By the time we looked at Thacher my parents had, between my brother and I, toured 21 boarding schools around the country. Yet none of them could match the feeling that we got arriving at Thacher. First off, the setting is unparalleled. The sweet smell of oranges, the mountains that rise dramatically up around the campus, the grassy pergola and quaint admissions office it is all beautiful and stunning. The second thing is less tangible, but none the less real and that is the sense of joy that abounds the Thacher grounds. From faculty dogs to students everyone seems genuinely content with life. As we progressed through our visit from tour to interview we only became more enthralled with this magical oasis. Despite my initial concerns at the distance from home in New Hampshire my initial impressions have proved true: Thacher is truly a school unlike any other.