Hi! This year, I’m applying to many boarding schools and they all truly look amazing! I was wondering if boarding school really was what they make it look like? Are students nice to each other? How do they deal with homesickness? Is it a good environment to learn? Of course, each school is different, but I would reallt appreciate having overall reviews!
Thanks!
Asked about homesickness during some interviews, it seems that most schools start with a student support system (your dorm) then gradually move to more professional treatments when it seems to not get better/get worse.
No. Not all students are nice to each other. Boarding students are human, and sometimes people don’t get along.
Different types of people are attracted to different types of schools. I suppose that there are schools that are hyper-competetive and cut throat, just as there are schools that don’t have grades or ranks and focus on a more collaborative form of learning.
This is why fit is so important. If a school is a good fit, you are in a community that you enjoy and that appreciates your contributions as well.
Unfortunately this year most of what is available to applicants are essentially commercials - they are presenting their best side only, so it’s a lot harder to get an insight to the true ethos of the community.
And even if you are lucky, and end up at a school that’s a good fit, there is room for drama.
Honestly, my kid showed no signs of home sickness last fall.
But one dorm mate had to take a mental health break. The BS has a loooong relationship with a nearby mental health facility for such situations. And my kid said a lot of people were really irritated with another dorm mate - it sounded like the dorm mate was misguidedly attempting to establishing themself as more dominant in the social pecking order.
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Would students from middle class or low income families fit in well for the BS? Are there a lot of extra fees and expenses in addition to tuition that I have to ask my parents to pay?
I suppose it depends on the school, but at schools with lots of kids on financial aid, certainly low income kids would fit in, because there are a bunch of them. And there is financial aid for trips etc. I’ve been close to Hotchkiss for over 20 years, and have seen how they’ve made a concerted effort to get away from trust fund kids from NYC/Greenwich and so that group is less influencial in the school’s social life. But, much of your experience will depend on your attitude, as with most things in life.
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I’d also be interested in knowing the extra expenses on top of tuition and boarding fees. Many families are not qualified for FA. paying $60k+ after tax is already a big burden. Trips, activities, and fund raising will quickly add up to a large number.
Thanks! I’ll take that in consideration!
Thank you so much!
Schools make an effort to cover all the costs if a student is on full FA, including books, travel to and from, computer, etc. Some schools even have FA budgets for the summer trips that some faculty sponsor.
If you get accepted and need FA, you will get an FA offer. You will need to explore what all is included in that offer and you can ask all these questions about add-on expenses. Also, if the FA offer is less than what you needed, either because your need is greater now (ex. a parent lost a job) or they simply didn’t give you as much as you believed you needed, that’s not the end of the story. Lots of kids are able to get the FA offer increased. You might need to submit additional information or do a better job explaining what the issues are.
Good luck!
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I know it’s been a couple of weeks but just wanted to chime in. I’m in Andover, been here for a couple of years. People of similar socioeconomic classes tend to float together - same with race. People are kind generally, not much bullying but there is a lot of exclusion. Homesickness was never an issue for me or anyone around me, but there’s a lot of support network and the therapists are decent. Great learning environment, I get a lot of stuff done when I’m in-person.
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Our kids had to forego the extras - Model UN trips with airfare and hotel, school sponsored ski weekends, school sponsored summer travel, even service trips. We were a full pay family, but it was a stretch for us. Kids on FA generally get FA for the various extra offerings as well. Also, our school didn’t blink at charging a lot for new sports equipment and books, which we might have shopped around for used if we had a chance. The education and experiences my kids had were well worth the price for us; absolutely no regrets!
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I’ve been at boarding school in New England for three years. Homesickness definitely kicked in after a few months in my first year. However, you don’t really feel it at the beginning because you’re so busy with school and sports and friends. I definitely got used to it by the end of my first year though. As long as you have a good group of friends you will be fine. Most schools also offer mental health services, so take advantage of them!
My personal experience at boarding school was completely different from what I expected, but not in a bad way. I realized that most people in my grade were also as nervous as me and super open to making friends. However, there are a few schools known to be very clique-y, usually the smaller ones. It’s definitely a good environment to learn but you need to have a good plan to deal with the cold and isolation, including staying active, socializing, and taking time to relax.
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Hey, I’m looking for someone to rate my BS essay (just one of them) even though deadlines have passed. Just want a candid opinion on what I did right/wrong. Do you think you could help with that!?
Thank you so much!