<p>Uniforms? 6 day classes? Meals cafeteria or family style? Other things?</p>
<p>I'm meeting with a classmate of my daughter's mother next week who has never explored this option for her daughters and was just wondering if you could create a perfect school what it would entail?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>The one that accepts your child.</p>
<p>+1 ChoatieMom. </p>
<p>If I HAD to choose a laundry list of positive attributes, I would choose:</p>
<pre><code> 6-day classes
Mandatory athletics (it is good to be on a team and even better to learn new things)
At least 73% boarding
I prefer schools with 350-450 kids, but obviously that is very individual
Uniform!! - highly unrealistic, but you asked my ideal. 
Rural setting near enough to a town/city so that there are fun outings.
</code></pre>
<p>That is my cheeky answer. My real answer is that it is a highly personal decision. The great part about most boarding schools is that there is a wide variety of attendees. That means that it is a good idea to make a list of what is important to them and then look for schools that mostly meet those choices. My list for example, might send many others screaming in the other direction! I would suggest she make her own list and then plug it into boardingschoolreview.com – in the Advanced Search area…</p>
<p>My List:</p>
<p>Campus designed by Olmsted</p>
<p>Over 100 years old (with traditions that live on today) </p>
<p>Chapel (If a school doesn’t have a Chapel, it’s not a BS. Sorry.)</p>
<p>Campus located near water (river or ocean)</p>
<p>Over 70% Boarding</p>
<p>Formal Dress</p>
<p>Impressive and extensive Library</p>
<p>Breakfast for Dinner (once a week) :)</p>
<p>was just wondering. I was a 1985 grad of Kent and my eldest is about to graduate from Tallulah Falls and there are things that I see that I think lead to a strong boarding school community. I think that most of you have picked up on some of them. </p>
<p>Hey, one of the best things about TFS is they still wear uniforms. 
But they don’t have enough boarding students and only 50% or so board, so I think for round 2 (if we make another choice, we will look for more boarders). I think 5 day classes with a high % of boarders may be ok. Its just she feels like the world stops at 4 pm on friday and then starts again on monday morning. There is no town to speak of and they have limited organized outings. </p>
<p>And some sort of mandatory religious gathering. Don’t care if it is denominational or not. Heck, I was at Kent when chapel was 4 times a week and I survived. :)</p>
<p>I had forgotten about mandatory athletics. I too think that is an important part. </p>
<p>I prefer the sit down family style meals, but I think that comes with a high % of boarders too. Really, she texts me through out dinner. I think that her manners and habits would be better served by more organized meals.</p>
<p>My d is at a small girls’ school - 2/3 boarding and they have family style sit down dinners several times a week. The students take turns being waiting on the tables…</p>
<p>PhotographerMom: I will go to your school when you create it. Assuming I make it thru the interview!</p>
<p>Weekly singing of an alma mater…</p>
<p>Boy, this is a tough one. If I had to guess, the perfect boarding school would have:</p>
<p>A stunning 400+ acre, southern California campus that was photographed to represent Shangri-La in the 1939 movie, The Lost Horizon</p>
<p>A location nestled at the bottom of a rare American mountain range that runs east to west infusing the whole valley and campus in pink sunsets every night</p>
<p>Orange and avocado groves everywhere with the smell of orange blossoms drifting over the campus and fresh oranges you pull from the trees for a snack</p>
<p>A stunning outdoor chapel where God did all the construction</p>
<p>The warm Pacific and Santa Barbara 40 minutes away</p>
<p>Jeez, if only a school like this existed………</p>
<p>^^^Cate? ;)</p>
<p>somebody had to pull that trigger! Bless you, CM</p>
<p>Cut me to the quick.</p>
<p>The Saint James School, Hagerstown Md</p>
<p>I think the list would be different if I came up with one vs. my son! When we were visiting schools I came up with an ideal school - academic structure from one, athletic structure from another, dress code (or lack of), size from another, clubs from one, etc… </p>
<p>But I do think the list will vary from person to person. One reason there are a variety of schools out there who get lots of applicants. </p>
<p>And the school where he ended up is a great fit for him.</p>