Lawrenceville School - Review #3

One of the most notable aspects of Lawrenceville is the house system. It is often compared to Harry Potter. After freshman year all students are sorted into the houses they will live in their sophomore and juniors years. Houses consist of about 40 students each, and are very close knit and have their own distinctive traditions. There are many inter-house competitions such as the House Cup, House Olympics, and awards are given to the houses with the highest GPA and that house with most students participating in athletics. The house system at Lawrenceville really makes students feel like they have a "home away from home" when they are on campus.

I think that my time at Lawrenceville played a huge role in my formation into the person I am today. At Lawrenceville I learned how to work hard both in the classroom and on the field, through my close relationships with my classmates, teammates, coaches, and teachers. My sophomore year I received the Mollie Marcoux award, given to that member of the girls ice hockey team that best exemplifies Mollie Marcoux's attitude, skill, grace under pressure and love of the game. Additionally, at the end of my four years I was presented with the Mackellar Violich '08 prize give to the female Lawrenceville School athlete who attains the highest standards of athletic performance, leadership, and academic achievement, an accomplishment I am very proud of to this day.

I would advise anyone going into Lawrenceville to fully experience everything it has to offer. Join clubs, play on teams, really get to know your teachers, advisors, and coaches. Lawrenceville has so much to offer, and your time there absolutely flies by, so you have to soak everything in while you still have the chance.

I loved everything about Lawrenceville, it was truly the place where I grew into myself. I met some of my best friends, had some of my highest triumphs, but also had struggles and learned many, many lessons. Along the way I always felt supported by my classmates, teammates, coaches, and teachers. Overall, what I loved most about Lawrenceville was that it was home, and everyone at the school was my family for my three years there.

My final words of wisdom are to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Try new things, and meet new people. The people you meet at Lawrenceville are unlike anyone you've ever met before, so immerse yourself in the experience.

Academics at Lawrenceville were very rigorous. However, teachers were always accessible and willing to help. Everyday there is a consult period, and students are encouraged to go to their teachers to ask questions about course material. I found that teachers were very understanding when things got hectic, and were always willing to grant a 1 or 2 day extension when I was spread too thin. Lawrenceville uses the Harkness method of teaching, in which students sit around a round table, much like a dinner table. Thus, participation is EXTREMELY important, and it is not easy to get away with not doing readings or being unprepared for class. For most teachers, class participation constitutes a large part of the grade.

At Lawrenceville students must participate in either intramural or interscholastic sports every semester. Intramural sports vary by season, in the fall for boys there is house football and for girls there is ultimate frisbee, in the winter there is basketball, and in the spring there is soccer and handball. There are many options for interscholastic sports, with freshman through varsity teams. Many students are able to pick up new sports once they arrive at Lawrenceville. Overall, the athletics at Lawrenceville were one of my favorite aspects of the school. I found the coaches and the athletic department to extremely supportive and welcoming, from the strength trainers, to the athletic directors.

I did not participate in the arts, however, there are very impressive theatre and dance performances twice a year. The school population is very supportive of the arts and most students attend the shows. 2 terms of visual arts, music, or theatre are required for all students. However, I have noticed that is often difficult (although doable, if you delay taking a history class) to fit additional art classes past the required courses into your schedule.

There are hundreds of different clubs available to join, and it is extremely easy to start a new club with the help of a faculty advisor. There is a required 40 hours of community service in order to graduate. The community service office sets up programs and provides transportation to off-campus volunteer opportunities. All you have to do is sign up and show up! As it is so easy and fun, many students well exceed their required hours. There are also abroad volunteer trips you can sign up for, and School Camp, where you can apply to be a summer camp counselor for under-served children in the summer.

As previously mentioned, the houses at Lawrenceville become like a family. Most girls live in singles their freshman year, doubles their sophomore year, singles junior year, and have a choice of singles, doubles, or triples their senior year. Most boys have singles their freshman year, singles/doubles their sophomore year, doubles their junior year, and a choice their senior year. Rooms were spacious compared to other boarding schools I have visited.

There are 3 separate dining halls for lower school (freshmen), Irwin (sophomores and juniors), and Abbott (seniors). Everyone eats in Irwin on the weekends. In Irwin there are pods for each house to eat, but aside from advisee lunch and house lunch you are not required to sit in any particular pod. Quality of food was my least favorite part about Lawrenceville, but there are bars (wok joy, yogurt, salad) where you can make your own food, which is a popular choice.

The school's surrounding area is very "small town", with a couple restaurants, a bagel shop, and a Starbucks. However Princeton is a short drive down the road, and students often visit on weekends. In the other direction is Trenton, where a lot of the community service programs take place.

There were sometimes dances or other activities on Saturday nights. The houses also often had invite-a-friend events or "screws" where people in a house would invite other students (or a whole house) over for an event. Students also frequented sporting events, such as the hockey games, which sometimes acted as social events as well.