Read more details about St. Michaels University School on their 2024-25 profile page.
Reflections and Advice:
1.) What do you think makes your school unique relative to other boarding schools?
I liked SMUS because there was a focus on community building, which is something I didn't realize I needed until I got there. I liked the grade 10 experiential program (rocket building, camping, yoga retreat).
2.) What was the best thing that happened to you in boarding school?
I came out of this school a stronger person than I went in, but that was due to the nature of my relationship with authority figures here and not the school education itself. The nurses are easily the best thing about this school. There was nothing better than drinking tea catching up.
3.) What might you have done differently during your boarding school experience?
I would not have played sports. Yes, through sports I was able to make a few friends, but it was not worth all the hoops I had to jump through and expectations I had to uphold to get there. I would say just do club based extracurriculars, they don't infringe as much on your personal time.
4.) What did you like most about your school?
I liked the friends I made and the experiences I had with them.
5.) Do you have any final words of wisdom for visiting or incoming students to your school?
I would say to embrace the mandatory Co-curricular even though at the time they may seem like a huge time drain. It's easier to put it in perspective when I consider that the other school I attended didn't implement the same type of mandatory programming and in turn, I felt much less fulfilled in terms of the memories and friendships I made there. I played sports, so I loved using sports facilities, especially the gym. I found it was easier for me to make friends through sports.
Academics:
1.) Describe the academics at your school - what did you like most about it?
I liked how many clubs and AP classes were available (coming from a town where no AP's were available). I also felt like some teachers had a personal stake in my success, which made me feel like a member of the community.
Athletics:
1.) Describe the athletics at your school - what did you like most about it?
I was on the basketball team; it wasn't very good, but we did attend a few tournaments which was cool.
I was also on the track team, which I loved. It was the first team I was ever a part of that truly felt like a team. I will cherish the races, but I cherish all the laughter we shared even more.
Art, Music, and Theatre:
1.) Describe the arts program at your school - what did you like most about it?
I did a musical; it was alright. However, Brad Igmunson was an awesome art teacher, and he always thought of innovative and new projects that will increase our knowledge of art.
Extracurricular Opportunities:
1.) Describe the extracurriculars offered at your school - what did you like most about it?
I didn't like that we were mandated to do after-school activities but, at least, it was something everyone had to do together.
Dorm Life:
1.) Describe the dorm life in your school - what did you like most about it?
The community within the house system was a really exciting thing to be a part of.
Dining:
1.) Describe the dining arrangements at your school.
There was a dining hall, and all the servings were portion-controlled and pretty healthy.
Social and Town Life:
1.) Describe the school's town and surrounding area.
It was quiet, which reminded me of home. I also liked that downtown there was a view of the water.
2.) Describe the social life at your school - what did you like most about it?
That although there were cliques, you still felt like you could talk to anyone because most of the community was friendly.
Read more details about St. Michaels University School on their 2024-25 profile page.
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