An Exeter Diploma vs. an Exeter Education
For the majority of us, earning an Exeter diploma was not a terrible struggle. We four-years needed 64 credits and new lowers needed only 48. Two-years needed 31 and the lucky new seniors and post-grads needed only 15 credits. Fulfilling Exeter’s diploma requirements seemed simple and easy. All you really had to do was choose the right courses in the right disciplines and pass the classes. For me, I needed 3 credits in the Arts, 9 in a Modern Language, 11 in English, a year of Health, 6 in History, 9 in Math, 6 in the Sciences, 2 in Religions, 10 in Gym and a term of CompSci. Now, 64 credits, and 12 terms later, I am ready to receive my Exeter diploma.
An Exeter diploma is easy to evaluate. At the end of your time here, you will know whether or not you qualified for it. The diploma has clear requirements and a traditional path. You either completed the credit requirements and graduated, or you dropped out, were required to withdraw or perhaps went on med-leave. For the 317 of us graduating, we completed those requirements, thanks to all-nighters, Red-Bull, fatigues, 5-hour energy, dickies...the list goes on. We hung in there and never gave up. We suffered. But I hope that an Exeter diploma is not all we leave here with. Most of us graduates will leave Exeter with two things this June – an Exeter diploma and an Exeter education. Even though we now have our diplomas, it is how we use them that will determine the quality of our Exeter education.
Unfortunately, unlike the path to attaining a diploma, there is no formula to determine if you have received an Exeter education. There are no instructions in the course catalog and you can’t ask your advisor to email it to you. You can’t Google it and you won’t necessarily be tested on it. In fact, it is not one set thing, and you will be the best judge of whether or not you have it. Furthermore, you can’t tell right away; the world will be watching to see if you’ve gotten an Exeter education. It will be reflected in your lifestyle, your actions and your decisions. People will know from how you treat others, how you handle challenges and successes. It will reveal itself mainly in what you do outside the classroom. It is more than grades and colleges and job positions and awards. It means taking non sibi to the next level. We all know if we have it, but it will take our decisions and actions to show it. At its core, a real Exeter education means taking your Exeter experience and making something meaningful out of it.
I’ve completed my diploma requirements, and I truly think I have have gathered some Exeter experiences to contribute towards a well-rounded Exeter education. For many of us, when we applied here, Phillips Exeter’s claim to fame seemed to be its Harkness method. Surprisingly, the vast majority of my Exeter education did not transpire around these majestic oval tables. Yes, I did learn to value the opinions of others and to listen and contribute to a conversation at the table. I learned to discuss and respectfully disagree. I learned how to be my own teacher. However, it was in OMA, the club rooms of the Academy Center, the quads of North and South Side, the dorm rooms of Hoyt Hall, the aisles in D-hall, a rural village in China and a classroom in Ghana where my Exeter experience morphed into an Exeter education. This type of education isn’t evaluated on a grading system and released on Lionlinks every term.
I learned that family goes beyond blood. I now have 60 Hoytian sisters, a friend group that stretches from Las Vegas to Seoul and teachers who will always be my parents. Away from the Harkness table and outside the classroom I have learned the value of non sibi, although I’ve never done an ESSO club. I’ve learned that it is not necessarily about studying harder, but about studying smarter. I’ve gone from wearing 5 pairs of jeans prep winter to sheer stockings and mini-skirts senior winter. I’ve learned to occasionally sacrifice sleep and Stillwells for the sake of my grades, to appreciate D-Hall even when they try to make jerk chicken and to never turn down an invite from a day student to spend the weekend. I’ve learned that some of the best conversations happen past midnight in the dorm or while lounging on the quad, and that people can be generous to me for absolutely no reason, expecting nothing in return. I’ve realized that one of my best friends lives 11 miles away in Rye and isn’t even a student here. I learned that I won’t always be right and I’ve learned to listen to other’s opinions. In fact, I’ve come to love differences at Exeter. That might just be my biggest takeaway: finding beauty in our races, accents and nationalities, welcoming the diversity of our political opinions, languages and music taste. I have learned the rule of quality over quantity, especially when it comes to clubs, and I have learned to be passionate about everything I do. I know that I don’t have to know how to play lacrosse to be a part of the team. I now know the difference between simply going to Exeter and being an Exonian - and that I am capable that more than I can imagine.
An Exeter education is that feeling in the pit of your stomach that tells you “I can do anything.” It’s that self-confidence and independence. It’s the brotherhood and sisterhood of our dorms and the DSL. It’s the best friends and bonds we’ve made. Our Exeter education is knowing how to navigate New England winters and tornado watches and brushes of a hurricane. Our Exeter education is friendships with teachers and coaches and custodians and staff. Our Exeter education is a tolerance of differences and an acceptance of youth from every quarter. Our diplomas reflect our grades and the classes we passed, but our education will show the qualities we’ve gained.
Now let’s take all these experiences and use them, along with our diplomas, to show the world the true power of a Phillips Exeter Academy experience.