The Webb Schools - Review #19

I think the two aspects that make Webb an incredible place are: the honor code, and the focus on shaping well rounded students both of which are impossible without a dedicated, hard-working staff. Having a community grounded in an honor code creates a culture of responsibility and accountability that isn't forced - you really want to uphold your word and follow through with your commitments. The school does a great job of drawing focus away from academics (which is of course a huge focus at a prep school) so that students are encouraged take a broader look at the world.

I became a far more confident person at Webb because my opinions were respected and challenged. You learn to think about a problem from many different angles and that's priceless.

The only real advice I'd have is to make sure you're ready for boarding school - it can be the best experience of your life, but can also be incredibly difficult if you aren't ready. It's certainly not for everyone, but if it's right for you, it's the best decision you can make. If you believe it's right for you, I would strongly recommend checking out Webb.

As you can tell from my responses, I really liked that the focus of the school was allowing for students to become well rounded. It's easy for a prep school to focus on school only but Webb does a great job of balancing expectations without compromising a challenging academic environment.

Have a great time - do everything you can.

I enjoyed the discussion-based classes. No class was larger than 15 students, which meant you really had to participate. Teachers did a great job of making material engaging and attainable so that nothing was too abstract. There was a fairly broad range of available classes, especially in later years. The academic environment was challenging, but never overwhelming. Teachers were very open to extra help when necessary and students tended to study together more than at a day school.

The athletics program varied depending on what sport you played. I always really enjoyed afternoon sports and the team environment. There is a requirement on afternoon activities, so even if you are not interested in athletics specifically, there are options for extracurricular participation.

I like that every student was encouraged to participate in an activity they found meaningful. It provides an opportunity to really focus on what you enjoy, if you know what that is, and it also provides an opportunity to survey a lot of activities to find out what you enjoy. Students are encouraged to pursue leadership in almost every activity.

The best part about dorm life at Webb is that teachers and faculty take a very involved role. Each dorm has a faculty in residence, and each night of the school week has a faculty "on-duty" which provides help for homework and chances to engage in extracurricular discussion. It's also nice to get to know other students who you may not otherwise spend much time with because the dorms are all grades, all activities, etc.

The dining hall was set up in free-seating most of the time except for formal dinners which are held for boarding students a few times a week (assigned seating). The food was usually pretty good when I was in school, but I don't know much about it any more.

The surrounding area is fairly safe, there are some small liberal arts colleges in the same town. There are a lot of good restaurants nearby, a popular movie theater, lots of outdoor areas to hike, shopping, etc. It is about an hour outside of Los Angeles so there are opportunities to do a lot, if you want to. It's about an hour from the beach, amusement parks, popular museums, etc.

The thing I liked most about the social life at Webb is that regardless of close friends, everybody pretty much got along. Given the nature of classes, extracurriculars, dorm life, leadership positions, etc. you really get to know everybody.