Have you been considering boarding school but are unsure what it entails or where to begin?
This is very common and understandable.
Many students and families wonder what boarding schools are like. Many assume it’s only for “kids who have issues,” while others are curious about how they work and whether they will be a good fit for their child. In this post, I will guide you through the basics of boarding school as a “term”.
What Are Boarding Schools?
Boarding schools are private schools (in the UK, these are often referred to as public schools), where students who attend live on campus during the academic year. In basic terms, it means, unlike day schools where your students go home at night, at boarding school, you stay each evening and live in a community with your peers. In addition to academics, these schools offer housing (supervised), meals, extracurriculars, and structured routines that help shape a student’s experience.
Who Attends Boarding School?
Throughout the world, most students who attend boarding schools are seeking a “whole person” approach that is not always provided at day schools. Most boarding schools also have immense cultural, regional, and interest diversity. For many students, boarding school can also help them achieve a new level of independence compared to their peers, setting them up for success before they embark on a university journey or career. Known for encouraging effective time management, many boarding school students are responsible for structuring their daily schedules. They must juggle multiple on-site commitments, which mirrors what they will do in the real world.
Around the world, students are also more varied in terms of their backgrounds, with many seeking to specialize in specific topic areas or simply seeking small class sizes that their local day school cannot provide. Additionally, some students are interested in learning how to live independently at a younger age, as it builds confidence and provides a structured and safe way to take responsibility and develop leadership skills among their peers.
But Boarding Schools Are ONLY For Wealthy Kids, Right?
While Boarding Schools are a popular destination for sons and daughters of business titans, royal families, and the offspring of other financially successful people, there is growing access for talented and driven students who need financial assistance to attend these institutions, including merit-based scholarships as well as full-ride opportunities.
In the United States, for example, approximately 37% of students attending boarding schools receive some form of financial aid. Ironically, many boarding schools have higher endowments than day schools, allowing them to offer more, but students who need financial aid may not apply because they feel it’s out of reach. It’s an ongoing cycle that needs to be dispelled and discussed, and I’ll explore this area in future posts.
Boarding School is a Punishment for Kids.
This is one of the most popular misconceptions about boarding schools. While there are a small number that focus on “reformative therapy” or youth redirection, most boarding schools worldwide are highly coveted institutions that produce top-tier, academically driven students. It is also important to note that boarding school is often an option sought out by students themselves, rather than their parents, based on what they are seeking in their high school experience as they strive to grow beyond their current academic environment.
Ready to explore if Boarding School is the BEST next step? Download the BoardingSchoolReady ’10 Question’ Reflection Worksheet. Focused on helping students and parents reflect on key points of this decision, this will get the discussion flowing before you begin finalizing applications.
See you on the next post!