Son moving from a UK private school to US Boarding High School

Prep School Admissions Prep School Chances
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My son currently attends a UK private school with the intention of attending a high performing US boarding school for grades 9 to 12. He is an American citizen, but unsure if he’ll be treated as “home” or “international” for the Application Form fee, School fees and Financial Aid purposes, given his grades, transcripts and recommendations will all be received from a UK school.

The intention is to maintain a strong academic and sports performance and gain admission into an Ivy League or similar -Stamford/MIT/CALTECH/Emory etc.

Currently an A to A* scores in all subjects. Classed as ‘exceeding’ in some subjects. Haven’t taken ISEE, but we have an ISEB in the UK which is similar and he’s testing at the 90th percentile.

Awarded Principal’s Recognition in STEM for creating a rocket using scrap/renewable materials. This was a national competition among UK Independent Schools.

ABRSM Cello at Grade 3 - Distinction.

Bilingual. Specifically, English and Mandarin
Mandarin - Intermediate level. Attending Mandarin school for 3 years and ongoing.

Tennis - Performance Team with experience competing locally and internationally- such as in Madrid and Austria.

Member of School Parliament - representing Grade level.

Volunteering at Elderly People’s Residential Care Home - meeting with them monthly for a chat to cheer up elderly folks.

Project Manages and hands on work at the weekend and school holidays for family’s business.

I am looking for a high performing Boarding School for my son such as Andover/Hotchkiss/Choate/Trinity/Groton and the likes. I understand these are extremely selective and competitive schools, and it appears they encourage lots of applications just to get a kick from turning people down. I am therefore open to suggestions of other lesser known Boarding Schools with strong performance, safeguarding, much higher acceptance rates, a strong chance of achieving a top college/university - Ivy L/Stamford etc, and affordable. By affordable, I mean strong ‘BLIND’ financial aid or actual cost of tuition and boarding 30K or less a year.

Grateful if I can have a list of such schools to start researching. I really don’t mind the location in the US.

Thanks in advance :slight_smile:

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Taking a step back, why does he want to attend a US boarding school when there are equally good or better 6th form options?

If it’s to secure admissions to a top US university, it’s not a good enough reason. Nor is it a correct assumption. Colleges admit students, not boarding schools. Matriculation data is skewed because a number of accepted applicants are highly hooked - athletic recruits, legacy, and / or faculty child

Trinity is not boarding.

Very few schools are need-blind - Andover being the preeminent exception. And all will be well over $30K

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First of all, it’s Stanford :slight_smile:

Some general points:

Second, no boarding school has tuition and fees that total $30,000.

Schools with strong financial aid are ones with huge endowments, which are also the ones hardest to get into. Do you need financial aid?

Prep schools are no longer the feeders they once were to the Ivy League. Many kids going to elite schools are hooked, meaning they are athletic recruits, faculty kids, or large donors. On the one hand, you cannot look at the matriculation lists and think they will apply to your son (unless he’s also hooked). On the flip side, a strong motivated student can get into a T20 school from pretty much any boarding school.

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Or any school for that matter, if s/he is exceptional relative to the rest of the graduating class.

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Why go from the Uk to the US if he’s doing well at his current BS?
8-10 A/A* for GCSE + either the IBD or ALevels + significant activities will be as favorable as applying from a US BS.
He will be considered an American citizen with international credentials (an excellent situation to be in).

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Thanks for all the comments. Regarding why we’ve chosen US to finish high school, its down to our preference, plus other personal reasons. I’d appreciate it if anyone knows strong boarding schools that meet a similar criteria, even if not all, to the high schools i already mentioned. Thanks

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Agree to all the comments. I just had a pal take her kids out of HS in the US and place them in private schools in the UK (fancy ones like Eton and that famous hard core girls one… can’t remember). Anyway, they are getting their butts KICKED! Academics are SO much better in the UK. I would stay where you are. I think your kiddo has a much better chance to get into those schools you want coming from the UK. Win-win. I bet it might be easier getting into those colleges you’re looking at from the UK as you will be considered an international student, so you will be paying that price tag. I’m guessing, of course, so better talk to a professional who deals with placing UK kids in American universities.
The boarding schools you’re looking at are $70k + expenses. For example at Andover- most kids Uber Eats most meals even though there is a meal plan. The food is crap apparently, so the cool thing is to order in, so add another $12k-$15k. Another pal on full scholarship there had to take her kid out because of that as they didn’t figure that into the cost equation! Just one story, granted, and I’m sure you can take that with a grain of salt as she did, but they literally paid the price. There is also laundry service which most kids get I’m told which is between $800-$1,500/year. We are getting it for DS at Choate… It’s expensive. Don’t forget the spending $$, going out, Starbucks, etc. It adds up. Everything in the US is so expensive for 1/2 of what you are getting in the UK. You have a great deal and your kiddo is thriving. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
As far as your kiddo’s application, he will KILL IT! He will sail through the SSAT. School will be a walk in the park, as he is at least 2 grades ahead of most kids coming in. So I bet you could get some serious $$, at least from Andover and Exeter… but… probably not all of it. Most require a US phone (surprised us, too), and you will have to come back to the US at least 3-4x/school year. That adds up. DS won a national scholarship but it only covers tuition ($50k +/-), then room and board is another $20kish? Plus all the extras mentioned: laundry, travel (we live on the west coast), spending $$, etc. I bet all in we will be looking at $30k Probably more…
Why not apply, see what it looks like when all the acceptances/offers are in, and go from there? You’ve got nothing to lose but a little time. Good luck and keep us posted!

