Eton College

[chimera1]

Has anyone got any information on college

Welcome back peteneras, I had noticed your absence! I hope you get settled properly very soon.

I have noticed quite a change in DS already, in terms of self-assurance. He has really benefitted from the attitude that sporting ability, while certainly something to be celebrated, is not the be all and end all.

D block is certainly going to be busy. He is looking forward to joining the CCF, but it will also interesting to see what he chooses for A levels, as he has strengths and interests in several areas. I know he will get great advice and guidance through it all.

Peteneras: Thank you very much, you were spot on with the advise you gave us. The robing ceremony has just finished and we are awaiting a photo. Doubt very much he will send one, but we live in hope. Being new to Eton "was" full of uncertainty, all of which were unfounded. Now that we are on the way, the doubts have subsided but not completely gone. I will try
to keep every one updated with any new news.

Hi chimera1 after all the waiting, and worrying if you are doing the right thing, it is something of a relief once they have actually started isn't it!

I think that the first few weeks are totally exhausting for F block, both emotionally and physically, but remember that people are looking out for them all the time. We tend to think of pastoral care purely in terms of the adults involved (dames and housemasters) but the older boys are probably the most significant factor for these first weeks - especially E block, who are making the most of not being the new bugs.

Like you, we knew virtually nothing about Eton before DS went there, and if you are interested I can strongly recommend a book called About Eton, by Adam Nicolson (an OE and writer) and Eric Anderson (former Head). It is a sort of history (some of it positively hair raising) and is very amusingly written, but it explains very well how the culture and ethos of the school has emerged and I found it a good insight into the place. It is out of print now, but second hand copies are available from abebooks.

I wish your DS a happy start to school life, and hope you are not missing him too much!

Chimera - may your ds have a wonderful five years at School. I wish him all the best.

My son has an assessment coming up in November. He is 11 years old. We are from the US. Please advise. What to wear? And how do we prepare?

Anin - my ds did the pre test 10 years ago so I think someone with more recent experience would give you better advice.
My ds was taken to the pre test by his prep school so he would have worn school uniform. Again, I'm sure there will be some Eton parents on this forum who can advise.

Hi Anin

You cannot really prepare for the test itself, but make sure that he has plenty to say at the interview. Subject matter is not so vital (he doesn't have to stun them with a staggeringly intellectual reading list for example) but they will be looking for good, full answers and not monosyllabic, yes/no replies. Some schools will give them a trial interview, so you could ask them for some pointers, but probably the best preparation is to make him feel as relaxed and confident as you can about the whole thing.

Many of the boys wear school uniform, but smart casual is perfectly acceptable, whichever your son feels most comfortable in.

I wish you all the best of luck!

Hi there, my DS1 did his pretest last September (and was offered a place so must have done alright!). We did no preparation for the test itself although I've heard the usual horror stories of boys being tutored endlessly in reasoning & logic papers; my DS said it was quite a fun test with one or two more interesting problems to solve but remembered precious little specific about it afterwards (a mix of reasoning, English vocab and Maths-based questions, he said). His current headmaster gave him a practice interview beforehand, talking through school & extra-curricular stuff and praising DS1 up (which gave him total confidence for the real thing).

He went in his school uniform having done a normal morning at school and all the other boys there were in their school uniforms too, so I guess he wasn't interviewed the same afternoon as any overseas boys.

DS1 came out very relaxed and enjoyed the whole afternoon - the test and the 'chat' - and appreciated the biscuits and juice afterwards in College.

Same experience (and same outcome) as TRL. DS enjoyed it - he did no specific preparation. He wore uniform but some boys were there in smart casual clothes too.

Congrats to your Dss, TRL and hooray.

I agree that most boys were in uniform but as ours is not madly smart and isn't v flattering to my son's shape , he wore navy chinos, a pale blue button down shirt , blue/grey tweed jacket and his school tie and looked fine.
Personally I wouldn't go for anything more casual than that, but I guess the key is that he looks smart and is comfortable both in the clothes and when seeing everyone else - you will know where to pitch things to achieve that. There were two boys at DS's session in jeans and hoodies and they looked really uncomfortable in the sea of pipes blazers.

The country boarding prep schools seem to come mob handed so warn which can be a bit oppressive, especially as on our session one group was in bizarrely high spirits , so might be best warn him not to be phased by that

Hello all,
Thank you for all your advices. We will be in London for 3 days for the assessment. I'm quite nervous for him. Congratulation to your son TRL and hoorayforsummer.

I think the parents are invariably far more nervous than the boys .

