The 77 "fac brats," as they call themselves, their spouses and their children ate hot dogs and corn on the familiar school lawn.

THE thought of being edged out by a "fac brat" may not sit well with high-school seniors who find themselves with wait-list or rejection notices from their top choices despite stellar credentials.

The academy bell still chimes on the class change, not the hour; Lily of the Valley graces the entrance to Phillips Church, and children of faculty members, affectionately known as fac brats, ride their tricycles down the paths.