t mean you’re not good at math though, I don’t think you have to “understand” it to be good at it. Many people get through high school math easily without “understanding” it…I still consider them good at math. </p>

<p>I also think it’s a stretch to say it has nothing to do with how good you are at math. If you don’t have a basic grip of algebra, you won’t get an 800, because you will never start those quick and precise calculations.</p>

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<p>I am a sophomore and looking to apply to Exeter academy for 11th grade, my primary strengths are the Math Olympiads and Political savviness. I have won awards in debate, model congress, moot court, and will do mock trial and model un this year, expect to win awards, and am most of all willing to adapt and learn.</p>

<p>here are my sophomore plans, <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/999819-i-am-dedicated-want-know-if-college-would-agree-not.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/999819-i-am-dedicated-want-know-if-college-would-agree-not.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>please advice, i am not a prodigy but i am extremely bright and am creative in both sciences and humanities. I love reading, blogging and public speaking. not to mention my technical skills and passion for video editing.</p>

<p>Most of all, i try incorporate my various passions together, whether it’s political videos, or economics and statistics or chem and physics together, :D</p>

<p>am I qualified for E/A or Andover? and which one would be better for my ‘fit’</p>

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<p>this hurts so bad that some time later I fall upon this thread again and i am the only one, lol,</p>

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<p>andover stinks!!! AHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAAHA</p>