Athletics
Strengths
The sense of community and camaraderie fostered among the players
Areas of improvements
Basketball could’ve used much better coaching, we wasted a lot of time just standing listening to our coaches
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Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
N/A
Arts Department
Strengths
they work with everyone with patience
Areas of improvements
n/a
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Favorite course
Photography
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
n/a
Favorite sport
Arts Department
Strengths
The plethora of resources
Areas of improvements
N/A
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Favorite course
Photography, Mr. Moore did a great job teaching us how to use cameras and developing film in the dark room was very fun
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
N/A
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
There are many programs the Science Department offers for students to explore their interests. These programs include ISR and Eco-Fellows.
Areas of improvements
n/a
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Biology 2nd Semester Junior Year
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
Good resources for experiments and labs
Areas of improvements
Teachers who are more engaged with the subject
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Favorite course
Mr. Godsen’s mechanical physics course, he always kept a smile on our faces and got us to see physics in new perspectives
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
Very passionate teachers
Areas of improvements
Exeter math is a very difficult curriculum to follow
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Linear Algebra with Dr. Starr, she is a great teacher who is passionate about the subject
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
The Math Department has a lot of resources such as Math Lab and the teachers are always willing to meet with you.
Areas of improvements
Exeter math
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Calculus
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
The History Department really allowed students to explore their own interests through research papers or programs such as the Independent History Research fellowship.
Areas of improvements
There seems to be some discrepancies between teachers who teach the same history class.
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Favorite course
U.S. History III
Favorite book or work studied
n/a
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
Variety of electives
Areas of improvements
More passionate teachers (besides Ms. Yoon), more cohesive curriculum, more nuanced discussion
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Favorite course
Ms. Yoon’s eleventh grade history class, she is an incredible teacher who always incorporated fun and creative ways to get her students engaged
Favorite book or work studied
JFK’s assassination
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
The English Department did a great job of ingraining critical thinking skills in students. The English also goes out of their way to get to know the strengths of their students.
Areas of improvements
Sometimes I thought that the required readings were not that engaging.
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Favorite course
Still I Rise taught by Ms. Beasley was my favorite English course. The class was my first time taking an elective course and the class really exposed me to new texts from Assata Shakur and Ann Petry. The class really solidified my love for English.
Favorite book or work studied
My favorite book was Beloved by Toni Morrison because although it was an intense read, it is a work that I give a lot of credit for preparing me for college courses.
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
They chose great books that offered diverse perspectives and writing styles.
Areas of improvements
A good grade in English was heavily dependent on which teacher you got.
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Favorite course
Film Studies; I enjoyed analyzing and close reading movies as if they were books.
Favorite book or work studied
Beloved; The writing style and structure of the book really changed my perspective on storytelling.
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
They provided a lot of opportunities for us to connect with admissions officers from many colleges
Areas of improvements
They could have given better feedback for my writings and supplements
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Spence’s curriculum prepared me for the academic intensity here, and growing up learning in an all-women’s environment made me sure of my voice in a classroom, especially as a STEM major
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Biology prepared me for intense note-taking and digesting a lot of material
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
n/a
Areas of improvements
They shouldn't doubt the success of their students
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
The material read and studied at Spence is often times referenced in college courses.
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
All the English courses.
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Administration
Strengths
N/A
Areas of improvements
N/A
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Administration
Strengths
Administration tries their best to know the names and faces of each student. You always feel welcome at Spence.
Areas of improvements
n/a
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Overall
Strengths
Curriculum and opportunities
Areas of improvements
Could direct more attention to technology and computer science interests
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
The academics are intense and will require a lot of effort.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
Mr. Aronson, he was always the most kindest man and although I hadn’t had him since eighth grade, he always told me how he knew I was going to do great things and how proud he was I was going to Columbia
What courses would you recommend?
Electrical Physics, Mr. Gastel
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Overall
Strengths
Creating a sense of community throughout the school and it felt like a big family. The friendships made at Spence will last a lifetime through a bond of sisterhood
Areas of improvements
Sometimes they try too hard to be politically correct and it interferes with the classroom environment.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Spence is intense and rigorous but it will prepare you so well for a higher education.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
Ms. Jurawan is the best person to ever work at Spence. She always welcomes you into her office and is ready to help with any problem. She makes sure students feel right at home
What courses would you recommend?
