This post contains two versions of the passage: simplified and advanced.
Simplified
What is boarding school?
Boarding school with uniforms
Oftentimes, when the words “boarding school” come to mind, people think of what they’ve seen on TV shows and films. Today, I will be sharing the truth about what boarding school is really like.
Let me start by clearing up that boarding school is not nearly as dramatic as shown in Hollywood movies, though it certainly is a culture of its own. The easiest way to describe boarding school is a small college, except it’s actually a high school. In the past, wealthy families would send their children to boarding schools, as they hoped it would help provide them with higher quality education and raise them to have better manners. Nowadays, however, these schools are starting to focus more on diversity with the shared goal of giving good resources, facilities, and opportunities to motivated students.
Do you live at school?
A typical dorm room
My school, like most boarding schools, has a mix of day and boarding students (including international students), so some live in dorms whereas others live nearby. I am an out of state student, so this year, I lived in a dorm with around a fourth of the girls in my class. In each dorm, there are several faculty members who live in-house that act as your “parents” at school and also seniors who serve as your “older sibling” figure.
Although most of our dorms are single-sex, our school has just created a non-binary, all-gender housing and has been considering developing a co-ed dorm with a shared common room in the future. The most common roomings are doubles; however, we do have singles and triples available with a housing lottery.
Living in a dorm is super fun. We often have dorm events and meetings, so you usually begin to bond with people pretty easily, even if you consider yourself to be shyer. You may be wondering if students ever experience homesickness. Homesickness does hit every once in a while, but it helps a lot to know that you have all your friends with you and to give your family a call. Oh, and I forgot to mention–many advisors living in dorms have pets that they let you play with, so heads-up, if you happen to be an animal lover!
What does a day at boarding school look like?
Here’s a rough approximation of my daily activities on weekdays and weekends at school.
Weekdays:
I usually start the morning pulling my blanket over my head while I silence my first four morning alarms and finally getting out of bed when I hear the fifth. Depending on how much time I have before class and how long it takes to walk (or run) there, I either like to drop by at the dining hall to grab a bagel or take a protein bar and some fruit gummies from my room before rushing out the door. Between classes, I probably have a free period, which means an hour to do my homework or quality time between me and Netflix. On some days, I may also have meetings or music lessons during a free block. Once classes are over, students head to their sports or afternoon activity and meet up later in the dining hall for dinner. Evening activities are different for each person but may include music ensemble rehearsals, club meetings, or just chill time. Afterward, underclassmen are required to return their dorms to work on homework or visit teachers for extra help, while upperclassmen have the freedom to be outside until curfew. Wifi then shuts off at a certain time (which depends by grade) and we have “lights out” to encourage us to get a decent amount of sleep (though this might be just for our school).
Weekends:
Weekends vary greatly depending on the week and person, so I’ll just list some common activities.
- Movie nights
- Sleeping in
- Walking around town (we are allowed to go anywhere in our city at all times, and can also get permission to go to other cities/states through a more complicated system)
- Competing in or attending a sporting event
- Participating in whatever school activities are planned for the weekend (trivia, dances, etc.)
- Going swimming or ice skating
- Club meetings/events
- Our favorite: HOMEWORK!!!
- Errands: cleaning, laundry
How do you know if boarding school is for you?
Boarding school can be an incredible experience, but how do you know if it’s for you? There are many things to consider when applying for boarding school–which may include but are not limited to–Are you responsible and matureenough to be living alone? Do you get homesick easily? Can you handle being in a competitive environment with difficult academics? Why do you want to go to boarding school?
Deciding to attend boarding school is a very large commitment. Although financial aid is offered to those in need of it in most schools, tuition is often very expensive, not to mention the frequent plane rides for students who live far away. But there’s no need to be scared. Going to boarding school is very special and exciting and not only helps you grow academically but also as an individual. My biggest tips? Choose a school that’s right for you (not your mom, not your friend, not your dog) and make the most out of your time there. Don’t hold yourself back! Put yourself out there and be willing to try new things! Know that you will make mistakes and choose to learn from them. You will have a great time, and if you don’t, remember that you always have the option to transfer out (but you probably won’t want to!).
Please take into consideration that I am not speaking for all boarding schools or all boarding school students, but rather only sharing my own experiences in my school (which I will not be naming for privacy reasons).
Advanced
What is boarding school?
