What Is Boarding School?
June 22, 2024
You see it all the time in movies: a kid misbehaves, they get called into the principal’s office, and their parents threaten to send them to boarding school. Cue nightmares of stiff school uniforms, dunce caps, and drill sergeant teachers. The movies may have taught us that boarding schools are nothing but punishment, but in reality, they are an educational alternative that can offer students a unique curriculum, greater independence, and a strong sense of community.
When you think of boarding school, a scene from Hogwarts or a Victorian novel may come to mind, but boarding schools are real-world schools that are alive and thriving today. Generally considered to be boutique learning environments, they often take unique and immersive approaches to preparing students for college and beyond.
So, what is a boarding school? In this article, we’ll cover all the nuts and bolts:
- What Is Boarding School—Modern Boarding Schools
- Types of Boarding Schools
- What Is Boarding School—Why Attend Boarding School?
- 5 Prestigious U.S. Boarding Schools
- What Is Boarding School—5 Unique U.S. Boarding Schools
- More Resources
What Is Boarding School? —Modern Boarding Schools
Simply put, a boarding school is a place where students live on campus. Much like college students living on campus, boarding school students live in dorms, eat meals in shared dining halls, attend classes, and participate in athletics and extracurriculars all on the same home campus. If students live locally, they may go home on weekends. If they’re international students or live farther away, they visit home on holiday breaks. Many boarding schools also admit day students—students who attend classes and extracurriculars but do not sleep on campus. Typically, boarding schools cater to older students in grades 9-12. Younger students, if admitted, are more likely to be day students. Many boarding schools are co-ed, but some are all-girls or all-boys.
Although boarding schools are commonly associated with the East Coast, most U.S. states are home to at least one boarding school. Massachusetts tops the list with 32 schools. States like Montana, Ohio, Washington, and Iowa have just 1-3 schools.
Only about 35,000 students in the U.S. are boarding school students. As of the 2021 U.S. Census, 54.2 million children nationwide were enrolled in kindergarten through the 12th grade, which means boarding school students represent only a tiny portion of our country’s total student population. That should tip you off to the fact that many boarding schools are highly selective. Further, attendance can be costly. According to the Education Data Initiative, the average tuition for boarding schools is $37,590 per year, while the most prestigious schools can cost more than $70,000 per year. Most boarding schools do offer financial assistance, though, and students can apply for financial aid as part of their application process.
What Is Boarding School—Types of Boarding Schools
It can be difficult to pinpoint one all-encompassing answer to “What is a boarding school?” in part because boarding schools come in many shapes and sizes. Most boarding schools are what we’ll call “classic boarding schools,” but others offer unique programming or cater to students with specific interests and needs. Most boarding schools are private schools.
Classic Boarding School: Students receive a rigorous education and live on campus either during the week or during the school year. Some schools are co-ed, but many are all-girls or all-boys.
Special Topics Schools: These focus on a particular topic or field. Examples include Iowa Conservancy, a performing arts school, Interlochen Arts Academy, and North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.
Schools for Students with Learning Differences: These offer a variety of learning modalities for students with disabilities or learning differences. One example is Forman, a college prep school designed specifically for students with ADHD or dyslexia. The Greenwood School caters to 6th-12th grade boys who are neurodivergent learners.
What is a Boarding School? (Continued)
Outdoor Education: Students spend a significant amount of time outside engaged in athletics and nature retreats as part of their curriculum. Examples include Rock Point School, Sun Valley Community School, and Holderness.
Traveling Boarding Schools: Traveling schools like THINK Global School take students all around their world as their complete their high school diplomas. Another unique traveling school, A+ World Academy sailing school allows students to complete 11th and 12th grade at sea.
Other types of boarding schools provide residence and support for students with disabilities, at-risk children, and kids in rural areas with prohibitively long commutes to school.
What Is Boarding School—Why Attend Boarding School?
Although some students might struggle with living far from their families and communities, boarding schools come with many perks, including:
Small Classes
Most boarding schools have a much smaller student-to-faculty ratio than your average public school. Classes typically enroll 5-15 students.
Rigorous Academics
Because their ultimate goal is to immerse students in a high-level education that prepares them for college admissions, boarding schools typically refer to themselves as “college-prep” schools. It’s difficult to find trustworthy data that demonstrates boarding school students have better outcomes than other private school or high achieving public school students. Most studies of boarding schools are funded or conducted by boarding schools. Still, prestigious boarding schools are known for hiring highly qualified teachers and maintaining a high standard of excellence.
