Brooks School

Brooks School, founded in 1926, is located in Andover, Massachusetts, just a 15-minute drive from the prestigious boarding high school Phillips Academy Andover and a 45-minute drive from Boston Logan International Airport. The school spans 270 acres, overlooking Lake Kenoza (Cochichewick), offering a beautiful environment. The overall architecture of the school leans towards an English style, with relatively new buildings and facilities. The boarding student ratio is 70%. The school offers over 150 courses, including 22 AP courses. Brooks' science department is outstanding, especially in biology, with a rich selection of electives and special programs such as Anatomy & Physiology, Mathematics, and Robotics. The school's visual and performing arts are also strong, with its own band, choir, and dance team. Brooks is a traditionally strong sports school; its boys' basketball, soccer, and girls' field hockey teams are all very strong and have won New England regional championships. The school offers a wide variety of sports, with 23 varsity teams and 19 junior varsity teams. Brooks' rival school is The Governor's Academy.

Brooks School offers over 150 courses, including 22 AP courses.
Teachers at the school have a very close relationship with students. Most classes have only about 10 students, ensuring every student receives attention. The overall student population is also quite small, around 300-400 students.
Furthermore, the faculty is strong, with 63 full-time teachers, 78% of whom hold a master's degree or higher.
Brooks School is a strong sports school, with particularly strong programs in men's basketball, soccer, and women's field hockey, having won championships in the New England region.
The school boasts comprehensive sports facilities, including multiple sports fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a fitness center.
Arts and Culture:
The school excels in both visual and performing arts, with its own band, choir, and dance team.
Art courses are rich and diverse, covering painting, photography, music, drama, and more.
International Exchange:
The school offers opportunities for study abroad in Africa, Europe, and South America, as well as international student exchange programs and internship programs.
Each year, several students are sent to countries such as South America, Africa, the UK, and Europe for 4-5 weeks of exchange study to broaden their horizons.
Signature Courses:
Mathematics and robotics are among the school's signature courses.
Other featured programs include Anatomy and Physiology, Environmental Science, Robotics, and the Royce Independent Research program.
Evening Study Hall System: All first-year students are required to attend collective evening study in a tiered classroom, with dedicated teachers supervising and guiding them to complete their homework.

Brooks excels in science, especially in mathematics and biology. The school offers a wide range of elective courses each year, giving students the opportunity to learn subjects beyond textbooks, such as "Crime Scene Investigation." In this course, students need to collect DNA samples at a pre-set crime scene and use the DNA knowledge learned in class to deduce the suspect.

In addition, the school has 8 science laboratories and 1 robotics laboratory, which demonstrates its emphasis on science. Brooks also has cooperative internship programs with Harvard University and MIT. There are also abundant resources in biomedical fields. Students who excel in this area have the opportunity to intern at nearby hospital research institutes. Every year, the school organizes students to intern at Boston Hospital, Apple Inc. headquarters, and design institutes. The head of neurology at Boston Hospital personally guides students through clinical trials, and the school also takes students to Apple Inc. headquarters in California to study courses like robotics and hardware engineering.

Brooks also offers many distinctive programs, including Anatomy and Physiology, Environmental Science, Robotics, Royce Independent Research Project, Multivariable Calculus, Engineering Digital Design, Engineering Product Design, Computer Programming, and Coding.

Brooks School data: student population 340, student-teacher ratio 1:5, international students 10%, boarding rate 70%, students of color 30%, average class size 11, teachers with advanced degrees 78%. Brooks School advocates a small class teaching system, which allows for close cooperation between teachers and students, fostering a strong relationship. The mission of Brooks School is primarily focused on developing students' potential, intelligence, emotional well-being, athletic abilities, and social education. The school has a strong learning atmosphere, not only emphasizing students' cultural education but also the cultivation of their abilities in arts and sports. Brooks School offers numerous international exchange opportunities, giving students the chance to study in Africa and Europe. Its signature programs, such as the summer science program, are developed in collaboration with Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to provide valuable learning opportunities for students.

Brooks is a school with a strong emphasis on science, but its humanities programs are not weak either. The school's literary magazine, Still Waters, provides students with a platform to submit and showcase their literary works, such as poetry, biographies, short stories, and more. Students who love literary writing have a place to display their talents. Additionally, the school offers a learning center that is open 6 days a week. Evening tutoring is also available on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 7-10 PM. At the learning center, teachers and trained peer tutors help students answer questions and resolve doubts. They also help cultivate good study habits, answer quick questions, design study plans, prepare for exams, and manage their time for activities and studies. Therefore, students with a weak academic foundation or limited English proficiency should actively seek help after enrolling at Brooks.

Brooks School's English class features the study of Gothic and thriller masterpieces. This course will lead students to trace the origins of Gothic literature, from its earliest works to its current forms, emphasizing its impact on horror literature and cinema. Students will use this genre to consider how it can be employed as a tool to explore larger social issues (particularly misogyny, racism, marginalization, and our fear of the unknown). To deepen their understanding and appreciation of the complexities of these dark literary forms, the teacher will guide students in reading the first known Gothic masterpiece, Horace Walpole's *The Castle of Otranto*, and then continue with explorations of mystery, dread, and terror. To illuminate the concepts of Gothic and thriller, students will study various thriller films, video clips, and Gothic poetry. Masterpieces read and discussed in this course may include: *Frankenstein* (Mary Shelley), *Carmilla* (Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu), *Dracula* (Bram Stoker), *Fledgling* (Octavia Butler), *The Turn of the Screw* (Henry James), *The Call of Cthulhu* (H.P. Lovecraft), *The Ballad of Black Tom* (Victor LaValle), *The Haunting of Hill House* (Shirley Jackson), *House of Leaves* (Mark Z. Danielewski), as well as essays and short stories by Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King, and Chesya Burke.

