Finding the Right Boarding School

Author: Alex Hernandez, (The Episcopal School of Texas)
Released 27 January 2007

As independent schools, boarding schools are free to specialize and to offer a variety of “extras” – special facilities, activities and amenities. With more than 300 boarding schools in the United States, families are presented with a lot of choices.

NARROWING YOUR SEARCH

Identifying your child’s needs and interests should be the first step. Most boarding schools are either college-preparatory or therapeutic, while others work with students with learning differences or disabilities.

ENVIRONMENT

Schools also may be co-educational or single-gender, all-boarding or a mixed boarding/day community, with a uniform or “free dress” with a dress code. Those with a JROTC program may be all-military or military-optional, while schools with a religious affiliation may require daily chapel attendance or optional transportation to worship services of the student’s choice. Discuss some of these options within your family, to determine the kind environment in which your student would be most comfortable.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Your child’s personal interests also should be considered. If music, art, sports or other extra-curricular activities are important to your child, look for schools that offer strong programs that will help your student continue to develop skills in these areas.

GATHERING INFORMATION

Once you’ve narrowed down the characteristics that matter most to you and your student, start looking at schools that meet your needs.

Visit some Web sites that include school listings, such as The Association of Boarding Schools at www.schools.com. Some allow users to fill out a form with preferences that will produce a list of schools that meet their criteria. Others have school profiles and links to the schools’ own Web sites.
Send for school publications, such as viewbooks, course catalogs and applications.
Ask friends and family for their recommendations. Word-of-mouth may be the best way to hear of a school you might otherwise overlook or to learn more about a school in which you already are interested.
Attend events, such as private-school fairs and open houses, that give you a chance to meet and talk to school admission officers, faculty, students or parents.

THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS

Once you have sent for application materials, read them thoroughly as soon as possible to be aware of what is asked of you. Note and stay on top of deadlines – for applications, scholarships and financial aid, testing and recommendations. Some common elements of the process include:

Testing – Most independent schools ask applicants to take either the SSAT (Secondary School Admissions Test, www.ssat.org) or the ISEE (Independent Schools Entrance Examination, www.erbtest.org/pages/ERB_ISEE.html). Both are three-hour tests of academic skills and require fees and registration in advance for particular test dates and location.

Interviews and campus visits – Spending a day on campus may be an admission requirement; it’s also an excellent way to find out if a school is right for your student. For a day visit, your child should be “shadowing” a student of the same age and gender, who also may share some of your child’s interests. The student guide should be friendly and responsible, willing to introduce your child to teachers, coaches and other students.

Tours – Most schools offer tours led by admission officers or student guides. Take this opportunity to see facilities that will be important to your child: residence halls, art studios, playing fields and dining rooms. Watch how students interact with each other and with their teachers; does the school seem to be well-organized, calm and conducive to learning? Feel free to ask questions about what you see; admission staff and student volunteers should be able to answer or willing to find information for you.

COSTS

Don’t let “sticker shock” stop you from applying. Many schools offer grants, scholarships or other forms of aid; contact school staff for details. One-third of all boarding-school students receive some kind of financial aid. Expect to fill out a parents’ financial statement that may be due before the student’s application.

BOARDING-SCHOOL LIFE

Most students thrive on the structure and supervision offered by boarding schools. Students have a full day’s schedule, with classes, extracurricular meetings, sports practices and games and evening study halls. “Dorm parents” who live in residence halls or elsewhere on campus may eat dinner with boarders, supervise their homework and help them resolve issues. Faculty advisers meet with students periodically to monitor their academic progress, and a counselor or chaplain should be on hand for consultation about personal matters.

Dormitory amenities may include computers in individual room as well as fully equipped kitchens and common rooms with big-screen TVs and DVD libraries, video-game systems, board games and comfortable seating for relaxed conversation or resident meetings.

Students usually are given handbooks or other guidelines outlining expectations for keeping their rooms neat and their clothes clean – skills most young people learn for the first time in college.

During weekends, boarding students may leave campus on supervised outings to shop, visit cultural institutions take challenging leadership courses, enjoy the outdoors or other fun activities.

After a successful search for the right boarding school, your family should be ready for an experience that will take your student to the next level of academic ability and personal maturity.

SITES TO SEARCH

For school profiles and links, visit:
www.schools.com
www.boardingschoolreview.com
www.petersons.com (click on Grades K-12)

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