Any info or experience with Northwood School?

Has anyone had an experience with Northwood School if so what was it like?  
 
How is the ski race program there in combination with NYSEF?  Is the program on par with the VT/NH academies? Are they serious.
Do the NYSEF coaches also coach the Northwood kids?
Do the older kids get the opportunity to attend races to get points down, not just council races?
I know the education is good but is it difficult or stressful compared to other alpine academies?
What are the Northwood dorms and food like?

Thanks

Northwood has a descent racing program. Their most famous student was Andrew Weibrecht. They offer more sports options than just ski racing. In my opinion, they are a notch down from the National Sports Academy (Mountain House) in terms of competitive ski racing. However, I can't speak to their academics, which should be of top priority.

If you are looking for a top racing program, and have the talent to match your desire, Burke Mountain Academy is the only place to go. I'm a bit biased, but Burke consistently produces world class athletes, and also sees their alumni attend top universities. They have a proven formula for success.

NSA is no longer.

I knew NSA closed.  Didn't know that they only had 20 students in the final school year 2014-15.

Did the closing of NSA have any impact on Northwood's ski racing program?

Northwood and NSA shared NYSEF, no impact on Northwood now that NSA is closed. Now its just Northwood and NYSEF.

Northwood school has a new alpine director and coach, he is high level. I think they also use the NYSEF coaches too? I also heard from a friend that Northwood changed their alpine training schedule to mornings and classes in the afternoon like a normal ski race academy, this is a change in the right direction.

Any info about the school and race program from someones experience will be helpful. Its hard finding any reviews about Northwood other than it has good education.

Guess I was thinking that perhaps some parents are considering Northwood more than they might have in the past since NSA no longer exists.  Might also be a factor that there is a relatively new headmaster.

http://www.lakeplacidnews.com/page/content.detail/id/523655/PEOPLE-AT-WORK--First-day-for-new-Northwood-headmaster.html

We recently toured the campus as my son is likely to attend NW in another year. The new ski coach JP has been working with the new headmaster to improve the training schedule. Tues - Thursday they train in the morning then have classes in the afternoon. Friday is reversed.  No training on Mondays.  David Smith coaches u16 for both NW and Nysef.  Not sure about u19.

NSA has not had a ski program in about 5 years now.  It was only a hockey program at the end.

Academically NW is superior to the VT or Maine academies.  I hear great things about Holderness which is based at Cannon academically and skiing wise.  Personally I'm not willing to skimp on academics so you have to ask yourself does your kid have legit WC potential vs NCAA skiing as a more realistic goal.

You can email me if you have other questions.

I had no idea about NSA closing. That is such a shame.

In terms of academics, I couldn't agree more with Coach Z that academics should be top priority unless you are destined for the World Cup circuit. However, I doubt that if you have that level of potential, you would not have already been recruited by one of the top ski academies.

 I wouldn't place Northwood in the same league as some of the VT ski academies. Burke is near and dear to me, and graduates can attend just about any university of their choosing. While Norhhwoods academics might be admirable, their ski racing program just doesn't stack up to some of the others in New England. Granted, not everyone can gain acceptance to some of the top New England ski academies, so schools such as Northwood certainly serve a market segment.

Call me a dreamer but I think any athlete, regardless of what they are "destined" for, should focus on academics.  Anything can happen in life and even if you do become Picaboo Street and education is important.

Burke, CVA and the others are exclusively ski academies.  Northwood is a high end private academic boarding school that also has a strong ski program.  Big difference from the educational and college placement potential.  The only other program like it in the East I'm aware of is Holderness in NH. The academics are going to more rigorous than the Ski only schools.  Most upper class men students are taking AP courses.  

There is likely more personalized coach at a smaller ski program like NW.  They go to races all over the East and have many FIS skiers.

I'm not likely to pay for my son to board elsewhere when he can be a day student here so we are not looking at other programs.

QFT. harv , get your education , while pursuing your athletic dream .!!!

The road is filled with extreme competition to achieve WC status or the equivalent in other sports ( we used to park our hockey pucks at NW and other places if a student needed PG or HS work prior to college ) and there are so many independent variables on the journey , ( injury , failure to meet the challenge , emotional issues , immaturity , skill deficit and psychological exhaustion from the stress) all of which may impact the desired goal .

So look out for your longterm future by getting the finest education that is possible .A kid and their parents need to be very realistic about both their ability and the potential to not only compete BUT achieve  at the highest level . OFten this is skewed by wishful thinking rather than cool analysis and that can lead to problems if the kid hasnt got a backup plan based on their academic achievement .

Had many friends whose kids thought they were going to to NHL and ended up playing D3 .

A couple did D1 and ONE of the group of hotshots ,  Jimmy Howard plays for the Red  Wings ,.

But that said ,there  are quite a few ex pucks sitting in local bars reliving. GLory Days and not much else . All good peeps but. Lots of busted dreams too.

Thanks for the feedback about Northwood and the opinions about educational goals compared to athletic goals. This is one of the top reasons we are concidering this school. The athletic programs offered are great too, so its hard to not think seriously about Northwood School. It helps that the area is breath taking too.
In response to the feedback about burke.. I guess its all about the right fit. I personally think WVA is a great place.
My child was not recruited but got accepted into 5 different new england academies this year, and Northwood is still our top choice, i am not writing it off just because its not in VT/NH. Also one of the top u16 girl and boy are from Northwood, they are producing good racers and smart kids. I am familiar with New England academies i just want to see what the vibe is for NY and Northwood to help our decision.
Thanks again for all the feedback.

