<p>She's a really hard worker and has gotten excellent grades. She was an all-area runner, but was injured and is on the mend (we hope). Are transfers to good boarding schools in NJ (eg Blair, L'ville) impossible for those entering junior year? She's finishing freshman year now. How hard is it socially?</p>
<p>I'm really of two minds here. She works <em>really</em> hard and I feel that she's been so successful she's earned the right to apply. On the other hand, our school district is generally considered one of the best in state.</p>
<p>She will not need financial aid, so that's not an issue.</p>
<p>I'd love to hear any advice people have.</p>
<p>I was kind of in the same situation. My current public high school is great; we have IB and many AP courses and chances for students to move up levels in all core courses. However, in some courses I would have exhausted the curriculum, and I still feel that nothing can top the boarding school experience. If your daughter really wants to go, at least let her apply. These schools have low acceptance rates, so no one has guaranteed admittance. Socially, I do not know personally yet because I will be entering as a 10th grader, but I do have experience with being the new kid. You said your daughter is a runner, so cross country and track teams will be an immediate friend circle. Plus, you’ll be living with a whole bunch of other people, so you get to know many more people much faster. Good luck!</p>
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<p>Why does your daughter want to leave her current school? Why is she considering boarding school? If we know what is driving the decision to apply, we can give you more targeted advice. Personally, if our local schools were great, we never would have considered boarding school.</p>
<p>Can you afford it? Can she get accepted? How many kids come in after freshman year at those schools considered? Those are all factors to consider. I know a bunch of kids who have done this as Postgrads and as transfers and it has worked out well most of the time. </p>
<p>We can afford it. I think she can get in. Her grades are excellent and she can get good recommendations.</p>
<p>@kenneth1960, you didn’t answer the question. Why do you want to switch from a top public school to boarding school? Is it for the experience, is it because of more EC opportunities, is it for a more active social life, etc?</p>
<p>Hi, @Kenneth1960! I will be entering Andover as an eleventh grade student next year. I’d love to provide insight in the experience of entering in the eleventh grade once the school year starts!</p>
<p>Any transfer after, obviously, freshman year will be difficult. Relative to the other options, being a postgraduate or new sophomore is easiest, as postgraduates are just that, postgraduates, and new sophomores are typically admitted all the time, so classes grow quite a bit. Junior year is often also the most difficult year of high school anywhere but particularly at an elite and academic boarding school. Visiting colleges, planning a stressful senior year, adding to your extracurriculars, taking APs, maybe studying abroad, this all sounds hectic to manage on top of a new environment in which you have to live, work, and play. It might be worth it to think about repeating sophomore year and thinking about those advantages- possible easier admittance, an extra year at school, more adjustment time, etc.</p>
<p>If you need any help in L’ville anything, just PM me. I can give you all the reasons in the world why you’d want to go. ;)</p>
<p>@needtoboard, that’s a fair question. In spite of living in a very good school district, my daughter feels that beyond a core group of very good students, most aren’t trying as hard as they should. She also is they type to seek extra help whenever she needs it (going in early, staying late) and she feels this will be more readily available at a good private school. I was hesitant to even consider this at first until I saw the extraordinary effort she was making and the (really surprisingly) excellent grades she brought home. I kind of feel like I owe her the opportunity, if she a) really, really wants it and b) can get in.</p>
<p>I understand exactly where you’re coming from. Believe it or not, that’s what my current private school is like and boarding school will provide exactly what you are saying. Have you looked at NJ day schools and what part of NJ are you in? Feel free to PM me.</p>
<p>IF it’s the daughter driving this, fine. She wants it, there is an impetus, momentum to make it work. I don’t suggest forcing switches of high schools unless really necessary in most cases. When kids don’t want it, it can cause a lot of trouble…</p>
<p>@cptofthehouse, this originates <em>entirely</em> from her. I’d just as soon save the two years tuition and r&b, but given her success, I feel like I owe her the opportunity.</p>
