The strength and foresight of the English department, and even that of all humanities departments-- namely the surprising depth to we would encounter in an art history or literature course, and the strong personal connections built between teacher and student in these small classes.

Classes tended to be competitive, but not nearly competitive at Milton as I have heard they are at rival private schools; Milton students seemed, on the whole, self-motivated individuals who valued education over making the grade.

I was not involved, and know very little about this department.

The school gym was lacking in the number and variety of exercise machines-- however new they might have been. The weight-lifting room was small.

Attention was paid to the artistic and aestheticism of plays, music and the visual arts rather than to the 'intellectualism' of art. While there were intellectual discussions as well, the focus was on beauty of sound, form and vision...there wasn't the pre-occupation with academic theme or interpretation that I see now, in college compositions and productions.

The visual arts program needed more financial support from the school; studios were located in one of the oldest buildings on campus, and considering the level of expertise among the faculty and the artistic passion of the students, the visual arts program certainly deserved stronger backing.

I enjoyed theater and dance immensely, although I was not able to continue dance at the level of intensity I had previously enjoyed doing it.

The dance program lacked the intensity I was used to experiencing, as a pre-professional student at the Boston Ballet Company School. I felt paralyzed and constricted to forms of modern and contemporary dance which are more often taught in such schools (which do not specialize in dance).

It was a constant sleepover and immersion among both friends and enemies.

It tended to be easy to close one's social circle within dormitory walls, and be limited to those in the same or nearby dorms.

The main campus dining hall was directly next door to my dormitory, and reaching it did not involve going out of doors.

Dorm parents expected such strict attendance at dinner time, and this simply added another required appointment to a students' list. Food selection grew wider and more varied every year; quality stayed the same.

It was relatively easy to fit in with students in the dorm; the fact that everyone experienced each other at all hours of the day and night, in all conditions ranging from composed to frazzled and stressed, made immediate and intimate friendships almost inevitable.

Diversity level was high; in particular, the number of African-Americans seemed very great, percentage-wise, compared to that in other private schools. Diversity by sexual preference was also relatively great; more students felt comfortable with their sexuality in such an open-minded and accepting atmosphere.

Dorm activities like movies, dance parties, or outdoor sports and recreation, and cooking.

Boston was only 15 minutes away by car, and 30 minutes by public transportation; the city meant a huge array of opportunities to see movies, go shopping, visit friends, etc.