Boarding School - Why or Why Not?

[Anonymous]

And what do you think your boarding school offers that these day schools do not?

Listen, every major city has its prestigious private college prep schools, selective admission magnets, and wealthy suburban schools. These all offer great resources, and a child is privileged to attend any one of these sorts of places. However, what I think Exeter, Andover, etc. has to offer is that a) it attracts people from all over the country and all over the world. It's a bigger pool than the DC metro area, although DC is very international. b) Things like a world class art gallery at Andover, a world class library at Exeter, and so on c) summer programs that draw a very diverse group of people from all over the country d) a larger endowment, so that over 50% of the students are on some kind of financial aid and if you make under 70K you get a full ride--thus giving advantages to a broad range of students e) more extensive course catalog.

They are all fabulous schools, and the differences may be minor at the end of the day. But I think to draw an obnoxious analogy, Exeter is to Sidwell as Harvard is to Georgetown. Both very, very good, very selective schools. Which one is known more nationally and internationally?

[Anonymous]

If you go to school in dc, you can do your research at the library of congress. (That's where i did all my history reseacrh as a high school student.) I bet that trumps exeter's library.

[Anonymous]

And does andover's art gallery trump the national gallery of art, the Phillips, the hirschhorn, etc?

[Anonymous]

Ok whatever. I'm just saying it is a larger pool of people that go to boarding school compared to day schools, even in though the private schools in DC are very competitive and very very good schools with a lot to offer. And by that argument, if you are going to use the fact that Sidwell/NCS/STA is in DC as the "advantage" why send your kid to those places instead of Wilson or SWW?

[Anonymous]

Haven't yet read all the posts to this thread, but have to say, I am laughing. Daughter #1 transferred to one of what us known on college confidential a "HADES" schools. #2 is currently at a highly regarded New England school, studying abroad this year. Both had been in MCPS; both asked to go. No boarding or private school tradition in our families. We're a normal, happy, close family that loves each other.

It's been fantastic. I feel like we -- and must importantly they -- won the lottery.

And in a way we have. All the folks here who talk about the great local options... Ahem... Perhaps if you're full pay, and even then a whole lot of kids chasing very few slots. But if you need financial aid? (We're typical well-educated DC-area government worker / nonprofit professional types.) Lots of luck. There's no way my kids would have been able to attend a "big three" (let alone others) because the money just isn't there in the same way. At boarding school we're paying a fraction of what local private school would cost and my kids are getting a superior education. The worries about drugs... "caffeine abuse"... And multiple other horrors ascribed to boarding school? Keep telling yourselves that, Lol. (As if that stuff doesn't exist everywhere, both private and public.) Just means more opportunities to those savvy families and kids who have figured out a way to get world class educations and experiences for themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dh went to boarding school, and we talk about it sometimes as an option for our kids. I read something which resonated with me, which is that for a kid who fits very well into his/her peers' value system, boarding school is great, because the kid is with peers 24/7. But for a kid who is divergent from the peers in some way - socially, intellectually, whatever - he/she doesn't have any time/place to step away. There is no "time off" from the social dynamics of the class. I could see that for someone like me in HS, that might have been exhausting even though the academics and facilities would have been great.

DH's boarding school's head said that each year a few students are expelled for drug/alcohol offenses, but many more students leave because of mental health issues. That would be my greatest concern - that the pressure could be too much in an environment where I'm not there to help dc manage it and provide support.

that's a polite, indirect way of saying: rich, white, thin, and pretty, amirite? or, rich, white, athletic and good-looking if a boy. oh, and most important factor is rich. as for academics, you shouldn't be a moron, but that's not what makes or breaks you socially...

That wasn't the case for me. I am poor (attended on scholarship), more athletic than simply skinny, okay I am kind of pretty, oh and not white.

[Anonymous]

And in a way we have. All the folks here who talk about the great local options... Ahem... Perhaps if you're full pay, and even then a whole lot of kids chasing very few slots. But if you need financial aid? (We're typical well-educated DC-area government worker / nonprofit professional types.) Lots of luck. There's no way my kids would have been able to attend a "big three" (let alone others) because the money just isn't there in the same way. At boarding school we're paying a fraction of what local private school would cost and my kids are getting a superior education. The worries about drugs... "caffeine abuse"... And multiple other horrors ascribed to boarding school? Keep telling yourselves that, Lol. (As if that stuff doesn't exist everywhere, both private and public.) Just means more opportunities to those savvy families and kids who have figured out a way to get world class educations and experiences for themselves.