Film Studies with Mr. Weiner and any class taught by Dr. Lee and Ms. Yoon.
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
Very hands on curricula
Areas of improvements
You could study for something for 2 weeks, and still not get an A
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Forensics: Evidence
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
Always offering help, no matter if they’ve ever taught you or not.
Areas of improvements
Exeter Math needs to be eradicated
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Economics
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
Curricula
Areas of improvements
More engagement within courses please
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Favorite course
American Cultural History was a fun course because it taught us about American Culture through the various traditions and medias that make communities themselves.
Favorite book or work studied
N/A
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
Curricula, Creativity with assignments, & Variety in elective courses
Areas of improvements
Not diverse- a lot of the times it is a white teacher teaching the literature of Black and Brown writers.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Favorite course
I really liked East Asian Literature because Dr. Lee is an exceptional teacher who prepares students well for readings, especially if they’re difficult. She makes sure to give background on every reading to make sure we are immersed with the authors intentions.
Favorite book or work studied
I really loved “Convenience Store Woman”, it was a really interesting and captivating read and Murata, the author, had such a unique and tasteful way of writing.
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
Always advocating for you and reaching out
Areas of improvements
Can be very discouraging at times
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Workload and class discussion
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Economics
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Administration
Strengths
Not sure.
Areas of improvements
Not sure.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Overall
Strengths
Community, inclusion, curriculum
Areas of improvements
Diversity within faculty
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
While teachers are always there to help you, it is definitely difficult to ask for help due to the competitive environment. Never be afraid to ask questions.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
Dr. Lee will always be there for you
What courses would you recommend?
n/a
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Athletics
Strengths
Coaches were truly invested in the team and the players.
Areas of improvements
Recovery was really hard for athletes and I wish more time was dedicated to stretching and physical therapy.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
I am a big soccer player and Coach K changed soccer at Spence for the better. Not only did we win the championship for three years in a row but he taught the importance of working as a team—-on and off the field. Truly an amazing person!
Arts Department
Strengths
Broad array of classes to take.
Areas of improvements
Sometimes assignments were unclear and thus grading was as well.
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
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Favorite course
Mr. Rosales’ 3D design was a great class to take to explore anything in art that fascinates you. The department gave me access to create resin sculptures I am still proud of today.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
We went to the Met and learned about Picasso and the implications he has left on the art works which is still a fascinating concept to me.
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
Highly interactive classes incorporating labs and fiend studies regularly.
Areas of improvements
Not all teachers were willing to meet with students after class or help digest the plentiful material.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Mr. Godsen’s honors physics was a life-changing course, I still talk about the quantum mechanics content we learned,
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
Challenging but rigorous classes that force you to learn.
Areas of improvements
Math at Spence is particularly difficult. While there are options like Math lab for students the department could be better at realizing his time consuming homework can be for students.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Calculus with Mr. Gold was the best math class took. Mr. Gold made every class enjoyable and understandable.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
Real breadth of classes you could take and dedicated teachers.
Areas of improvements
Lack of Jewish history exploration within the department despite years of complaints.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Ms. Asch’s Global history taught me the most about our world, the why behind many of the institutions that lead us today, and how war has changed the scope of borders (physically and intellectually).
Favorite book or work studied
I loved really Eric Falkers Folklore because of the intricate detail he spends on American history from all perspectives.
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
Great essay preparation and strong discussions in class.
Areas of improvements
Homework load can be a lot for students.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Ms. Beasley’s Shakespeare class was hands-down my favorite class in high school. Not only is Ms. Beasley an incredible person and teacher but she dedicates her classes to sharing the power of Shakespearean thought.
Favorite book or work studied
Beloved by Toni Morrison—pushed my understanding of racism and love in America.
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
Exceptional college resources at Spence, truly the reason why 40% of girls go to Ivies.
Areas of improvements
College culture can be toxic and I wish they spoke to us more about not comparing ourselves.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
I was 100% prepared for the work load and college content!
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Math and English courses, Princeton is notoriously difficult in both subjects and I was able to do well simply because of my Spence education.
