<p>Hi everyone. I'm new here and really want to find the best fit for my son in a junior boarding school (7th Grade and up). I am out on the west coast and do not much care for some of the influences in my area so would like to consider sending him to one of the junior boarding schools back east (where I am originally from) if a school there is the one most highly recommended.<br>
I heard that some parents send their kids to boarding school who are in need of discipline or academic improvement but my son is tops in most everything -- he is gifted academically, loves sports, is outgoing, and has a great personality. So therefore, I would like to choose the school that would be able to challenge him academically and not allow him to be bored (as he is oftentimes at his current school).
Any advice would be much appreciated!</p>
<p>Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, MA. The only competition is home. Check out their website loaded with information. Going outdoors to enjoy the day so that will save you from my sales pitch, for now.</p>
<p>agree with above.</p>
<p>You should check out Cardigan Mountain School as well.</p>
<p>Groton in Massachusetts is a pretty good school</p>
<p>Bement in Deerfield, MA. [co-ed]
Fay School [idk], MA</p>
<p>I know someone who repeated 8th grade year at Eaglebrook, stayed there for 9th grade, and then applied for 10th grade at Deerfield Academy and was accepted.</p>
<p>He’s happy with how everything turned out and says Eaglebrook was a great school.</p>
<p>This guy I know went to the… Junior boston university school or something? I’m not sure what it’s called exactly, but I think it’s pretty good. He used to be in the same school as me, but when he came back to visit, he was smarter than all of us 
One of my friends is going to Tabor. It should be decent.</p>
<p>Thank you to all for your suggestions. I will definitely look into all of them.<br>
One question for xlauren23 – do you know why your friend had to repeat 8th grade at Eaglebrook?
Thanks again!</p>
<p>Do not consider IMS in Ct.(low level everything)</p>
<p>Groton is one of the country’s best high schools. It begins in 8th grade, but I would not describe Groton as a “junior boarding school.”</p>
<p>Fessenden, in Newton, Massachusetts, is a day & boarding school for boys.</p>
<p>Another gorgeous day, so I’ll try to keep it short. EBS normally wants a kid for 2 years because it gives them a much better perspective on the student in providing the best (fit) school for future. Obviously not every kid is the same but the maturity transformation from the Fall of the 8th grade year to the following Spring is amazing. Their Prep school matriculation list is impressive. All for now, have a great day!</p>
<p>Eaglebrook is probably the most mentioned/popular JBS. I’ve honestly haven’t heard of many others.</p>
<p>I have looked into all the schools mentioned so far and am particularly impressed by both Eaglebrook and Cardigan Mountain.
To ops – you seem to have great insight into EBS. Would you choose Eaglebrook over CMS and if so, why? Any pros and cons to EBS over CMS?
Also, how about pros and cons of a single-sex all-boys school over coed? I am still a bit unsure about which is better as a boarding school choice.
Thank you so much to all for your valuable insights!</p>
<p>I am an Eaglebrook Alumni and Cardigan Mt. is our rival. So yes I would take Eaglebrook over Cardigan. The facilities, campus, faculty, athletic program, the extra curricular activities, lead by an extraordinary Headmaster provides a learning environment for 6th thru 9th graders that is second to none. I’m sure CM will beg to differ which is fine, nothing wrong a little school spirit. Review the websites and if you’re going to visit one, might as well see both. If and when you visit, I think you’ll find that Eaglebrook can sell itself but it does come down to how you and your son feel when and if you visit. </p>
<p>I’m unsure as to pros and cons of all boys vs. coed. I’m not a psychiatrist and I didn’t need one after attending EBS then going on to a coed Prep school, just more appreciative.</p>
<p>I am a strong proponent of “fit” and recommend that you visit both schools. Meantime suggest doing a search on CC for Eaglebrook and Cardigan but please remember that CC is public and people make statements that aren’t exactly correct or true. Feel free to PM me if you wish and I’ll do my best.</p>
<p>I just graduated from CMs this past year and i would definitely recommend it. i loved it from the day i got there. there is a variety in the age of teachers which i enjoyed because it allowed some teachers to be more like friends while others to be more like parent figures. the friends i made were amazing. the academics vary. i am not sure how other Junior boarding schools are like but i imagine they are pretty much the same but at CMS there are 3 different levels of classes. the classes were small about 10-14 kids on average. overall would definitely recommend CMS i loved it.</p>
<p>Thank you to both ops and mborghi95 for your first-hand views and opinions of your respective schools. They are invaluable to me.
