Brooks School - Review #10

This may sound utopian to some, but I wholeheartedly believe that what makes Brooks so special is the quality of the people who go there. I am not just talking about the students' and teachers' personal achievements, although they are certainly noteworthy. I mean to emphasize the type of community Brooks fosters; you cannot leave Brooks without being a better person. Everyone is friendly and genuinely concerned for the welfare of the rest of the community. There was never a day that I was not thankful for the support system I had while at Brooks, and I find that my friends from Brooks are still there for me now that I am in college. Brooks was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I owe it to the wonderful people who impacted my life while I was there.

The best thing that happened to me was forming valuable friendships with students and teachers. I worked hard, and as a result consistently made the High Honor Roll and attended the New England Young Writers' Conference at Middlebury College; I owe these achievements to the amazing teachers I had at Brooks. I have grown into a better, kinder person and I have learned to value relationships with others.

I would have been more talkative at first if I could go back in time. I was a bit shell-shocked by the requirements of hard work and athletic participation that Brooks has for its students, but once I was used to it I appreciated the rigorous schedule.

Overall, my favorite thing about Brooks was the entire package of academic, athletic, and social preparation that I received. Chapel twice to three times a week never failed to move me, and by senior year I realized that I would miss it the most while in college- I was right.

Words of wisdom: Shadow a student for a day if you can. You'll immediately see the community atmosphere that I am talking about. By senior year, I was sad to leave Brooks, and I would not be lying to say that many people have felt the same. If you decide to attend Brooks, cherish every moment of it; there is nothing else like it.

As far as I know, Brooks is academically one of THE most challenging schools in the nation. With a wide variety of AP and honors courses, Brooks can definitely be challenging for anyone. I found the small classes (freshman year Algebra had 4 kids!) to be beyond beneficial in terms of the individual attention students received from teachers. Teachers were always willing to meet with students outside of class and offer help.

As previously mentioned, I was not a stellar athlete but I enjoyed the athletic atmosphere at Brooks. Very few students are out of shape because freshmen and sophomores are required to play two sports a year, while upperclassmen must play one sport. It was fun for me to watch all the Varsity games and to be in the presence of future National Team soccer players, for example.

During my four years at Brooks I witnessed a growth in the arts. Some students even wrote and produced their own plays! The spring concert was always a hit among students.

Because Brooks boasts of the close-knit community it is, a great focus is placed on commitment to one's school and to the surrounding community of the Merrimack Valley. From fundraising clubs to tutoring at the Boys & Girls Club, Brooks offered numerous ways to help out.

I was actually a day student at Brooks, but by senior year I felt that I practically lived there; I arrived at school by 8 am and didn't leave until 10 pm. Brooks was my home, regardless of whether I physically lived there or not. I had friends who were boarders who would stay with my family over breaks or long-weekends, and I felt that there was not too much of a difference between day students and boarders.

Brooks food is unbelievable compared to my college food! I miss it soooooo much! Lots of variety.

North Andover is a quaint town without much trouble. Most people are upper-middle class, so the town's facilities are nice.

I felt that everyone truly cared about everyone else. It was easy to make friends from all facets of society and the international world. I feel that the friends I made at Brooks will be there for me forever. From on-campus weekend activities like indoor soccer to off-campus trips to sporting events, etc., there was always a lot to do.