I’m starting the application process for a boarding school for my child in 9th grade for the 2025-2026 school year. We need substantial financial aid, ideally 85% or more.
I’m curious about the benefits and drawbacks of Early Decision and Early Action. If I apply to a school through Early Decision and don’t receive the necessary financial aid, is my child still obligated to attend? Can I apply to multiple schools early?
Are there any schools that offer significant advantages for early applicants, especially those seeking financial aid?
I’m looking for guidance and advice from other families who have been through this process.
Most boarding schools do not offer early decision; it is not common, so there may not be anyone on CC with direct experience.
A few thoughts –
Schools offering early decision probably correlate with low endowments. Low endowments = not hugely generous financial aid.
Wouldn’t the ED decision be analogous to college? That is, if you need substantial financial aid, wouldn’t it be in the family’s best interest to compare awards? Especially since the majority of schools do not guarantee to meet need.
Also, although of course it is you making financial decisions and you are helping with the process, it is your child that is applying to the schools, not you.
Are you already set with your schools of interest, or would you like some input? If so, let us know what you are looking for, and why your family is considering boarding school.
This is 100% true! And since I’d never heard of a boarding school offering ED/EA I googled, and one in Chattanooga popped up. I am sure there must be a few others. But super rare.
Agree that this is not the norm for BS. The most common exception is for students who attend a middle school associated with BS. This isn’t the majority, but it’s not uncommon. So if you are an 8th grader at a school that has an upper school, you may be able to apply and hear early if you wish to stay on. Far more common at day schools and almost exclusively for day students (as they aren’t boarding in middle school.)
When adding schools to the SAO application, I noticed that several well-known boarding schools, including my alma mater Suffield Academy, offer early application options. It’s great to know that there are more options available, but it seems that information about this is not widely known. Thanks for taking the time to reply.