Deerfield Academy review by University of Pennsylvania student.
Deerfield Academy's academic strengths lie in its humanities program. Since my arrival at Deerfield, I feel like my writing quality has significantly improved, preparing me even more for college. Although Deerfield's math and science departments are not exactly the strongest in terms of overall quality, there are still a handful of excellent teachers. However, the school is currently changing this image with the completion of the new David Koch Science Center, which is by far the most technologically advanced and sophisticated science building available among all the top prep schools. The biggest academic take-aways from Deerfield definitely lie in writing quality and qualitative thinking analysis, which are important when preparing for college. The student body is obviously very intelligent, and while there are some academically competitive kids, the overall nature of the student body is definitely more collegial. Unlike rival schools like Exeter and Andover, students are not over the top competitive. We all are academically driven, but not to the point where study guides are stolen to gain unfair advantages. The average class size is about 10-15 kids for most courses, however the advanced science and language courses have as few as 2-5 kids per class. Most of the faculty live on campus, and they are all more than happy to assist in a student's quest to learn, so they are definitely accessible to all the students. The average work load per night ranges from 2-4 hours per night, with the exceptions being exam time and pure lack of luck. The teachers focus more on the students' ability to learn rather than quantitative test results, which is a reassuring change.
Although you first meet your college advisor during your spring trimester of junior year, I.... Get the real inside story on college counseling at Deerfield Academy as experienced by former pupil and University of Pennsylvania student — Login or Sign Up to access full review
Sample insights on college counseling
They have contacts at most of the major universities and feel perfectly comfortable picking up the phone and advocating for a student to get accepted somewhere they feel is a good fit for that student. However, these counselors are certainly not magic bullets. They cannot guarantee that a student will get into an Ivy League university...
For those wishing to move on to Oxford or Cambridge, the provision is second-to-none. In the months running up to application and interview, every subject faculty offers classes (often run by former Oxbridge tutors) exploring further areas of their subject as well as offering advice on personal statements, interview technique and more...
Obviously every kid in Deerfield has enjoyed some academic or athletic success to the point.... Get in-depth insights and personal advice on admissions to Deerfield Academy by former pupil and University of Pennsylvania student — Login or Sign Up to access full review
Sample insights on admissions
For the interview, dress conservatively. Try to be very clean and put together. Also, I was a tour guide for two years and at the end of every tour, we were asked to evaluate the candidate so if you think the tour is not apart of the process, you are very wrong. Ask questions and be interested. Also, tip for the parents: the kids speak on the tour. Do not ask their questions for them...
Most younger siblings have an easy time in the admissions process. I can only think of one case of a younger sibling not being admitted. About half of the students who entered with me had come from public schools. The remainder came from private K-6 schools, or had transferred from other New York private schools The Elizabeth Morrow School and St. Bernard were two of the larger feeder schools...
Something I definitely took for granted is the dining hall at Deerfield. It is better than any college dining hall I have ever seen. The staff is always happy and cheerful and the food is always fresh and hot. The best food in Deerfield would definitely be its deserts and baked goods, since everything is freshly made every morning in the bakery downstairs. Safety is never an issue, since Deerfield basically owns the surrounding town and is quite secluded from outsiders. The housing is also fantastic. One notable trait that definitely sets Deerfield apart.... Get the real inside story on quality of school life and extracurricular offerings at Deerfield Academy as experienced by former pupil and University of Pennsylvania student — Login or Sign Up to access full review