Finding the right boarding school

Prep School Admissions
1

I’ve been researching boarding schools for a little while now but I’ve found that it’s very hard to get a good idea on how good a fit a school actually is from the website, or even from boarding school rating sites. I was wondering if anyone here could offer any advice either on where to go or how to find the right fit.

About me:
This past school year I was a junior in a day school and around February I stopped going to school. I won’t go into the details, but I feel that going to a boarding school would be the best choice for me because it would give me the chance to get away from the people in my city and focus on myself. I’m looking to repeat my junior year in the fall of 2019. I realize how soon that is and that in many cases that may not be possible. However, I also know that it isn’t necessarily impossible either, especially with rolling admissions.

Things I’m looking for in a school:
things starred are necessary for any school I go to

  • openings for fall 2019
  • in the New England area (or anywhere within bus or train distance from New York City)
  • co-ed*
  • non-denominational*
  • as much freedom as possible
    /- I’d like to be able to go home on the weekends, but not necessarily 5-day boarding
    /- no restrictions on electronics
    /- the option to have appliances (TV, microwave, mini-fridge, etc.) within dorm rooms (not that I would necessarily be able to bring those things, but the option would be nice)
    /- casual/no dress code*
  • available help & flexibility with learning issues (less rigorous academics program, non-competitive)
  • a lot of student-led clubs
    /- specifically GSA (or any equivalent), comic book, and D&D clubs, but if they don’t have those it’s definitely not a deal-breaker.
  • nice dorm facilities (preferably not bunk-beds)
    /- a TV somewhere in the dorm
  • a high percentage of boarding students
  • a relatively large student body
  • preferably a 9-12 school, but nowhere below 6-12*
  • no required team sports*
    /- an option for yoga would be nice
  • medium-high acceptance rate

I realize that some of these things may be big asks, and that it’s nearly impossible to find a school that fits everything I’m looking for, but it’s very hard to find out any of these things online. Here are some of the websites I’ve used that have been somewhat helpful, but couldn’t answer all of the questions I had:

Thank you for taking the time to read this; any response would be helpful!

2

With time short for fall 2019 and tough odds to be accepted senior year, you could also consider a post-grad year between high school and college. Many boarding schools have a large PG class as a launch into college and also academic prep.

Much of what you are looking for/to avoid will be pretty hard to find as you are essentially describing many schools. However, you can also Google alternative boarding schools which offer non-traditional approaches such as a focus on the outdoors or specific EC passions.

3

Oakwood Friends in Poughkeepsie. High acceptance rate, no dress code, sports deemphasized (unsure though if they are required), a 2 hour train ride to NYC, co-ed, Quaker roots, I believe basically nondenominational, ability to go home on weekends. Have no idea what the dorms look like. My niece has been very happy there.

4

You may want to check out Millbrook- that hits most of your checklist…plus they have their own zoo!