prep school & parents

<p>I proposed applyingn to Exeter and Andover for my 11th & 12th grade years to my parents. Right off the bat, they went "you'll be gone for 2 years! no way." so I continued in my effort to try to convince them that it would be a good idea (unfortunatly, I don't have the "my school is awful" excuse, because frankly, I'm lucky to go to such a good public school). We got as far as sending the Exeter application (my dad was out of town when we sent it, and as the one for Andover requires a signature for both parents, I was unable to complete it). I had to schedule an off-campus interview, and got called by an Exeter admissions rep., because I live in California and it was not feasable for me to visit the campus. I thought things were going more smoothly, until I was talking with my parents about returning the phone call and setting up an interview time. Basically, both of my parents returned to "you'll be gone for 2 years! no way." I feel stuck - I really want to attend boarding school, or at least see if they would accept me, and I don't know what to do. I've said pretty much everything I can think of to convince them that it really would be a good idea. If we lived in one of the east coast states, I think they would be more open to the idea, but as it would mean my leaving to the other side of the country, they are not very willing to entertain the idea.</p>

<p>Have any of you had problems with parents not wanting to let you leave before it's tinme for college? And parents, why did you change your minds?</p>

<p>If your dad went to Exeter, why do you have a problem?</p>

<p>well, my dad's circumstances were slightly different - he'd already finished high school in the UK, had taken his cambridge & oxford entrance exams, and basically had a year off. he spent it in the US as a high school student, and attended exeter on scholarship. i want to go for my junior and senior years, and my parents say that they don't want me to leave home early.</p>