Proctor Academy - Review #2

Proctor is a unique school due to the experiential learning model. This includes a variety of off-campus programs including programs in Spain, France, Costa Rica, and Ocean classroom and mountain classroom. Proctor also owns over 3,000 acres, including a ski hill and several ponds and lakes that are incorporated into classroom education.

The best thing that happened to me was going abroad to Spain for two months. Proctor has a fantastic program there were students live with host families, study Spanish and Spain's history, and visit many towns in the country. It is a very special experience.

If I could do something different, it would be to take advantage of the thing that makes Proctor unique more. I would go on all the hikes and wake up early for the polar plunge. I would go swimming at the swinging bridge more.

I loved the learning model, and my term abroad in Spain, where I lived with a host family. I also loved the faculty at Proctor. Teachers and coaches are addressed by first names. This takes some getting used to but makes everyone feel closer. It is truly a tightly knit community.

Go to Elbow Pond! It is one of my favorite places in the world. There is a certain serenity there that I have yet to find anywhere else. It's perfect for swimming in the summer on hot days, and just sitting by with friends and having long conversations.

I loved how the experiential learning model was implemented in our classes. One of my favorite classes that I took at Proctor was wildlife science. This involved learning about pH levels in the lakes and ponds on campus by taking samples, learning about wildlife creatures by fishing and looking at tracks, and learning to identify the trees in our woodlands.

I loved the coaching staff that the athletics program has at Proctor. They are not only coaches but also mentors and friends. I felt comfortable going to them with any issues I would be having and was also grateful for the advice I would receive. I also really enjoyed our facilities. The gym and fitness center is newly renovated, and Proctor has two turf fields and a whole complex of grass fields, with a beautiful backdrop of the ski hill.

The music program has room for improvement. Allow all the pieces to have a stellar, differentiating a program, it has not quite been put together yet. It is difficult to obtain teachers who will be around for long enough to establish a strong program. The turnover makes it tough to keep kids interested. However, the recording studio contains state-of-the-art equipment and the chapel, home of the choral program, is a beautiful venue for concerts. I did enjoy traveling to a school in our league for a sort of "battle of the bands." It was fun to interact with other musicians from other schools and perform for their school.

I loved all the optionality. I got to involve myself in many things I had not at my prior high school, and I felt incredibly comfortable and supported in trying new things. For example, I did not sing before Proctor and I had never cross country skied, but at Proctor, I was involved in these activities.

I was a day student, so I cannot comment on this much. I will say that I was always comfortable in my friend's dorms and felt welcomed, at the times I had downtime and could not make it home.

I loved the dining hall. It is a kind of the heart of campus, a hub for socialization and studying in-between classes, and I loved the food. There were usually lots of optionalities. The best days were those when the pizza oven was fired up during lunch, and the pizza was served up at dinner. There are a lot of great beverage options, and always cereal, fruit, and peanut butter and jelly during non-meal hours. I did wish the dining hall was open later into the night because I would tend to get hungrier later.

Andover is a small and quiet town with not much to do. It is beautiful, however, and I love the fall especially, as the foliage is breathtaking. The town people are very kind.

I loved being with my friends all the time, especially for sports. The social life at Proctor does not involve much since Andover is such a quiet town. However, many trips are planned and fun things happen on campus. The dances are always something to look forward to.