International Students: Offsite And Virtual Visits

When we started thinking about sending our eldest daughter to boarding school, we really had no idea what a boarding school was. Yes, we understood the concept, but we had never been to boarding school. We had no clue about curriculum, sports, extracurricular activities, dorm life, or anything else, for that matter. We knew boarding school was expensive, but we figured it was worth it.

Families researching boarding schools today have access to more information than ever before. Virtual tours, student panels, social media, and online admissions resources make it easier to compare schools before scheduling campus visits. Organizations such as The Association of Boarding Schools provide resources that help families better understand boarding school life, admissions, and financial aid.

In any case, the following articles distill 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 that most parents consider the most important part of high school anyway. Familiarize yourself with the athletics and extracurricular activities that boarding schools offer. Then, which is so important, visit schools that meet your needs and requirements. Yes, you really must set foot on the campuses to see if the school community is a good fit for your child. Resources from the National Association

Will your child be going to high school in a few years? Are you considering 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 that progressive schools offer. Some children find that the International Baccalaureate program's substantial academic experience 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.

Why should I consider a boarding school that offers the International Baccalaureate® Diploma Programme?

You should consider sending your child to a boarding school that offers the International Baccalaureate® Programme or IB as it is affectionately called. First of all, you have decided that you want your child to learn how to do serious academic work in high school so that she is well-prepared for the rigors of tertiary-level academic work. Secondly, you are uncomfortable with the idea of her only learning how to do well on tests. Thirdly, you want her to develop superior writing and research skills.

Where is the IB Diploma Programme offered?

Most American public and private high schools

Perhaps you are thinking about teaching in a boarding school in the future, or maybe you just started teaching in a boarding school during the current academic year. If you come from a public school, you will find several differences between teaching in a public school and teaching in a boarding school. If you are a new teacher, we will raise several points and issues for you to consider.

Students Who Want to Be There

Teachers want to teach. We love our subject. We want to share it with our students. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to teach when you are more concerned about maintaining order in your classroom than you are with actually teaching. Maintaining order is an ever-present issue when you have a large class of 30 or 40 students.

On the other hand, teaching a small class of 12 to 15 students allows you to engage your students more or less constantly. It is very difficult for students not to be engaged when the size of the class is small. There really is no place for them to hide.

Students attend boarding school for many reasons. Most of all, their parents want them to get a first-rate education in a well-supervised environment. Parents often have demanding careers that do not permit them to be available when their high school-age children are not in school. It is a parent's biggest worry, after all. Who is she with? What are they doing? These concerns become the stuff

Selecting boarding schools that fit your needs and requirements takes much time and effort. Once you have made your shortlist of schools, you need to focus on the admissions process. The admissions process consists of testing, recommendations, the interview, financial aid, and ensuring your child's admissions file is complete. Use this admissions checklist to keep you and your child on track. There are plenty of forms to fill out and, depending on each school's 2026 requirements, a standardized admissions test to prepare for.

Families who want a broader overview of current application requirements can also review Boarding School Review's Boarding School Admissions Process: Complete 2026 Guide for Families. In 2026, requirements vary by school, so confirm testing, interview, financial aid, and deadline policies directly with every school on your shortlist.

Testing

I have put admissions testing at the top of my checklist simply because it needs as much preparation as your child can give it. While standardized admissions tests are just one of several tools that the admissions professionals at each school will use to assess your child, they remain an important part of the assessment process at schools that require or consider them. The SSAT and ISEE remain widely used, but testing policies vary by school in 2026.

Once you have narrowed your choice of boarding schools to three to five, review the admissions requirements for each school carefully. Hopefully, all the schools on your list will use the same test, if they require one. That