Prep food is good and their are always healthy choices

I know you said religious and boys only, but have you looked at McDonogh? You can do weekday boarding.

And Gilman is also an excellent school. I live near Ellicott City and drive my children to a Roland Park Area private, and it's normally about a 30 minute drive. Less when traffic cooperates, more when it doesn't.

Prep is not known for its arts programs.

Jesuits care about atheltics not the arts.

It could be an option, but what are it's strengths?

I know a lot of Howard County families who have sent their kids to Sandy Spring Friends School. Is that an option?

I second DeMatha. Great golf team, music program, great community and affordable without a windfall of FA.

Episcopal, which is co-ed, is a good choice. Lots of local kids attend as 5-day boarders as well as kids from further afield who are there on weekends (so there's an active weekend residential feel). Boarding schools often have pretty good financial aid packages -- they generally have larger endowments than day schools.

Prep and St. Albans are both religious schools in this area that are mainly day schools but have small boarding departments with some kids who are effectively 5-day boarders, as well as kids from outside the area/overseas. St. Albans is probably better known for its music program compared to Prep but I'm less familiar with Prep so might be doing them a disservice (they could have a great music program, I'm just not familiar with it). I don't know the likelihood of a major financial aid package -- might be a little tougher to get than at the richer traditional boarding schools. Good communities in both places.

Gilman

DeMatha

A friend's son is at Episcopal and loving it. But it is coed.

St. Albans hits most of the notes.

McDonogh doesn't have all of what you want, but it has a lot

Ellicott City

Georgetown Prep, though there will be some snobs, there are more down-to-earth parents too. Where would you be commuting from?

This is a serious q, not a troll. Child is applying for high schools around town. Each has something we like, but no school has all qualities we like. Child's qualifications are strong, not concerned about that. But better rated schools are a further away. So that means commute 2 hours a day or more (round trip) or apply for aid to board. Downside of boarding is food is not as healthy and lack of familial support. Upside is save on commute time, gasoline, and groceries. But then if we would consider a local boarding school, should we consider a top tier boarding school too? The benefit of local boarding is no airfare and weekends home.
Isn't there one private school that has strong stem and music program both? And maybe golf too? Our perfect school is high on academics, stem or engineering intro, religious, talent hotbed, music, golf, boys only preferably, and snob- free or at least a great community. Thanks.