Featured: Grier SchoolAlumni Review #4, Class of 2000
About the Author:
College Enrolled
Amherst College
Home Town, State (Country)
Brookline, MA
Years Attended Boarding School
4
Activities During Boarding School
varsity soccer, ice hockey (no longer offered), tennis. Gospel Chior. Junior class president. Writer for the student newspaper. Member of admissions committee my senior year. Head of Jewish Students organization.
1.) What do you think makes your school unique relative to other boarding schools?
Concord Academy in Concord MA is unique in many ways. The student population is diverse both racially, socio-economically, and religiously. There is no preppy boys school vibe, Concord Academy used to be for women only. The teaching is amazing, classes are small and extra help is always offered. On saturdays Concord Academy has a program called City Bridge where CA students tutor kids from the Boston and Cambridge public schools who hope to go to private high school. I don't know another school like CA.
2.) What was the best thing that happened to you in boarding school?
I became independant and self-confident. I now feel the need to be in a diverse environment. I was extremely prepared to go to Amherst College. I also now feel the need to make friends out of teachers.
3.) What might you have done differently during your boarding school experience?
I don't think i would have done anything differently other than plead for a single. I never had a single when I was at CA which was unfortunate.
4.) What would you never want to change about your school?
It's location. Many of its teachers. Its diversity. It's creative thinking.
5.) What things could be improved about your school?
Better sports. More campus activities to bring the day students to campus, there is a large divide between day and bording students.
6.) Do you have any final words of wisdom for visiting or incoming students to your school?
All of the dorms are extremely beatiful. I would visit some classes at the school before choosing whether or not to come.
1.) What did you like best about your school’s academics?
small classes. Long add-drop period to try classes before enrolling in them. Teachers were very available.
2.) What did you like least about the academics in your school?
I had a few teachers who were practically right out of college, they weren't ready to be teaching us. I also felt that the tutoring program at CA could be a long stronger.
1.) What did you like best about your school’s athletics?
They built a new gym.
2.) What did you like least about the athletics in your school?
Horrible coaching. Lack of school spirit.
1.) What did you like best about your school’s art program?
CA is known for its art program. The music building is great and any/every instrument is offered for individual instruction. The theater program needs improvement, some of the plays were wayyy to obscure. The arts are great and I'm glad I got to take a lot of them such as film, fiber-arts, ceramics, photo, etc.
2.) What did you like least about your school’s art program?
The theater dept, but i think it has been taken over by other directors now.
1.) What did you like most about the extracurricular activities offered at your school?
I was extremely busy and CA encourages people to have a lot of extra-carricular activities. The school is extremely committed to the arts...each senior has the opportunity to speak about what ever they want in front of the entire school for 30 minutes...it's quite special.
2.) What did you like least about the extracurricular activities offered at your school?
stronger in arts than in sports. Not enough use of Boston as an artistic resource etc.
1.) What was the best thing about dorm life in your school?
"Homie" feel. The dorms are colonial mansions, quite beautiful. You get to live in a new dorm every year.
2.) What did you like least about dorm life?
It's extremely strict which was tough at times, especially when i wanted to stay up to do work.
1.) What was the best thing about your dining arrangements?
food was healthy and fresh. One cafeteria. You could make suggestions. Food also accomodated special diets such as kosher and vegan.
2.) What did you like least about your dining arrangements?
Not quite enough variety.
1.) How welcome did you feel by the other students when you first arrived at the school
My experience was great in terms of fitting in. As a freshman you're all in the same boat. We went on a leadership "bonding" retreat which was great.
2.) Describe the level of diversity and integration of students in your school:
International students, city kids, rural kids, east coast, west coast, kids from concord who lived next to the school. For the size of the school it's extremely diverse.
3.) Describe typical fun activities you did on a weekend:
The dean of students would usually have a few activites on campus such as carnivals, speakers, etc. A whole lot of trips to boston to see theater, comedy, etc were offered my freshman year.
4.) What was the town like?
town is great, students often would go there for coffee with teachers or friends. No movie theater unfortunately. Town is cute and beautiful.
Weekday
| 7:00 AM | wake up |
| 7:45 AM | breakfast |
| 8:15 AM | Chapel or annoucements (non religious, where seniors speak in front of school) |
| 8:45 AM | first class, Spanish 4 |
| 9:30 AM | second class, AP calc |
| 10:30 AM | recess |
| 11:00 AM | third class, English |
| 12:00 PM | fourth class, AP environmental science |
| 1:00 PM | lunch |
| 1:45 PM | free |
| 2:30 PM | end of school |
| 3:00 PM | sports |
| 5:00 PM | end of sports |
| 5:30 PM | dinner |
| 7:00 PM | study hall |
| 9:00 AM | study hall over |
| 9:00 PM | back in dorms |
| 12:00 AM | lights out unless given an extension |
Weekend
| 8:00 AM | wake up for sports |
| 10:00 AM | sports |
| 12:00 AM | sports |
| 1:00 PM | lunch |
| 2:00 AM | hang out or do work for rest of day |
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