<p>I desperately want to go to boarding school, a good one like Exeter or Andover or Choate or Groton. I hate the school I go to currently and I really think I would be happier at a boarding school. I'm a freshman now, so I would be applying for junior and senior year because obviously the deadline for next year has passed. We will definitely need financial aid. However, it's possible we'll be abroad on sabatical for the first half of my junior year. Do they even let you attend half a year?
I'm wondering, will it really be worth it to go through the application process, spend all that money and the stress (my family isn't crazy about me going) just for two years, maybe one and a half, at boarding school. I should i just tough it out at my public school for three years until college?
Thanks, everyone.</p>
<p>Oh, we’re thinking of scheduling an overnight campus visit, maybe at Deer Field with my friend. What do you think of that? Good idea?</p>
<p>If you desperately want to go, then it sounds like something you are ready for. However, I do not believe any of the schools you mentioned allow a student to attend for only half a year. IMHO, I would say that two years is never a waste of time. I know plenty of boarding school grads who arrive in 10th grade/4th Form. It is way more common than you may think. I would definitely apply. It is not a waste to try & no matter what you decide in the end, you will have gained a lot of experience by interviewing and conducting your school selection – these are skills that will need when its time to apply for college, so I don;t think it is a waste. I would just plan to visit my family wherever they are (on sabbatical) on breaks. </p>
<p>Scheduling an overnight campus visit is a toss up in my opinion. It really depends on a ton of factors, including - are you setting it up through admission or are you talking about a casual overnight with a friend? will you be able to see any classes? what are you trying to gain from it? I wouldn’t say No, but (if you were my D/S) I would suggest that you remember not to judge every school, or every student body, off of just one school. They are all very different in terms of vibe and execution. Sure there is a lot that is similar, but those “little” things that are unique to each school can make big differences in the end.</p>
<p>Thanks, that’s helpful. Keep the responses coming.</p>
<p>I think it’s worth it to apply, definitely! Two years is much, much better than no years at all - and if you like your prep school experience (which it’s rare that someone doesn’t), you’ll be so glad you went through the stress to get in and that you got the experience. It increases your chance for a good college too - don’t think that the whole stress is just for two years of prep school and that’s all. It goes beyond that - two years of prep school could change your future and especially your college. There are lots of other people who go in as juniors, so you’re not alone.</p>
<p>Some schools have rolling admission, so you could still go to one starting this fall. I think Peddie has rolling admission? You should give that a shot.</p>
<p>One thing seems to be a debatable issue: whether prep school helps or hurts your college chances. Some people say going to a prep school helps your chances of getting into a good college–a better education, for one, and an elite prep school looks impressive on the application. Other people are saying that sure, colleges love to see “Exeter” on an application, but they can’t let in all prep school kids, it’s just not fair for the others, so therefore the it’s highly competitive between prep school students to get into good colleges–prep school actually makes it harder to get into a good college.</p>
<p>Any thoughts? What is correct? Thanks!</p>
<p>Thats a question that doesn’t seem too uncommon, there’s even a whole thread about it:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-parents/891742-does-prep-school-help-college-admission-chances.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-parents/891742-does-prep-school-help-college-admission-chances.html</a></p>
<p>Thanks for the link. Looks like the general concensus is a yes.</p>
<p>I think it would definitely be worth it – of course, I don’t know your exact situation, but attending a boarding school even for a short time could change your life. Especially if you hate it at your school right now! And I’m a big fan of your Deerfield visit, if it’s a school you’re really interested in. I never got the opportunity to do so, but I really wanted to. I actually think it would be better to go by yourself, to get the feel of life with the other people. If you are with your friend, you might just keep to yourselves. (human instinct)</p>
<p>Thanks, your advice is great, everyone! Any more feedback is welcome.</p>