Getting Started

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

Does it matter when you go off to boarding school? What is the most common point of entry? Are there any advantages to entering 9th grade versus entering 10th grade? What about attending boarding school just for 11th grade or 12th grade? Does that make sense? Is it even possible? The answers to these questions depend on you and your circumstances.

10th Grade Entry and Academics

The most common entry point for American college prep boarding schools has traditionally been 10th grade. That makes sense for many students because college preparatory studies usually cover a three-year cycle. Many schools offer the Advanced Placement, or AP program. AP courses allow high school students to pursue college-level studies. The AP courses vary from school to school, so be sure to scrutinize the academic curricula carefully as you search for the right boarding school for your child. While many boarding schools offer a wide range of AP subjects, some frequently offer highly specialized courses that are difficult to find in many other schools.

10th grade is also a sensible entry point at boarding schools that offer the IB or International Baccalaureate programme. The IB programme has many programme-specific features. The IB Diploma Programme itself is designed for students aged 16 to 19 and is typically implemented during the final two years of secondary education, so families should check the individual school's curriculum and preparation requirements.

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments

Choosing a boarding or private day school is a process involving several steps.

• Fortunately for you and me, the web makes the first step much easier.
• Sites like Boarding School Review and Private School Review take the work out of finding schools.
• Use our Applications Calendar to keep you organized.

Step 1: Identify Schools

Let your imagination and wishes run wild at this stage.

• Look at any and every school that catches your fancy.
• Take time to explore each school's website.
• Many of them have excellent video tours.
• Read what the students have to say about their school.

Both Boarding School Review and Private School Review have student comments.

• Many school websites have comments as well, although you probably will find that those comments are pretty positive.
• Boarding School Review and Private School Review do not filter student comments.

Bookmark school web addresses or swipe and paste the URLs into a spreadsheet.

• That makes the next step in the process easy.
• You should end up with a list of 15-20 schools, but don't worry if you have more than that.

Don't worry at this stage about which school is the best one for your child. More about how to deal with that question later.

Step 2: Narrow Your List

Narrowing your list is one of the more time-consuming parts of choosing a private school.

• Why? Because you need to sit down with your

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments

Parents considering private or independent schools for the first time can find the process daunting. If completely new to independent education, one can expend much energy working to learn the vocabulary and ways of independent schools all before focusing on the most important piece of the equation, your student. The school search is akin to a life-size jigsaw puzzle in which the objective is to find the best fit between school and student. No two are alike and dovetailing the talents of school and student is difficult even for the experienced parent. The expertise and services of an educational consultant can help families find the best school for their children.

In 2026, families can also use Boarding School Review's boarding school search tool to narrow their choices by factors such as school type, student body size, location, application deadline, sports, and specific programs.

What An Educational Consultant Can Help With

Each family's unique setting and student determine the exact role that a consultant plays in the school search. IECA educational consultants are credentialed professionals - members of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA) - who add expertise and independent judgment to a family's school search.

In 2026, IECA reports more than 2,800 members. The organization also announced a new professional credentialing initiative in May 2026, with implementation expected to unfold over approximately 18 months.

A consultant brings clear eyes to a

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments

A post-graduate year is a year beyond high school graduation, spent at an independent school. Some students will consider doing an “extra” year of high school in order to better prepare themselves for college in a number of areas. Reasons for pursuing a post-graduate year vary, as does the timing of this decision. Some students know early on that they would like to pursue a post-graduate year and don’t go through the college application process at all, while others decide to consider both options. Still others go through the college application process and then realize that they are not pleased with their college options and would like another year to strengthen their candidacy for colleges.

In 2026, the post-graduate year remains an established option at many independent boarding schools. Families can compare schools offering this option through Boarding School Review's post-graduate boarding schools directory.

In any of these cases, the post-graduate year is a worthwhile option to consider. This “extra” year allows a student to mature socially and/or academically, provides another year of academic preparedness and time to enhance study skills and time management, and perhaps another year to strengthen the athletic ability to pursue a sport in college. These are all valid reasons for pursuing a post-graduate year.

Many independent schools offer this option, usually to a group of 10-20

Editor's note: Lynette Assarsson of Westtown School wrote this article offering an overview of Quaker education.

While each Friends school has its own unique style and personality, they all have a common purpose: not only to provide a rich and challenging education but also to foster the ideals of community, spirituality, responsibility, and stewardship. A hallmark of the Quaker school experience is the basic belief that we are all teachers and learners and that each child has unique gifts and talents. Students are called upon to discover their own voices and interests within the framework of rigorous, college-preparatory academics. The foundation of the educational experience is built upon the idea that students’ quality of character, what kind of people they are becoming, is as important to their lives and to the world as their intellectual growth and exploration.

Because Quaker education endeavors to be a socially responsible one, Friends schools’ curricula emphasize service, social action, and experiential learning. Can education be socially responsible and academically rigorous at the same time? Educators in Friends schools believe that one is not developed at the expense of the other; instead, they work in tandem to prepare students for college and for life.

In 2026, families interested in this educational tradition can also use Boarding School Review's Best Quaker Boarding Schools directory to explore current Quaker boarding options. The directory currently lists two Quaker boarding schools serving 536 students in the United States and Canada.

This video explains