The Rumor Mill
Myths are easy to perpetuate. Start a rumor and then circulate it. Pretty soon you'll have everyone wondering if it's true. Boarding schools sometimes get a bad rap thanks to a few key misconceptions that are reflected in the questions below.
Aren't boarding schools for "problem students"?
Some boarding schools can be, but not college preparatory boarding schools--the kind we feature on this site. Most students that go to boarding school do it for the academics--60% of boarding school students say they apply because of the promise of better education.
Aren't boarding schools breeding grounds for trouble?
Like many stereotypes, the opposite is true. Ninety-five percent of boarding school students say that their social lives don't revolve around drugs and alcohol, compared with 82% of private day and public school students.
Kids are at boarding school because they have troubled home lives.
Many students come to boarding schools because they have healthy home lives that have encouraged them to pursue their dreams through better and higher education. It's no surprise that 86% of boarding school students report being satisfied with their family lives.
Going to a boarding school means being far away from my family.
Not true. As the School Browser indicates, you can find boarding schools within a reasonable distance of virtually any place in North America.
Do boarding school students do anything other than study?
Absolutely! Boarding school students participate in more extracurricular activities than other students, including playing sports, engaging in creative endeavors like music and painting, and participating in student government and club activities.