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Administration
Strengths
Dedication to Spence and its students!
Areas of improvements
Not all administrators were approachable or willing to advocate for students.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Overall
Strengths
A school dedicated to helping girls succeed in life! Would not be who I am without the incredible teachers, students, and resources I was given. Forever grateful!
Areas of improvements
Antisemitism is a real issue even at Spence and I wish the administration did more to week with students.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Spence offers the best preparation for a college education, making you stand out among your peers at top 20 colleges. The friends and teachers I’ve made here have changed my life for the better.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
Ms. Asch has been a life mentor at this point, she is incredibly kind, sees the world in a truly remarkable way, and inspires me to explore history and finance.
What courses would you recommend?
Take and Mr. Godsen or Ms. Beasley class!
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Arts Department
Strengths
My favorite department. I was on the art floor often and felt like the art teachers provided a space for me to chat or do work whenever. Art was almost therapeutic to me, and I really appreciate the teachers at Spence for introducing my love to it.
Areas of improvements
Not sure if I can think of any. All great teachers and great courses!
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
My senior advanced art portfolio course was my favorite, taught by Mr. Dorman. I was introduced to a variety of mediums and really found my footing by developing an art portfolio over my senior year. I first had Mr. Dorman my sophomore year for painting and drawing, which is where my love for art really started to grow.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Not sure. We explored many!
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
Again, always willing to help if I needed it. Science was one of the subjects I consistently struggled with the most, and the teachers I had checked in on me when I was not doing so well.
Areas of improvements
I think Spence as a whole could provide tutoring for sciences, as it’s a common area of struggle. Some of my teachers taught at a very fast pace, which made it hard to keep up with.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Forensics, my second half of senior year. I had Ms. Pena. It was a very enjoyable course, and had some difficult elements, but was most likely the easiest science course I have taken over my time at Spence.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
Always very helpful and provided support whenever I was struggling with math.
Areas of improvements
Sometimes it’s hard to find a time to get help or tutoring for math if your schedule becomes full.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Not sure if I had one, they were all about the same to me. I had Mr. Burgoa for 2 years of my time at Spence, Mr. Schwab my freshman year, and I’m not sure I remember who I had my junior year.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
I seemed to only have one history teacher for majority of my time at Spence, and while she was my teacher, she constantly checked up on me and provided as much help to me while I was struggling with my family life and school work.
Areas of improvements
The amount of work can sometimes get a bit too heavy, but as long as you keep up with it, it shouldn’t be a problem.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
History of NYC taught by Dr. Smith. I had a great time learning about the history behind the city we lived in, and the trip we took at the end of the semester to a museum about NYC was very fun.
Favorite book or work studied
Not sure I remember the name of it, but there was a Museum of NYC book that showcased artifacts and texts over the course of NYC’s history.
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
The English department was always incredibly kind, and I, and many others, felt comfortable stopping by the English office just to chat with teachers. Although I only had some English teachers for a semester or two, they said hello in the halls and were always encouraging and helpful with whatever I was pursuing.
Areas of improvements
I am personally a more visual and hands on learner, and Spence’s English classes tended to be strictly reading and discussion based. I would have enjoyed it more if English classes could have implemented more fun & visual aspects to keep people in the class engaged.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Asian American Literature taught by Dr. Lee
Favorite book or work studied
Monkey King. It’s a classic folk tale that tells many small stories about a monkey seeking immortality. It was a very engaging read and also funny at times.
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
Provided support and guidance when choosing colleges. Also provided help with writing statements if needed.
Areas of improvements
There was a bigger group of students under each of the two counselors, so it could be hard to get longer appointments in the busier seasons.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
I think college has not been too harsh of a transition from high school. People from Spence were extremely ambitious and motivated, and the ambition/motivation that I carried over from high school has led me to do well at my university so far.
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
I’m not sure if there’s a specific course in mind.
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Administration
Strengths
Always nice and friendly when I encountered them around the school!
Areas of improvements
Not sure if I can think of any.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Overall
Strengths
Great and tight-knit community, provided excellent support for learning, and everyone was very kind & willing to help.
