<p>Is one year, either PG year or 12th grade, enough? Is it enough time to totally adjust? Is it enough time to both contribute to the community and benefit from the opportunities of prep school? </p>
<p>Opinions please,
Thanks. =)</p>
<p>Well, in my experience, PG’s are usually athletes. What is your situation? Spots for 12th grade tend to be few and far between. Given the choice, I personally think it would be best to be at a school for more than one year, unless there are special circumstances, such as athletic considerations.</p>
<p>I attended a boarding school for one year and it was a transformational experience academically. I now work at an independent school which has a thriving PG program and also regularly accepts one-year seniors. The majority, but not all, of our PGs do tend to be athletes. Whether one year is “enough” to to gain a benefit from a prep school–My answer is a resounding yes for students who are ready to hit the ground running, to be open from day one to take advantage of all the opportunities a boarding school environment offers.</p>
<p>Thanks for your answers! Yes, I am a pretty decent athlete, but I am still more interested in the academic aspect of prep schools. I was wondering about that also… How do you get into these schools for athletic purposes? Do you just tell them during the interview, that you are an athlete? Do you write about it to them? Do you tryout or something?
I can’t quite figure out how to express this to them.</p>
<p>Thanks SO much for these really helpful answers!</p>
<p>@Spldaisy,
If you enter in your senior year, you should weigh the impact on the college applications process. That is the year that the process goes into high gear, and you will need recs from teachers who will be just getting to know you, in contrast to the other students who entered as freshmen or sophomores who have established a reputation at the school for 2-3 years already.</p>
<p>Spidaisy,</p>
<p>One warning - the grade adjustment when entering Boarding School can be a bit of a shock. Normally students have a “ramp up” time by entering in earlier years, getting acclimated to the increased academic load and the grades take a steady climb. So prepare to enter BS with strong grades that might “slip” a bit that first semester.</p>
<p>However, having said that, doing a PG year isn’t that unusual anymore - no more than taking a gap year has become. So the answer for college is - it depends. If I were doing your interview I’d be seeking insight on WHY you made the change. For the academic challenge? For the extra year to mature? Or to have a perceived “BIG NAME” on your resume. The latter is a red flag for sure.</p>