Brimmer and May School

I went to Brimmer from around 2016 til 2021, and It was a great fit for me for a long time. it is very inclusive and welcoming, and generally a supportive space. some of the other reviews were confusing me because I had a very different experience. the first review I saw was from 2019, and, in my opinion, is very inaccurate. it questions Brimmer and May's ethics, saying they are questionable. Brimmer's core values, at least when I was there, were respect, responsibility, honesty, kindness, and equity. I felt like Brimmer did a good job instilling these values into the students and faculty. the teachers are understanding and kind (at least in my experience). Brimmer is very progressive and values diversity. the community is open and kind. the classes are small, depending on the grade. my grade was around 30 or 40 students, divided into 3 classes. in lower school, my grade was around 24 kids split into 2 classes. it's not for everyone, but Brimmer is a great community, and I value the years I spent there.

The 5 stars only reflect that the site will not allow you to adjust the stars, you can't alter it from 5. Be very careful of this school. Grades are extraordinarily small so whether you hit a good community grade for your child or not is a wild card. Particularly dicey for girls in this sense, socially. The teachers are mostly good, but the administration is not welcoming to anything you have to say unless it is positive. The messages to the students and demands of students' character and behavior are ironically put upon them by people who do not practice what they preach. The school has a no-tolerance policy of negative messages but from the top, there are messages that can be cruel. Tuition is of the highest in the country but compares the opportunities and facilities. They spend a great deal on keeping teachers happy, which is necessary, but the kids miss out on it. Beware: The school has questionable ethics. Hit or miss, but even a hit will be mixed. Good luck.

The school has many pros & cons. I will try to categorize them to the best of my ability.Academics:The academics were not easy. I was challenged and the supportive faculty turned me around when I started to slip during my teenage angsty years. However, they were not incredibly rigorous. It is very much a "if you do the work you need to do, you will do great." But you did not necessarily need to go above & beyond to do well. I would say the kids who didn't do well were not unable, but just didn't care to because 1. They didn't see school as valuable or 2. They didn't feel that they had to because their parents were paying full tuition... so why would B&M ever kick them out?Students:For such a small school, I met many different kinds of people. Students typically got very cliquey. While the school was mostly populated with students from white, affluent families, the school did a good job of mixing in inner city, deserving students, and international students. This could easily be covered up by the fact that the school also has a tendency to accept undeserving student-athletes who develop bad academic reputations & habits. I have witnessed unmotivated students disrupt the classroom climate and much of it is because B&M often values money over the quality of their students.Faculty: The faculty is actually very incredible, with obviously a few exceptions. A strong number of the faculty have been working there for decades (some who have just retired or moved on after I graduated). I have never seen a more devoted faculty in any other professional space, let alone academia. Now that I have gotten older, I am even more surprised as to how people can prioritize so many students before themselves and even their families, truly amazing. On a personal level, I made very strong connections with faculty members that I value to this day. There are a couple exceptions, however. Some of these long standing faculty members leverage their time and power to do what they want - almost like tenure in college (Murray). Administration: The administration is solid. Mr. Iuliano, who has made his way up in the administration rankings during my time, is one of the greatest men I have ever met. He is extremely fair, understanding, and lays his foot down appropriately when needed. Ms. Guild (Head) is kind, and during Ms. Reenstierna's farewell tour in 2012, it was clear that Guild was more than ready to take the lead. To my understanding, the school has made some major, impressive changes under her direction.Extracurriculars: The two biggest extracurriculars activities were Athletics & Drama. Fortunately, B&M provides a community & space where it is very possible to do both, which in other or bigger schools is almost unheard of. I feel that in most other schools it is either you are a jock or a theatre kid, and rarely do those people cross. At Brimmer, they encourage their students to do as much as they can to not only showcase their talent, but to allow them to mold themselves into more diversified and skilled adults. Both programs are very strong - you can tell where a lot of the money goes to - but I think both are good investments, to an extent.Overview: The school's support system is quite strong. They really do the best they can with integrating a community based environment with the students. However, that can often be tainted with some of the (I hate to say it) mistakes within their admissions. Academically, the school is not lacking, but it is not incredibly rigorous at the same time. If you feel that the student needs an intimate school experience, Brimmer & May should be a good fit.

This school is one of the best I''v ever seen!