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There are many things to consider when
selecting a school for your child; these are some of the most important
to pay attention to.
Find out as much as you can about the educational choices available for
your child or adolescent in your area. You may find one or more options
that compare to the boarding school model sufficiently to be
investigated further. Some private day schools, magnet schools, or
public schools excel in the quality of the student body and qualified
staff. What extracurricular activities are offered? Are they as
challenging and diverse as the academic offerings?
Whether you are selecting a boarding school or finding out about all the
options available, you’ll want to consider the following:
Size of class and student-teacher ratio. This determines how much
attention staff members can give to individual students. Boarding school
classes are usually small and teachers are able to help each student
individually on a more frequent basis. In addition, the design and décor
in a boarding school classroom is likely to have been chosen with the
purpose of encouraging students to participate, make eye contact, and
interact positively with their peers.
Quality of faculty. Boarding school faculty members often have
advanced degrees in either education or another specialty.
Quality of resources. How up to date is the library? Are the
theater facilities esthetically pleasing, with good acoustics? Do the
buildings appear well maintained? Have they been painted recently? Are
they clean? Walk through the campus and note whether the plants are
being taken care of, whether the grounds are free of litter, and whether
the playground or sports field appears well groomed. At a boarding
school, the athletic complex tends to be superior to local options. Ask
to see what kinds of playground and sports equipment the school provides
to students. Is it in good repair? Is it clean?
Challenging academics. High standards in academics comprise the
norm at boarding schools. Students are encouraged to be inquisitive and
ask “Why?" and take on challenging questions.
Broad and diverse offerings. Course selections should be diverse
in quantity and subject and have many AP options. Boarding schools
generally excel in this area. They also tend to offer broad athletic and
extracurricular choices. This encourages students to try new activities
and explore new opportunities. Many boarding schools also support
student interest in studying in other countries for a term and actively
seek such opportunities for their students.
College counseling. Typically a serious concern of boarding
schools, counseling for higher education is provided by highly qualified
staff members. The college counseling department is regarded as
essential to student development. Experienced counselors assist students
in selecting and applying for colleges and universities that are
appropriate for them and competitive with regard to the field of study
the individual student wishes to pursue.
Accreditation. Is the school accredited? Does it meet or exceed
state and nationwide standards? Does it keep its accreditation up to
date?
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Consider
and Compare