St. Paul's School review by Georgetown University student.
The academics at St. Paul's School are outstanding. I particularly enjoyed the Humanities program, which prepared me well for college writing and comprehension. Success is contingent upon effort; I worked hard at St. Paul's, but didn't stay locked in my room every weekend; ended up with about a solid B or B+ average in my courses. Spent many evenings in a faculty member's house or apartment on campus eating dinner or just chatting with other faculty and classmates, an experience unique to boarding school that really expanded my total academic experience. Classes were small, around 10-15 students, and I found faculty extremely accessible; it's great to get to know teachers inside the classroom, on the sports fields, and in their homes as well. Academics were demanding, but not impossible; by the time I arrived at college I was in a much better position than even my classmates who had attended other private schools. I loved the study abroad options at St. Paul's. While I was there, I participated in an exchange program in Paris during Spring break and traveled to Ghana to study abroad during the summer; my roommate spent a semester in Chile and one of my close friends spent a semester in Paris. These were unforgettable experiences, and my time in Ghana really shaped the direction of my future studies (I'm now a biotechnology & global health major with a minor in African studies, and I've worked with the World Bank and various nonprofits both abroad and in Washington, DC).
I was generally pleased with the college advising experience. I was in a unique position.... Get the real inside story on college counseling at St. Paul's School as experienced by former pupil and Georgetown University 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...
It's been eight years since I applied, so I don't know if the process is.... Get in-depth insights and personal advice on admissions to St. Paul's School by former pupil and Georgetown University 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...
SPS is a very safe campus-- we used to affectionately refer to it as "the bubble" while we were there. The most unique thing about St. Paul's is that it is one of the few remaining academically strong all-boarding schools in the country; this made for an unbelievable four year experience that taught me strength, independence, and the importance of friendship and mentorship. I became a "Prefect" my senior year, a position similar to a college RA that allowed me and a few of my fellow seniors to mentor the younger girls in our house. There are about 20 to.... Get the real inside story on quality of school life and extracurricular offerings at St. Paul's School as experienced by former pupil and Georgetown University student — Login or Sign Up to access full review