Loomis Chaffee - Review #14

Read more details about Loomis Chaffee on their 2023-24 profile page.
Loomis Chaffee
5

About the Author:

Years Attended Boarding School:
2009-2012
Sports and Activities:
Girls Soccer, Girls JV Ice Hockey (2-year captain), Girls Varsity Cross Country, Girls JV Lacrosse (captain), Girls Varsity Lacrosse, the LOG (school newspaper) writer and opinion editor
College Enrolled:
Marist College
Home Town, State:
Barnstable, MA

Reflections and Advice:

1.) What do you think makes your school unique relative to other boarding schools?
Loomis has a beautiful campus situated on “the island,” a 1-mile loop that sits above the yearly flood. The teachers use the Harkness method and classes are all discussion-based.
2.) What was the best thing that happened to you in boarding school?
The best thing that happened to me were my athletic experiences. I got to play a lot of sports and through them I learned discipline, leadership, and courage. I made a lot of friends, learned life lessons, and became a better person both physically and mentally. I learned how to take criticism, and how to life myself and my teammates up. My coaches cared about my teammates and I, not just on the field or in the rink, but as people. Playing sports at Loomis truly made me a stronger, more resilient person.
3.) What might you have done differently during your boarding school experience?
If I could do it over, I would have put less pressure on myself. It can be easy to get carried away by the rigorous nature of the academics. I expected perfection from myself and was hard on myself for mistakes and failures. To new boarding school students, accept that failure will happen. The point is to grow from it. Try not to compare yourself to your classmates- each one of you is the best of the best, and nobody is inferior or doesn’t belong.
4.) What did you like most about your school?
The people at Loomis were great. Caring faculty and staff make a huge difference. I made some great friends as well. And, the Pelican mascot is pretty great.
5.) Do you have any final words of wisdom for visiting or incoming students to your school?
Make sure you say please and thank you to the support staff, and knowing the housekeepers’ names goes a long way. Be positive, be ready to grow, and enjoy the time you have on the Island. Check out Bart’s with your friends and explore all of your interests.

Academics:

1.) Describe the academics at your school - what did you like most about it?
I liked the availability of classes for all ability levels. I enrolled in many AP classes but was able to explore different disciplines while I was a student. The teachers at Loomis are highly demanding because they expect a lot from you. You will be challenged intellectually, and learn valuable critical thinking skills. The writing and foreign language programs are excellent and comprehensive. By graduation, you will be a well-rounded student and have an idea of what discipline you will pursue in college.While the breadth and scope of coursework is impressive, I think Loomis puts unnecessary pressure on students. There are a few teachers and advisers who believe a student is a slacker or “does not belong” if they are not in advanced classes. Students should expect to do 6+ hours of homework every night, more if they are in APs.

Athletics:

1.) Describe the athletics at your school - what did you like most about it?
The Loomis Athletics program was excellent under former AD Bob Howe. Sports participation was mandatory but some students avoided it by acting, dancing, or doing community service. However, the variety of team offerings at all levels was impressive and made for a really fun, competitive experience. The coaches genuinely care about the students. We won very frequently, in every sport, and most teams I was on were New England (or at least Founders League) champions. The facilities are state-of-the-art, with a dozen or so beautiful fields, two turfs, an on-campus hockey rink, a cross country course, a track, squash and tennis courts, a dance studio, and two weight rooms.

Art, Music, and Theatre:

1.) Describe the arts program at your school - what did you like most about it?
I had minimal participation in the Arts at Loomis. I took a ceramics class for my art credit. The art facility is advanced, with many studios, ceramics wheels, a computer lab, and darkroom. From what I saw, the teachers are all very nice and foster creativity. The student productions are excellent and appear professional.

Extracurricular Opportunities:

1.) Describe the extracurriculars offered at your school - what did you like most about it?
There are dozens of student-run clubs and activities to choose from. There are foreign language clubs, debate teams, intramural sports, gaming groups, service organizations, etc. Each club has a faculty adviser.

Dorm Life:

1.) Describe the dorm life in your school - what did you like most about it?
I was a day student and do not know much about dorm life.

Dining:

1.) Describe the dining arrangements at your school.
The cafeteria hours mostly accommodated student schedules and served plenty of options for all dietary needs. The food was usually good and represented many cultural and ethnic fares. The kitchen staff was incredibly kind and knew all of the students by name. I believe they have switched food providers since I graduated, so I do not know the current quality.

Social and Town Life:

1.) Describe the school's town and surrounding area.
Windsor CT is a relatively small suburb outside of Hartford. It has some restaurants (including the popular Bart’s) and a CVS within walking distance of campus and the school often brings students to the mall and movies in a nearby town. Students over the age of 17 are allowed to Uber off campus at select times.As a runner, I liked that there were running trails and safe neighborhoods nearby that I could jog in. The town is pretty quiet and the school is tucked away on the outskirts.
2.) Describe the social life at your school - what did you like most about it?
The social life at Loomis is found at mealtimes and during after-school activities. The students are very serious about academics and do not have a lot of time to hang out, but meal times and afternoon activities are very high in energy. Most students at Loomis are friendly and kind to one another, and everyone is pretty driven and focused. A lot of students make study groups. Boarding students have more social opportunities than the day students because they have a central location. The dorms are hubs of activity and the boarding students become very close-knit.
Read more details about Loomis Chaffee on their 2023-24 profile page.

Alumni Reviews Review School

Review
Description
Loomis Chaffee Alumni #1
Class of 2018
5.00 1/13/2020
Brown University
Approachable teachers and staff, overwhelming pride in the school from everyone on campus. Close relationship of day students and boarding students. Post graduate students integrated very well into the senior class. . .
Loomis Chaffee Alumni #2
Class of 2018
5.00 8/26/2019
Hamilton College
The close-knit campus. The fact that the campus was small (or at least the buildings being so close together) made everyone close like a family. It made my transition from my class with a graduation. . .
Loomis Chaffee Alumni #3
Class of 2018
5.00 6/8/2018
New York University
The location of the school definitely shaped the school dynamic of Loomis. It isn’t necessarily isolated but it’s formed in a very large location of its own. As a result, Loomis is very secure for. . .
Show more reviews (27 reviews)

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Quick Stats (2023-24)

  • Enrollment: 736 students
  • Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $68,420
  • Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $52,100
  • Acceptance rate: 18%
  • Average class size: 11 students
  • Application Deadline: Jan. 15
  • Source: Verified school update