Areas of improvements
I think Spence is a bit performative sometimes in the ways that it promotes diversity and other issues, but I do appreciate that they are at least trying to show that they care.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
You will get to know your class well over the years, whether you’re at Spence for 12 years or 4. In a space where you see everyone almost every day, it can get overwhelming. It’s important to find hobbies/activities that can help you wind down and friends that you feel comfortable being around.
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
Probably Mr. Dorman! Art was a really key part to my experience, and helped lift up my spirits when I was going through some hard times my junior and senior year. He introduced painting and drawing techniques to me that I carried with me throughout my years, and I really appreciate it.
What courses would you recommend?
Not sure if I can think of any.
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Athletics
Strengths
Support for the students.
Areas of improvements
The resources and support for the Swim team were lacking.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Swim
Athletics
Strengths
They did a great job of encouraging all students to try a sport once, and supported all students regardless of skill level.
Areas of improvements
I don't think there was any way they could have improved! The sports department is awesome.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
My favorite sport was volleyball with Coach Rowe. I loved the supportive and fun environment created by both Coach Rowe and the other students on the team. He also did a great job with coaching, and each season I saw great improvement in my own and the team's skill.
Athletics
Strengths
The resources given to athletes and the coaches
Areas of improvements
I honestly think teams could be more selective and important to school life.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Volleyball
Athletics
Strengths
Fun sports
Areas of improvements
Bad gym classes
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Volleyball
Athletics
Strengths
The coaches were all helpful in developing skills and conducted practices in a way that was enjoyable while also made us the best teams we could be
Areas of improvements
Some sports got more love than others
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
I’d say softball with Coach Piscopo - she brought a ton of knowledge and developed our team from COVID to the league championship
Arts Department
Strengths
Fun class s
Areas of improvements
Not enough classes offered to upper classman
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Painting and drawing
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Monet
Favorite sport
Arts Department
Strengths
Providing a large range of materials and giving students the chance to engage in art competitions as well as school galleries to show off their work.
Areas of improvements
The extracurricular art classes that you need to apply for (Art Scholars or AAP) will provide broadly themed assignments that you just complete in a certain amount of time, which can be difficult for some.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
AAP/ASAP (Advanced Art Portfolio) because you get to experience live models, explore art galleries in the city, and critique both your works and others which is helpful if you are interested in a future in art.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Artemisia Gentileschi because we studied the context of the world she was in as well as how it impacted how the subjects in her work was portrayed and configured.
Favorite sport
Arts Department
Strengths
The amount of resources available to the students.
Areas of improvements
I think they should have been pushed to the students more.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Ceramics with Ms. Dubler, Sculpture with Mr. Rosales, and Advanced Art Portfolio with Mr. Dorman
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
All of them–Ceramics because it was fun. Sculpture because it taught me how to think about my art differently, and introduced me to applied mediums, and Advanced Art Portfolio because it gave me space and credits for exploring ideas I wanted to explore
Favorite sport
Arts Department
Strengths
The arts department met all students where they were in terms of talent level.
Areas of improvements
I wish it were easier for students to get into their art classes of interest. There were a few semesters where I was not able to get into the classes I wanted to take because of the very limited space
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
My favorite course was pottery with Ms. Dubler. Before her class, I had never used a pottery wheel, and by the end of the semester I was skilled on the wheel and had made multiple functional pieces that I could take home.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
I really enjoyed the works that I studied in Sculpture and 3D art with Mr. Rosales. He is so knowledgable in less mainstream, artists and he expanded my definition of what art is.
Favorite sport
Arts Department
Strengths
The Arts Department offers so many classes of different disciplines, allowing students to find their niche.
Areas of improvements
The Arts Department could offer more classes regarding Dance and Performing Arts.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
My favorite course was Synthesis and Expression with Mr. Rosales. Mr. Rosales gave us so much creative freedom in his class, and taught us a lot about spirituality and art.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
My favorite artist studied was Deanna Lawson. Mr. Rosales took our Synthesis and Expression class to the Guggenheim to see her exhibit, and her photography was very impressive.
Favorite sport
Arts Department
Strengths
It allowed students to really showcase their creativity
Areas of improvements
More freedom in projects could have been beneficial
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Ceramics as I loved the wheel
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
N/A
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
The rigor of the courses.
