What are some good Boarding School's?

Question

Me and my friend want to go to a boatding school to see if we like it. and we need to know some good schools. and what would we do about money issues if we want to go there? because my dad can probably pay for me but her parents are having really bad money issues. and we also want to acutally get good grades. so yeah i really want to know some. so please please help us out! Thanks :]

Answer 1

It's a common misconception that all boarding school are über-expensive. They are not. Only European boarding schools could be considered exceedingly expensive. On the East Coast you'll find the academic elites: Choate (in Connecticut), Deerfield (Massachusetts), Hill (Pennsylvania), Hotchkiss (Connecticut), Lawrenceville (New Jersey), Loomis Chaffee (Connecticut), Phillips Andover (Massachusetts), Exeter (New Hampshire), St. Paul's (New Hampshire), and Taft (Connecticut). These are all members of the Ten Schools Admissions Organization and are considered the best in the country (and even the world). The tuition range for these boarding schools is from the low $30,000s/per year to the mid $40,000s. Like I said before this is much lower than the $100,000/year you will find in Switzerland, or the $60,000/year in the UK. But most boarding schools in the US will be within the $30-45,000 range, any tuition rate below or way above that I would be cautious towards. The schools I listed above are full of smart, down-to-earth students, not preppy elitists (very incorrect stereotype). Many are on a scholarship of some form or another. You mentioned wanting to get really good grades, so this type of school would be the place for you. West coast schools really aren't as academic-oriented as New England's boarding schools.

A warning though. I have quite a few friends who applied to  some schools together and only 1 or 2 in the group got accepted. This is an issue you'll have to consider, because in the end, if one friend gets into a top boarding school, and you don't, you could be the one left at home without your friend(s). Or vice versa, you get in, and your friends don't. And you don't have to go to one of the top boarding schools in the country to have a great time and get a good education, remember that. Best of luck.

Some good sites for your search:

The Wikipedia pages for each of the schools I listed are good sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Schools...

Boarding School Review is a broad search database but will provide info on tuition and admissions procedures/requirements. http://www.boardingschoolreview.com/

Answer 2

Boarding schools are not something you try on a whim. They need to be researched, visited and applied to knowing you want to go for good reasons. If it's that you watched Zoey 101 and it looked cool, it probably is not a good idea. Zoey is make believe.

It's also not the best idea to apply with a friend. The liklihood that both of you would be accepted at one school that would meet both of your needs is slim. Do you have the same grades? Has either of you taken the SSAT, the exam most schools require?

Next is expense, most schools cost over $40,000 per year. Are your parents comfortable with this? Sounds like your friend needs financial aid so her grades and scores will have to be very high.

Once you've done the research, taken the tests, cleared the expense with your parents and visited the schools, it's time to fill out the very lengthy applications.

If you're still game at that point, good luck!

Answer 3

if you live in the USA, you could go to Kent in Connecticut. That one is great!!!

Answer 4

I agree with the poster that mentioned that boarding school is not for someone who on a whim decides it looks fun or interesting, and although wanting good grades is a start, are you really willing to give up a lot of the things that boarding schools ask you to give up? Time, effort, taking the SSAT, et cetera. If you're entering in later in high school than you should also take the PSAT.

As for cost, if you really are dedicated to boarding school, as mentioned before Exeter, if admitted, has a variety of Financial Aid oppurntunities, including, if annual family income is less than $75,000, free tuition. St. Paul's School and Groton Academy also do this. They just have some of the lowest admission rates.  Just to warn you, admission costs are high. (For my family one year of boarding school costs more than we make in that year.)

Here are a list of schools in Colorado in case you'd like to visit a boarding school just to get the idea of what others will be (close to) like;

http://www.crms.org/ Colorado Rocky Mountain School

http://www.ctaedu.org/ Colorado Timberline Academy

http://www.fvs.edu/Default.asp?bhcp=1 Fountain Valley School of Colorado

http://www.lws.edu/ Lowell Whiteman School

Answer 5

boatding school, makes it sound like your saying boating school. So, boating school or boarding school?

Answer 6

Bement school, and Fay school. But it depends on where you live..

Answer 7

You have to be SUPER rich to go to one of those. There's NO way you'd be able to go to one if you're having money problems.

Answer 8

Colorado Rocky Mountain School

Answer 9

If her parents have really bad money issues, the only way she'll be able to go is through a scholarship.

Answer 10

Let's see i went to miss halls in mass. but i hated it and we had rivals at Miss porters, ethel walker, emma willard (all gurls schools) and taft which is co-ed i believe. Kent is also co-ed but i heard bad things about kent. i know alot of people from miss porters who really really enjoyed it. i would recommend miss halls its horrible. but all these are in the new england area i dont know any out of it and if you are looking for something that is all about academics hit up exeter i think its the best in the country and it's coed. with the money issue they are ALL VERY expensive pretty much the price of college. but they give okay financial aid. i think porters give really good but that's all i know

Answer 11

There are many boarding schools out there that are affordable. If she has a single parent, in Philidephia, PA there is a boarding school called Griard College. It has very good education and it is tuition free. Or you guys can go to Phillips Exeter Academy. They have an incentive for very academically advanced children that parents make under $75,000, those students go to the school free.It's not promised admission, but it doesnt hurt to try.Or if you dont like either you can go to Boardingschoolreview.com

they give you information about financing for every boarding school in the USA