{"id":939,"date":"2015-01-27T16:25:58","date_gmt":"2015-01-27T16:25:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.princetontutoring.com\/?p=939"},"modified":"2015-05-14T19:13:00","modified_gmt":"2015-05-14T19:13:00","slug":"the-lawrenceville-school-a-princeton-graduates-perspective","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.princetontutoring.com\/blog\/2015\/01\/the-lawrenceville-school-a-princeton-graduates-perspective\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lawrenceville School: A Princeton Graduate’s Perspective"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"logo_9516\"<\/a>Last week we presented an in-depth profile on one of the top boarding schools in the nation: the Lawrenceville School<\/a>. Princeton and Lawrenceville graduate Amogha Tadimety now shares her perspective on this private school that provides \u201cthe best of both worlds\u201d to motivated high school students.<\/p>\n

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Currently working as an associate at Novantas in Manhattan, Tadimety graduated this past year from Princeton University with a degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering and certificates in Engineering Biology and Values and Public Life.<\/p>\n

As an undergraduate, Tadimety was a member of the Undergraduate Student Government Community Service Committee, the Princeton Bioethics Forum, Club Tennis, and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.<\/p>\n

Originally from Newtown, Pennsylvania, Tadimety chose the Lawrenceville School<\/a> because, quite simply, of all that a top-tier boarding school offers its students. \u201cI got to interact with incredibly smart and driven peers from all over the world, and made some of the best friends of my life,\u201d Tadimety reflected. \u201cAt the same time, I was able to take on a demanding high school curriculum, play sports each term, and compete in state and national extracurricular competitions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Academic Dedication and Spirit of Community
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The Lawrenceville School is renowned for precisely such a demanding climate, academic and non-academic. \u201cI felt constantly challenged by my incredible peers and teachers,\u201d Tadimety recalled. \u201cI spent most of my days on campus, starting my mornings at 8 a.m. with class and ending at 8 p.m. after my extracurricular [activities].\u201d<\/p>\n

Academically, the Lawrenceville School establishes high baseline standards and fosters a sense of collaboration and discussion early on in students\u2019 careers. \u201cThe academic climate was rigorous and challenging, but also designed so that students can learn from one another. Humanities, Social Science, and Language classes were all taught at the oval Harkness Table, so the classes were discussions, not lectures,\u201d Tadimety affirmed. Her favorite courses included an interdisciplinary English-Theatre course on Shakespeare, a senior Bioethics course, AP Economics, and her AP Chemistry course. Tadimety also cited the freshman humanities program, which \u201creally gives students a taste for writing and general academic expectations at Lawrenceville.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tadimety held nothing but respect for her classmates at Lawrenceville.\u00a0 \u201cSome of the biggest takeaways from class are things said by peers, not by the teacher,” she said.<\/p>\n

Indeed, Tadimety affirmed the extent to which academic life complemented student life, and vice versa. \u201cTeachers and students end up developing strong relationships over the students time here, and I feel lucky to have gotten to know my instructors so well,\u201d she explained. \u201cFrom dorm life, to sharing meals, to sports practices to the classroom, students and teachers interact in a variety of situations, not solely academic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additionally, Tadimety stated that she was able to focus on extracurriculars that complemented her academic interests at Lawrenceville, and as a result \u201ccan honestly say that I was a better engineer in college because of my high school student life.\u201d As a high school student, Tadimety played tennis and softball, was part of the Science Olympiad, Math Club, and Quiz Bowl teams, did theatre tech and design, and worked on the yearbook.<\/p>\n

Resources and Facilities<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tadimety raved about the \u201camazing\u201d campus\u2014replete with hundreds of acres of farmland, a golf course, and conveniently located classroom buildings and dorms\u2014in addition to Lawrenceville\u2019s pristine facilities. \u201cThe library, athletic resources, and teachers available are absolutely top-notch,\u201d she affirmed.<\/p>\n

Regarding student body size\u2014approximately 800 students total\u2014she said this resulted in \u201csmall and intimate\u201d classes which more appropriately facilitated discussion. Tadimety also confirmed feeling like she had the support network necessary during her time at Lawrenceville, with the school\u2019s excellent academic, medical, and college counseling staff.<\/p>\n

The Lawrenceville School also has a unique House System, which sorts students into specific houses prior to their entrance into their sophomore and junior years. This proved Tadimety’s favorite aspect of her high school career. \u201c[The houses] are where the deepest friendships develop,\u201d she stated. \u201cThey serve as a dorm for boarding students and a hangout and locker area for the day students, and there are two live-in faculty families. My friends from McClellan are still my best friends in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Global Exposure<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Lawrenceville School advocates an “appreciation for diversity and a global perspective.” Tadimety concurred that as a boarding student at Lawrenceville she experienced unparalleled cultural exposure. \u201cLawrenceville draws students from all over the world, creating a student experience that cannot be paralleled at day schools across New Jersey,\u201d she maintained. \u201cStudents learn about other cultures, connect with students from other parts of the country and other countries, and\u2026can try things with no consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n

Such exposure figured largely in Tadimety\u2019s preparation for an undergraduate career at Princeton University. Besides the immense amount of resources Lawrenceville offers with regard to college preparation\u2014dedicated guidance counsellors, SAT and college search assistance, and other programs\u2014the school invites students from their first year to start thinking about college.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was incredibly well prepared for college life because I went to Lawrenceville,\u201d she stated. \u201cSimple things like being used to being around my friends all the time, knowing how to approach professors, or being able to manage my time were all skills that I\u2019d developed in 9th grade, meaning that I was not flustered when I entered college. Additionally, learning what my academic and extracurricular strengths were during my four years at Lawrenceville definitely helped me make an informed decision about college.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Those Looking Ahead<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amogha advises that prospective students considering Lawrenceville \u201ctake a tour and be sure to speak to as many students as possible to be sure it\u2019s a good fit for you\u2026 Be open to the possibility of trying plenty of new things.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Additional Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n

Please check out other posts in this series:<\/p>\n