<p>Are they really that superior? Why are some other schools considered second tier next to them? I feel like you cannot compare prep schools like you can colleges in terms of the academic ability of the student, since their they are still developing in their academic capability at the time of admission. As someone who is going to be a senior at a "second tier school" I feel rather insulted how some people have a superiority complex about those schools.</p>
<p>well ... they are superior? </p>
<p>They have very good endowment, great college matriculation, wonderful alums, and best facilities </p>
<p>You shouldn't feel insulted though ... if you fit great at your "second tier" school, then it is #1</p>
<p>Yeah, only because most people on here are applying to these schools. I think that if most people were applying to "second tier" schools, as you put it, then the discussion would revolve around those. So it's just correlating.</p>
<p>But I think Choate is superior because it's a great fit for me and because I love it, but my decision was not totally focused on prestige. :)</p>
<p>it's AESD, by the way, and then you can add the "CH" for AESDCH, but that's long, and I don't like Hotchkiss :P</p>
<p>blair, i think he means that andover, exeter, deerfield, and choate are the ones most talked about here, not andover, exeter, st. pauls, and deerfield.
I feel like we don't really talk about st pauls here lol.</p>
<p>Yeah, we really only do talk about AEDC, but even not Deerfield! Maybe AEC :)</p>
<p>i think the reason why ppl talk most about
andover exeter choate and deerfield is cuz
alot of students here are going to those schools</p>
<p>to me it seems like a/e are the ones most talked about..i mean, prob like 75% of the kids here are going/went.</p>
<p>By and large, the students that are on here, attend one of those schools and that is why they talk about them. They are considered the "top" schools for a variety of reasons (many threads about that!). There is also significant discussion about which schools actually belong in the "top" grouping. Won't get into that.... :) Again, many threads that discuss it.</p>
<p>I also think that by and large, the PARENTS that are on here, have questions about schools other than those and would love feedback and input on schools that are not mentioned as much.</p>
<p>Yeah, I agree with Linda.</p>
<p>I do think the discussion mostly revolves around AEC though and maybe S at some points. But no one's going to DA or discusses it basically (hehe, rivalry!)</p>
<p>kids on here are super ambitious. i'm still amazed by some of these kids. i'm aware of the state of the general young child's education and intellect and all that sociology crap and the dire lack of love for learning in today's kids.. (i want to go into education reform/education sociology/education law/education methodology n psych, etc. later on... inspired by the past 2 years of looking into prep school and researching education).. so i'm particularly astonished. sometimes, when i look into this stuff for too long and then interact w/ "normal" (non-competitive) students, i get culture shocked big time.</p>
<p>these kids are so beyond even the smartest kid in your local high. they're years ahead and.. some are actually smart, not just booksmart. some are really, really intelligent. it's you know, a hope for the future. i'm quite cynical towards my own generation, but these kids seem to be the ones who will take the lead in 2 decades.. and so the future isn't so dim.</p>
<p>sum: these kids are so way beyond average, and so very ambitious. they want the best, they want the most, and many think AE is the place to be for this. AE fits many of their personalities, it seems. mature, don't need super nurturing environment. ambitious -- want more resources than you could possibly gobble up. competitive -- want to be at at the absolute tippy-top. intelligent w/ intellectual interests -- want 300 courses to choose from. multi-talented -- want a professional sized orchestra, nationally ranked sports teams, and want their art to be gallery-worthy. the big schools with the big money, long history, big name (future employers), and unlimited opportunities have all of the above, and more. it's ideal for the super competitive/multi-talented.</p>
<p>yeah, sps and the other smaller tier 1's aren't really discussed here. they seem to cater to a niche.</p>
<p>That is not true that sps caters to a niche. Just because it is under represented on some forum does not allow you to make statements like that.</p>
<p>Hail Old Mercersburg! W00t! Go MAPL League! Kick Those New England Pansies Back To Cape Cod!</p>
<p>I agree, the reasons that those schools are talked about a lot on here (I think the most talked about are Andover, Exeter, St. Paul's, Choate, and Hotchkiss) is simply because most of the kids go to those schools, or are interested in applying to those schools. Certain people correspond to those schools (Olivia to Choate, or example). Most kids on here are going to, or wish to go to, first tier schools. Most of the people on here who 'represent' second tier schools are parents. The parents who are informants, as opposed to questioners, tend to give broad-scale advice that applies to many different schools, whereas the kids, being kids, are more likely to love to talk about their school and the unique things about it. Both perspectives are quite valuable; however, that results in certains schools, being the schools that the most actively posting kids go to or are interested in applying to, are more talked about than others.</p>
<p>"Superior" is a comparative term, and obviously, in terms of things that are so undefinable as schools, you can never truly say that one is superior to another. The reason that many students here feel that certain schools (which is not limited to AEDC; this is for all first tier schools, as they are called) are better than others is because they have higher endownments, resources, FA grants, exclusitivity, competitiveness levels, more difficult courses, and more prestige. If those things are how you measure superiority, then, yes, they are significantly higher than other boarding schools. You shouldn't feel insulted, though. Just because a school is "superior" in some terms does not mean that it is the right school for everyone, or that it is the best school, not at all. Enjoy the school you're at, and, if you choose to stay on the board, keep talking about it to new applicants who may find it to be their dream school, better than any "first tier" school they could find.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Most kids on here are going to, or wish to go to, first tier schools. Most of the people on here who 'represent' second tier schools are parents. The parents who are informants, as opposed to questioners, tend to give broad-scale advice that applies to many different schools, whereas the kids, being kids, are more likely to love to talk about their school and the unique things about it. Both perspectives are quite valuable; however, that results in certains schools, being the schools that the most actively posting kids go to or are interested in applying to, are more talked about than others.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Interesting observation (and probably statistically true) about the difference in school representation between parents and students.</p>
<p>I will suggest a rationale for discussion with regards to the difference:</p>
<p>The AESD applicant students are here talking because the AESD (et al) top tier school application process is a higher stress (to the applicant) process than the second tier school process as there is less room for error (or shortcoming) in the AESD type of school. There is a certain degree of uncertainty about the whole process which leaves many of these AESD type applicants looking for more certainty or at least an understanding that they are similar to (competitive with) other applicants. They find a comeraderie with those of a similar experience and enjoy a stress relief dealing with the issues of top tier prep school applications. Plus, I think many of the top tier applicants are perhaps lacking in local peers whom they enjoy the same intellectual interests. They find a few here with whom they can relate.</p>
<p>The second tier applicant students (you do see a few here) are not as concerned about acceptance (chances are much better), but are concerned as to whether they will enjoy a school or not. They come for some feedback on one or a few schools that they may want to consider. They are not as worried about admission as their peers, so they are not looking for comeraderie necessarily and are perhaps intimidated by the resumes of the top tier applicants, not wanting to be judged by where they are applying, so perhaps they don't feel comfortable in the same social environment.</p>
<p>The parents of second tier applicants (and attendees) are here for a few reasons. Some of us see the second tier kids like ours and can identify with their search. Some are like Notre Dame fans who think their school is still better than everyone elses (I'm baiting somebody here) and want to toot their school's horn. Some have specialized interests (myself included, but not limited to) on fairly narrow subjects and participate from time to time in the general discussion.</p>
<p>As to the lack of AESD type parents, I'd ask for a first hand comment, but that would run counter to their lack of participation. I'm sure they are caught up in the excitement and uncertainty of the application process, but perahps they have social inhibitions that don't allow them to openly dicuss those things - a bit of discretion that comes with age.</p>
<p>Any other thoughts?</p>
<p>As always, very well put, goaliedad.</p>