Culver Academies - Review #7

Read more details about Culver Academies on their 2024 profile page.
Culver Academies
5

About the Author:

Years Attended Boarding School:
2006-2010
Sports and Activities:
Sports Fencing: 4 years varsity, 3 years as captain Intramural Parkour (Free Running): started club, 1 year club, 1 year captainClubs Boy Scouts/Venture Crew - 2 yearsActivities Jazz Band: 3 years, 2 years section leader Lancer Band: 3 years, 2 years section leader Concert Band: 2 years, 2 years section leaderOfficer Positions Beason Club (Senior Committee): 1 year Captains Club: 1 year Captain of Band Unit: 1/2 year Platoon Leader: 1/2 year
College Enrolled:
United States Military Academy
Home Town, State:
Plymouth, IN, IN

Reflections and Advice:

1.) What do you think makes your school unique relative to other boarding schools?
The people of Culver Academies makes my school completely unique. The faculty and staff are comprised of a multitude of scholarly and well experienced individuals. Each member has their own impact with that they have to offer from their own accomplishments and personal opinions, but as a group they all care about each one of the students. I have spent many hours working after school with teachers dedicated to not just passing, but excelling through my Culver experience. It was the conversations that I had with mentors and various staff members about school and life that offered me and challenged my world views giving great influence to my character today.
2.) What was the best thing that happened to you in boarding school?
Receiving my commission as a company commander gave me opportunities to expand my leadership style that would have not been offered to me otherwise. This achievement is coupled with hard work and many who believed in my potential past my initial impressions on many of my mentors and peers. Being able to lead the band as a unit towards excellence empowered me as an individual and as a leader helping me find my strengths and weaknesses as a leader.
3.) What might you have done differently during your boarding school experience?
I would have showed up ready to play. My attitude for the first year and a half was one not worthy of the school. As soon as I bought into the system by reducing my arrogance, I found that I could learn a lot more about myself and help others along the way. Go into everything with a full heart and the right mind or else you will get left behind by others who want it more than you.
4.) What did you like most about your school?
The people, the people and the people. The faculty and staff along with the students create an environment that sucks you in and makes you want to succeed and push harder than you thought you could. It is extremely supportive and creates challenges for you otherwise not offered at any boarding school.
5.) Do you have any final words of wisdom for visiting or incoming students to your school?
I will impart this wisdom on you, if you are a student that hungers for more then you are choosing the right place. For every seat that is occupied, others want it just as bad or even more. Deserve that seat by choosing to go beyond your comfort zone and continuously challenge yourself. It will not always be easy, but trust me when I say it will be worth it. And if you go to the shack, get a strawberry shake. They are awesome!

Academics:

1.) Describe the academics at your school - what did you like most about it?
The one thing that sets the academics apart Culver from any other boarding school are the teachers. The material can be presented by anyone anywhere with the high amount of work and excellence expected, but the way you learn is extremely important for retention and application. Each teacher has refined their methods of teaching to students capable of making adjustments in the classroom to fit your personal needs and extended tutoring sessions if necessary. They are willing to work with you for hours as I can support from personal experience. The way you learn is unique and teachers at Culver will do their best to help fill that need for you in a way that will prepare you for college and life further down the road.

Athletics:

1.) Describe the athletics at your school - what did you like most about it?
The athletics program for me introduced me personally to fencing, but as a whole opened my eyes to many sports I had not previously seen or even heard of. Where I was from, it was unheard of to watch a game of polo on a Saturday and then see a lacrosse game on Sunday. At Culver the experiences are open to you and the opportunities to try new sports is available to you with wonderful equipment, helpful coaches and staff and other driven students who are about seeking excellence and will help you along the way.

Art, Music, and Theatre:

1.) Describe the arts program at your school - what did you like most about it?
The world is constantly moving and sometimes we forget to take time to value what is already beautiful around us. At Culver, the ability to appreciate the arts is expected of a leader in a world becoming more and more connected by different cultures and different people. The diversity in programs, classes and performances given by professionals and students is unparalleled and truly valuable when encountering others in the world.

Extracurricular Opportunities:

1.) Describe the extracurriculars offered at your school - what did you like most about it?
What I liked about my school was that if you couldn't find something you wanted to do, you could create a club to suit your need to express your opinion. There are many clubs already from the living history club that reenacts WWII era times to the information technology club that works with computers and rising technology, but if you can't find a club you are encouraged to create one. I created one myself with my idea of parkour (free running). Having people joining in on my club also empowered me and made me feel even more like a leader.

Dorm Life:

1.) Describe the dorm life in your school - what did you like most about it?
Your best friends are five feet away from you in the room across the hall. Those people you do everything with from playing games at night, long talks about life and just about anything else. Those are the friends I continue to talk to and spend good time with today when I can because those are the life long friends that started at Culver as you will too if you make this journey.

Dining:

1.) Describe the dining arrangements at your school.
The quality of the food is better than what I have now at my college. They accommodate to any dietary needs and do a great job of diversifying the food to keep you interested. If you have a request and fill out the request form, your request will be answered and then put into processing meaning you can have an actual impact on what you eat.

Social and Town Life:

1.) Describe the school's town and surrounding area.
The school's town and surrounding region is peaceful and perfect for the Culver environment. Within walking distance, there are a couple of restaurants shops that are comforting to go to and the lake makes for a nice summer swim. Beyond in a car drive is Chicago for about two hours and then within 15 minutes are more restaurants in the next town.
2.) Describe the social life at your school - what did you like most about it?
Being surrounded from people around the world offers you the opportunity to prick the minds of the world. No one person shares the total same beliefs leaving an extremely cultured environment and enough time to learn about people and their culture. This, coupled with great friends made for a lot of relaxing time hanging out and enjoying my weekends.

Daily Schedule:

Weekday
7:30 AM
Wake Up
7:45 AM
Breakfast
8:30 AM
Classes Start
11:00 AM
Lunch Periods Begin
12:45 AM
Lunch Periods End
3:30 PM
Classes End
3:45 PM
Athletics
5:30 PM
Dinner
6:00 PM
Athletics End
10:30 PM
TAPS
Weekend
7:30 AM
Recreational Time
12:00 AM
Possible BBQ
7:00 PM
Dance
11:30 PM
TAPS
Read more details about Culver Academies on their 2024 profile page.

Alumni Reviews Review School

Review
Description
Culver Academies Alumni #1
Class of 2016
5.00 1/16/2020
Loyola university of chicago
There is a vast international student acceptance which allows you to learn other cultures. Is also a very good school because it teaches you the importance of manners and routines (this is because is a. . .
Culver Academies Alumni #2
Class of 2015
5.00 1/13/2020
Florida State University
One unique aspect of Culver is the requirement of a senior service project for graduation. Personally, I made the most out of this opportunity and took a trip to Morocco to give aid to the. . .
Culver Academies Alumni #3
Class of 2017
5.00 6/29/2019
Rowan University
Culver's leadership development programs make it unique among boarding schools. Students are required to enroll in leadership development classes and participate in the leadership system. For boys this takes the form of the military system. . .
Show more reviews (18 reviews)

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Enrollment: 835 students
  • Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $61,000
  • Acceptance rate: 49%
  • Average class size: 14 students
  • Application Deadline: Jan. 15 / rolling
  • Source: Verified school update