FWIW, one of DSs closest friends is an American boy...

Thank you IndridCold for the welcome back message. I hope your son is settling in well for the beginning of ‘D’ block. He should have a slightly larger room than last year. It’s good to hear he’s looking forward to joining the CCF. This will give him plenty of opportunities to do things that he would otherwise never have done.

Eton will sit him down shortly to discuss what he intends to do at university and then work backwards from there as far as preparing for A-levels is concerned. So it would be good to talk to him now about thinking seriously what he wants to do at uni.

The country boarding prep schools seem to come mob handed .. which can be a bit oppressive, especially as on our session one group was in bizarrely high spirits...

Don't think too badly of them michaelah they were absolutely as nervous as boys who didn't arrive in a big group!

chimera1, I’m so glad you are now more relaxed about College in general and Eton in particular. I completely understand your anxiety - I was in a similar position (but only worse) many moons ago when the internet was not so prevalent and I had to find out things the hard way. I was nearly talked into rejecting the scholarship that DS won aged 10, by a so-called ‘friend’ who told me many really frightening stories about the School. In the end, I concluded that this ‘friend’ was just plain jealous and accepted the scholarship. She refused to talk to me hence till this day. I was proven right as a couple of years later she asked her DH to phone me for advice on how to apply to Eton (for her young son). And you know what? I did advise genuinely but her son failed to gain a place and ended up in a second-rate indie school. I guess Eton knows better who deserves a place there . . . or not.

About photographs, you’ll be informed shortly by the school (but keep asking your son - they don’t always tell their parents what’s happening) that a professional photographer will be coming to School to take individual photos of new boys. Both indoor portraits and outdoor photos can/will be taken and proofs will be sent to you for selection at a later date. There is no commitment to buy anything. I suggest you take this opportunity to have your son’s photos taken for remembrance. You’ll appreciate it years later when he’s left. I’ve had a few mothers over the years complaining to me bitterly that they’d missed the boat. I suggested they contact Raymond Thatcher Photography at Maidenhead.

And of course, there will be a group photograph taken each year of the whole House (College) in the same location, style, pose, etc. like this one of George Orwell taken almost a century ago. That's Eton tradition in full flow!

But please keep us updated about your son’s progress. The next 5 years will be one of the very best periods of your son’s life - and yours!

Good luck!

Anin65, I’ve only ever seen young visiting boys to Eton wearing one of two attires:

(1) Their school uniform;

(2) Smart jacket and trousers (with or without tie)

I don’t think Eton cares too much about what boys wear when they come for tests or interviews insofar as they are smart and presentable. Jeans and hoodies are therefore, out!

But I would think in your case, the folks at Eton will welcome the sight of an American schoolboy in his full American school uniform. Waarla!

If the assessment also includes an interview (most probably would) I’d suggest your son brings along with him a small object which represents something that your son knows a lot about and can talk in great details about the subject. I remember my son brought with him a small piece of off-cut marble from the builders and he was impressing the interviewers with the history of the Elgin Marbles and why they should be returned to Greece.

Good luck for November!

Thank you all again!

Hope everyone whose son has started this term is flourishing!

How's your DS 4Happyhours? Is it odd your DS being at the school rather than you and seeing it through his eyes? Have you clearer options for your DD?

My son started in F block 2 weeks ago. We do not have a family history of boarding school and not something we were originally looking for. He wasn't tutored for the test but had some good interview practice with his headmaster. He wore school uniform for the test and had polished shoes etc. He is very happy so far and with him face-timing every evening, it's not as bad for me as I thought!

Only 8 more sleeps until Short Leave!

Coco31 - that's great news that your ds is enjoying his first weeks, and as Indrid has pointed out, not long now until short leave.

I’m intrigued Coco31, as to the circumstances that led to your son finally going to Eton especially when you said that was not something you were originally looking for. What gives?

And don’t worry, I bet your son will remain just as happy for the remaining 4 years and 50 weeks. But be warned, the nightly face-timing may soon become more and more scarce as time goes on. That’s not to suggest he’s forgotten you, oh no. . . rather, he’d be so preoccupied with school life and the countless number of activities which is the hallmark of the school that you’d be lucky if he remembers your birthday.

Eh. . . just joking!!!

Just thinking about something last night that made me laugh.

Last year we had been up to see DS in a concert, and the next morning we went to Lower Chapel with him. During the whole thing, hymns, prayers, sermon, standing and sitting, he never took his hands out of his pockets the entire time. In fact I don't think any of them did...