10 Top Reasons to Go to Boarding School

Australian and American Boarding Schools Int'l (ABSI) has been working with families for over 20 years to advise them and guide them about boarding school choices.

Why should you consider sending your child to boarding school? Wouldn't she do just as well at day school? This is a common question for parents to ponder as they review their private school options. You have made the decision to send him to private school in principle. Now it is just a matter of working out the details. Once you know what you want contact us - click here There are many reasons to go to boarding school. The academics, the athletics and the extracurricular activities are just a few of the considerations. But there's more. Much more. Here are the 10 top reasons why you should go to boarding school.

10. You will get great teachers who love to teach.

Boarding schools traditionally hire teachers with degrees in their subjects. As well a large number of these experienced teachers have advanced degrees in their field. Typically all are passionate about their subject and love to teach it to young people. Because discipline is rarely a problem in boarding school, these talented teachers get to teach without having to be traffic cops or paper pushers like their public school counterparts. 9. You will have great sports and sports facilities. Most boarding schools have amazing sports facilities. The range of sports and teams is mind-boggling. You will find everything from badminton to yachting, hockey to basketball to fencing to rowing. There are even schools which offer equestrian facilities. Many boarding school fitness facilities make commercial fitness establishments look tame. The sporting teams travel regionally and globally to compete. All have outdoor education programs.

8. You will have great arts programs and arts facilities.

Theatre, dance, music, fine arts, in short, anything and everything artistic is part of the opportunity which awaits you at most boarding schools. Several schools have magnificent performing arts centres. Gorgeous chapels with fine pipe organs and choirs are still common. Chamber music, bands, orchestras and jazz ensembles will give you many opportunities to use your musical talents. The art galleries and museums many schools have acquired offer another serious enhancement for the artistically inclined. 7. You will get to live away from home. It's never easy to leave the nest. But, doesn't it make more sense to make the move a few years before University entry? Of course it does. You will learn how to cope with life and all its many high and low points within a community of your peers who are going through the same things you are. All of this is happening under the watchful eye of your teachers who are mentors, not baby-sitters. 6. You will be supported in all of your academic work with help provided by teachers during the evening in the Boarding House.

These quality schools are interested in YOU. As a result the depth and breadth of the academic courses in these schools is remarkable. You may need support, you may need extra challenges because you are clever. At every step of your way through your high school academic life, there will be supportive staff to help you, guide you and provide advice and direction. Counsellors on staff will help you in choosing your next pathway and even assist with applications to universities. You are in good hands. 5. You will be surrounded by classmates who want to go to school. Your classmates are in boarding school because they want to be there. They want to learn. They want to be successful. The reason you go to an independent or private school is because of the outstanding programs they offer. There is an interest for every student offered. Most schools are rather selective about who they admit. Being willing to work hard in class, play hard on the playing field or excel in the Arts, is all part of the package boarding schools offer. You will also become a better person, be interested in others and involved in social justice and community assistance to make others' lives better. It is a truly rewarding experience. 4. The libraries/media centres are well-stocked. The older, more established schools have traditional library facilities which in many cases are better equipped than those at many universities. Libraries have morphed over the years into media centres. The typical boarding school library will have the latest technology available, in addition to all the usual print materials. And they will have them in abundance. 3. You will learn to be responsible for yourself. Taking a lot of little steps towards maturity is one of the intangibles of going to boarding school. You have to learn to get along with others because it is a community. You learn to be accountable for your actions because you are bound by an honour or discipline code of some kind. The lessons in life learned in boarding school will lay a solid foundation for adulthood.

You will make friends for life. Most boarding school graduates look back at their years in school as a time when lasting friendships were established. Coupled with that is the building of a network of friends and acquaintances who know you and care about you. Isn't that what life is really all about? Being surrounded by people who understand you and care about you is affirming and encouraging. We all can do with a dose of encouragement now and then, can't we? 2. The classes are small. If you are in a public school there could be 30+ students to a class. In an independent or private boarding school, on the other hand, classes typically are 10-20 students (depending on subject choices). You cannot hide in a class that small. You have to participate. You will get called upon for your response. You will never just be a number in a boarding school. 1. It's cool to be smart. This is probably the best reason to go to boarding school. In a public school the kids who really want to learn frequently en

d up being social outcasts. Not so in boarding school. It's cool to be smart in boarding school. It's also very cool to learn. These are our top ten reasons to go to boarding school. You will doubtless think of others. If all of this intrigues you, and you want to learn more choosing a school, please contact us and we can help answer any questions you may have. Here at Australian Boarding Schools International, our help to you is free of charge. We work as the Directors of International Admissions for a number of quality boarding schools in Australia and the USA, and look forward to helping you choose the best school for your child!