St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School review by Amherst College student.
In a region where most schools specialize in math and science, St. Stephen's and St. Agnes allows the ambitious student the ability to succeed in all courses of study. The student body tends to be competitive but not to an extreme. The real strength of the school is that every student is given the opportunity to sample various disciplines. The school excels in the humanities. Religion classes tend to be less focused on Christianity and are more about instilling in the students a broader world view. Small classes are the norm, and teachers are incredibly accessible. Several hours of work each night is normal. English classes tend to be discussion based, and history tends to be more lecture based.
The school begins discussing the college process during freshman year. It is on the minds.... Get the real inside story on college counseling at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School as experienced by former pupil and Amherst College 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...
I was accepted to the school in middle school. High school applicants seem to show.... Get in-depth insights and personal advice on admissions to St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School by former pupil and Amherst College 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...
The school is a day school, so students commute large distances to the school. This is perhaps the biggest downside of the school, it dampens the otherwise strong sense of community. The school has little in the way of tradition, as the merger changed the dynamics of the school. But, the intimate nature of the school helps build community. The school teeters between policies on discipline. It is certainly more fair than many larger institutions, but sometimes punishment seems to vary for similar infractions.... Get the real inside story on quality of school life and extracurricular offerings at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School as experienced by former pupil and Amherst College student — Login or Sign Up to access full review