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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

Will your child be going to high school in a few years? Are you considering the academic options available in your local public and private schools? If so, then I recommend that you take this IB quiz. It will help you decide which is the best college prep approach for your child.

In education, one size does not fit all because children learn differently. Some children do well in a school offering a curriculum centered around Advanced Placement courses and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) preparation. Others thrive in the non-traditional educational experience that progressive schools offer. Some children find that the International Baccalaureate program's substantial academic experience is the right option for them. Your answers to the following questions will help you make the right decisions about your child's academic future and preparation for college.

Why should I consider a boarding school that offers the International Baccalaureate® Diploma Programme?

You should consider sending your child to a boarding school that offers the International Baccalaureate® Programme or IB as it is affectionately called. First of all, you have decided that you want your child to learn how to do serious academic work in high school so that she is well-prepared for the rigors of tertiary-level academic work. Secondly, you are uncomfortable with the idea of her only learning how to do well on tests. Thirdly, you want her to develop superior writing and research skills.

Where is the IB Diploma Programme offered?

Most American public and private high

Perhaps you are thinking about teaching in a boarding school in the future, or maybe you just started teaching in a boarding school during the current academic year If you come from a public school, you will find several differences between teaching in a public school and teaching in a boarding school. If you are a new teacher, we will raise several points and issues for you to consider.

Students who want to be there

Teachers want to teach. We love our subject. We want to share it with our students. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to teach when you are more concerned about maintaining order in your classroom than you are with actually teaching. Maintaining order is an ever-present issue when you have a large class of 30 or 40 students. On the other hand, teaching a small class of 12-15 students allows you to engage your students more or less constantly. It is very difficult for students not to be engaged when the size of the class is small. There really is no place for them to hide.

This video illustrates teaching at Lawrenceville School using Harkness tables.

Students attend boarding school for many reasons. Most of all, their parents want them to get a first-rate education in a well-supervised environment. Parents often have demanding careers that do not permit them to be available when their high school-age children are not

Selecting boarding schools that fit your needs and requirements takes much time and effort. Once you have made your shortlist of schools, then you need to focus on the admissions process. The admissions process consists of testing, recommendations, the interview, financial aid, and ensuring your child's admssions file is complete. Use this admissions checklist to keep you and your child on track. There are plenty of forms to fill out and a standardized admissions test to prepare for.

Testing

I have put admissions testing at the top of my checklist simply because it needs as much advance preparation as your child can give it. While standardized admissions tests are just one of several tools that the admissions professionals at each school will use to assess your child, they remain an essential part of the assessment process. Most schools use the . But there are other tests out there as well.

Once you have narrowed your choice of boarding schools to three to five, review the admissions requirements for each school carefully. Hopefully, all the schools on your list will use the same test. That will simplify matters enormously for both you and your child.

If, on the other hand, you end up with two or possibly three different tests, you will have to schedule, register, and pay for them. Scheduling these admissions tests works best when you start as far in advance as possible. The SSAT opens its registration on August 1