Starting from this year, the prefect applications are now due Dec. 4 instead of the usual end of April. Although the application itself is the same, the due date is now earlier. In an attempt to better screen applicants to its prefect program, the Peddie administration has moved its application deadline to December

“I have to reapply to remain a prefect this year and apparently it is going to be much harder than previous years,” Rachel Macnow ’17, a current prefect, said.

The new prefect applications include the same questions as the past years, such as describing leadership initiatives and listing extracurricular activities. Some of the questions in the application include recounting a moment where you’ve recently shown leadership initiative, listing the ways in which you are involved in the life of the school and determining what leadership style best describes you. These newly selected prefects will need to be positive role models and provide leadership to the school. By having more time to assess the students and better understand them, the goal is that it will be easier to select the better prefects for next year.

The reapplications are also tiring current prefects. With a new one hour interview necessary for the reapplication, prefects are striving to be more responsible and hardworking.

“These prefects will need to strive to be ‘above the line,’ ” Alexandra Kittle, prefect head teacher, said. “[They] will need to be positive role models for the underclassmen.”