Brooks School, founded in 1926, is a co-educational college-preparatory secondary school. Located in Massachusetts in the northeastern United States, the school spans 250 acres overlooking Lake Cochichewick and has 360 students. The school employs small class sizes, fostering close cooperation and an intimate relationship between students and teachers. The school emphasizes developing students' individual intellect, athletic abilities, social education, and emotional well-being. The academic curriculum is rich and challenging, including 18 Advanced Placement (AP) courses. The school boasts a strong learning atmosphere, and in addition to scientific and cultural education, it also highly values students' cultivation in sports and arts. Brooks students also have opportunities for exchange study in Europe and Africa. The school's unique Summer Science Program, in collaboration with MIT and Harvard University, provides students with opportunities to fully develop their talents.

Brooks School was founded in 1926, making it nearly 100 years old. It is a co-educational college-preparatory secondary school offering education for grades 9-12. Spanning 270 acres, it has a total of 343 students, 70% of whom are boarders. Students come from 31 states and 23 different countries. The school is located in North Andover, in the beautiful northeastern part of Massachusetts, just 45 minutes from Boston Logan International Airport. The town offers convenient living with malls, restaurants, cinemas, and more, perfectly meeting students' relaxation needs for weekends. Brooks is situated right next to two other very well-known secondary schools, Andover and Governor's.

Brooks is a university preparatory school with nearly a century of history, located in Massachusetts in the New England region. With 360 students, it is considered a small-to-medium sized school, and the proportion of Chinese students is relatively low. The teacher-student relationship is harmonious, and the school focuses on the development of individual student personalities. It offers challenging academic courses, especially in STEM fields, including 19 advanced courses. The school has a strong learning atmosphere and provides a wide range of extracurricular activities, such as outdoor hot dog making, ice cream socials, and masquerade balls. Every Wednesday, different activity themes are introduced; the first theme was National Day Celebration, the second was Swimming & Color Games, the third was Carnival, and the fourth was Talent Show, among others. Additionally, during the summer camp, the school organizes various family gatherings based on the campers' ages, allowing parents to participate in their children's growth and share holiday joy.
Brooks students also have the opportunity to study abroad in Europe and Africa to broaden their global horizons. The school also provides student internship opportunities every year. Last summer, Brooks students participated in internships at the New England Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, the Québec-Labrador Foundation, and Apple Inc.

### Overall Situation:
- Generally slightly biased towards sciences.
- The school strongly supports students in choosing courses that suit them or offer academic challenges, so students can actively communicate with the school about course selection starting from 10th grade.

### Academic Strengths/Features:
- Winter Term: Every January, students have three weeks to take various interest courses, such as cooking, history of Massachusetts, etc., with the aim of broadening their interests and horizons and inspiring their passion for learning.
- Students on the Forefront of Science Program: Typically during the summer between 11th and 12th grade, students can intern at hospitals, laboratories, or research institutions, such as Massachusetts General Hospital and Tufts Medical Center. Students can not only learn firsthand knowledge from experts in relevant fields but also gain an in-depth understanding of the field, enhancing their academic and research background.

### Shangxue Mingde Student Feedback:
- Although the school is generally slightly biased towards sciences, this does not mean that all science teachers are excellent, nor does it mean that humanities are weak. There are also students with strong humanities backgrounds who have thrived at Brooks and been admitted to good universities.
- Ninth-grade freshmen generally find English classes difficult to score well in, with writing being the main issue.

Last autumn, I visited schools with students for interviews. It was raining at the time, which caused us to be late for the school visit, but the front desk staff at the school greeted us very warmly. The school is an 18-minute drive from Phillips Academy Andover, a top boarding school. The school adopts small class teaching, allowing students to work closely with teachers, forming a close relationship. The school focuses on developing students' individual intellect, athletic abilities, social skills, and emotional intelligence.

Brooks School's featured programs include mathematics and robotics, international student exchange programs, and internship programs.

It's a strong sports school, with very strong programs in men's basketball, soccer, and women's field hockey, having won championships in the New England region.

Brooks School's visual arts and performing arts are excellent, with its own band, choir, and dance team. The school has also built a new arts building, making the visual arts truly impressive!

I communicated with the admissions officer about the school's admissions trends in recent years, emphasizing that the school is eager to enroll students who possess strong learning abilities, enthusiasm, and actively participate in school activities.

The school annually organizes internships for students at Boston hospitals, Apple headquarters, and design institutes. The Head of Neurology at Boston Hospital personally guides students through clinical trials, and the school also takes students to Apple's headquarters in California to study robotics, hardware engineering, and other related courses.

Each year, the school sends several students for 4-5 week exchange programs to countries in South America, Africa, the UK, and Europe to learn about local cultures and curricula, thereby broadening their horizons.

Brooks School excels in science, especially in mathematics and biology. It has abundant resources in the biomedical field, allowing students to intern at hospitals and research institutes near the school. The school offers a total of 156 courses, including 19 AP courses. Brooks School has exchange programs with Kenya, Uganda, Hungary, and Scotland, enabling students to experience five weeks at boarding schools in these countries.

The school's facilities are advanced, featuring 8 science laboratories, 1 robotics laboratory, and 70 public computers, making it convenient for students to delve deeper into subjects they are interested in.

The school boasts 49 sports teams and advanced sports facilities, including a 50,474 square-foot indoor center, 3 basketball courts, a wrestling center, a fitness room, 10 grass sports fields, rowing facilities, and 10 squash courts, among others.