Prep Class Swells PEA Enrollment

To mark the beginning of Phillips Exeter Academy’s 233rd school year, 1083 students arrived on campus from as far as Kazakhstan and Switzerland, and as close as Exeter, New Hampshire. Surpassing last year’s figure of 1071 students, this eager group of Exonians includes 30 new seniors, 27 new uppers, 59 new lowers, and a record-breaking 236 preps.The week kicked off Sept. 3 with returning students checking in for proctor meetings and varsity preseason practices. The 352 new students arrived at Exeter the next day with a busy scene of moving in, unpacking and getting familiar with the campus before orientation and other required meetings, such as the library tour and swim tests.Prep BK Kim, who attended middle school in Victoria, Canada, said that she was excited about the transition into high school and all the opportunities that being at the Academy would present her with. “What I am looking forward to is the fact that unlike the majority of schools in the world, Exeter is really such a diverse place with so many talented students, and we all learn from each other,” she said.Kim continued, “I am thrilled to be attending Exeter because just the fact that I will be attending classes and participating in clubs with so many wonderful and intelligent people whose enthusiasm simply radiates in their everyday lives.”Prep Tommy Song from South Korea is also enthusiastic“I'm definitely excited to meet new people. I'm looking forward to making new friends, and meeting new teachers,” Song said. “Coming from a small junior boarding school, I'm also excited to live in a bigger environment.”Despite the general optimism, Kim also feels nervous entering a new environment. “I kind of feel like a fish from a small pond swimming its way into a sea full of sharks. It excites me, yet makes me a tad bit nervous to think that I will be working with so many incredibly smart people from all corners of the world,” Kim said. “But I know that as time progresses, I will grow, too, and swim confidently in the big seas soon enough.”The incoming class is not the only part of the study body that will face changes this school year. The 2013-14 academic year will undergo many changes impacting academy life. In an all-student email sent last month, the Information Technology Services (ITS) department announced that staring this fall, there would be no private phone lines in student dorm rooms. Instead, there will be common area phones available for use via credit cards or calling cards.The email also announced the extension of wireless Internet to all dormitories by the end of October 2013, with the exception of Merrill Hall, which will receive service by March 2014.Upper Katie Huffman welcomed the installation of Wi-Fi in dorms. “I think it will be really nice. The Ethernet cables were definitely a hassle to deal with, and wireless will make it easier for me to use my computer all over my room instead of just at my desk.”Another change prompted by increasing male enrollment was the reassignment of dormitories. Browning House switched from a girls’ dormitory to a boys’ dormitory. Situated next to Phillips Church, the dorm traditionally housed new lowers, uppers and seniors.Between the 2011-12 and 2012-13 academic years, Gould House went through a similar switch, going from a girls’ dormitory to a boys’ dormitory.For seniors, this is the last opportunity for them to make a mark on Exeter. Senior Anisha Nawalrai said that it is fulfilling to step into the role of a leader at Exeter. “I remember when I first came to school as a prep, I looked up to the seniors as those who were very knowledgeable and experienced, and I’m excited to be that person for someone else,” she said.Nawalrai agreed and appreciates the personal connections she made during her time at Exeter. “I’m sad that three years have flown by so quickly, and that soon, we'll all be gone. At Exeter, I’ve made some of my best friends.”