Dealing With The Pandemic: International Students

When we sent our daughters off to boarding school in the 80s, our biggest concern was whether they would be homesick and unhappy. We had carefully chosen the schools that they attended. We were confident that they were well-run schools where our girls would be safe and receive an excellent education. Fast-forward to the summer of 2020. If I were sending my children off to boarding school during the COVID-19 pandemic, I would be asking many questions. So, let's you and I look at some of the issues that should concern us as parents during this dreadful pandemic. Because the pandemic is so dynamic, be prepared for frequent updates and last-minute changes to previously-announced protocols and instructions.

How will the school communicate with us?

If you paid your deposit in April and your child is scheduled to begin classes in September, expect the school to be sending you regular updates about its plans for reopening. Most schools will explain in great detail how they propose to reopen in accordance with federal, state, and local guidelines and directives. You must understand that the situation is fluid. The school can only open when it complies with all the directives authorities have put in place. For example, if there is a surge in local infections, the opening of school may be postponed until the local infections subside to a safe level.

In addition to parents' emails, most schools will use their websites to describe the measures they are taking to

Curious about boarding schools for younger students, i.e., students in middle school, as opposed to high-school-aged children? Then, explore the possibilities which junior boarding schools offer. Junior boarding schools come in two flavors: schools that have no upper or high school and those which provide both an upper school and a residential component for students in the middle school years.

Wondering whether a junior boarding school right for your child? Honestly, it probably is. But you will never know until you explore the idea thoroughly. Tune out the negative things you have read about boarding schools. After all, the media tends to focus on sensational stories that hardly show boarding schools as they really are. Go and see for yourself. A quick call or an email is all it takes to make an appointment for a visit.

In this video, Kim Loughlin, Bement School admission director, explores the reasons that a family might consider a junior boarding school for their child.

The other consideration that keeps many parents from even considering a boarding school education is the cost. Most schools have very generous financial aid programs. The admissions staff at any boarding school will be only too happy to explain how financial aid works. Read Why Consider Boarding School for more information about other suggestions as to why a boarding school education might be the right solution for

Many students from countries outside the United States want to attend American boarding schools. According to The Association of Boarding Schools, international students make up about 15% of the student population in American boarding schools. It is essential to know that international students applying to an American boarding school deal with several additional steps in the admissions process.

Because many applicants live far from the schools they would like to visit, American boarding schools have devised ways to let parents and potential students experience the schools, their communities, and their programs. For example, if you live in Asia or Europe, visiting American schools in person is not always financially or logistically possible. So, what alternatives exist for those situations? There are several. Off-campus, school visits come in a couple of flavors. Since boarding school admissions staff have years of experience recruiting and admitting students from countries outside the United States, you will be able to get answers to all your questions and concerns. Decades of experience back up those answers. With that in mind, let's see how the overseas recruiting and admissions process to American boarding schools works.

Admissions Staff Visits Overseas

Many boarding schools send their admissions staff overseas to major cities in countries where they have a substantial applicant pool. Ask for details of visits in your area. While you will have to rely on school videos and web presentations of school life and activities, at

When we started thinking about sending our eldest daughter to boarding school, we really had no idea what a boarding school was. Yes, we understand the concept, but we had never been to boarding school. We had no clue about curriculum, sports, extracurricular activities, dorm life, or anything else, for that matter. We knew boarding school was expensive, but we figured it was worth it.

In any case, the following nineteen articles distill our experiences with boarding school. The best advice I can give you is: "Don't be intimidated by boarding schools." Most of what you have heard, read, or seen about them in the media is probably a lot of "fake news."

Visit schools online and see what they offer. Spend time exploring the academics that most parents consider the most important part of high school anyway. Familiarize yourself with the athletics and extracurricular activities that boarding schools offer. Then, which is so important, visit schools that meet your needs and requirements. Yes, you really must set foot on the campuses to see if the school community is a good fit for your child.

One last recommendation: hire an educational consultant to help you choose the right schools for your child. It's worth it. We learned that the hard way. Our daughter applied to three schools that we felt would admit her. She had top marks, great recommendations, and a decent activities resume. We didn't need financial aid. Slam dunk, right? Not exactly. Two schools rejected