Boarding schools in the USA have long had the negative reputation of being home to spoiled children whose aloof parents would rather ship them off than face the involvedness required of properly raising a teenager. In truth, boarding high schools are far from the stereotype: they’re a nurturing environment where students live and learn both inside the classroom and out. The schools provide a first-class education and home to students far and wide, from all walks of life.
Private boarding schools are traditionally, private educational institutions where students live in addition to attending school. At most boarding schools, the school’s faculty live on campus as well. Usually, boarding schools are college preparatory schools for high school grades 9-12. Some however, do enroll students in grades 6-8; these are considered junior boarding schools (there are also junior boarding schools for younger students in grades 1-8). Beyond grade levels, boarding schools can be organized in a myriad of ways: single sex schools, religiously affiliated schools, military schools, performing arts schools, and more. There is something for everyone.
Because students live, work, and play together, much of their educational experience takes place outside of classroom walls. They have the opportunity to learn life lessons at any point throughout their days, not just during study time. Students and faculty alike form a community, all driven towards the same goal of high quality education and life experiences. Inside the classroom though, there are also many benefits of attending boarding schools. Class sizes tend to be smaller than those at larger, public schools, which allow teachers devote more attention to students individually. Conversely, students have more one on one interaction with their professors, and they are able to get their specific questions answered in a timely fashion. Curriculum is usually quite diverse, often offering various foreign language, religion, and humanities courses that one would not find at any other school.
Attending a private boarding school can be costly with tuition and room and board expenses, but that does not mean they are exclusively for the wealthy. Many schools offer scholarships and work-study programs to help students and their families afford attending school. Accepting students from various social backgrounds helps ensure the student body is diverse and well rounded.
Boarding schools provide students with more than textbooks and roofs over their heads. They impart valuable knowledge to help them success in college classes, and key life lessons to succeed in life.
