St. Mark's School review by Vanderbilt University student.
St. Mark's has a very well-balanced academic program, retaining their historic strength in the humanities while implementing a world-class STEM program in recent years. My teachers never failed to make the classes both challenging, intellectually stimulating, and fascinating. The student body, while competitive in the same vein as most other prep schools, was undoubtedly the highlight of my experience. Never in my life have I been surrounded by such a wonderfully diverse, intimate, connected, and deeply funny group of people. I consider myself very lucky to have been a part of the St. Mark's student body, and would recommend it with every fiber of my being. Let it be a testament to the St. Mark's experience that when I meet up with my old friends from school (still some of my closest friends in the world) we warmly reminisce and wish we could relive those wonderful years of our lives. The academic programs at the school definitely prepared me for the academic rigors of university, as I went on to attend a prominent university and felt the transition was as seamless as possible.
St. Mark's college counseling, in my experience, was the best I could have hoped for..... Get the real inside story on college counseling at St. Mark's School as experienced by former pupil and Vanderbilt University student — Login or Sign Up to access full review
Sample insights on college counseling
They have contacts at most of the major universities and feel perfectly comfortable picking up the phone and advocating for a student to get accepted somewhere they feel is a good fit for that student. However, these counselors are certainly not magic bullets. They cannot guarantee that a student will get into an Ivy League university...
For those wishing to move on to Oxford or Cambridge, the provision is second-to-none. In the months running up to application and interview, every subject faculty offers classes (often run by former Oxbridge tutors) exploring further areas of their subject as well as offering advice on personal statements, interview technique and more...
In gaining admissions to St. Mark's, I would stress the interview - and the tour..... Get in-depth insights and personal advice on admissions to St. Mark's School by former pupil and Vanderbilt University student — Login or Sign Up to access full review
Sample insights on admissions
For the interview, dress conservatively. Try to be very clean and put together. Also, I was a tour guide for two years and at the end of every tour, we were asked to evaluate the candidate so if you think the tour is not apart of the process, you are very wrong. Ask questions and be interested. Also, tip for the parents: the kids speak on the tour. Do not ask their questions for them...
Most younger siblings have an easy time in the admissions process. I can only think of one case of a younger sibling not being admitted. About half of the students who entered with me had come from public schools. The remainder came from private K-6 schools, or had transferred from other New York private schools The Elizabeth Morrow School and St. Bernard were two of the larger feeder schools...
I wholeheartedly, entirely, completely, absolutely loved my experience at St. Mark's School, and wouldn't trade those years for anything. I made lifelong friends, connections with teachers that last me to this day. I awkwardly suffered through my first heartbreak, my first failures, and some crippling social situations as any young person would. However, these experiences, compounded by the wonderful dynamic of living with all young people, forced me to grow in the most wonderful ways. Without St. Mark's, I would not be the wildly independent, funny, confident, and well-educated person that I am today. In terms of the ethnic and.... Get the real inside story on quality of school life and extracurricular offerings at St. Mark's School as experienced by former pupil and Vanderbilt University student — Login or Sign Up to access full review