Boarding school with uniforms
Oftentimes, when the words “boarding school” come to mind, people immediately jump to two conclusions: a reformatory school for juvenile delinquents, or rich kids dressed in their plaid skirts or coats and ties and Brad Pitt’s children arriving at school via helicopter. Today, I will be debunking these myths and sharing the inside scoop on what boarding school is really like.
Let me start by clearing up that boarding school is not nearly as dramatic as pictured in Hollywood films, (much to your dismay I’m sure) though it certainly is a culture of its own. The easiest way to describe boarding school is to imagine a small college, except it’s actually a high school. In the past, wealthy families would send their children to boarding schools, hoping it would help develop their character and improve their education. Nowadays, however, these schools are starting to focus more on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity , with the commonality of offering quality resources, facilities, and opportunities to driven students.
Do you live at school?
A typical dorm room
My school, like most boarding schools, has a mix of day and boarding students (including international students), so some live in dorms whereas others live in their homes nearby. I am an out of state student, so this year, I lived in a dorm with around a fourth of the girls in my class. In each dorm, there are several faculty members who live in-house that essentially act as your “parents” at school and also seniors who serve as your “older sibling” figure.
Although most of our dorms are single sex, our school has just implemented a non-binary, all gender housing and has been considering developing a co-ed dorm in the future with a shared common room. The most common roomings are doubles, however we do have singles and triples available with a housing lottery.
Living in a dorm is super fun. We often have dorm events and meetings, so you usually begin to bond with people pretty easily, even if you consider yourself an introvert. You may be wondering if students ever experience homesickness. Homesickness does hit every once in a while, but it helps a lot to know that you have all your friends with you. Also, you can always give your family a call. Oh, and I forgot to mention–many advisors living in dorms have pets that they let you play with, so heads up if you happen to be an animal lover!
What does a day at boarding school look like?
Here’s a rough approximationof my daily activities on weekdays and weekends at school.
Weekdays:
I usually start the morning pulling my blanket over my head while I silence my first four morning alarms and finally dragging myself out of bed when I hear the fifth. Depending on how much time I have before class and how long it takes to walk (or run) there, I either like to drop by at the dining hall to grab a bagel or I’ll just take a protein bar and some fruit gummies from my room before rushing out the door. Between classes, I likely have a free period, which translates to an hour of homework cramming or quality time between me and Netflix. On some days, I may also have meetings or music lessons during a free block. Once classes are over, students head to their sports or afternoon activity and reconvene in the dining hall for dinner. Evening activities are different for each person, but may include music ensemble rehearsals, club meetings, or just chill time. Afterward, lowerclassmen are required to return their dorms to work on homework or visit teachers for extra help, while upperclassmen have the freedom to roam around until curfew. Wifi then shuts off at a certain time (which depends by grade) and younger students have “lights out” to encourage them to get a decent amount of sleep (though this might be unique to our school).
Weekends:
Weekends vary greatly depending on the week and person, so I’ll just list some common activities.
- Movie nights
- Sleeping in
- Cruising around town (we are allowed to go anywhere in our city at all times, and can also get permission to go to other cities/states through a more complicated system)
- Competing in or attending a sporting event
- Participating in whatever school activities are planned for the weekend (trivia, dances, etc.)
- Going swimming or ice skating
- Club meetings/events
- Our favorite: HOMEWORK!!!
- Errands: cleaning, laundry
How do you know if boarding school is for you?
Boarding school can be an incredible experience, but how do you know if it’s for you? There are many factors to consider when applying for boarding school–which may include but are not limited to–Are you responsible and mature enough to be living alone? Do you get homesick easily? Can you handle being in a competitive environment with rigorousacademics? Why do you want to go to boarding school?
Deciding to attend boarding school is a very large commitment. Although financial aid is offered to those in need of it in most schools, tuition is often very costly, not to mention the frequent plane rides for students who live far away. But there’s no need to be scared. Going to boarding school is very special and exciting. It not only helps you grow academically but also as an individual. My biggest tips? Choose a school that’s right for you (not your mom, not your friend, not your dog) and make the most out of your time there. Don’t hold yourself back! Put yourself out there and be willing to try new things (maybe you will develop a new passion)! Also, remember that you will make mistakes and use those instances to reflect and learn. I’m sure that you will have a great time, and if you don’t, you always have the option to transfer out (but you probably won’t want to!).
Discussion Questions:
Do you like boarding school? Why or why not?
How is American boarding school different from your school? How are they similar?
