Anonymous
03/19/2026 19:20
Subject: Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Tell us about your kid OP. Recs could vary depending on your account.
OP here. Thanks all for recommendations.
DS currently is in charter in DC. We are considering private for the small class size and the teachers know and can help kids more. Also less screens and no chromebook. DS is strongest in math and science, weaker in writing and privates do better with that. He is not the most motivated kid and would do bettp in a more academic focused peer group and environment where there is more structure, study hours, etc…Looking for a school that focuses on academics but not a pressure cooker. We also would like him to be active so like the sports component and kids can do different things.o
He is social and very independent. No problem taking metro by himself starting in 6th. Loves sleepaway camp and would do it all summer if he could.
FIL did boarding and said it was life changing and had an amazing experience. DH also did boarding and had a good experience too. I grew up poor and no one in my family did any of it. We want to be able to visit on weekends, go to some events, and why looking no more than 3 hours away. We can push that a little and look into the NJ schools also.
I’m hoping to get a list and then start visiting schools to narrow it down. I’m a planner so starting this process early.
You didn't say that boarding school is something that HE wants to. That's troubling.
We presented the idea to him and he is open to it so we are starting the process of getting a list and visiting.
Then he can decide if this is something that he is interested in pursuing.
NP here - we are in the same boat as you, OP. In fact, I could have written your initial post! We are going to visit St. Andrews this spring. We did a camp at Mercersburg last summer and were impressed. We've visited Georgetown Prep and really liked it as well, despite it being a smaller boarding population. We are local to the DMV and love the fact that there are at least 50% international boarders at Prep. I've visited EHS, but our son hasn't. I'd love to hear more about The George School from the posters who posted about it.
Anonymous
03/19/2026 19:17
Subject: Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
Anonymous wrote:The Woodbury Forest headmaster is very thoughtful. Search Woodbury Headmaster sermons on the Wordpress site and enjoy the read.
Search the correct spelling "Woodberry"
Anonymous
03/19/2026 19:17
Subject: Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Tell us about your kid OP. Recs could vary depending on your account.
OP here. Thanks all for recommendations.
DS currently is in charter in DC. We are considering private for the small class size and the teachers know and can help kids more. Also less screens and no chromebook. DS is strongest in math and science, weaker in writing and privates do better with that. He is not the most motivated kid and would do bettp in a more academic focused peer group and environment where there is more structure, study hours, etc…Looking for a school that focuses on academics but not a pressure cooker. We also would like him to be active so like the sports component and kids can do different things.o
He is social and very independent. No problem taking metro by himself starting in 6th. Loves sleepaway camp and would do it all summer if he could.
FIL did boarding and said it was life changing and had an amazing experience. DH also did boarding and had a good experience too. I grew up poor and no one in my family did any of it. We want to be able to visit on weekends, go to some events, and why looking no more than 3 hours away. We can push that a little and look into the NJ schools also.
I’m hoping to get a list and then start visiting schools to narrow it down. I’m a planner so starting this process early.
You didn't say that boarding school is something that HE wants to. That's troubling.
We presented the idea to him and he is open to it so we are starting the process of getting a list and visiting.
Then he can decide if this is something that he is interested in pursuing.
Similar arc in my family. Presented the idea to my daughter a couple years ago, eventually the time was right. We brought it up as a plan and she agreed. She is the 3rd generation at that school, so that helps with the mindset a little. Her aunt and two grandparents went there.
Anonymous
03/19/2026 19:15
Subject: Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Tell us about your kid OP. Recs could vary depending on your account.
OP here. Thanks all for recommendations.
DS currently is in charter in DC. We are considering private for the small class size and the teachers know and can help kids more. Also less screens and no chromebook. DS is strongest in math and science, weaker in writing and privates do better with that. He is not the most motivated kid and would do bettp in a more academic focused peer group and environment where there is more structure, study hours, etc…Looking for a school that focuses on academics but not a pressure cooker. We also would like him to be active so like the sports component and kids can do different things.o
He is social and very independent. No problem taking metro by himself starting in 6th. Loves sleepaway camp and would do it all summer if he could.
FIL did boarding and said it was life changing and had an amazing experience. DH also did boarding and had a good experience too. I grew up poor and no one in my family did any of it. We want to be able to visit on weekends, go to some events, and why looking no more than 3 hours away. We can push that a little and look into the NJ schools also.