Good luck Axel !! It sounds like you have a decent grasp of the issues and that will benefit your child as they grow and develop both academically and athletically. Sincerely hope this experience is a growth experience for your family  

Harvey wrote

Call me a dreamer but I think any athlete, regardless of what they are "destined" for, should focus on academics.  Anything can happen in life and even if you do become Picaboo Street and education is important.

And with the cost being double what my undergrad degree at a private university cost it better be fantastic academically.  The thought of chucking out that kind of cash and then having to pay for college on top of that is rather crazy.  Hopefully the end game here is a full ride scholarship to an Ivy league school.  Would be rather pissed at my parents if they sent me here then found out I had to pay for college with loans if the scholarship did not materialize.  

Footer wrote

And with the cost being double what my undergrad degree at a private university cost it better be fantastic academically.  The thought of chucking out that kind of cash and then having to pay for college on top of that is rather crazy.  Hopefully the end game here is a full ride scholarship to an Ivy league school.  Would be rather pissed at my parents if they sent me here then found out I had to pay for college with loans if the scholarship did not materialize.

Yes, tuition has certainly increased over the years. Tuition at Burke was around $10k back in my era, but has risen to over $50k. While a handsome sum of money, it certainly is an amazing experience, and prepares students for entry into top universities. Most will attend Ivy League schools, while others will continue their ski racing careers. Some remain for a postgraduate year, and some continue racing at UVM, Middlebury, or Dartmouth.

The key is to find a fit suitable for the individual. Take a look at college placement rates. Tuition is by no means an indicator of the quality of a prep school. I've seen public high schools with better placement results than some prep schools.

Axel, I am so sorry to hear of your sisters experience at Burke, as that has not been my experience. Academics have always been a top priority there. The parents and alumni would not put up with what you described. It sounds like it just wasn't the right place for your sister. The academic rigor in the fall and spring is quite intense, while they do offer some relief during ski season.

Footer wrote

Harvey wrote

Call me a dreamer but I think any athlete, regardless of what they are "destined" for, should focus on academics.  Anything can happen in life and even if you do become Picaboo Street and education is important.

And with the cost being double what my undergrad degree at a private university cost it better be fantastic academically.  The thought of chucking out that kind of cash and then having to pay for college on top of that is rather crazy.  Hopefully the end game here is a full ride scholarship to an Ivy league school.  Would be rather pissed at my parents if they sent me here then found out I had to pay for college with loans if the scholarship did not materialize.

My guess is that many of the families who send their kids to boarding school are so rich that they just don't give a damn about the money.  50 grand is chump change to some.

snoloco wrote

My guess is that many of the families who send their kids to boarding school are so rich that they just don't give a damn about the money.  50 grand is chump change to some.

Not good to guess.  All of the good private schools spend a lot of effort to raise as much money for endowments so that there is as much money as practical for scholarships.  In many secondary schools, >30% of the students are getting some financial support.  Granted that many kids come from families with more money than average, but it's unfair to say that those parents don't value the money they spend on a boarding school.

That's why I said "many" instead of "all".

marznc wrote

Not good to guess.  All of the good private schools spend a lot of effort to raise as much money for endowments so that there is as much money as practical for scholarships.  In many secondary schools, >30% of the students are getting some financial support.  Granted that many kids come from families with more money than average, but it's unfair to say that those parents don't value the money they spend on a boarding school.

This is so very true. Endowments help attract top talent to schools. When the Burke ski area nearly went under, the ski academy took over its operations. Not too many academies have the resources to be able to do that.

While scholarship money is definitely available at many schools, candidates need to be able to offer something in return. An average skier isn't going to see much, if any, scholarship money at a top ski academy. They would be better served at a school focused primarily on academics, with athletics being a secondary consideration. I feel the key is to be recruited by a ski academy, which will garner greater financial support. If you have to apply, there likely isn't going to be much money offered, unless by rare chance your talents were overlooked. Some ski academies also limit the number of students. I believe Burke still holds the limit at 70 total. Of course this has enabled Burke to place 135+ students on the US Ski Team over the years.

Don't misconstrue my comments, each school has their nuances, and not every school is for everyone. Burke is tough, and their athletic and academic expectations are high. You will not be pampered and have your hand held at a school like Burke. You will be expected to rise early for a morning run without someone coddling you. Stratton Mountain School, GMVS, and Carabassett all serve different purposes.

As an example of the amount a scholarship might be for a boarding school, apparently Northwood set up starting in 2014.  Found it on the NYSEF website.  The amount offered is about the difference between being a boarder and a day student.  As I understand it Northwood only has about 10% day students.

http://www.nysef.org/northwood-school-alpine-ski-scholarship/

"NYSEF partner, Northwood School announces the creation of two Alpine Ski Racing Scholarships available for one male and one female boarding student for the 2014/2015 school year. Each ski scholarship is valued at $20,000, and is renewable each year based on the recipient’s academic and athletic performance along with good overall standing in school."