Proctor Academy - Review #5

Proctor has 2,500 acres of rural campus, which allows for a lot of outdoor activities. It has its own ski mountain, its own maple sugar shack, ponds and rivers for polar plunges and community floats. There was never a shortage of outdoor activities to participate in. Another unique thing about Proctor is the study abroad trips - beyond the standard trips that many boarding schools offer, Proctor has Ocean Classroom and Mountain Classroom, which are one of a kind experiences and should not be missed.

Proctor inspired me to travel. It is because of my experience on Ocean Classroom that I have prioritized seeing the world now.

If I had known then what I know now I would have appreciated my whole journey at Proctor more. I guess when I was 14 years old I didn't really understand that not every high school offered opportunities such as spending a semester in Morocco or a week whitewater rafting in North Carolina.

I loved that the experiential learning style encourages students to try new things. Many of my friends from Proctor have started their own companies, and I believe that is because we were given the opportunity to find what we were passionate about and fail at it, rather than being told, "this is what you should want, and this is how you should achieve it."

Do not attend Proctor and miss out on Mountain or Ocean Classroom.

I loved the experiential learning style that Proctor embraces. They get you out of the classroom a lot, and my coursework each semester usually included a couple of AP classes and a couple of electives, both with diverse options. Want to build your own boat? There's a class for that. Want to learn how to bird watch? There's a project period for that. There were so many interesting educational opportunities that my only regret is that high school only lasts 4 years and there wasn't enough time for me to take all of the ones I wanted to.

Proctor does have mandatory participation in at least one sport a year. I played two "classic" sports, but Proctor also offers activities such as snowboarding and yoga in the athletics program. I was able to stay active and try out different activities, many of which are more practical to continue in the college and adult world.

The facilities are stunning and well equipped - the theatre and music studio are new, the visual arts studio is a renovated livery stable from the early 1800s.

There are some activities that have a cap on them, (for example, a volunteer group might have to cap the volunteers at one bus load) so occasionally I was unable to be part of a group I may have wanted to participate in as a freshman. I had no trouble once I garnered seniority though.

There are many different types of dorms - if you want to live in a small house with only a few friends you can, or if you want to live in a large dorm with 40 other people you can.

The dining arrangements have changed since I attended Proctor, but I was thrilled with the food when I went there. As a vegetarian, there were plenty of options. In 2016 they opened a whole new facility that doubled the amenities, so I bet the quality and options are even better.

I loved the campus and the 2,500 acres we could use. The town itself is extremely small with very little to do in it, which is why Proctor puts so much effort into its on-campus programs and activities.

It was diverse, and because of the small class size, I truly feel like I got the opportunity to get to know everyone in my class. Younger students tended to participate more in the on-campus activities, while older students with access to cars tended to venture off campus more.