The White Mountain School - Review #3
Read more details about The White Mountain School on their 2023 profile page.
Reflections and Advice:
1.) What do you think makes your school unique relative to other boarding schools?
The White Mountain School's sense of community and adventure attracts motivated and qualified faculty and a diverse student body. Through a combination of outdoor experiences, leadership opportunities and strong academics, the school consistently produces well rounded students who have an appreciation for the larger world they live in. It is easy to discover new areas of interests through the multitude of opportunities and activities at White Mountain.
2.) What was the best thing that happened to you in boarding school?
I can't really choose one thing that happened to me at White Mountain that I find to be the deciding factor in my maturation there, however one thing that will always serve me well is how the school has taught me to get out there and get to know people. In college I now make a point to get to know my professors and form relationships with everyone around me. I learned this at White Mountain where I still have great relationships with not only my old teachers, but members of the administration and even the board of trustees.
3.) What might you have done differently during your boarding school experience?
The most important advice I could give to someone headed to WMS is to take the opportunities presented. Try as many different things as possible and get to know different people. The relationships formed with the people making up the White Mountain School Community will last a lifetime.
4.) What did you like most about your school?
All of the things I have described above create the atmosphere and community at White Mountain that I will always miss. It really is more than just a school in many ways, and I learned a great appreciation for things I may never have experienced on my own.
5.) Do you have any final words of wisdom for visiting or incoming students to your school?
Take advantage of the climbing wall even if you don't climb. Remind the kitchen staff to refill the juice machines, and take the occasional trip down to the pond. Everything else is clear enough.
Academics:
1.) Describe the academics at your school - what did you like most about it?
They White Mountain School always seems to have extremely qualified faculty who love teaching. The small classes, and excellent faculty student ratio, allow everyone a close relationship with his or her teachers. Extra help is easily found in any area of academics, and the school has been recently improving and augmenting its AP programs. There is a variety of classes available in each area, and students always have the chance to try and design independent studies with the faculty members for credit.
Athletics:
1.) Describe the athletics at your school - what did you like most about it?
All students have a sport that they partake in four days a week after classes. The sports change each season, and the instructors are very skilled in what they teach. There are many sports to choose from each season, and students also go on 2-4 day Outdoor Learning Experiences each season, where they have even more sport choices. An example of a fall sport list might look like: Rock climbing, Intro rock climbing and whitewater paddling, flat-water canoeing, hiking and fitness, soccer, lacrosse, farm and forest, mountain biking, road biking.
Art, Music, and Theatre:
1.) Describe the arts program at your school - what did you like most about it?
There are many art classes available, though I found it was an excellent area at White Mountain in which to pursue an independent study. The school also has a great theater program, and there are usually performances every few weeks. The music program also offers many choices, and occasionally the school brings in private instructors for interested students.
Extracurricular Opportunities:
1.) Describe the extracurriculars offered at your school - what did you like most about it?
I have described some of the trips and outdoor based opportunities above. There are usually a few bigger trips each year that go to places like Jackson Hole Wyoming, Red Rocks Nevada, France, Spain, Peru, Canada, Nicaragua, and the DR. Several of those are community service related. It is always possible for a motivated student to plan a new trip and gather interest.
Dorm Life:
1.) Describe the dorm life in your school - what did you like most about it?
I was actually a day student, however the dorms seemed to be close communities where everyone got along fairly well.
Dining:
1.) Describe the dining arrangements at your school.
The menu at White Mountain was often fairly diverse. The was usually good, and the kitchen staff always cared about the student body. The students tend to sit with new people every day, and often faculty as well. Students all cycle through lunch and dinner crews, and some even help prepare meals.
Social and Town Life:
1.) Describe the school's town and surrounding area.
The school is ideally positioned to fulfill its mission. The mountains and forests of northern NH provide infinite outdoor opportunities, and White Mountain does an excellent job of exploiting them. I grew up ten minutes away from the school in Littleton NH, and all of the neighboring towns are quiet and beautiful.
2.) Describe the social life at your school - what did you like most about it?
Many of the students at the school are international, and they all bring entirely different experiences and culture to the school. Most students get along well with each other, and the school atmosphere promotes getting to know different groups of friends with differing interests.
Daily Schedule:
Weekday
1:00 AM
morning meeting
1:00 AM
Class
1:00 AM
Class
1:00 AM
Lunch
1:00 AM
Class
3:00 AM
Sports
Weekend
1:00 AM
Weekend trips to town to allow for shopping.
1:00 AM
Weekend trips lead by faculty, including perhaps mini golfing, swimming, etc
1:00 PM
Dinner
Read more details about The White Mountain School on their 2023 profile page.
Alumni Reviews Review School
Review
Description
Apart from The White Mountain School being located in a very unique setting the thing that makes it stand out the most when compared to other boarding schools is the size of the student populations. . .
Very enthusiastic, young faculty who know a lot about the topics they teach. The same faculty also lead the sport programs, which builds a very strong, versatile teacher-student relationship, which I find to be rather. . .
The White Mountain School's sense of community and adventure attracts motivated and qualified faculty and a diverse student body. Through a combination of outdoor experiences, leadership opportunities and strong academics, the school consistently produces well. . .
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