How to get into boarding school

[Anonymous]

We have 2 young kids in DC independent schools but thinking ahead ... my top choice for them for high school is actually a somewhat selective boarding school that's also a day school. In an ideal world, we'd move there and live close by (they could either board or live at home). Is applying to boarding school similar to applying to any other prestigious dc high school? Any tips out there from anyone who has been down the boarding school path? I'm curious what we should know and what we can do to up our chances. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

This board isn’t very knowledgeable about boarding schools, and tends to ask why your kids hate you if they want to go or why you bothered to have kids if you just want to ship them off, so I expect most responses will be minimally helpful, and prepare now for the haters.

[Anonymous]

The majority of people who reply here will talk about their own experiences boarding - not many here have kids in boarding school.

[Anonymous]

What sports do your kids play ?
Not sure what boarding school this is, but if they have a squash team, have your kids learn the sport ( if they have any interest ) . It’s a highly sought after sport for boarding schools and not that many kids play it.
DS is in middle school and plays squash as one of his sports ( he’s good but definitely not a top ranked junior player ). He’s already been approached by 2 boarding school coaches we’ve met at tournaments.
Other niche sports would probably help too but I don’t have any experience with them.

[Anonymous]

College Confidential has a boarding/prep school sub.

https://talk.collegeconfidential.com/c/prep-school-admissions/750/none

[Anonymous]

If you have the cash, you can go to almost anywhere you want. They are begging for domestic students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you have the cash, you can go to almost anywhere you want. They are begging for domestic students.

No. They really aren’t. In particular, the more elite ones. - Boarding school mom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you have the cash, you can go to almost anywhere you want. They are begging for domestic students.

No. They really aren’t. In particular, the more elite ones. - Boarding school mom.

Yeah, they make a lot more money from foreign ones.

[Anonymous]

op here - thanks for the tips. ideally they will live with us. i just thought that because the majority of students board, it may be helpful to start to learn some of the boarding school angles. and appreciate the poster who shared the other sub as well. thank you!

[Anonymous]

Being a strong athlete helps. Also geographic diversity (like being from Indiana or Alaska) helps. But if they’re a day student that wouldn’t matter.

I would also pay attention to if there’s guidance on what geographic distance is allowed to be day students. I know Andover has strict rules that makes some Boston metro area students have to be boarders.

[Anonymous]

I’ll type more when I’m not on my phone but one big thing is to watch your kids’ digital presence when they get older. Highlight reels of musical performances or sports events are fine, suggestive Tik Tok dances or clips featuring drinking or vaping or any kind of mean kid behavior are not. Private schools in general don’t want to deal with that but it’s especially true at boarding schools where day students might be spending some nights on campus or switch over to boarding.

[Anonymous]

Being a day student at a boarding school is not great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Being a day student at a boarding school is not great.

I’ve done that and I agree. You aren’t really a member of the school community and you area really part of the public school system you left.

At the same time I would characterize being a boarding student as not being great either.

[Anonymous]

Talk to boarding school alumni to see if they would send their own kids to board.

In my experience, the majority would not.

If the school is predominantly boarding students, what kind of experience would a day student have?

From what I understand, it would not be good. Always missing out on stuff and seen as an outsider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have 2 young kids in DC independent schools but thinking ahead ... my top choice for them for high school is actually a somewhat selective boarding school that's also a day school. In an ideal world, we'd move there and live close by (they could either board or live at home). Is applying to boarding school similar to applying to any other prestigious dc high school? Any tips out there from anyone who has been down the boarding school path? I'm curious what we should know and what we can do to up our chances. Thank you!

If you have two young kids, how do you have any idea what their needs and interests will be for high school?

How did you choose your own top choice for them? Based on what you wanted for yourself?

See your kids for who they are. Parent the children in front of you.