<p>As a former teacher and resident from north and central Jersey, now in south Jersey, I would urge you to consider St. Andrew’s in Delaware. It’s a real alternative, I think, to all of the Jersey boarding options, and not so far away. Some of the Jersey schools are more hard to get into as a boarder from in-state (as they value geographical diversity); this is true even with a strong candidate who is also FP. Would be happy to elaborate if needed. Junior year can be hard, so it will be good to cast the net widely. </p>
<p>@Charger78 How many are admitted to SAS after freshman year?</p>
<p>This year, off the top of my head, about seven boys and three girls in the sophomore class, and I think a handful of juniors. I could actually count it up later on when I have some time, if firm numbers are really needed. Attrition, expulsions, etc., can vary and change the numbers for any class in any year, but the freshmen to sophomore total is “planned” to have about a ten student increase every single year, from about 66-68 to 76-78.</p>
<p>@Kenneth, </p>
<p>Best thing to do, to decide whether u want to pursue this option further is to go visit a couple of schools NOW. Call their admissions office and schedule a tour. </p>
<p>Another thing to look at, before u waste time pursuing a particular school, is to look at how many new students are admitted to a particular grade. Some schools admit few students after freshman year, while other schools expand their student body considerably. If the breakdown of students per grade is not available on the school’s website, contact the school and ask them. I see so many kids applying willy-nilly to schools that don’t offer many spots for their targeted grade.</p>
<p>Consider too that junior year is the toughest year academically, and it’s when the college admissions process kicks off. Not the ideal time to switch schools; however, many new juniors do transition successfully. If u do visit a school now, talk to the admissions office about the advisability of applying as a repeat-sophomore. It would improve your daughter’s chance of admission as there are simply more spots available for new sophomores than for new juniors. And it would facilitate an easier transition to a new school. The top prep schools have a surprising number of repeats. Repeating is viewed as normal by prep schools & colleges.</p>
<p>@GMTplus7, that’s exactly the plan. I agree with your assessment of junior year and I’ve made this point to my daughter. I’m not sure this is right for her, but her academic success and dedication have earned her the right to consider this option. </p>
<p>Thank you (and everyone) else for you advice. I really appreciate other opinions here.</p>
<p>One line of thought is that because the public school is good, you will only apply to the one or two BS that seem “perfect” fits. You’ve visited this May, you’ve gone back in the fall, she loves the feel, resources, etc., and you’ve discussed the repeat sophomore/junior issue with Admissions. In this view, whatever the numbers of new matriculants in past years, you’re going for it, in a “go big or stay home” way.</p>
<p>Alternatively, you buy into the unique advantages of BS over public, she can see herself at more than one or two of the nearby schools (in addition to Blair and L’ville, there’s George, Hill, Peddie, and (maybe!!) Mercersburg, Hun, SAS, Westtown, Kent or Episcopal), and the net is cast more widely because of the higher odds against, particularly if the repeat-soph is nixed.</p>
<p>Really, your particular interests or circumstances will come into play much more than has thus far been presented on the board. You make it sound like maybe you’re in west/central Jersey and want to be within an hour or so of the school, which is perfectly understandable. There can be a distinction, though, between what the kid finds most attractive and the expectations that parent/s have for the process, e.g., the distance from home issue. This seems like a student-inspired adventure, and there needs to be a constant dialogue between the evolving interest of the kid and what the parents are willing to support so that there is alignment. The schools will always be looking to ascertain whether the family is all on the same page or not. </p>
<p>All of the school listed above are “good” to excellent, and they present very different particulars that will make them more or less appealing. Would you go a bit further down the road if the school was simply found to be a better match for your unique and thoughtful daughter? </p>
<p>My thought is that you do need to factor in the adjustment period that almost all children go through when they enter boarding school. I would not want my child to go through that adjustment junior year. There is just too much going on academically with SAT’s, Subject Tests, AP’s and then your regular course load and sports commitments. It is not easy. Your daughter appears to be doing exceedingly well where she is and that should be given some weight in your thought process. My advice would be different if she were applying a year earlier. </p>