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If by “blind financial aid” you mean the school is need blind, i.e. admits without considering the amount of financial aid needed, there are virtually no schools that do this. Andover might be the only one.

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First of all why would you guys want to go to a US boarding school when hes already performing great in his UK one? That doesn’t entirely make sense since it will help them in college apps since they’re a US citizen and have international credits.

And coming from a student who applied to these schools, only wanting to attend a top college for a reason to join these boarding schools won’t help you at all, it’ll actually be detrimental. These boarding schools want to see that you want to go because you want to improve as a person not because you want to go there for college. And these days these schools aren’t feeder schools anymore as they used to. You have to be a top student in these schools to go to the t20s. One of my friends went to Exeter and he stuggled to maintain his academics because of the workload he only got into NYU, this is a really common story from what I’ve seen from these schools. Sometimes its better to be a top student in a public school than a bottom student in these schools.

Regarding your question of “Need Blind” theres not that many schools that have that. From what I know of only Andover, Exeter, Albans School, St. Andrew’s School and Wayland Academy have it. And even with the financial aid the cost will total over 30k.

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Thanks @Visual1. As I’ve mentioned, there are other personal reasons why we want him in the US for Grades 9-12. I see a recurring theme on the top BSs not being ‘feeder schools’ anymore. It appears attending any ‘good’ BS should suffice as long as one keeps a strong academic and extracurricular performance.

Still grateful for school matches guys, based on the profile provided. Guess may need to increase our budget, even with financial aid. Thanks

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You really need to provide more guidance ton parameters and what he / you is looking for beyond *high performing schools." Rural vs suburban? Weather? Coed vs all-bioys? Travel time from US airport? Is he a self-starter or will he need constant prodding?

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Phillips Exeter Academy
St. Paul’s School
Deerfield Academy
Milton Academy
Lawrenceville School
Cate School
Blair Academy
The Hill School
Loomis Chaffee School
Mercersburg Academy
Peddie School

are some schools that you may like

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Thanks for the list. For us, being around other high performing students, both academics and sports is the most important factor, and ofcourse, affordability, hence the point about strong financial aid based on our current budget. Weather, location, co-ed/single sex and the other factors you mentioned are not that important. I’m keeping it simple and just want ideas on best matches. Do you think with his profile he has a strong shot at those schools you’ve listed? Given they’re very selective?

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My honest opinion is that his ecs aren’t the strongest compared to other applicants, but since I’m not a AO and since I’ve seen only a few applications that were extremely strong I can’t really say anything much about his stuff.

The biggest thing I think is the Principal Recognition in STEM, Tennis, and Project Management. The other things aren’t that strong in my opinion. ABRSM level isn’t that impressive because lots of other kids have done that but for level 6+. Me and most of my friends were on level 8 in 6th grade. Being bilingual is common from what I’ve seen. Member of School Parliament is like stuco in the US which is really common. And the volunteering everyone who applies has some sort of volunteering.

This is my honest opinion and I’m not qualified to judge other people, so don’t take these things in the wrong way. He has a good profile but I think he should get more awards in the following months.

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You may want to look at George in PA. Very strong in STEM (and STEM college placement) and good FA. It has a different academic schedule than most and offers IB (which appeals to internationally students who may want to have non-US uni opportunities), and has a very accepting and social justice oriented vibe.

It may or may not be your cup of tea, but
it’s worth a look as you are in the exploration stage.

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Thanks a great deal, really helpful.

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Also sometimes it is easier to be a topnotch student with excellent extracurriculars in some foreign countries and not many from these countries may apply to come to US for college. Since these colleges want diversity in geography a foreign applicant as long as they are the best in their country may stand an easier chance. I am telling this from knowing credentials of comparative applicants from other countries. However UK may have big student pool applying so I dont know if this will be an advantage.

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What kind of merit based national scholarships are available for BS ?

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I don’t believe any top college has such a lack of applicants from the UK to make this a consideration.

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They’re a US citizen studying the UK from what I’m understanding.

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