<p>My child may be going to a prep school for the 2013-2014 school year and I have a few questions. How hard is the transition academically, from a good public school to a private high school. He currently has all a's and was wondering how his grades would be affected. He will be applying to Loomis Chaffee and Taft, possibly choate.</p>
<p>Very hard to predict, but the more the point of view is from the schools in question, the more likely you will get a rough bead on it. Parents or students at these schools are the commenters you need; most others are guessing. You know your child best, too, which is the other side of the question. But what I can say with certainty is that the “transition” is a holistic one, meaning that “academics” is only a fraction of what the new boarder has to contend with. We have a high-functioning and testing child whose grades are likely not to be as good as in eighth grade, and yet we are pleaseded with how much he has grown overall.</p>
<p>I’m currently at a bs and come from a public school and got all A’s. It’s a little challenging getting used to maybe the way they teach and the workload, but it isn’t bad at all the freshman year. It’s enough to keep me busy and challenged, but not overwhelmed. I think good study habits are crucial. It will be fine!</p>