Featured: McCallie SchoolAlumni Review #7, Class of 2002
About the Author:
College Enrolled
Yale
Home Town, State (Country)
Albany, NY
Years Attended Boarding School
4
Activities During Boarding School
Played squash
President, Interact Club (Community Service)
President, Choate Against Hunger
Member, Choate Democrats
Actor, Student Playwriting Festival
1.) What do you think makes your school unique relative to other boarding schools?
Choate offers an excellent arts program. Distinguished faculty, a beautiful building, and a love of both visual & performing arts makes Choate very special.
In addition, the faculty overall is excellent. Many experienced teachers, knowledgeable in their field, teach small classes and put an emphasis on each student's education. Almost all faculty members live on campus, which makes them accessible.
2.) What was the best thing that happened to you in boarding school?
I grew to be far more independent and mature during my time at Choate. I learned how to cope with problems, prioritize work, and do things without supervision. Of course, I also learned when I needed to go talk to someone about my problems and Choate provided a helpful network of adults to help me through those times.
3.) What might you have done differently during your boarding school experience?
I would have been more social and put more emphasis on the people, instead of on the workload. It's easy to get trapped into doing work all the time, but then you really miss out on the most important part of the boarding school experience -- growing through getting to know other people. The memories that you have of boarding school aren't of what you learned in Chem 350, but of the things you did and the friends you had.
The application process was fine, though I would have put more care into applying.
4.) What would you never want to change about your school?
The faculty & the quality of the students. The people are what make Chaote so wonderful -- the students are open and friendly, and the faculty are very helpful. I really bonded with most of my teachers. In fact, there was a scholarship event off-campus that my parents couldn't go to, so instead I had my dean go. My advisors were like parents during my four years there -- I went to them when I needed something more than I went to my actual parents.
5.) What things could be improved about your school?
More course selection! Choate has great courses in almost every department, but when compared with Exeter or other schools, it is slightly lacking. In addition, I think there could be more leeway in core curriculum -- everyone pretty much takes the same classes.
6.) Do you have any final words of wisdom for visiting or incoming students to your school?
Go up to the watertower and just sit up there in the woods. Play a sport at least one term, and get involved with the theater at least once. These are activities you may never be able to get involved with again.
1.) What did you like best about your school’s academics?
The teachers were the best part: their breadth of knowledge, their interest in their subjects, and their abilities. I took a physics class my freshman year, and struggled through it. Because I didn't understand the material, I asked my teacher if he could meet with me. He agreed, and made time to see me every week & discuss topics from class. Then, before tests, I would go over to his apartment in one of the dorms, and his wife would make me hot chocolate, and we'd review to make sure I understood.
2.) What did you like least about the academics in your school?
They recently got rid of Honors Sophmore English, which should be restored. Also, they have implemented standarized tests in various departments. These tests serve little purpose besides being bothersome to worry about, and a class-specific exam would be much more helpful.
1.) What did you like best about your school’s athletics?
Incredible facilities, especially the new weight room and squash courts! All recently redone.
2.) What did you like least about the athletics in your school?
Too competitive, too much emphasis put on sports. The teams got some special privileges, and tended to form exclusive cliques, excluding those who didn't play varsity sports.
1.) What did you like best about your school’s art program?
Its breadth, the emphasis put on the arts. Paul Tines, the director of the arts program, really puts an emphasis on making the program fun, enjoyable, and very lively. There're always events at the art center -- a performance every week, gallery openings, etc.
2.) What did you like least about your school’s art program?
No real introductory drawing classes for people with no experience. Also, few art history classes. To get good art history, you have to take a term abroad -- otherwise, there're only introductory survey classes.
1.) What did you like most about the extracurricular activities offered at your school?
There were lots of activities, clubs in every area, and a community service requirement that really helped to get people involved. This requirement encouraged people to look into service who otherwise wouldn't; I had a friend who thought he'd hate doing service, but he went on a summer program to fulfill his requirement, and came back really excited about getting involved in other service opportunities.
2.) What did you like least about the extracurricular activities offered at your school?
There wasn't enough time for them to meet at separate times, so you could only be involved in a few. The administration limits the number of clubs a person can head which makes it hard on those who really want to get involved in an array of activities.
1.) What was the best thing about dorm life in your school?
Advisors, dorm spirit, and having dorm intramurals. One of the best things I've ever done was to play dorm softball -- it built dorm spirit, was a lot of fun, and was a welcome break from the schoolwork. I also enjoyed dorm "mug nights" -- everyone would get together and just talk, which was nice because otherwise you wouldn't see everyone in the dorm at a given time.
2.) What did you like least about dorm life?
Check in at 7:30, curfew at 9:30 -- left too little time in the day. Also, there were traditional dorm pranks. I remember the night before an exam, people came into my room, made a lot of noise, and covered me with shaving cream. I did not appreciate that. But it's to be expected of dorm life.
1.) What was the best thing about your dining arrangements?
Great food! Far better than most colleges! The strength lay in the amount of selection -- always 5 or 6 hot dishes to choose from.
2.) What did you like least about your dining arrangements?
Limited meal hours made it hard to get food some days. Breakfast was only served from 7:15 to 8:30, meaning that if you had first period off, you'd have to get up anyway to get breakfast. Also, some of my friends never got lunch because they had class through the whole 11:00-1:15 lunch time.
1.) How welcome did you feel by the other students when you first arrived at the school
Yes -- very open, and friendly. One of the things that made Choate so wonderful. People met me right away and helped me move my stuff in. The first few days everyone was pleasant and happy to make acquaintances and I really got to know everyone in my dorm quickly. It was also nice having all the freshmen in one dorm.
2.) Describe the level of diversity and integration of students in your school:
Lots of diversity -- people from all over the world. Emphasis on diversity education and toleration. They sponsor "Diversity Day" every year, where they either have an all-school assembly with a speaker on some diversity-related issue, or have workshops.
3.) Describe typical fun activities you did on a weekend:
Watch movies, go to SAC dances. Weekends tended to be pretty quiet around campus and got boring after a while as activites were the same every weekend. After four years, it's hard to take another SAC dance.
4.) What was the town like?
No -- there were a lot of animosities between Choaties and people from town -- they harrassed us often so most students stayed on campus. I remember having a bottle thrown at me from a townie's car window. Once, while running along the road in X-C practice, townies threw crab apples at the team.
Weekday
| 6:30 AM | Wake up |
| 7:15 AM | Breakfast |
| 8:00 AM | Philosophy |
| 9:00 AM | AP Biology |
| 10:00 AM | Free period |
| 11:00 AM | English |
| 12:00 AM | History |
| 1:00 PM | Lunch |
| 2:00 PM | French |
| 3:00 PM | X-C Practice |
| 5:30 PM | Dinner |
| 6:15 PM | Interact Meeting |
| 7:30 PM | Study Hours |
| 9:00 PM | Break |
| 9:30 PM | Curfew |
| 11:00 PM | Lights Out |
Weekend
| 9:00 AM | Wake up |
| 8:30 AM | Work |
| 11:45 AM | Brunch |
| 2:00 PM | Work |
| 8:00 AM | Go to dance |
| 10:00 PM | Curfew |
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