So OK, now I am torn between Eaglebrook and CMS. Seems like both are top-notch junior boarding schools, but does one have higher quality academics over the other?</p>
<p>No kid is going to have a walk in the park academically at EBS and then again they are not going to a pressure cooker. Having said that, I’ll never forget my Biology class and the work I had to do. I thought the teacher was insane when explaining the pending biology project requirement on the first day of class. But his teaching approach quickly sucked me in and I had completely immersed myself in what was required. I still have the written report. I struggled with math and EBS provided the extra help I needed. I believe they are the only Pre-prep that offer Chinese. The academics are challenging with competent teachers that prepare their graduates for many of the challenges that follow. Looking at their matriculation lists proves their capabilities and achievements without exaggeration. I do know there has been no faculty turnover this past year. In my opinion that is a valuable insight to any school. It takes a special teacher to be there 24/7 for that age group. I know of teachers (married couples) that have returned to EBS for a variety of reasons. Having spoken to one of them recently at an alumni weekend it was obvious that the personal fulfillment of accomplishment played a major part of their return. I believe she was sincere, she wasn’t selling EBS, doesn’t have to. Andy Chase is the Headmaster, he’s a natural. He’ll know every kid’s name within a few short days and will build a connection with every kid there. He leads an invaluable and extremely dedicated group of faculty and staff. The school is on rolling admissions and usually fills up by March, April but has been known to fill up earlier. I’ve known situations where boys get in over the summer but that’s because they have a hard time saying no to a really good kid.</p>
<p>I’m still in touch with most of my classmates. Some are still really good friends to this day that I see on a regular basis. </p>
<p>EBS has it’s own ski mountain with a chair lift and snow making facilities. I have taken my kids to the EBS Winter Carnival for the festivities and to ski for the day. They have athletic facilities that are on par with any Prep School. It really is just incredible.</p>
<p>Here’s a bit from a previous post:
<strong>Arts vs athletics, I did both and I was no exception. Played football, wrestled (no snow back in the early '70s), baseball / lacrosse (switched sports the flwg yr, no problem). I was also very involved with the theater program. I was in more than 1/2 the plays during my time there. Had to play the lead girl once. I honestly do not recall getting any grief except maybe some ribbing from my closest friends. Incorporated art and shop projects with biology. I did not play an instrument. One of the Art dept. heads (still there!) is also the ski coach. Now that I think of it, he was also my JV football coach. You’ll find that kind of crossover with sports and arts in many of the BS. Arts and Athletics are equally important at all these schools.</strong></p>
<p>I can’t speak for CMS academically, maybe athletically but that is always a roller coaster with any Prep or Pre-prep school. As much as I believe EBS is stronger academically, more prominent along with plenty of famous alumni past and present, I am a strong believer in fit. I can only suggest that you look at EBS, CMS and may one or two others. As much as I may wave the EBS flag, your son may just find that he is more comfortable with CMS, but I’ll put my money of EBS.</p>
<p>Wow, looks like I’ll have to start filling out that EBS app ASAP! I really like the fact that there is little faculty turnover and even faculty returnees, as well as the fact that it offers Chinese. And headmaster Chase sounds really great! Thank you, ops, for your in-depth rave review on your personal experience there!</p>
<p>Fay has Chinese too!!! </p>
<p>Fessy and Eaglebrook for all-boys is definitely the best, but if you want to put your son in a co-ed environment, Fay is the oldest junior boarding school in the country and is pretty high up there as far as academics as well.</p>
<p>In ops’ description of Eaglebrook, many faculty (some married couples too) live on Fay’s campus too and all either live in a dorm or have dorm duty supervising. Relationships that I have formed with my classmates and teachers are extremely strong and I’m leaving just this year (for Deerfield) but I will definitely keep the friendships I have made. Art is a requirement, as is a music (string ensemble, band, bells, or chorus) and sports are three seasons, every school day, from 2:30/3:00 until 4:30 for JV teams and later for Varsity teams. </p>
<p>The Chinese program starts in 6th grade and I believe they just hired a new Chinese teacher this year who will specialize in the younger students’ classes and another has been teaching Chinese from beginners to past Chinese II (it depends year to year how far, if students go beyond that they have “enrichment” which is like a tutorial) </p>
<p>Eaglebrook and Cardigan are great boys schools, as is Fessy, but if Junior Boarding with girls is what you’re interested in, there is something to be said for a great co-ed middle school boarding experience, which I think carries over very naturally into the <em>mostly</em> co-ed high school boarding schools. </p>
<p>Fay is also extremely international, with 16 states and 16 countries represented in the 110 boarders. Its international student program is one of the best in junior boarding schools, and offers a diversity to its students that I will really miss (by percentage, it is more international that my school next year)</p>
<p>I just thought that someone needed to represent Fay here, so if you are considering the co-ed environment, check it out :)</p>