Areas of improvements
The course material was very hard, and I would have appreciated it if we had a resource for the Sciences similar to the Math Lab.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Criminal Psychology and Criminology with Ms. Peña
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
Class presentations help for public speaking as well as showing the most of what you know, allowing you to find the holes in your notes or study guides and ask questions for clarity.
Areas of improvements
Tests are a bit difficult because the teachers want you to use the knowledge that you know so far and expand it for other scenarios that you are unfamiliar with.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Chemistry was my favorite course because it aligned with the math course in the year.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
Spence does a great job at making both the science core and elective courses fun. I absolutely loved the dissections and lab experiments that I had been assigned throughout the years. Spence also has amazing science professors that are passionate about what they teach and it shows in the way they teach.
Areas of improvements
I can't think of any specific feedback on how the science department could improve.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
My favorite course in the science department was Advanced Biology with Ms. Aidoo. Ms. Aidoo's class was one of the main reasons I decided to major in Biology in college. Every class was so engaging, and I loved how she always incorporated the real world implications of the science we were learning into the lessons.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
Gave all students an opportunity to learn a multitude of different things and aspects of science. Wasn’t generic
Areas of improvements
Sometimes the teachers were harsh and difficult to contact.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Forensics with Ms. Pena
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
each class goes into detail about what topic is being studied. It feel very compared to what i’m leaning now in my intro stem courses
Areas of improvements
uniformity in quality of teaching
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Forensics - Ms. Lena it was very interdisciplinary
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
Interesting labs
Areas of improvements
Confusing coursework
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
AP bio because it was macro
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
The science department truly covered a ton of material and presented it in a good manner
Areas of improvements
Chemistry was difficult as I took it online during COVID, and I felt as if the instructing could have been better for a virtual class
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Advanced Physics with Mr. Godsen - he’s a great instructor and brought fun into the educational space
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
The Science Department provides it students with advanced lab experiments that really help to deepen the understanding of the general material.
Areas of improvements
The Science Department could have more "office hour" times, the way Math at Spence does, where students can drop by, instead of always needing to make an appointment with a teacher.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
My favorite course was Advanced Biology: Human Genetics with Mrs. Aidoo. I genuinely love Biology, and Mrs. Aidoo provided us with great lectures, labs, and speakers to fully immerse us in the world of Human Genetics. This class was the reason I decided to major in Biology.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Science Department
Strengths
I liked the resources and the ability to have hands on experiences.
Areas of improvements
None i loved it
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Forensic Science with Ms. Pena
It gave us a taste of real world experiences and was also informative and interactive.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
The Math curriculum at Spence prioritizes discussions and sharing learning processes, which was helpful in supporting various kinds of learners within a single class.
Areas of improvements
I think the Math department could provide a little more instruction at times, especially when very new topics are introduced in a course.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
My favorite course was Calculus with Dr. Starr because she facilitated an efficient learning environment, and had a good balance of letting us figure things out on our own and providing us with more instruction when we needed it.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
Learned amazing team work skills and pushed us to be extremely proficient in all math subjects
Areas of improvements
Sometimes the problems were too hard or hard to work through and it put a lot of pressure on students.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
I loved my Calculus class with Ms. D
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
the support they gave to students and also the Exeter math curriculum.
Areas of improvements
I hated the exeter math experience. I want the teachers to be more interactive with the material.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Statistics with Mr. Myers
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
The extra support offered to students, such as office hours and peer tutoring was really helpful for me in doing well in math.
Areas of improvements
I think that a shift away from Exeter math would be a great improvement. I personally struggled with that learning method, and also found it difficult to adapt when it came time to learning how to do more standardized math, such as on the ACT
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
My favorite course was Calculus with Dr. Starr. This was my favorite course because I feel Dr. Starr did the best job with explaining the math in a way that was easy to understand and retain. I also liked how she held review classes before tests so that I could get extra help before a test.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
Taught good public speaking skills
Areas of improvements
Sometimes the teachers wouldn’t give you a concrete answer
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Calculus because I had a good teacher.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
fostering collaboration among students
Areas of improvements
I wish there was more variety in math classes offered
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Statistics - it felt very interdisciplinary
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
Quizzes every class to ensure that you understand the work, which can also be used as a study guide resource.