Yes, that was part of what I was trying to articulate above about having a larger endowment. The larger endowment can give a broader number of people access to financial aid (there was a new york times article about how Exeter's endowment just hit 1 billion). The pull that it has to bring people from all over the country and even from other countries just does not exist at day schools, and I think this definitely broadens people's horizons academically and intellectually.

[Anonymous]

I was once offered a position as a residential advisor in a well regarded building school, along with teaching a class. I was 24 and had never taught or supervised kids before (no camp counselor or college ra experience). These people didnt know me from Adam. One other twenty something teacher and I would have been responsible for three floors of teenage girls! The pay was 3,000 a year for the ra position, free room and board, and 3,000 for the class. 6,000 total for the year. That is who would be looking after your kid (and thirty other kids). They didnt even call my references.

Just sayin....

[Anonymous]

^Sorry for the typos in 23:33. Typing on phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok whatever. I'm just saying it is a larger pool of people that go to boarding school compared to day schools, even in though the private schools in DC are very competitive and very very good schools with a lot to offer. And by that argument, if you are going to use the fact that Sidwell/NCS/STA is in DC as the "advantage" why send your kid to those places instead of Wilson or SWW?

Just saying these boarding schools out in the middle of nowhere better have good resources, because if not, where are you going to do your research? Your exposed to nothing other than freezing cold snow and a small town nine months out of the year.

[Anonymous]

I know a bunch of people who went to Exeter and they all hated it except for one kid on a scholarship who came from a crappy rural school district and was just psyched to get the hell out of her hometown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok whatever. I'm just saying it is a larger pool of people that go to boarding school compared to day schools, even in though the private schools in DC are very competitive and very very good schools with a lot to offer. And by that argument, if you are going to use the fact that Sidwell/NCS/STA is in DC as the "advantage" why send your kid to those places instead of Wilson or SWW?

Just saying these boarding schools out in the middle of nowhere better have good resources, because if not, where are you going to do your research? Your exposed to nothing other than freezing cold snow and a small town nine months out of the year.

I hate to break it to you but the "internets" work in New England. Kids really aren't going to libraries to do research any more. And very few, even in DC, are hanging out at the Library of Congress. I went to a Big 3 school here and never set foot in the LOC during high school. To be fair I did go there during college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok whatever. I'm just saying it is a larger pool of people that go to boarding school compared to day schools, even in though the private schools in DC are very competitive and very very good schools with a lot to offer. And by that argument, if you are going to use the fact that Sidwell/NCS/STA is in DC as the "advantage" why send your kid to those places instead of Wilson or SWW?

Just saying these boarding schools out in the middle of nowhere better have good resources, because if not, where are you going to do your research? Your exposed to nothing other than freezing cold snow and a small town nine months out of the year.

I hate to break it to you but the "internets" work in New England. Kids really aren't going to libraries to do research any more. And very few, even in DC, are hanging out at the Library of Congress. I went to a Big 3 school here and never set foot in the LOC during high school. To be fair I did go there during college.

Well then if that's your argument the size of the library is irrelevant

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok whatever. I'm just saying it is a larger pool of people that go to boarding school compared to day schools, even in though the private schools in DC are very competitive and very very good schools with a lot to offer. And by that argument, if you are going to use the fact that Sidwell/NCS/STA is in DC as the "advantage" why send your kid to those places instead of Wilson or SWW?

Just saying these boarding schools out in the middle of nowhere better have good resources, because if not, where are you going to do your research? Your exposed to nothing other than freezing cold snow and a small town nine months out of the year.

I hate to break it to you but the "internets" work in New England. Kids really aren't going to libraries to do research any more. And very few, even in DC, are hanging out at the Library of Congress. I went to a Big 3 school here and never set foot in the LOC during high school. To be fair I did go there during college.

Well then if that's your argument the size of the library is irrelevant

I probably should clarify that I am NP. I didn't say anything about the size of any library, only pointing out that resources that may have only been available locally in the dark ages are much more accessible via technology today. I have 2 high school students and neither goes to the LOC for research. They are able to get what they need through their school library and our public library.

[Anonymous]

Ok, here's a better way of articulating it:

1) You are at no disadvantage being in the middle of nowhere because the facilities are fantastic. In that sense, it's like being at a liberal arts college.

2) You are competing with a larger pool of people who came nationally rather than regionally. You might meet someone from a rural area or someone from Texas or California or Chicago. Or someone from China or Europe. Maybe this is not so important, but I think it would certainly shape your academic experience and networking potential

3) If financial aid is a concern, you might have better luck getting it at boarding schools rather than day schools due to the size of the endowment and need blind policies

4) You are living at school, so you don't have to worry about commuting eating into homework time. You also get a sense of independence.

5) The course catalogs at some of these schools have more offerings than even Sidwell or STA.