Yesterday, a high school classmate of mine called to tell me that her daughter had been accepted to a boarding school in the United States. When my son considered applying for boarding school a few years ago, I had no idea what the process entailed and reached out to friends, consultants, discussion forums, and the interns themselves to learn about the process and the advantages / disadvantages of the boarding school itself. .

One surprising fact that I discovered was the sheer volume of boarding schools in the United States. There seem to be hundreds. Therefore, it is important to know what you and your child are looking for when choosing a school. Boardingschoolreview.com lists a wide range of schools from various categories, including single sex, coeducation, military, etc. Another source of information is the TABS website. The Boarding Association has a membership of approximately 300 boarding schools comprising schools not only in the US but also in Canada, England, Switzerland, and even Jordan.

Most schools will have a website from which you can get more information and contact admissions staff who can answer your questions directly. Schools are often very willing to send out catalogs and other instructional materials. An important question to ask is about application requirements, especially tests like the High School Admission Test (SSAT) or the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE). Both tests last approximately 3 hours, so preparation is necessary. Request or download the study guides available on these sites. Amazon.com also has reviews of several books to prepare for these tests. If your child is taking the test, you should be familiar with the types of questions they are likely to face. It is also important that you develop test-taking strategies when it comes to time management and question choice or even question skipping, as points are deducted on these tests for incorrect answers. If you can afford it, get a trusted tutor to guide your child through the practice tests.

Of course, the standardized test result is not the only basis for admission to these schools. Therefore, do not harangue your child if he did not score in the 99th percentile. The selection process is not based solely on academics and the outcome is definitely unpredictable.

All the following aspects are taken into account:

1. The application itself,

2. The school’s academic record,

3. Recommendations of certain teachers,

4. Comments on the interviews conducted (sometimes conducted by phone)

5. Test scores

In other words, the test is nothing more than an item to consider and, believe it or not, there will be cases in which a child who scores in the 99th percentile will not be admitted. It is important that your child be himself on his application and allow the school admissions officers to have a genuine idea of ​​who he is and why they should want him to be a part of their school.

Discussion forums like collegeconfidential.com were very helpful in contributing to my understanding of applicants’ experiences, both successful and unsuccessful. Many participants highlight the importance of visiting schools to determine their suitability. For international students, this may not be an option, but it is interesting that many schools invite successful international applicants to visit before indicating acceptance. Yes, many of these schools are well endowed and pay travel and other expenses for this purpose as they are keen to ensure that their school population is diverse.

This brings me to one last word on testing. Remember that if you are a foreigner and English is not your first language, the test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) will be required.

The question of the cost of attending these schools is in itself a big problem and, of course, an important issue in itself. All I will say here is that many of the schools offer financial aid and their policies in this regard are best determined by contacting the schools.