I’m hoping to get a list and then start visiting schools to narrow it down. I’m a planner so starting this process early.
You didn't say that boarding school is something that HE wants to. That's troubling.
Oh good grief. Do you find it "problematic"?
Anonymous
03/19/2026 19:11
Subject: Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Tell us about your kid OP. Recs could vary depending on your account.
OP here. Thanks all for recommendations.
DS currently is in charter in DC. We are considering private for the small class size and the teachers know and can help kids more. Also less screens and no chromebook. DS is strongest in math and science, weaker in writing and privates do better with that. He is not the most motivated kid and would do bettp in a more academic focused peer group and environment where there is more structure, study hours, etc…Looking for a school that focuses on academics but not a pressure cooker. We also would like him to be active so like the sports component and kids can do different things.o
He is social and very independent. No problem taking metro by himself starting in 6th. Loves sleepaway camp and would do it all summer if he could.
FIL did boarding and said it was life changing and had an amazing experience. DH also did boarding and had a good experience too. I grew up poor and no one in my family did any of it. We want to be able to visit on weekends, go to some events, and why looking no more than 3 hours away. We can push that a little and look into the NJ schools also.
I’m hoping to get a list and then start visiting schools to narrow it down. I’m a planner so starting this process early.
You didn't say that boarding school is something that HE wants to. That's troubling.
We presented the idea to him and he is open to it so we are starting the process of getting a list and visiting.
Then he can decide if this is something that he is interested in pursuing.
Anonymous
03/19/2026 18:00
Subject: Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Tell us about your kid OP. Recs could vary depending on your account.
OP here. Thanks all for recommendations.
DS currently is in charter in DC. We are considering private for the small class size and the teachers know and can help kids more. Also less screens and no chromebook. DS is strongest in math and science, weaker in writing and privates do better with that. He is not the most motivated kid and would do bettp in a more academic focused peer group and environment where there is more structure, study hours, etc…Looking for a school that focuses on academics but not a pressure cooker. We also would like him to be active so like the sports component and kids can do different things.o
He is social and very independent. No problem taking metro by himself starting in 6th. Loves sleepaway camp and would do it all summer if he could.
FIL did boarding and said it was life changing and had an amazing experience. DH also did boarding and had a good experience too. I grew up poor and no one in my family did any of it. We want to be able to visit on weekends, go to some events, and why looking no more than 3 hours away. We can push that a little and look into the NJ schools also.
I’m hoping to get a list and then start visiting schools to narrow it down. I’m a planner so starting this process early.
You didn't say that boarding school is something that HE wants to. That's troubling.
Anonymous
03/19/2026 17:52
Subject: Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
Anonymous wrote:George School in Newtown, PA has been great for my son.
Came here to recommend George and Westtown.
Anonymous
03/19/2026 17:49
Subject: Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
Anonymous wrote:Tell us about your kid OP. Recs could vary depending on your account.
OP here. Thanks all for recommendations.
DS currently is in charter in DC. We are considering private for the small class size and the teachers know and can help kids more. Also less screens and no chromebook. DS is strongest in math and science, weaker in writing and privates do better with that. He is not the most motivated kid and would do bettp in a more academic focused peer group and environment where there is more structure, study hours, etc…Looking for a school that focuses on academics but not a pressure cooker. We also would like him to be active so like the sports component and kids can do different things.o
He is social and very independent. No problem taking metro by himself starting in 6th. Loves sleepaway camp and would do it all summer if he could.
FIL did boarding and said it was life changing and had an amazing experience. DH also did boarding and had a good experience too. I grew up poor and no one in my family did any of it. We want to be able to visit on weekends, go to some events, and why looking no more than 3 hours away. We can push that a little and look into the NJ schools also.
I’m hoping to get a list and then start visiting schools to narrow it down. I’m a planner so starting this process early.
Anonymous
03/19/2026 16:51
Subject: Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
The Woodbury Forest headmaster is very thoughtful. Search Woodbury Headmaster sermons on the Wordpress site and enjoy the read.
