The right boarding school

[Anonymous]

My kids at a boarding school and had loved the experience.

Unlike the 90ies the boarding schools will expel kids for drug and alcohol abuse on campus. Sexual harassment I’m not sure about but I assume it’s very strict.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids at a boarding school and had loved the experience.

Unlike the 90ies the boarding schools will expel kids for drug and alcohol abuse on campus. Sexual harassment I’m not sure about but I assume it’s very strict.

You know you can just write 90s, right? Not 90ies? If you wrote it out in letters you would have written “ninetyies.”

[Anonymous]

I have a parent that worked for decades in the Mid atlantic and New england boarding school world. I attended one, my sibling attended one, and I have many friends and cousins who did as well -- across NY state, CT, Mass, and NJ. (Loved it, had a great experience. Will consider for my own children when it is time.)

Not a single school mentioned on this thread would be on my list of "welcoming" schools. Lawrenceville, Taft, Choate, and Hotchkiss are all pressure cookers. FULL of parents who want to see and be seen. High flyers. Their kids, the students at these schools, mirror that.

If you're looking for welcoming schools that put out well-rounded kids vs. superstars of some variety, you should consider:

Kent
Suffield
Gunn (was the Gunnery, back in my day!)
Peddie
Hill School
Blair Academy

All have beautiful campuses, healthy endowments/financials, and many, many resources to offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a parent that worked for decades in the Mid atlantic and New england boarding school world. I attended one, my sibling attended one, and I have many friends and cousins who did as well -- across NY state, CT, Mass, and NJ. (Loved it, had a great experience. Will consider for my own children when it is time.)

Not a single school mentioned on this thread would be on my list of "welcoming" schools. Lawrenceville, Taft, Choate, and Hotchkiss are all pressure cookers. FULL of parents who want to see and be seen. High flyers. Their kids, the students at these schools, mirror that.

If you're looking for welcoming schools that put out well-rounded kids vs. superstars of some variety, you should consider:

Kent
Suffield
Gunn (was the Gunnery, back in my day!)
Peddie
Hill School
Blair Academy

All have beautiful campuses, healthy endowments/financials, and many, many resources to offer.

What is honestly the point of these boarding schools that aren’t household names? It seems like a total waste of money. Save your dosh and put your kid in a good public.

[Anonymous]

"Unlike the 90ies the boarding schools will expel kids for drug and alcohol abuse on campus. Sexual harassment I’m not sure about but I assume it’s very strict."

You assume wrong. OP ask about Andover's Sanctuary policy. A free pass for much of the drug/alcohol use that is caught. -- Andover parent only willing to send my goody-goody who loves schoolwork there.

[Anonymous]

The boarding school community on college confidential is a far far better resource for boarding schools than this board, just FYI.

[Anonymous]

Current Deerfield parent. Our lived experience (very welcoming) has been very different from how it was occasionally characterized to us (elitist). While it is true that a great number of the kids come from seriously wealthy families, the kids themselves don’t care. Our son receives partial financial aid. No one asks or cares. They mix it up find amazing friends and build a life for themselves that simply would not be possible in a different environment.

I assume you are aware of the exceptional facilities and opportunities. While they are indeed wonderful, and we are grateful, the real reason my son chose DA was the community. The sit down dinners with kids from different years, no phones M-F, and amazing programming from the Student Life team get the kids integrated very quickly. It is an all-in culture with amazing spirit. Because of the remote location, students very rarely leave for weekends away. This makes for some good shenanigans and leaves plenty of time to study.

I agree with the above posters about admissions officers being part of campus in other roles. Our AO was so energetic and helpful and chats with our son all the time around campus. I do think the school cultivates an outwardly competitive vibe (Go Big Green!) but that internally, most kids are competing with themselves, not their classmates, to be their best. It’s important not to layer on parent pressure. An approach of curiosity, rather than a lecture, from us brings out the best in our son.

If you visit DA, you should definitely visit NMH at the same time. Very different but wonderful in its own way. We have a friend whose daughter is deeply happy there. And I am surprised no one has mentioned St. Andrew’s DE. Terrific school. Very down to earth. The current head of school at DA taught there for a long time. I suspect his dedication to cultivating an in person community might have, in part, its origin there. Look up the DA podcast and listen to the first episode (It’s just out and I think it is called Dialogue). It is insightful and relevant to the whole boarding school category regarding culture and communication.

There are a whole slew of schools to consider outside of the usual suspects. Cast a wide net and you will find several gems. To the list above, I second Peddie and would also add Millbrook and Berkshire. Visit several schools if you can. My son knew what he wanted the day he toured Deerfield. And each person he met that day was kind, encouraging and welcoming. I hope your child finds their fit.