The Boarding School Glossary

Published October 30, 2008
Boarding schools have their own jargon just like any activity or affinity group has. Here are some of the more common terms you are likely to encounter as you explore boarding schools.
 
AD/ADHD

AD and ADHD are really the same thing: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. If your child exhibits any signs of ADHD, you should have him evaluated thoroughly. The syndrome is treatable.
 
ACT

ACT is an acronym for American College Testing program. ACT and the SAT are the two most common college standardized tests of academic readiness for college level studies.
 
Crew

Crew is the ancient sport of rowing. Rowing in shells is very popular in many boarding schools. Crew is offered in the fall and spring. Schools participate in regional and international competitions called regattas. Events like The Head of the Charles and Henley draw rowers from all over the world.

Dorm Master

If the term sounds a bit scary, it is actually quite the opposite. A dorm master is a teacher who is in charge of and supervises a residential house of boarding school students. He or she in many ways becomes a surrogate parent providing stability and guidance for the mercurial adolescents in his care. 
 
ESL

ESL is an acronym for English as a Second Language. When a student whose mother tongue is Spanish, for example, learns English, he has to approach it differently than the student whose mother tongue is English. ESL teachers are highly skilled, certificated professionals who understand what students need to learn English.
 
Fieldhouse

A fieldhouse is a term which describes an indoor sports arena where basketball, ice hockey and other indoor sports are held. The fieldhouses and other athletic facilities at many boarding schools rival those found at many colleges and universities. Boarding schools take sports very seriously and set aside Wednesday afternoons and all day Saturday for sports as a rule.

Form

Form is another word for grade. It derives from the British 'public' or private secondary schools. Form I is seventh grade. Form VI is twelth grade and so on. You will come across the term in older American boarding schools.

Headmaster

Headmaster or the head teacher is a British term for a high school principal or chief administrator of a high school. It is commonly used in older, more traditional schools.

House

House is another British term which has immigrated to American boarding schools. It describes a physical grouping of students in a residential or boarding facility. It is the essence of the boarding school ethos as it is houses which provide the structure and social framework within which adolescents interact, compete and enjoy a range of social activities.

IB

IB is an acronym for International Baccalaureate. This is a curriculum which is used at a couple of dozen American boarding schools. You will find the core curricula at most schools focussed on the AP or Advanced Placement courses.

ISEE

ISEE or Independent Schools Entrance Examination is a standardized admissions test used by many boarding schools.

ISL

The ISL or Independent School League is a group of 16 New England schools who compete in various sports.

LD

LD or Learning Disability is a term which describes the difference in the way a person's senses and brain process information.
 
Master

A master is a teacher. The word takes its roots from the Latin magister which means teacher. The term is commonly used in older, more traditional boarding schools

NAIS

NAIS or The National Association of Independent Schools is a national organization which provides a wealth of data and support for its 1500 member schools. It also lobbies for private schools in the various Washington, DC, fora and legislative chambers.
 
PG

The PG or Post Graduate Year is a gap year students often take before going to college.
 
Prep

Prep is short for preparatory. You will frequently see a school styled So-and-so Preparatory School. The term comes from the mission of schools which are devoted to preparing their students for the rigorous academic work to be encountered at the college level. In the U.S. it refers to K-12 schools with a college preparatory curriculum.

SSAT

The SSAT or Secondary Schools Admissions Test is the most widely used standardized admissions test.
 
TOEFL

TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign Language is a test of English language proficiency administered by the Educational Testing Service.
 
Uni
 
Uni is boarding school slang for 'uniform'. Uniforms and dress codes are an integral part of boarding school culture. 


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