About Boarding Schools

As you begin to think about sending your child off to boarding school, you will find yourself asking precisely why you wish to do so. Invariably you will circle back to the main reason why you feel that your child deserves to go to private school. The main reason has everything to do with your wanting her to go to the best school she can get into. You feel that she deserves the best possible education which you can find for her.

What makes some schools really better than others? What makes them the best schools? Let's examine traits of the best schools.

Great teachers

This trait is at the top of my list. The best schools have amazing teachers. Their credentials are awesome. They are passionate about the subjects which they teach. They are highly qualified to teach their subjects. Explore the faculty lists on school websites. See for yourself where your child's future teachers went to college. Note how many of them have masters and doctoral degrees.

These great teachers know how to open new worlds for their students. Dialogue and positive reinforcement are givens with these teachers. They don't lecture and pour knowledge into your child's mind. They teach. And they teach brilliantly. Not only that but they don't just put in their hours and leave the premises. Boarding school teachers coach a sport or supervise an extracurricular. Your child will see her teachers both in the classroom as teachers and on the playing field

What Makes Boarding School Special?

What makes a boarding school unique? I know some of you reading this will say "the cost." No, what I have in mind are the characteristics of a boarding school that set it apart from private day schools and public schools. Back to cost, however. Let's get that out of the way. Most boarding schools have incredibly generous financial aid programs. No deserving applicant will be turned away because his family cannot afford the tuition and fees. On the other hand, if $60,000 or more is a tariff that you can handle using your own resources, then the cost is not an impediment.

It's an adventure.

I happen to think that The Association for Boarding Schools got it right when it describes boarding school as an adventure. You and I, as parents, know that learning will be an adventure. At least, that was always our intent when our daughters went off to boarding school. It's the new friends your child will make who will be part of the adventure. These are friends who will be with her 24/7 for weeks during school. These are classmates she will bring home for a weekend. I still remember yesterday when my eldest daughter arrived home for an afternoon with one of her new friends. We lived about 10 miles from the school. Her classmate was from out of state. While their laundry was in the washer and dryer, the two girls

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

Going to boarding school is not an easy decision. It involves adjusting to a new environment, living away from family, and making a significant financial commitment. For many families, the central question remains the same in 2026: Is boarding school worth it compared to local public, private, or magnet school options?

The answer depends on your goals, learning style, and readiness for independence. What has changed in recent years, however, is the scope of opportunities, financial accessibility, and the evolving role of boarding schools in preparing students for a rapidly shifting academic and professional landscape.

This guide explores what makes boarding school unique today, what to compare when evaluating options, and why more families are reconsidering this path.

Depending on where you live, local schools may offer strong academics, extracurriculars, and college preparation. Many public and private day schools have expanded Advanced Placement (AP) offerings, STEM programs, and dual enrollment options in partnership with colleges.

However, boarding schools continue to differentiate themselves in several key areas.

Key Comparison Factors

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average U.S. public school student-to-teacher ratio remains around 15:1, while many boarding schools maintain significantly smaller ratios, often

An eReader makes reading a very convenient pastime because you can take dozens of books with you just about anywhere you go. Most of these titles can also be downloaded from your local library in eReader format. Happy reading!

Non-fiction

The Best of the Best: Becoming Elite at an American Boarding School by Ruben A. Gaztambide-Fernandez
This is a serious book written by a Harvard education student who spent 2 years embedded in an American boarding school.

Black Ice by Lorene Cary
Lorene Cary recounts her experiences as the first African-American female student at the prestigious St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire.

Perfectly Prep: Gender Extremes at a New England Prep School by Sarah A. Chase
The author is a professional anthropologist who examines gender in all its manifestations in boarding school.

Preparing For Power: America's Elite Boarding Schools by Peter W. Cookson Jr, Caroline Hodges Persell
The authors are New York University sociologists. As a result, Preparing for Power offers a documented, well-research look at private schools and the how's and why's of their success in positioning leaders of business, professionals, and government.

Privilege: The Making of an Adolescent Elite at St. Paul's School by Shamus Rahman Khan
The author attended St. Paul's School, in Concord, New Hampshire. His book offers a window into the school's community which is still a privileged one though much more diverse.

Fiction
Goodbye Mr Chips by James Hilton

This 1930s novel about an English boarding school teacher still brings a tear to the eye.

Old School by Tobias

Boarding Schools in a Minute gives an overview of independent residential schools in North America. There is much more to boarding schools than these brief headlines convey. Hopefully, these bullets will encourage you to explore this very special education option in depth.

95% of these boarding schools are high schools serving grades 9 through 12, with many schools offering a Post-Graduate Year or Grade 13. A handful of junior boarding schools serve grades 6-9.

Most boarding schools operate within a traditional school year of September through May. A few schools begin their year in August. A couple ends their school year in June. One school only operates during the summer session.

In 2023, there were approximately 450 boarding schools. Tuition at these schools ranges from free to well over $60,000 annually. Boarding schools come in many shapes and sizes. Some are small, with 125 or so students in grades 10 through 12. Others are large, with over 1200 students in grades 9 through 12. Most fall into what is best described as a medium-sized school with a population of 350-450 students.

Many boarding schools are non-sectarian, i.e., they adhere to no particular religious denomination's teachings and views. What they offer instead is an amalgam of mainline religious thought and philosophy. Other schools follow the teachings and beliefs of a particular religion. For example, Jesuit boarding schools adhere to the teachings of