<p>We are an African American family in NYC with kids in two top Manhattan private schools. My 6th grade son is suddenly very aware that he is one of the only AA students in his grade and he is asking if boarding schools are more diverse. Does anyone know about junior boarding schools–particularly Rumsey Hall or Eaglebrook? Although my husband and I are Ivy league grads working in finance, we grew up in the midwest where nobody went to boarding schools–and certainly not junior boarding schools. Does anyone know about the diversity of Rumsey Hall or Eaglebrook? I know this is probably not an important concern to many, but I can’t send him to a school where he’d feel like the only child of color in his grade. And why isn’t there more on this board about Rumsey Hall?
Thanks!</p>
<p>Here is the website for the U.S. Dept of Education’s education statistics. You see the exact racial breakdown for any school:
[Search</a> for Private Schools](<a href=“http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/]Search”>Search for Private Schools)</p>
<p>Use the SEARCH function on CC (it’s on the blue menu bar above) to find more posts about Rumsey Hall.</p>
<p>Some Junior Boarding schools have day-only schooling in earlier grades, and the actual diversity of boarding grades might be much higher than the Government breakdown implies.</p>
<p>I’ve never heard of Rumsey Hall but a quick perusal of their website would lead me to believe it’s not very diverse. Eaglebrook might be a little bit better.</p>
<p>I think you’ll find more diverse student bodies at typical (non-junior) boarding schools.</p>
<p>Eaglebrook is certainly a diverse place, although more in terms of an international flavor than anything else. There is a large population of Asians (both Asian-Asians and Asian-Americans), as well as a sizable number of international kids from Latin American countries, especially Mexico. There seem to be a few African American boys each year (maybe 3 or 4 out of 70 boys per year). I believe last year’s student body president was African American.</p>
<p>Rectory (in Pomfret, CT) is quite diverse, with African Americans, but also Mexicans and many different Asian nationalities.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for junior boarding schools, you should widen your search to include Fessenden. It’s an all-boys day and boarding school in Newton, Massachusetts, PreK- grade 9. It admits students to board beginning in 5th grade. Also, Fay School in Southborough, Massachusetts, which enrolls students from PreK to grade 9. Boarding begins in 7th grade at Fay.</p>
<p>I don’t know how many of the students of color at each school are international, and how many are African American. Admissions officers at each school would know, though.</p>
<p>I was going to say just what Periwinkle said - call the admissions offices and ask them if that info isn’t on their websites. They have the stats. And ask them if the international students are looped in to the diversity numbers or if they’re a separate category. My son’s school website lists “Domestic Students of Color” and “International Students” as separate categories.</p>