Thacher School review by Scripps College student.
Due to the size of the school, there are not as many classes to choose from as there are at larger institutions. However, the classes that are available are taught by enthusiastic and encouraging teachers. The faculty is extremely accessible in ways you simply can't find at non-boarding schools. Most of the teachers live on campus, which means you can just as easily meet with them after class as you can after dinner. The work load is tough but manageable. Thacher absolutely teaches you how to budget your time! With classes, extracurriculars, sports, homework and the occasional required lecture, free time becomes quickly becomes very valuable. Perhaps the biggest piece of advice I can offer is to take advantage of the availability of teachers. Whether you're struggling in a class or excelling, talking to a teacher about your performance is never a bad thing. You can get extra help, find a mentor, discover your passion for a subject, etc. Thacher absolutely is not an "exam factory." Teachers know that the idea of a "prep" school is exactly that: students should be prepared for college, and overemphasizing tests and exams is no way to do that. On the contrary, teachers are incredibly enthusiastic about students simply learning and mastering the material.
Although in many areas the college counseling staff at Thacher was extremely helpful, I was.... Get the real inside story on college counseling at Thacher School as experienced by former pupil and Scripps 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...
It's been a while since I applied to Thacher, but here's what I remember: applicants.... Get in-depth insights and personal advice on admissions to Thacher School by former pupil and Scripps 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...
Thacher is fantastic! Honestly, looking back on it I am very fortunate to have gone to high school there. If you can, you should go. The housing is very nice (definitely better than my college dorm), especially the new freshman boys' dorm. The dining hall is adequate-every once in a while there's something fantastic, every once in a while there's something no one wants. I'm sure that's pretty standard cafeteria fare. The school is located about 10 minutes away from Ojai, which is a very pleasant town and extremely safe town. It's not very big, but since Thacher provides most.... Get the real inside story on quality of school life and extracurricular offerings at Thacher School as experienced by former pupil and Scripps College student — Login or Sign Up to access full review