Why Boarding School

Why Consider a Military School?

Military schools offer a unique educational experience that combines academic rigor with character development and leadership training. If you are thinking about a military school education for your child, then investigate residential military schools. It will be a 24/7 experience versus the after school experience available in most public day schools. Furthermore, if you are looking for a well-rounded, balanced approach to education together wth fulltime supervision, a military school is worth considering.

Here are some compelling reasons to consider a military school for your child.

Discipline and Structure
Military schools are renowned for their disciplined environment and structured daily routines.

This approach helps students develop:

• Self-discipline
• Time management skills
• Respect for authority
• Personal responsibility

As one military school puts it, "We always expect our cadets to do the right thing–acting with respect, responsibility, honor, and generosity."

Leadership Training

A key component of military school education is leadership development. Students learn:

• Effective communication
• Group dynamics
• Decision-making skills
• Goal setting
• Ethical leadership

These skills are valuable in any career path, not just military service.

Academic Excellence

Contrary to popular belief, military schools prioritize academic achievement. They offer:

• College preparatory curricula
• Advanced Placement courses
• SAT preparation
• Small class sizes for personalized attention
• Many military school graduates go on to attend prestigious colleges and universities.

Character Development

Military schools focus on developing well-rounded individuals. They emphasize:

• Patriotism
• Community service
• Teamwork
• Personal integrity

Potential Pathway to Military Academies

While attending a military school doesn't guarantee admission to a service academy, it can provide:

• Familiarity with military culture
• JROTC training
• Strong academic preparation
• Leadership experience

One of the best things about boarding schools is that there is a school out there somewhere that is a good fit for your educational objectives, however varied those might be. As you begin to draw a picture of the kind of school that works for you and your child, you could discover that the structured environment and leadership training military boarding schools offer are attributes you are looking for.

As one parent to another, I'll raise my issues with military schools. Also, I want to disclose that my eldest daughter took part in the ROTC program at MIT while she was at Harvard. I had no idea she was interested in a military career until she announced she was in ROTC. No clue! So, don't hesitate to think outside the box. Assume nothing when looking at boarding schools. You and your child could visit one of our exemplary military school campuses and decide that it has everything you are looking for.

When are military schools a good option?

So, what about military schools? When might you consider sending your son or daughter to one? I'll answer those questions and more, but first, let's settle some things before proceeding.

• Military schools are NOT places where you send a child with discipline or other behavioral issues.
• Military schools are NOT reform schools or schools for troubled youth.
• Military schools ARE genuine learning institutions with a specific focus, i.e., military training.

When a healthcare professional such as a psychologist

If you live overseas and are considering sending your child to a boarding school in the United States, consider the following five admissions tips for international students. I assume you are not an American citizen or a green card holder, and English is not your first language. Many students from countries outside the United States want to attend American private schools. According to The Association of Boarding Schools, international students make up about 15% of the student population in American boarding schools.

The I-20 Form

Be aware that not every boarding school is certified by the United States Immigration Service to accept foreign students. Why is that important? Always confirm that the school you are interested in is a Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certified school. If the school is not SEVP-certified to accept international students, it cannot issue the I-20 form, which is the first step in applying for and obtaining a student visa from the U.S. Immigration Service. Once you receive the I-20 from the school you chose to attend, you will pay the I-901 Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) Fee. The Immigration Service will not allow your child to enter the United States as a student without the proper paperwork. If in doubt, ask the school if it can issue the I-20 form. Do not assume anything.

Pay Attention to The Deadlines

Applying for admission to an American boarding school requires staying organized and on top

Here is a compilation of the various concerns and questions I have fielded from readers. Don't hesitate to DM me on Facebook or Instagram with your questions. I will do my best to answer them.

Tell me about the advantages of sending my daughter to a boarding schools.

Your child will build a network of friends that she will have for life. The demands of rigorous academic studies combined with compulsory athletics and required extracurricular activities will stretch her ways you never thought possible. She will build confidence in her own abilities as she accomplishes things she probably didn't realize she could accomplish. You will know that your child is receiving a comprehensive and balanced education consisting of academics, sports and extracurricular activities.

How do I know which school is the best one?

You determine that by comparing schools. So, make lists of schools. Review their websites. Watch their videos. Check out their social media pages pages. Did you find any that offer the academic subjects, sports, and extracurricular activities you feel are essential for your child? Put those schools on another shorter list. Then visit those three or four schools. The visit and interview will reveal much about each school. Then apply to the schools with the best fit.

I want my daughter to have great teachers.

Teachers want to teach. They love their subject. They know it inside and out at the level at which they have been teaching. They know all the tricks and

We live in the misinformation and disinformation age. That applies to boarding schools as it does to anything you can think of. While I've previously written about boarding school misconceptions in Boarding School Myths, I thought it would be helpful to parents investigating sending their child to a residential school. After all, your child will hear a chorus of misconceptions on social media before you tell her the facts. That's the downside of our receiving information and opinion from social media. Journalism investigates. Social media postulates.

The History of Boarding Schools

The history of boarding schools in the United States is as complex as it is profound. They originated in the colonial period, but their importance grew significantly during the 18th and 19th centuries. The first boarding schools were established by religious groups aiming to provide education to the children of the wealthy elite, often integrating religious teachings with a more traditional curriculum. Many of these early boarding schools were single-gender institutions, instilling a rigidly structured environment that shaped young people according to the societal expectations of the time.

President George Washington visited the Academy during its first year, and spoke in 1789 as part of his tour of New England.

Source: History of Phillips Andover Academy

The 19th century saw the emergence of Native American boarding schools, a less lauded chapter in the history of boarding schools in the U.S. This system was an attempt by the U.S. government to assimilate Native American