Boarding School

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What is a boarding school?

A boarding school is an educational institution where middle or high school students live in dormitories on campus, away from their families. Top boarding schools provide a unique learning experience where students are immersed in a structured environment that fosters discipline, independence, and responsibility. Students follow a strict daily schedule that includes academic classes, extracurricular activities, and study periods. Boarding schools vary in focus—academics, athletics, and the arts. There is a strong sense of community, encouraging deep and lasting friendships as well as building social networks that could help them later on in their careers.

What are the benefits of a boarding school?

Boarding schools offer a unique educational environment. Living on campus creates a tight-knit community that fosters lasting friendships and a supportive network that allows close interaction with teachers to enhance academic engagement and provide personalized attention. The challenging curriculum is designed to provide students with a comprehensive, rigorous, and intellectually stimulating college preparatory education. There are advanced classes that can be taken for college credits, such as Honors, AP, and IB. Boarding schools offer many extracurricular activities that let students pursue different interests. Students enrolled in boarding schools follow a daily routine and specific activity schedule. This discipline leads them to better manage their time and exercise their self-discipline and decision-making skills.

How hard is it to get into a boarding school?

Boarding school admissions can be quite competitive and intimidating. The most prestigious boarding schools have a low acceptance rate, such as Milton Academy, Ransom Everglades, Exeter Academy, Phillips Exeter, and Phillips Andover, which are extremely selective. To get into the top boarding schools, work with the best admissions consultants who are well-versed in boarding school admissions and can help you prepare a strong application profile that demonstrates your child’s uniqueness. The committee carefully considers recommendation letters, extracurricular activities, academic records, and results from standardized tests. Personal statements, essays, and admissions interviews may also be necessary for admission to the best boarding schools in the U.S. Boarding school consultants can help you prepare a strong application profile that demonstrates your child’s uniqueness, which will increase your chances of acceptance. 

What are the different types of boarding schools?

  1. College Preparatory Boarding School
    College preparatory boarding schools offer a rigorous academic curriculum to prepare students for higher education. There are further distinctions between schools:
    1. Single Gender or Coeducational Boarding Schools
      Parents can choose whether to send their children to an all-boys, all-girls, or a co-educational boarding school. Each will have its advantages and disadvantages that will depend largely on personal circumstances.
    2. Military Schools
      Military schools aid students in developing strong moral values and focus on strong character, respect, discipline, leadership, accountability, and solidarity.
    3. Performing Arts School or Fine Arts Boarding Schools
      These schools offer a unique environment where students can immerse themselves in their chosen artistic disciplines such as music, dance, visual arts, theater, or creative writing.
    4. Religious Boarding Schools
      In addition to standard education, these institutions emphasize moral development, spiritual growth, and religious teaching. They may belong to several different religious movements, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.
    5. Sports Academies
      These schools offer comprehensive sports programs, elite coaching and training, top-notch sports facilities and resources, participation in competitions and tournaments, and college athletic preparation.  

Here is a list of the top 10 boarding schools in each category. Find the one that fits you!  

Best Boarding Schools in the US

  1. Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter, New Hampshire)
  2. Phillips Academy Andover (Andover, Massachusetts)
  3. St. Paul’s School (Concord, New Hampshire)
  4. Choate Rosemary Hall (Wallingford, Connecticut)
  5. Deerfield Academy (Deerfield, Massachusetts)
  6. Hotchkiss School (Lakeville, Connecticut)
  7. Groton School (Groton, Massachusetts)
  8. Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville, New Jersey)
  9. The Thacher School (Ojai, California)
  10. Milton Academy (Milton, Massachusetts)

Best Boarding Schools in the World

  1. Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter, New Hampshire, USA)
  2. Phillips Academy Andover (Andover, Massachusetts, USA)
  3. Eton College (Eton, United Kingdom)
  4. Harrow School (Harrow, United Kingdom)
  5. Westminster School (London, United Kingdom)
  6. St. Paul’s School (London, United Kingdom)
  7. Charterhouse School (Godalming, United Kingdom)
  8. Winchester College (Winchester, United Kingdom)
  9. UWC Atlantic College (Vale of Glamorgan, Wales)
  10. The Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville, New Jersey, USA)

Christian Boarding Schools

  1. Baylor School (Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA)
  2. St. Paul’s School (Concord, New Hampshire, USA)
  3. Woodberry Forest School (Woodberry Forest, Virginia, USA)
  4. Cistercian Preparatory School (Irving, Texas, USA)
  5. St. Mark’s School of Texas (Dallas, Texas, USA)
  6. Canterbury School (Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA)
  7. Westminster Christian Academy (St. Louis, Missouri, USA)
  8. Second Baptist School (Houston, Texas, USA)
  9. Providence School (Jacksonville, Florida, USA)
  10. Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA)

Equestrian Boarding Schools

  1. Millfield School (Somerset, England)
  2. The Bolles School (Jacksonville, Florida, USA)
  3. Hartpury College (Gloucestershire, England)
  4. The Madeira School (McLean, Virginia, USA)
  5. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida, USA)
  6. Foxcroft School (Middleburg, Virginia, USA)
  7. Culver Academies (Culver, Indiana, USA)
  8. Bishop Strachan School (Toronto, Canada)
  9. Rocky Mountain College (Billings, Montana, USA)
  10. Andrews Osborne Academy (Willoughby, Ohio, USA)

Most Expensive Boarding Schools in the World

  1. Le Rosey (Rolle, Switzerland)
  2. Institut Le Rosey (Rolle, Switzerland)
  3. Institut auf dem Rosenberg (St. Gallen, Switzerland)
  4. College Alpin International Beau Soleil (Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland)
  5. Aiglon College (Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland)
  6. Collège du Léman International School (Versoix, Switzerland)
  7. The American School in Switzerland (TASIS) (Montagnola, Switzerland)
  8. Eton College (Eton, United Kingdom)
  9. Harrow School (Harrow, United Kingdom)
  10. Badminton School (Bristol, United Kingdom)

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