Choate Rosemary Hall - Review #11

Choate is unique in many aspects, but their commitment to signature academic programs was the one that I remember most. Students (myself included) were able to pursue their academic interests by living and studying at the Kohler Environmental Center, or by conducting college-level research through our Science Research Program.

I was always a nerdy kid (and I'm currently a nerdy adult!), but when I was at Choate I felt totally comfortable being myself because it was a place where academic excellence was encouraged, rather than mocked. My friends from Choate are still the closest friends I have, and I left school with a self confidence that I couldn't have imagined when I was a freshman. It was a transformative experience for me, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I would advise freshmen to get out of their comfort zone, and explore everything the school has to offer. For me, I was overwhelmed by all the opportunities that Choate presented, and it took me a while before I started to try things out. You're only there for four years, and they blow by, so make them count!

More than anything I liked the people at Choate. The vast majority of students and faculty there is nice, smart, and interesting. To the extent that a school can be measured by the people that go there, it's no surprise that Choate consistently ranks so highly.

If you go to Choate, make sure you live in East Cottage during your senior year. The rooms are huge!

Choate's academics were second to none. I was able to take AP and other college-level courses in math, physics, english, and almost any other subject. The opportunity to learn from incredible teachers (often teachers with Masters' Degrees of PhD's) and pursue academics with college-level rigor while in high school was an integral part of my success in college and beyond.

Choate's Athletics department fields excellent teams a wide variety of sports, but also offers everyone the opportunity to play a sport if they so choose. The amount of Intramural and non-varsity sports that Choate offers ensures that everyone can play the sports they want to, at the level they want to.

While I never participated in any of the shows or orchestral performances that were offered, I attended frequently to support friends, and I can tell you that if their performance is any indication, Choate has a phenomenal arts program.

Choate allows students to participate in over 100 different after-school clubs, and provides funding for those clubs to pursue their interests. It's also easy to start a club, so if you're like me and there isn't already a club that offers what you're looking for, you can just start one.

While not unique to Choate, dorm life was one of the best parts about attending a boarding school. Choate offered a safe and fun dorm environment where students could hang out and study.

The food was good, but what I remember most about Choate was eating at big tables with lots of people I didn't necessarily know. The culture of the dining hall was very open and friendly, and it was a great way for students to get to know one another even if they didn't share classes or live in the same dorm.

Choate is unique among boarding schools in that it's situated in a large town. There was easy walking access to restaurants, coffee shops, a Wal-Mart, and lots of other fun places.

I loved how open the social scene was. You could be friends with just about anyone. Also, kids at Choate were generally very smart and interesting people, so the friendships that I made there were of much higher quality than those I could have forged at my local high school.