Areas of improvements
N/A
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Pre-Calculus because it was the most in-depth course I’ve experienced, making it more helping for taking College entrance exams in math because we use our own math textbooks written by the teachers themselves.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
The amount of resources available to help students if/when they struggle with the course material.
Areas of improvements
A lot of the course material dealt with memorization rather than learning.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Calculus with Ms. Dunusinghe and Mr. Burgoa.
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Math Department
Strengths
Most teachers were very helpful
Areas of improvements
Spence math is essentially teach it yourself and review it in class, which I liked more as I got older but is definitely difficult when you don’t quite understand a topic
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Calculus my senior year, as Dr. Starr was a really insightful instructor
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
Cohesive curriculum
Areas of improvements
Boring teaching style
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
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Favorite course
International relations. I like current events
Favorite book or work studied
We didn’t have books
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
A very thorough investigation of the topics they discuss.
Areas of improvements
There were very very little course department choies
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
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Favorite course
The 6th - 8th grade curriculum that dealt with different religions and cultures around the world. I forget exactly what the name of the course was.
Favorite book or work studied
The society and religion of Indigenous Central and South Americans, as well as Islam.
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
Although I do not love taking history courses, I found that the History Department did a great job of using mixed media (writing, documentaries, news broadcasts, art, etc.) to make learning interesting.
Areas of improvements
I wish other histories besides that of ancient Roman civilizations and America were more heavily focused on in the core history curriculum.
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
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Favorite course
My favorite history class was "US History: 1945-2000s" with Ms. Reed because she picked great historical archives to accompany the textbook readings that made me excited to come to class and learn.
Favorite book or work studied
My favorite work studied was President Bush's presidential address to the country after 9/11. I recall spending the entire hour talking about the address, specifically how the language used in the address played a role in the lasting Islamophobia present in the United States following the attack. I never knew a lot about what happened immediately following the attack in regards to how the government attempted to reassure Americans, so the conversation was very interesting
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
The study guides that are provided for each test is helpful and easy to understand.
Areas of improvements
Expanding history subjects to be beyond U.S. History
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Favorite course
U.S. History 3 because the time period of the topics were nearing close to our modern time period giving us context to the issues that are still prevalent in our current time.
Favorite book or work studied
Fault Lines American History Textbook because it provided primary sources connected to each reading, allowing us to the the point of view from those at the time alongside a secondary source to provide extra context.
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
global topics(america isn’t the focus of everything)
Areas of improvements
uniformity in the quality of teachers across the department
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Favorite course
Constitutional Law. Ms. Asch
Favorite book or work studied
The Constitution - getting to know the many way of interpreting this work and its big impact on American life was extremely interesting and challenging
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
The teachers were all supportive and really passionate.
Areas of improvements
I feel as though we spend a lot of time focusing on american history and most of the electives offered are pretty western centered.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
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How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Campaigns and Elections taught by Jason Perlman
It was one of my favorite history courses aas it spanned both historical to present day.
Favorite book or work studied
None of them. They were all pretty racist
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
They taught you how to effectively research and create annotated bibliographies, they also fostered amazing discussion in class
Areas of improvements
Sometimes, the teachers were too quick to move onto the next topic.
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Favorite course
US History with Ms. Asch
Favorite book or work studied
I don’t remember
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
The History department has a strong curriculum of required History, especially in Upper School. The US History course is broken up into 3 semesters, which allows for a deep understanding of our history.
Areas of improvements
I think the History department could improve on how they approach conversations regarding discrimination.
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Favorite course
My favorite course was U.S. History with Ms. Reed. I had Ms. Reed for all three semesters, and she constantly kept us engaged with interesting materials and sources, and properly facilitated class discussions.
Favorite book or work studied
My favorite work studied was the movie Thirteenth, directed by Ava Duvornay. It provided a lot of context on how the abolishment of slavery developed into our current prison system.
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
History Department
Strengths
I love history, so I enjoyed all of my classes but especially the electives.