Anonymous
03/19/2026 13:59
Subject: Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
Virginia Episcopal School (VES) in Lynchburg (beautiful)
Christ Church School (on the Rappahannock)
St. James in Hagerstown (?)
Christ Church School (on the Rappahannock)
St. James in Hagerstown (?)
Anonymous
03/19/2026 13:53
Subject: Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
Anonymous wrote:Georgetown Prep in Rockville MD is a great school and has a very structured schedule if you are open to Catholic/Jesuit schools.
Georgetown Prep is far from being considered a boarding school. I'm sure its board and leadership are trying desperately hard to change that perception with the beautiful dorm they just built; however, 75% of the student body is comprised of day students from the DMV.
Most of the boarders at Prep are international full freight asian families or athletic recruits.
Woodbury Forest and St Andrews, in my opinion, fit the description of what you might be looking for.
Anonymous
03/19/2026 13:27
Subject: Re:Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Many all-boys boarding schools are pretty small (<200 students). For schools that are about the size of top boarding schools (400-800+), Woodberry Forest is the only all-boys one that's mid-Atlantic. Georgetown Prep and St. Albans offer limited boarding options and are all boys.
If you're looking at coed, Episcopal is local and part of the Mid-Atlantic Boarding School Group, along with St. Andrew's (DE), Mercersburg Academy (PA), Peddie, and Blair (both NJ). EHS is boarding-only, while the others have day students as well as boarders. The group will do an area info session at Episcopal likely in the fall. It's a great opportunity to talk to each of the schools and see if there might be a fit without having to go to NJ, DE, or PA. As another posted mentioned. Lawrenceville is also in NJ and is the southernmost member of the Eight Schools Association (Choate, Deerfield, Andover, etc). None of those schools are all-boys, but they are all among the top-ranked high schools in the country.
St. Andrews is 100% boarding. I would not recommend the boarding school fairs - waste of time and all it does is sign you up for email marketing for… years. Spend the time and go and visit.
Ah yes, thanks for catching my mistake.
I disagree about the fairs if you're trying to get a decent overview. While there's nothing like visiting a campus to gauge its feel, the fairs can help rule out certain schools based on what the student might be looking for.
Anonymous
03/19/2026 13:25
Subject: Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
Anonymous wrote:Why hasn’t anyone mentioned Episcopal in Alexandria?
We have a sophomore at EHS who loves it. We're local, so it's a "best of both worlds" situation. They get the independence and self-motivation that boarding school offers, but we get to see most of their games/performances/etc. They can take 4 weekend leaves per semester, but also have a few long weekends/breaks through each semester as well. While it started as a boy's school, it's been co-ed since the early 90s and has a 50/50 ratio. About 1/3 of the students are local, so kids get exposed to a wide range of backgrounds (and not just wealthy kids, either).
Our other child goes to a local independent high school. They looked at EHS and a couple other boarding schools but ultimately chose a day school. They're very different kids and each appear to have found the right fit for their personalities and desire. Different strokes for different folks, even within the same family. We couldn't be happier for how it ended up for both of them.
Anonymous
03/19/2026 13:21
Subject: Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
George School in Newtown, PA has been great for my son.
Anonymous
03/19/2026 13:15
Subject: Re:Boarding School in MidAtlantic area
Anonymous wrote:Many all-boys boarding schools are pretty small (<200 students). For schools that are about the size of top boarding schools (400-800+), Woodberry Forest is the only all-boys one that's mid-Atlantic. Georgetown Prep and St. Albans offer limited boarding options and are all boys.
If you're looking at coed, Episcopal is local and part of the Mid-Atlantic Boarding School Group, along with St. Andrew's (DE), Mercersburg Academy (PA), Peddie, and Blair (both NJ). EHS is boarding-only, while the others have day students as well as boarders. The group will do an area info session at Episcopal likely in the fall. It's a great opportunity to talk to each of the schools and see if there might be a fit without having to go to NJ, DE, or PA. As another posted mentioned. Lawrenceville is also in NJ and is the southernmost member of the Eight Schools Association (Choate, Deerfield, Andover, etc). None of those schools are all-boys, but they are all among the top-ranked high schools in the country.
St. Andrews is 100% boarding. I would not recommend the boarding school fairs - waste of time and all it does is sign you up for email marketing for… years. Spend the time and go and visit.