Prep school

[wink]

So I have my first candidate that has been recommended for Foundation prep school. What can you guys tell me that I can pass on to him. Anyone been to a Foundation prep school or there now? Recommend any particular schools? Any to stay away from? Lifestyle, follow on experiences in application and plebe year, anything.

 

[phrogpilot73]

I'm pretty sure that NMMI is a foundation school, and it's full of toolbags from what I've seen...

 

[DanMa1156]

I did a foundation year. PM me with any specific questions. I thought it was a great program, really really glad I did it.

I'd stay away from the military schools (what my B&G officer, a SH-60 pilot, reccomended) and he was totally right. No need to have a 10th grade girl yelling at you for a year before plebe year.

I went to Peddie, and it was an adjustment, but I enjoyed it looking back. Most of the MAPL (Mid Atlantic Prep League) Schools were pretty good, and I think a bunch of them are foundation schools: Blair, Peddie, The Hill School, and some out of the league I've heard good things about like Kiski and Kent.

Again, PM with any specific questions.

 

[wink]

NMMI is a Foundation school. so thanks for the input.

Danmav, if my candidate has trouble with his decision I may have him contact you. Thanks for the valuable advice. We are out west. Prep school simply isn't part of the culture out here. This will be all new to him.

 

[FlybyWired06]

A friend of mine at the Academy went to Kent for prep. While he would have rather gone straight to Annapolis, he was glad he had the experience and made some good friends there. So, no complaints from him about Kent if you're looking for specific reccomendations. I ditto on the "avoiding military preps" just due to the fact that they'll get 4 years of that at the Academy...my two cents anyway.

 

[DanMa1156]

NMMI is a Foundation school. so thanks for the input.

Danmav, if my candidate has trouble with his decision I may have him contact you. Thanks for the valuable advice. We are out west. Prep school simply isn't part of the culture out here. This will be all new to him.

I'm from the Hudson Valley of New York. I didn't really know what the prep school culture was going into it either. There's a school in California that is a Foundation year school, and you basically spend 1 semester there and the other at your community college... not entirely sure how it works, but I know it's in CA if he wants to stay out west. I would totally agree though, stay away from NMMI, my friends who went there seem to regret every second of it.

And, no worries being a source of advice; have him feel free to contact me (if you want I can give you/him my information). I contacted a youngster when I was a sr. in high school, and I ended up in his company when he was a firstie and I was a plebe since my B&G didn't know much about it before me either. So yeah, any help I can be, let me know, I definitely appreciated it when I was in his shoes.

 

[MasterBates]

Is prep school where "preppies" come from?

and can we nuke them from orbit if so?

 

[TheBubba]

I'd reccommend Blair or Peddie (and in that order)... especially if the kid's a wrestler. That or Bridgeton (especially for Lax) in Maine.

Lived near Peddie, and almost went to Blair for HS, know a bunch that went to all 3...

 

[BlackBearHockey]

It depends on the person for the most part. In New England/Mid-Atlantic (to an extent), the schools consist arrogant rich kids who smoke pot all day. I was a day student at one, and while there is some excellent academic work and extracurricular opportunities, there were a some cons. Namely: the only females were the few teachers, and that has the possibility of turning you into a walking sexual harassment suit down the road. But, all-in-all, they do open a lot of doors down the road. If you're going for athletics though, it's a different story. Usually, athletics are highly scouted (at least for hockey anyway, but I know some other athletes who got some serious looks in their sports) and the games become a pretty big center of attention.

 

[TheBubba]

It depends on the person for the most part. In New England/Mid-Atlantic (to an extent), the schools consist arrogant rich kids who smoke pot all day. I was a day student at one,

Thats complete shit... with one or two exceptions... and what school?

 

[HH-60H]

Is Northwestern Prep a Foundation school?

 

[BlackBearHockey]

Thats complete shit... with one or two exceptions... and what school?

I'm referring to mostly NEPSAC schools. I only have experience with those (i.e. Berkshire, Pomfret, Gunnery, Taft, Tabor, etc. etc.) and some of the Mid-Atlantic (Hill, Lawrenceville, etc.) and most of the experience deals with the ice hockey community. I feel my description is accurate with those parameters. With that said, it could be a 180 change in experience for someone who wouldn't play for the hockey team. If you went to one, I'm sure you wouldn't deny the absurd amounts of marijuana floating around a prep school campus... Essentially it's college, just, with high schoolers and a uniform.

 

[TheBubba]

Didn't go to one, but have lots of experience with them (especially th ones in and around central NJ)

Sounded like you were making a blanket statement... though I will agree with you on Lawrenceville Prep). Most of the schools I dealt with were pretty tame, again, with Lawrenceville being exception rather than the rule.

 

[DanMa1156]

Sounded like you were making a blanket statement... though I will agree with you on Lawrenceville Prep). Most of the schools I dealt with were pretty tame, again, with Lawrenceville being exception rather than the rule.

Concur.

I would reccomend Peddie to anyone looking to come to USNA as a means to an ends and, by extension, our rival, Blair, is supposedly very similar in the way they are run, but with lesser funding as far as I know. The two schools have a real great rivalry, the way it should be, lots of mutual respect and understanding; school spirit for athletics, etc. I've worn Peddie shirts and have had people from all the different MAPL schools ask when I went/graduated/where I'm from/what dorm I was in, etc, it's a good system of rivalry and respect.

 

[wink]

All really great posts. This will help my candidate a lot. Anyone else?