What is a Boarding School? (Continued)
Counseling and Mentorship
Due to smaller classroom sizes, students are often able to receive more mentorship and one-on-one help from their teachers. Boarding schools, like many private schools, also take a hands-on approach to college admissions. Often, they have college counselors on staff who consult with students and maintain relationships with selective universities.
Experiential Learning
Many boarding schools prioritize hands-on learning and early career development. At Interlochen, for example, students spend half the day focused on interdisciplinary arts and can tour with national performance companies. At Midland School, students design field studies, conduct research, and study science in the great outdoors.
What is a Boarding School? (Continued)
Athletics and Extracurriculars
Boarding schools often boast top notch facilities with state-of-the-art technology and well-stocked libraries. Students can expect to participate in band, choir, and the usual athletics, plus bonus sports such as ice skating, crew, and equestrian team.
Community
Boarding schools tend to be smaller schools with deep alumni connections. Small communities can pose difficulty for some students, but they also offer a chance to bond and learn alongside other academically motivated students.
What Is Boarding School—5 Prestigious U.S. Boarding Schools
As with all college rankings, it’s hard to say that one school is objectively better than the next. Just like the students they enroll, each boarding school is unique, offering their own programs and cultures. Because of their reputation for academic achievement, outstanding teaching, and college admissions, the five schools below are frequently ranked among the U.S.’s top boarding schools.
1) Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire
Founded in 1781, Phillips Exeter is synonymous with prestige. Students choose between 450 course topics (including rare topics like Global History of Witchcraft and Accelerated Arabic) and have the chance to study abroad.
2) Phillips Academy Andover, Andover, Massachusetts
A highly international campus with students from 49 countries, Andover boasts a 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Through school leadership and community service programs, students are encouraged to make a difference.
3) Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, Connecticut
Rather than asking them to narrow down their interests, Choate encourages students to pursue a broad and interdisciplinary education. Students study with highly qualified faculty and pursue special studies in fields such as robotics, government and public service, and environmental science.
4) Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, Massachusetts
Deerfield faculty, 56% of whom have advanced degrees, include Rhodes Scholars and Fulbright Fellows. Deerfield offers students a classic liberal arts education, plus extra electives in topics like urban studies, linguistics, and food writing.
5) Paul’s School, Concord, New Hampshire
A boarding school founded in the Episcopal tradition, St. Paul’s students begin each day in the Chapel. From there, they pursue a well-rounded education that prioritizes humanist values and service to others.
Read more about these schools and twenty other prestigious boarding schools in our round-up of the Best Boarding Schools in the US.
What Is Boarding School—5 Unique U.S. Boarding Schools
1) THINK Global School
One of the best-known traveling boarding schools, THINK Global students split their time between four different countries every year. A school that prioritizes hands-on learning, THINK Global students learn about conservancy by helping baby sea turtles reach the ocean and study Greek mythology on site at ancient temples in Greece.
2) IMG Academy, Bradenton, Florida
A well-known incubator for athletes, IMG Academy’s boarding school never asks students to choose between academics and sports. IMG’s student-athletes compete nationally and internationally in 15 different sports.
3) Sun Valley Community School, Idaho
A Pre-K through 12th grade outdoor school in Idaho, Sun Valley students aren’t confined to their large, 44 acre campus. Through camping trips, mountain climbing, and white-water rafting, students learn as much about adventure as they do academics.
4) Putney School, Putney, Vermont
A progressive school in rural Vermont, Putney lets students steer their own education. Through self-driven projects, leadership roles, senior exhibitions, and independent studies, students gain independence and pursue their passions.
5) Oak Grove School, Ojai, California
A quintessentially Californian school, all meals served at Oak Grove are vegetarian. Students can take unique electives like Digital Game Design and Horticulture, camping is part of the curriculum, and seniors embark on a 3-week trip to India.
More Resources
Curious to learn more about boarding schools? Read our round-up of the Best Boarding Schools and our list of 25 Private High School Interview Questions and Answers.
Interested in other ways to maximize your high school years? You’ll want to check out the High School Success section of our blog, plus these key articles:
