Loomis Chaffee - Review #30

Read more details about Loomis Chaffee on their 2024 profile page.
Loomis Chaffee
5

About the Author:

Years Attended Boarding School:
1997-2001
Sports and Activities:
I played 4 years of soccer, 3 of lacrosse, I was a member of the peer counseling group, and a 4 year member of the orchestra.
College Enrolled:
University of Pittsburgh
Home Town, State:
Saratoga Springs, NY, NY

Reflections and Advice:

1.) What do you think makes your school unique relative to other boarding schools?
The school campus is very well organized and very well kept. One of the finest features of the school is its quad and Loomis' concept of the senior path, which is a tradition understood by all who attend or work at Loomis. The school places importance on community through work jobs and group meetings as well as all-school convocations and I believe the school still defines a motto or mentality for each year that portrays some sort of moral lesson that the students and teachers are meant to focus on throughout that year.
2.) What was the best thing that happened to you in boarding school?
I grew enormously as a person at Loomis, and therefore slid into college much easier than anyone I met at UPitt. Loomis not only builds an educational foundation but also life skills as well. Cooperation, team-work, friendship, independence and obedience are traits that can often be missed in public school, but are emphasized at Loomis Chaffee. My fondest memories are of Saturdays in the spring when I was free to roam the porch of Warham Dorm in the sun and spend time doing whatever I felt like.
3.) What might you have done differently during your boarding school experience?
At times I think back to my Loomis experience and think that I should have been more outgoing. But I will always know I spent my four years there the way I should have, and I extracted the morals and lessons that I would think a student from Loomis is meant to have for life. Boarding school isn't just about education, it's also about advanced living, and getting comfortable in an unfamiliar environment (such as what most college freshmen go through), and it's also about self-discovery, which is always necessary at some point in life. Loomis helps students achieve all three of those things.
4.) What did you like most about your school?
What I liked most about Loomis are the non-educational lessons I learned. How to take responsibility for my actions, how to treat peers in an enclosed environment, how to exercise self-discipline, use of prioritization, and willpower.
5.) Do you have any final words of wisdom for visiting or incoming students to your school?
Grilled cinnamon buns are awesome there. And get to know the campus, there are secrets on that campus that you can only find out if you decide to explore, and not just in buildings. And I will always be partial to Warham dorm, I dreamt of it as a freshman, and lived it as a junior and senior, when I was there Warham wasn't just a dorm, it was a lifestyle. As a student at Loomis, dorms often represent lifestyles as well depending on the people that are placed there (Loomis tends to regulate by placing certain types of kids go into certain dorms, so no doubt Warham has changed since I have been there).

Academics:

1.) Describe the academics at your school - what did you like most about it?
The academics stressed free thinking as well as maintaining a disciplined working environment. As a student progressed through the years the class options become more and more diverse and more creative. For example as a freshman I took an Algebra class, a Spanish class, and an English class, which were straightforward. As a senior I took a philosophy, a Professor Andrians wonderful 60's class, and a Calculus class, all of which pushed me to think creatively instead of follow a set plan.

Athletics:

1.) Describe the athletics at your school - what did you like most about it?
The athletics programs are excellent. My experience (solely with Soccer and Lacrosse) taught me the value of teamwork and leadership at the lower levels and on the varsity level the importance of the finer points of the game. The varsity practices are intense, the games are always important, and the atmosphere was always electric at a game, especially for lacrosse and soccer. The school requires each student to participate in some sort of sporting activity each semester, so, for a person like me who has no abilities in the winter sport, I was able to run with former Boston Marathon runner Bear Bartlett in the winter as part of an advanced winter running group, which was just one of many possible options of sports to participate in each semester. I also as a senior elected to forego a final year of playing lacrosse and instead became a senior assistant coach of the freshman lacrosse team.

Art, Music, and Theatre:

1.) Describe the arts program at your school - what did you like most about it?
I had 4 years of experience with the music program as a cellist, and loved every year of it. The orchestra is excellent at Loomis and, although small, has a powerful sound and boasts many skillful performers. The conductor in my time, Ms Miller, had a wonderful feel for the music she chooses for the performances and also possesses great knowledge of the technique of each and every instrument necessary to operate a full orchestra.

Extracurricular Opportunities:

1.) Describe the extracurriculars offered at your school - what did you like most about it?
There are a slew of extra activities from community service to clubs to student government. I was part of the Peer Counseling group, and it was probably the single greatest experience of my career at Loomis. We met weekly and discussed methods of helping peers through tough times at school. We also were known to the student body as students that could be approached with problems that possibly were not appropriate for the advisors or teachers to answer, or that fellow students could better relate to.

Dorm Life:

1.) Describe the dorm life in your school - what did you like most about it?
Dorm life resides in 3 story dorms, consisting of around 30-40 kids, each floor has a teacher that stood as a floor resident and each dorm also has a dorm head that usually lives on the first or second floor. The dorms are gender segregated and there are steadfast rules for study times and also curfew times for boarding students. I enjoyed the dorm functions the most, such as cookouts and outings. I remember Kravis dorm (a freshman boys dorm) usually spent a weekend on a hiking trip or also had dorm events such as the Kravis Olympics and K-Ball, which are taken much more seriously than one would think.

Dining:

1.) Describe the dining arrangements at your school.
The dining arrangements consist of one large dining building with 2 dining halls, the new side usually populated by the freshmen and sophomores, and the older side by the juniors and seniors. The boarders have a "family style dinner" once every week which is a special sit down dinner complete with coat and tie dress code. Loomis also has a hang out area called the SNUG that has a small grille that cooks anything from egg sandwiches to grilled cinnamon buns (which is my favorite).

Social and Town Life:

1.) Describe the school's town and surrounding area.
Windsor has a small center but a very large community. Loomis is situated in the downtown area and it's about a 10 minute walk to the grocery store, donut shop, and some restaurants. My recommendations, if they are still there, are Jay's Grill and Giovannis for breakfast and dinner respectfully.
2.) Describe the social life at your school - what did you like most about it?
Loomis population stands at around 750 strong with about 400 boarders, so it's small enough for everyone to know everyone else without having to look twice. The community on the whole cooperates very well and friends are very easy to find since there's always someone to relate to. Social life consists of lots of impromptu activities (I once as a senior decided to have an unplanned cookout for the freshmen at Kravis on a weekend, not exactly allowed, but no big fuss either), and also planned activities such as dances, trips, and especially sporting events. A big part of the Saturday plans are going to see the Soccer/Hockey/Lacrosse game that day should any of the teams be home. But probably the best thing about Loomis, is that someone is always doing something when there is free time.

Daily Schedule:

Weekday
9:00 AM
Classes till 12:30ish
2:00 PM
I usually played a game around this time in the afternoon
7:00 PM
Study Hall in the dorm or in the library
12:00 PM
Bed usually between 10-12 depending on whats going on in the dorms.
Weekend
12:00 AM
Usually I would play a game on saturday, if it was away I wouldn't sleep in.
7:00 PM
On a Saturday night we are free, with permission we could leave campus and go to a day students house and stay there or just hang out around campus or go into town.
Read more details about Loomis Chaffee on their 2024 profile page.

Alumni Reviews Review School

Review
Description
Loomis Chaffee Alumni #1
Class of 2011
5.00 9/24/2020
Columbia University
Loomis required all students to participate in a sport each trimester, which was a great way to get all students both involved and engaged with the school and the other students. It was a great. . .
Loomis Chaffee Alumni #2
Class of 2011
5.00 9/24/2020
Wesleyan University
Because we have a smaller campus than most prep schools in New England, we benefit from a strong sense of community. Everyone is a familiar face and in turn, Loomis feels more like “home”. . .
Loomis Chaffee Alumni #3
Class of 2011
5.00 9/24/2020
University of Connecticut
Mandatory extra-curricular activities in each season, ranging from competitive athletics, theatre, bands, choirs, volunteer work, environmental clubs, etc appealing to a wide variety of interest.Dorms and academic buildings positioned around a main “quad” grass. . .
Show more reviews (27 reviews)

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 736 students
  • Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $68,420
  • Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $52,100
  • Acceptance rate: 18%
  • Average class size: 11 students
  • Application Deadline: Jan. 15
  • Source: Verified school update