Areas of improvements
There were certain topics that we never went in depth in that I thought were quite important historically
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Favorite course
Constitutional Law with Ms. Asch - an amazing class that combined my love for history with my love for the law; writing a brief essentially on a current Supreme Court case was amazing
Favorite book or work studied
I studied the Shurtleff v Boston case which has stayed with me since then
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
Always willing to discuss work outside of class and provide guidance for your writing skills.
Areas of improvements
In class activities beyond larger discussions
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Favorite course
Indigenous Literature because we learned not only about Indigenous culture as a general study, but also showed the importance of recognizing tribes and nations as their own individual cultures.
Favorite book or work studied
A Winter’s Tale, Shakespeare. We studied the dynamics between the characters and what societal structures they represent.
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
The biggest strength of the English department was creating elective courses that were interesting and spanned a wide range of topics, cultures, and student interest. Within those electives, the teachers always chose engaging novels that fostered engaging conversations that forced me to get out of my comfort zone and think about the texts in different ways.
Areas of improvements
I think the English department could improve the way the non-elective courses are taught, especially when the novels read surround the experience of historically excluded groups (people of color, queer people, etc.). I sometimes felt like the conversations surrounding the books were handled insensitively by the students and teachers because they were forced to engage with the material
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Favorite course
My favorite course in the English department was Still I Rise with Ms. Beasley. This was my favorite course because she chose literature that centered the Black experience, but she also did not choose the stereotypical, popular Black novels that are often featured in English curriculums.
Favorite book or work studied
My favorite book that I studied was the Street by Ann Petry, which I read in Still I Rise. I loved how on the surface, the story of the main character seemed rather mundane, but through the struggles of her everyday life, we were able to have deep discourse about the struggles of Black women in the United States. Before Still I Rise, I had never heard of before, but ended up becoming one of my favorite books I have ever read.
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
Great teachers that supported students
Areas of improvements
Needs more diverse books
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Still I Rise. Great teacher and interesting coursework
Favorite book or work studied
Assata. It was different than anything I’ve ever read
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
I really liked the curriculum that each teacher designed for their courses, as well as the prompts that each teacher made for projects/essays/assignments.
Areas of improvements
To be honest, I am not very sure. I don't really see many flaws in Spence's English Department right now.
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How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
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Favorite course
The Essay and the Novel with Ms. Cohen
Favorite book or work studied
The Obituary for Dead Languages by Heather Altfeld
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
The teachers and the texts are equally engaging and challenging and it was personally my favorite department at school.
Areas of improvements
Diversity and inclusion mostly in the the teachers as the texts are quite diverse.
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Still I rise with Ms. Beasly
Favorite book or work studied
The street. It was an amazing text that really changed my perspective of the black experience
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
They introduce amazing literature into your life while also teaching you how to write an effective literary analysis.
Areas of improvements
Sometimes there was too much reading to digest.
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Favorite course
I loved my chinese and japanese literature class.
Favorite book or work studied
I loved reading Convenience Store Woman
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
The English Department consistently curated reading material that was both interesting and relevant to the course. The English department also provided several courses to fit everyone's interest. The teachers of the English department were incredibly helpful in shaping me to be the writer I am today, and truly care about the wellbeing of their students.
Areas of improvements
I think the English department could improve on the amount of reading they expect of students at night, because large readings can sometimes interfere with how in depth the class discussion will be.
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How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
My favorite course in the English department was Still I Rise, which was taught by Ms. Beasley, because I thoroughly enjoyed every book we read, and Ms. Beasley allowed us to have very free and productive discussions about the intersectionality of race and gender in America.
Favorite book or work studied
My favorite book was Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo. The novel had several twists and turns and it was for African Literature, which I had never really read before.
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
Strengthening students analytical writing skills
Areas of improvements
more uniformity across different teachers for the same course
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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Favorite course
9th grade english Dr. Lee
Favorite book or work studied
Beloved - I loved the text itself and class discussions around it were rich
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
English Department
Strengths
Feedback on writing was a strong suit of the English Department, allowing me to develop my essays. The warm energy of the department was a huge strength as well.
