Frequently Asked Questions

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Advising - Q: To whom do you turn if you have a concern about your child? For example, you’ve had a phone conversation with your child and picked up a tone of unhappiness, worry, fatigue, or maybe depression. Hide

A: Your son or daughter’s form dean and /or faculty adviser probably knows your child the best, so start there. However, members of the Health Center Staff, Campus Ministry, and the Counseling Team are available anytime to discuss concerns about your child.

Advising - Q: Whom do I call if I am concerned that my child is not settling in well? Hide

A: Start by contacting your student's adviser; and if necessary, your child's form dean.

Advising - Q: How does the advising system work after third form year? Are students assigned to someone, and if so, what criteria are used to make the match? Hide

A: For boarding students, the adviser is assigned based on the dorm they live in and the faculty assigned to that dorm. Day students are assigned non-dormitory faculty advisers and usually keep the same adviser during their entire time at Choate.

Advising - Q: Should parents expect the adviser to call them proactively or is the burden on the parents to call and check in periodically? Hide

A: Your child’s adviser will call you within the first few weeks of school so that you can set up a system that works for you both. The adviser also writes a detailed report that is mailed with your child’s term reports.

Advising - Q: Is it better to call or to e-mail a faculty member, a dean or an adviser? Hide

A: Either one is acceptable and encouraged.

The Academic Year - Q: Do you have a calendar for special events such as Deerfield Day? Hide

A: Details regarding the Opening of School, Parents Weekend, Commencement, and more may be found on the School's online calendar. A PDF file of the 2007-2008 Calendar is available. Also be sure to log into the Parents Portal to view the latest news and messages from the school.

Advising - Q: Whom should I call if my child has an injury or is not well? Hide

A: Our medical director, Dr. Ben Gardner, and his staff in the Health Center are available 24 hours a day for all medical needs for all students. (203) 697-2203. A sports medicine clinic is held once a week to help students with chronic or mild injuries. On game days we have 2-3 trainers on call.

Academic Program - Q: Whom do I call if my child is having difficulty in a class? Hide

A: Start by calling (or e-mailing) the teacher. If you still have concerns, call your child’s form dean.

Academic Program - Q: How do I help my child select the appropriate courses? Hide

A: Included in the packet sent to newly enrolled students is information concerning course selection as well as the Course Descriptions book. The materials are easy to follow and are individualized by form. Basically, third formers take English, mathematics, a language, physics, and three one-term courses. New students take a mathematics placement test that is evaluated by the department head. Because most students enter with some foreign language experience, they take a placement test that is evaluated by the section head. If you have questions concerning courses before the school year begins, contact the Registrar’s Office. If, after talking with the Registrar, you still have questions about courses, feel free to contact the head of the department in question.

College Counseling - Q: Who determines the college counselors for fifth formers? Hide

A: In January, fifth formers are invited to submit their first and second choice college counselor to the director of that office. The student must request before the deadline and there are no guarantees. Approximately 50 percent of our fifth formers specify; the rest go with the luck of the draw, since our five counselors are all excellent

Financial Information - Q: When is tuition due? Hide

The installments are always due on or before July 15th and on or before November 15th. Please refer to our Payment Schedule.

Financial Information - Q: Can I make payment through wire transfers? Hide

Yes, wire instructions are available by contacting the Financial Office at 203-697-2536 or by emailing studentbilling@choate.edu.

Financial Information - Q: Do you accept credit cards for payment of tuition? Hide

No, not at this time, according to our Board of Trustees policy.

Financial Information - Q: What is your mailing address for FEDEX or other mail? Hide

Choate Rosemary Hall, Attn: Finance Office, 333 Christian Street, Wallingford, CT 06492

Residential Life - Q: How can I send a birthday cake to my child? Hide

A: You may send cakes, order exam treats, Halloween buckets, Valentine’s Day baskets, etc. online. For more information, please refer to the Touch of Home Program in the Student section of the site — click on ARAMARK and then Ordering Treats. The Treat Order Form is available in this section as well.

Residential Life - Q: How welcome am I in my child’s dorm? Can I just walk in? In general, how welcome are parents, siblings, visitors, etc. in the classrooms, dining hall, residences, etc.? Hide

A: It is best to check with your child’s dorm adviser for the best times to visit your son or daughter.

Residential Life - Q: What can one do if unhappy about a dorm assignment? Hide

A: As a general rule, changing roommates is a last resort after other avenues are exhausted (e.g., sitting down and mediating with students). Very few roommate switches are made in a given year, as we feel that learning to live with someone else, even someone quite different, is a key to the learning experience.

Residential Life - Q: Does Choate offer life skill courses in relaxation and stress management, nutrition, etc.? Hide

A: The required course in Adolescent Development covers such topics. Information is also available at the Health Center.

Day Students - Q: As a day student, my daughter has slept over on the weekend in the dorm. If I’ve obtained permission from the third form dean and the dorm student has obtained the clearance, can she stay as long as she wants the next day? Hide

A: Time of pick up should be arranged between you and your daughter. The expectation would be that pick up would be prior to study hours, or, if not a Saturday, prior to curfew. See the Student Handbook (PDF), p 46.

Day Students - Q: My daughter is a day student with many friends who are boarders. Am I allowed to take her friends to our home, etc.? Do they need permission every time to travel in my care, such as if it’s raining and they are walking back from sports? Hide

A: Permission for boarders to ride in cars driven by Choate parents is covered on the boarding permission form. If a boarding parent checks that it is okay for their son or daughter to go to another student’s home or out with students and their parents, a parent has blanket permission to drive the student. This is covered in Student Handbook (PDF).

Day Students - Q: Often there is a club meeting that our child has to attend in the common room of a dorm that ends a little later than 7:30 p.m. Can we do pick up at the meeting location rather than at the SAC? Hide

A: Routinely, day students are not to be in dorms during study hours, but circumstances such as the above could be cleared with the form dean. The student should speak with the form dean and house adviser for permission to be picked up at the meeting place.

Summer Storage - Q: We live out of state. Are we able to store on campus items that are difficult to transport (i.e., printer, bed pillows and comforter, textbooks, etc.) rather than shipping them home each summer? Hide

A: Summer storage is available. Toward the end of the year, fliers are posted throughout campus informing the students to bring their storage items to Johnson Athletic Center. If they need assistance, all items must be ready and on the curb and Community Safety will provide assistance to the student.