<p>JK -- This is a tough spot for you, and I'm sorry it's tough communicating with your parents. While I know it may be seemingly impossible to get them to see things from your perspective, also try to look from theirs (something that I really don't get the impression of you doing). Boarding school is extremely expensive -- and I'm sure they can be thinking that well, we're sending him to this v. expensive school to get into a great v. expensive college. Maybe thoughts of the longrun, or maybe casual research can tell your father that yeah, maybe we can't afford this without financial aid, which at this point, you don't have. I really don't think your father is just "claiming" he can't afford this to spite you, regardless of whatever issues you may have with him. Plenty of times (I saw this with classmates and choosing colleges) a family simply cannot afford something when you consider other expenses that a financial aid officer does not consider. This is something you really need to discuss with your parents.</p>
<p>If your mom won't listen to her, present the facts to her maturely. I don't know what you do when she won't listen, but if it's something along the lines of getting angry, then yeah, she's definitely not going to be receptive to whatever you have to say. Maybe write her a letter explaining why you think boarding school is right for you, and why it can be feasable for your family. Put in effort and research, present your facts. </p>
<p>And be open to possibly staying at a day school. You say that their course catalog isn't that impressive in comparison to NE prep schools. Well, on the flip side, it's probably a lot more impressive than your local public high school. Additionally, you're going to have to take your standard high school course of study -- the four years science, four years math, history, etc. Those are probably going to be taught really well at Ashbury. Are the additional "more impressive" courses you talk of electives? Because yeah, it's unfortunate that your day school may not have them as electives, but they're not the foundation to your high school education and when I went through the process, I saw them as extras. By going to a day school, you'll presumably save your parents money, which they can then use to send you to nice summer programs where you can take impressive electives.</p>