Cushing Academy is located in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, about 1 hour's drive west of Boston and 30 minutes north of Worcester. It is a beautiful, large campus in a small, traditional New England town. Its bucolic location belies the forward thinking in education that is happening here. The school has over 150 years of history and has been accepting students from China for nearly that whole length of time. In fact the Admissions Director, Ms Aulenback, told us that on the head of school's visit to China in 1995, he was met by a woman whose grandfather was among those earliest of Chinese students to attend the school. Cushing is very much interested in maintaining these old connections with China and expanding upon them in the coming years. Our tour guide Miss Jiang, a junior from Guangzhou, absolutely loved her school and seemed very happy with the myriad of choices she had been provided with to explore new curricular activities. In her case, although a trained clarinet player back home, she was given a chance to pick up the saxophone on arrival and is now playing in the jazz combo, a completely new form of music to her. She also got the chance to play volleyball and tennis competitively.
Very strong academically, a given for a prep school of this caliber, Cushing also puts high emphasis on the arts and music. Advanced painting, ceramics, photography, many musical courses and computer design are all offered. They even have art classes that teach students how to make stained glass and works in silver, something almost unheard of at even the finest of prep schools. What might be even most impressive is that a great academic school like Cushing actually has 3 level of ESL and are truly committed to building each class with the best possible students they can, not just choosing people solely based on their TOEFL scores. Ms. Aulenback also told us that they offered a spot to someone with a TOEFL score of 80 while denying admission to a person with a TOEFL score over 100 that same year. The person with the 80 score was a much more gifted student in all other areas and would go on to be much more of a great fit to the school, from total academic breadth of interests, and musically. Cushing was willing to see past the slightly lower level and take the lower TOEFL score because they saw a student who would contribute more to the entire school environment. They also have the English language support system to make this student a great success at the school. This is really seldom seen in a school of Cushing's caliber! I very much applaud this idea and wholeheartedly recommend this school!
沃特金森学校是一所传统与现代相结合的学校。教学楼外观复古，是典型的新英格兰地区建筑风格，但内部设备齐全，设施先进，给学生提供各种高科技电子设备。学校是小班教学，每个学生都能从老师那里得到全面的帮助和照顾。我去参观学校的时候是11月，正好是家长日。当天学校不上课，家长与老师见面交流，而学生在老师的指导下写作业、制定学习计划、准备大学申请材料等。沃特金森学校紧邻哈特福大学，与其有特殊合作。虽然没有自己的础笔课程，但是高年级学生可以去哈特福大学免费选修大学课程，学生可以提前适应大学生活，挣得的学分还可以抵消毕业后上大学的学分，这比传统的础笔课更好更有意义。沃特金森学校也提供各种音乐和艺术方面的资源给今后想要学习艺术的学生。我强烈推荐沃特金森学校，虽然学校学生不多，但学校对每位学生的关怀以及提供的资源却比很多大学校要多。 The Watkinson School is really the best combination of cutting edge technology and old New England prep school tradition with an emphasis on the individual student and their needs. The campus is an architecturally eclectic group of buildings, ranging from old brick structures moved in from other locations to brand new solar powered, environmentally friendly science and arts classroom buildings, juxtaposed in an amazing layout that would befit any walk-through architectural museum. Classes are very small and intimate and every student works with college placement faculty to help build the best college application possible. We went there in November 2015 on a parent’s day. Although classes were not in session on that day to let teachers meet with parents, we saw many students at this day school working on their college essays with the college placement office. Without AP classes of its own, Watkinson has a special relationship with the University of Hartford. Upper classmen can take classes at the university, a situation that is really better than APs in that, as well as helping the student get into better universities, in most cases the credits will actually count as transferable credits at that next school. They also have programs in music and the arts through similar arrangements with outside professional groups. In short, I strongly recommend Watkinson as a fantastic blend of small school and all the personal touches that brings, and access to many large-scale options that are not normally available in schools that are much bigger.
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国际学生中心主任Stephen，负责国际学生招生，同时又是历史和中文老师。他是我的老朋友，在13年前曾在Milton Academy听过我的中文课。他的中文非常好，中国学生见到他一定会非常亲切。建在海边，被称为“海边的学校”的Tabor，利用丰富的海洋资源，发展出全美乃至世界最好的海洋科学课程。除此之外，Tabor也有很多AP课，比如英语、历史、外语、艺术，还有一些比AP等级更高更难的课程。Tabor给学生提供各种体育、艺术方面的资源、场地和设备，学生在这里可以参加丰富多彩的课外活动。国际学生中心给学生们提供全面的帮助，大家在这里一定会非常开心。非常棒的学校！ Tabor is clearly the BEST school on the South Coast. Located in Marion, MA, on 1 mile of ocean frontage, Tabor has appropriately earned the nickname “School by the Sea.” Utilizing its ocean surroundings to the fullest, Tabor has the best high school marine science program in the country (and perhaps the world). Besides science, Tabor has many AP courses in English, History, Foreign Languages, and the arts, and several additional classes above the AP level. With a host of sports, clubs and activities to choose from, and state of the art equipment to support them, the student will definitely find some extra-curricular activity to fuel his/her passion. The international students are shepherded by an International Student Center, directed by my friend Stephen Downes, who came to observe my Chinese class at Milton Academy about 13 years ago. He is a Chinese expert. All of the international student scheduling and advising needs are seen to by this office, which is very complete in its care of the students. All international students met seemed very happy with their choice. Awesome school!
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