<p>tj, at the calibre schools you are applying to, I would be surprised if you do not find equally good teachers to train you. Talk to the schools. You may be surprised that they will bend over backwards to help you grow your personal talents. An advisor will drive you to Boston from Groton if there is someone to help you there. They'll take you to Harvard for a class you want. It's hard for many to grasp what these schools will do for their students.</p>
<p>Try to relax and think about what you really want. You love your teachers, but their bills are not your problem. You want to spend the next 4 years in the best possible place to grow your talents and in an environment where you will be happy. Boarding preps are not for everyone, but for those that are a fit, they are the most extraordinary of high school experiences. </p>
<p>If you are ready to be among some of the the most brilliant, motivated, talented kids, start packing. Many describe the feeling as finding home, finding true peers. It's the Disneyland of education, treat after treat. Great teachers there 24/7, course offerings never dreamed of at most high schools, exchange programs and class trips abroad. The sky is the limit. Want to discuss something from today's class? Call the teacher and ask to drop by. You'll probably be invited for dinner. Have an idea for a European experience to bring learning to life? They'll fund it. </p>
<p>For the lucky who can get in and are ready for the experience there seems to be a life long feeling that you have been given an extremely special gift. I certainly feel that way.</p>
<p>So tj, go see and feel the schools. Hang out with the drama crowd. Spend a night. See if it feels like home. Good luck!</p>
<p>tj, you'll have to let your heart lead you to a decsion. Hey, did you look at concord academy? I beleive they have a strong dept right up your alley.</p>
<p>I did, and I looked at Interlochen, but I decided that their academics were unsatisfactory, in the long run. I want to be an actor, but that doesnt mean I should disregard the investment of time and money that my parents and their parents have put into my education.</p>
<p>I know, thats true, jazz... but that doesnt mean they cant make me feel guilty about leaving. And I know, people who make you feel guilty about doing whats right for you might not be the kind of people I should listen to. Doesnt mean its an easy decision.</p>
<p>TJ, I'm sorry you didn't look more closely at Interlochen. My D went there for her last two years of high school. She had been attending a top private school at home. I can honestly tell you that she did not sacrifice anything academically. Part of our deal with her was that if she went to Interlochen she needed to maintain the same academic load as she would have taken at home. She said the real difference at Interlochen was that the teachers didn't assign needless homework (there was homework, but it was carefully thought out) because of the practice demands the kids had. D took physics, AP calc, AP English, French IV etc. She got 5s in both AP exams. She had close relationships with her teachers and loved all her classes. She applied to several dual degree programs for college, and was accepted academically everywhere (but waitlisted at Tufts). She chose Rice, and is perfectly prepared for her music and academics. I'm mainly writing all this for any future kids or parents worried about Interlochen academics.</p>
<p>tj, are you a boy or a girl? esa, are you a boy or a girl? tara, I'm pretty sure you're a girl, but are you a boy or a girl? I just need to get things straight here...</p>