The Boarding School Option


When deciding on an education for their children some parents may consider a boarding school. While this was a popular option for the wealthy many years ago, today, many schools have been established to give parents this choice.



The idea of a boarding school is to place a child in a structured and independent learning environment. Some boarding schools stress academic rigor and offer advanced preparation for college. Boarding schools not only offer an enhanced academic environment, they allow more individualized instruction.

Boarding schools are usually located in a campus type setting where students get a chance to experience nature up close every day. Schools in these settings may incorporate this into the learning experience. For example, nature walks or school farms may be a part of the everyday experience.



Staff members generally live on campus and interact with students both in and outside of class. They are able to give individual help with academics or other problems. Because of the generally smaller student -teacher ratio, teachers can better tailor the courses to individual students. Same sex schools like boys boarding school or all girls’ boarding schools give students a chance to avoid some of the problems of coed schools.

On the other hand, boarding schools tend to isolate students from their families. Some schools are located at great distance so visits with family are infrequent. This may lead to loneliness and homesickness. Students tend to bond with teachers and staff and may lose friendships developed at home. However, many students learn to be independent, solve problems and develop new friendships.

If the student comes from a background with many negative influences like drugs, crime or gangs, the boarding school provides a protective environment. The campus is closed to the public and often located far away from the home neighborhood. Freed from the temptations of home, many students succeed and develop more positive behavior traits.

The cost of boarding school is one of the biggest drawbacks for many parents. Aside from the cost of tuition, room and board and uniforms, transportation costs may be prohibitive. If parents live far from the school, the cost of travel will limit face -to -face interaction with family and friends.


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