Choosing A Junior Boarding School
Curious about boarding schools for younger students, i.e., students in middle school, as opposed to high-school-aged children? Then, explore the possibilities which junior boarding schools offer. Junior boarding schools come in two flavors: schools that have no upper or high school and those which provide both an upper school and a residential component for students in the middle school years.
Wondering whether a junior boarding school right for your child? Honestly, it probably is. But you will never know until you explore the idea thoroughly. Tune out the negative things you have read about boarding schools. After all, the media tends to focus on sensational stories that hardly show boarding schools as they really are. Go and see for yourself. A quick call or an email is all it takes to make an appointment for a visit.
In this video, Kim Loughlin, Bement School admission director, explores the reasons that a family might consider a junior boarding school for their child.
When we started thinking about sending our eldest daughter to boarding school, we really had no idea what a boarding school was. Yes, we understand the concept, but neither of us had been to boarding school ourselves. We had no clue about curriculum, sports, extracurricular activities, dorm life, or anything else, for that matter. We did know that boarding school was expensive, but we figured it was worth it.
In any case, the following nineteen articles are the distillation of our experiences with boarding school. The best advice I can give you is: "Don't be intimidated by boarding schools." Most of what you have heard, read, or seen about them in the media is probably a lot of "fake news."
Visit schools online and see what they offer. Spend time exploring the academics which most of us parents consider the most important part of high school anyway. Familiarize yourself with the athletics and extracurricular activities that boarding schools offer. Then, and this is so important, visit schools which seem to meet your needs and requirements. Yes, you really must set foot on the campuses to see if the school community
Will your child be going to high school in a few years? Are you looking at the academic options available in your local public and private schools? If so, then I recommend that you take this IB quiz. It will help you decide which is the best college prep approach for your child.
In education, one size does not fit all because children learn differently. Some children do well in a school offering a curriculum centered around Advanced Placement courses and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) preparation. Others thrive in the non-traditional educational experience which progressive schools offer. Some children find that the substantial academic experience which the International Baccalaureate program offers is the right option for them. Your answers to the following questions will help you make the right decisions about your child's academic future and preparation for college.
This video discusses the benefits of taking the IB Diploma.
Why should I consider a
Selecting boarding schools which fit your needs and requirements takes a lot of time and effort. Once you have made your shortlist of schools, then you need to focus on the admissions process. The admissions process consists of testing, recommendations, the interview, financial aid, and making sure your child's admssions file is complete. Use this admissions checklist to keep you and your child on track. There are plenty of forms to fill out and a standardized admissions test to prepare for.
Testing
I have put admissions testing at the top of my checklist simply because it needs as much advance preparation as your child can give it. While standardized admissions tests are just one of several tools which the admissions professionals at each school will use to assess your child, they remain an important part of the assessment process. Most schools use the SSAT and ISEE. But there are other tests out there as well.
