The Cambridge School of Weston - Review #11

The mod system is definitely the most unique aspect of CSW. I feel that the education I received there was much broader than it would have been at any other school and the experiences I had there were invaluable. I would not trade my CSW education for anything. I am most grateful for the fact that I feel extremely prepared for college in a way that most of my peers are not, and I feel that this is because of the mod system.

This is a really difficult question to answer because so many amazing things happened to me while I was at CSW. Looking back, I think that completing my Capstone Project was a really big accomplishment for me and keeps coming to mind when I think about everything at CSW that was amazing.

I thought about this question for a really long time, and I came to the conclusion that there is really nothing at CSW that I truly regret doing. My advice for kids going to boarding school would be to accept that fact that it may take time to fully adjust to boarding life. It’s important to appreciate the time that you have with your friends in your dorm and the advantages that being a boarding student gives you when it comes to bonding with your peers. It’s also important to remember to take time for yourself because it can start to get really hectic being constantly surrounded by your friends. Just find a good balance between social time and downtime for yourself and you’ll be happy.

I think what I liked most about CSW was the freedom I had and the ability to study many different topics, thanks to the mod system. At most high schools, I would have taken the same classes throughout the whole year. CSW allowed me to explore all different types of topics and take classes that would not normally be found in a high school curriculum. This freedom also helped me in college when it came to knowing how to build a well balanced and structured schedule when it came to choosing my own classes.

I would say to any incoming student at CSW to remember to take full advantage of this school. There aren’t many other places like this in the world and being at CSW is a great privilege.

I feel that the mod system of academics prepared me for college in a way that no other school could have done. The way the classes are constructed is very similar to the way they are at college, so I feel more comfortable in classroom discussions (very important at CSW) than I would be had I gone to another school.

I liked that I did not have to be part of a team in order to gain athletic credits. I am much more an intramural sports type of person, so the options to do yoga or cycling were wonderful. I still felt like I got a good workout doing these activities, even though I wasn’t trying to stay in shape to be playing a sport on a team.

I loved everything about the arts at CSW. I learned more in two years at CSW than I did at the two other schools I attended for the other ten years of my education. I really feel that I began to discover myself as an artist in taking art classes at CSW, which helped me ultimately begin to discover myself.

I really liked the diversity of extracurriculars offered at CSW. It allowed me to explore many different subjects outside of the classroom. Extracurriculars could also be utilized in many different ways. For example, one mod I made quilts for community service, and in another mod I spent my afternoon block getting extra help for my algebra class.

Dorm life at CSW was so magical. Every night was like a sleepover with my best friends. I feel that the boarding program has a wonderfully strong community that is really special. Living at school was great because I really learned how to be independent at an early age but I was still under the care of my dorm parents at the same time.

My favorite part of CSW dining? The baked goods were always delicious!

I loved having the ability to go to Harvard Square every weekend; it is now easily one of my favorite places in the world. I really felt like CSW made an effort to make Boston as accessible as possible to the boarding students with these weekly trips, as well as other off-campus outings that were offered throughout the year that anyone could take advantage of.

Because CSW is so small compared to most high schools, making friends was really easy, especially for boarders. Everyone has their group of friends, but it’s easy to be friendly and relate with everyone.