Areas of improvements
I didn’t love some of the topics/books of my classes, but that’s a personal preference
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How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
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Favorite course
Creative Writing with Sara Beasley - a great instructor, incredibly material, beneficial development of writing skills
Favorite book or work studied
I really enjoyed reading The Odyssey, as I like Greek mythology
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
very communicative with family members
Areas of improvements
I wish they stepped back more from the process when asked
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
I feel very well prepared for college. A lot of the things i’m learning now I had learned in heavy detail at Spence
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
all English, Math, Science and History Courses helped me
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
They did a great job of making sure I was aware of all of my college options while still supporting me in the decisions I made.
Areas of improvements
Sometimes the counselors were not the most sensitive to unique family situations and how they affected college decisions and maneuvering financial aid.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
The Amherst course content and the way it is taught is very comparable to Spence, so I felt like the transition to college was very smooth. Although the workload and my responsibilities are very different, I am grateful that I don't also have to adjust to the speed and difficulty of college work.
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
All of the science courses, as well as all of the English courses prepared me for college level reading and writing of lab reports and writing assignments.
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
Suggesting college based on your interests and the major/study your interested interested in
Areas of improvements
Help in finding scholarships based in your major and top college.
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Almost all of the courses taken were to prepare for the strenuous work one would have in college. The types of assignments and tests are to prepare and practice for college, making the college experience less stressful in terms of workload.
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Pre-Calculus and English because the math helps you understand helpful study methods and English is helpful for preparing you for longer and more in-depth essays and reports in various subjects.
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
Got me into a good school
Areas of improvements
Didn’t know me very well
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
The workload helped me
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Chinese
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
The availability of the college counselors and the knowledge they held about their subjects
Areas of improvements
I think Spence should consider hiring 1-2 more college counselors, since the ones that they have are extremely overworked, and sometimes availabilities run a little tight.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
I am very prepared for the amount of work that Skidmore college is giving me, however I wish that Spence prepared me better for finals season.
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Since Skidmore is a interdisciplinary liberal arts school that is comparable in curriculum to Spence, I would say all my courses at Spence prepared me for Skidmore
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
Ms. Pili was extraordinarily helpful and kind throughout the entire process
Areas of improvements
N/A
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
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What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
The transition academically was seamless thanks to my education at Spence - it was only a greater course load and harder topics but it felt not that much different from high school
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
I think overall preparation and studying, so essentially all classes
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
The College Counseling Department does a very good job of keeping students on track with their applications. The department also allows students to freely and comfortably discuss their options and desires college-wise, which allows students to make the best decisions for themselves.
Areas of improvements
I think the College Counseling Department needs to have more counselors, so that students can have more frequent meetings with their counselors.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Academically, I felt prepared for college. However, socially, college was a major adjustment. I went from a. very small all girls school to a larger co-ed university, which was hard to adjust to.
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
I think all my English and History classes prepared me in terms of thinking deeply and writing well
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
I think the reach and ability of the counselors to find a match that worked for everyone.
Areas of improvements
At times i felt as though other students especially white ones took president.
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
I would say that i was prepared for every aspect of the college experience except for finals and midterms. We rarely had them at spence so i was unprepared but quickly got the hang of it.
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
English, History,
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
College Counseling
Strengths
Really good at getting ahead of the due dates and having all students prepared for the college process
Areas of improvements
Sometimes the counselors were too harsh and mean when explaining why students shouldn’t apply to certain schools
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
What is the most important thing a prospective student should know?
Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
I was ready for the rigorous work load which was important.
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
English and Math courses. They were amazing
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Administration
Strengths
Friendly
Areas of improvements
More community outreach
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How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Administration
Strengths
Very communicative with students
Areas of improvements
Made certain decisions directly against what the students wanted that were unnecessary
How likely are you to recommend The Spence School (NY) to a prospective student?
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Who was your favorite teacher? Why?
What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
Administration
Strengths
They were good a being quick with responding to the student body when not only school events, but global events, affected the Spence environment and students.
Areas of improvements
I think they could improve on taking meaningful action when students make transgressions that impact other students within the community. I have been a victim of race-based violence that did not result in what I felt was adequate consequences for the student.
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What courses would you recommend?
What overall rating would you give the Head of School?
How well did The Spence School (NY) prepare you for college?
Which courses in particular prepared you well for your university experience?
Favorite course
Favorite book or work studied
Favorite work or artist studied
Favorite sport
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