Read more details about Middlesex School on their 2024 profile page.
Reflections and Advice:
1.) What do you think makes your school unique relative to other boarding schools?
To me what makes Middlesex such a special place is the strong sense of community. With a small student-to-faculty ratio, you get to work closely with each teacher and develop relationships that often extend beyond the classroom. The people you will find there, in both the staff and student body, are incredible, and thus the support structure is unparalleled. As a boarder, I was able to not only live with my best friends, but create extremely close connections that I will continue to sustain throughout my life. It didn't take long for me to think of Middlesex as my primary home.
2.) What was the best thing that happened to you in boarding school?
I feel that I matured an incredible amount at Middlesex and truly found out who I am. The school facilitates this personal exploration and growth by giving you that degree of freedom while simultaneously providing the necessary support and structure. I feel incredibly confident in myself as both a student and as a person. With so many clubs, activities, and speakers, I found out what I cared about and what people were there for me to help me progress. I specifically have grown so much more aware of the social issues that afflict our country and now I want to orient my life towards trying to remedy them.
3.) What might you have done differently during your boarding school experience?
I wish I began to go to clubs and speakers earlier in my high school career. You hear this a lot, but you need to get out there, find your interests, find your people. It gets you motivated and helps you discover who you are and what you want to do with your life. And, if nothing else, you have a lot of fun and meet a lot of cool people.
4.) What did you like most about your school?
Overall, I liked the people at Middlesex most above all. Hands down, that is the school's most valuable resource. It's a place that inherently attracts engaged, interesting, motivated, caring, fun people that will stick with you for the rest of your life. It's a community that you never really leave.
5.) Do you have any final words of wisdom for visiting or incoming students to your school?
Reach out to your teachers and establish connections! They are wicked cool people and can become your really good friends. Take your time at meals! You only have so long to chill during such a busy day and it's a great way to interact with a bunch of different people. In good weather, make sure to get out there on the Circle and bask in the sun, chat, throw a football, play Spike Ball, whatever. It's the perfect place to appreciate the beauty of Middlesex.
Academics:
1.) Describe the academics at your school - what did you like most about it?
My favorite thing about academics at Middlesex was the emphasis on discussion and participation in class, especially in English and history classes. Teachers were eager to work with each student individually and always available to talk and help, whether about academics or life in general. The school places an emphasis on developing strong writing ability, requiring students to complete Writing Workshop with the goal of producing confident, capable writers. The workload can certainly be strenuous at times, but the atmosphere is more collaborative than competitive due to the strong sense of community.
Athletics:
1.) Describe the athletics at your school - what did you like most about it?
With some exceptions, freshmen and sophomores are required to participate in a sport each season. As a junior, you can drop one season, and as a senior, you can drop another. The weight room is very nice -- spacious and recently updated. During my time, sports like field hockey, wrestling, volleyball, boys' and girls' lacrosse, skiing, and boys' and girls' soccer have been very successful. Personally, some of my best high school memories are sports-related, including, during our final hockey game, beating our rival St. George's in overtime and having the whole rink absolutely erupt.
Art, Music, and Theatre:
1.) Describe the arts program at your school - what did you like most about it?
A new building for the arts programs finished construction just after I graduated, but it looks gorgeous and will provide excellent spaces to foster the growth of those programs. The school has, in the past four years, been devoted to expanding our arts focus. There are art requirements and I legitimately enjoyed fulfilling these. My favorites included Drama during my sophomore year, which culminated in a very well-attended performance in the theater and Ceramics during my senior year.
Extracurricular Opportunities:
1.) Describe the extracurriculars offered at your school - what did you like most about it?
The possibilities for extracurriculars at Middlesex is seemingly endless. Throughout my time, I participated in activities ranging from Mindfulness Club to Jazz Lunch to Politically Incorrect Debate Club to Open Table. If they don't already offer it, you can easily start it yourself.
Dorm Life:
1.) Describe the dorm life in your school - what did you like most about it?
I loved living in the dorms. It felt like the perfect blend of personal independence and structure. I was always side by side with my best friends and completely comfortable and at home. Most students will only have a roommate for one year. Many of the dorms are recently renovated and my most recent dorm, Landry, was brand new. I had a large corner room on the first floor with six windows that I shared with my best friend.
Dining:
1.) Describe the dining arrangements at your school.
In my time at Middlesex, the quality of food certainly improved, especially the desserts. The diversity of food was usually good and there are always a large array of options. Popular features include the omelet bar in the morning, the soft serve ice cream machine, and the stir fry machines to cook up your own creations. I found the dining hall hours generally accommodating to my schedule and I was able to pop in to grab something from the snack or bagel stations in between meals. Sunday brunch is the best meal of the week usually. The dining hall was my favorite place to hang out on campus. I loved arriving to dinner at 5:30 and would often not leave until around 7, sitting and chatting with many different people.
Social and Town Life:
1.) Describe the school's town and surrounding area.
Middlesex is in a very safe location in Concord, almost on the border of Carlisle. You can easily get into the center of town on the bus shuttle or with a day student friend. Concord is a cute, friendly little town that students will often visit for a meal, grocery shopping, or other miscellaneous activities. It's a very pleasant place to be.
2.) Describe the social life at your school - what did you like most about it?
Everyone on campus is genuinely friendly and willing to talk. It's easy to find people who care about the same things as you to spend time with. I value the connections I made that served as a source of fun and as a source of support. In such a tight-knit community, it's not uncommon to know everyone in your grade by name, which makes socializing very easy.
Daily Schedule:
Weekday
7:15 AM
Wake up, get breakfast
8:00 AM
Class starts
9:30 AM
Free period! Chill with friends, grab a snack, start homework
12:00 PM
Lunch
1:30 AM
Free period last block, go to the athletic center to work out before practice
3:30 AM
Practice
5:45 AM
Dinner
7:15 AM
Start homework
9:45 AM
Go hang with friends in stu-fac
11:30 AM
Good night
Weekend
8:00 AM
Class
9:30 AM
All school assembly
11:30 AM
Out of class, go grab lunch
2:00 AM
Game time
6:00 AM
Go to Buffalo Wild Wings with friends
8:00 AM
Watch college football
9:00 AM
Go to dance in stu-fac
11:00 AM
Back in the dorm to check in for the night
11:30 AM
Late snack, watch Netflix with roommate and talk about the week
12:30 PM
Bed time
Read more details about Middlesex School on their 2024 profile page.
Alumni Reviews Review School
Review
Description
Middlesex is probably the boarding school that is far ahead in terms of student body diversity, and I mean that in a very good way. Between geographical and socioeconomic diversity, you really learn a ton. . .
Great level of focus on developing clear and cohesive writing skills. Write countless essays and spend time working on the technicalities that improve your ability. Great long-standing traditions. We have a beautiful circle that allows. . .
The entire experience was not only unique, it was life changing! It opened my eyes and mind up to world I wasn't familiar with. I was able to meet, connect and bond with students from. . .
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