I’ll point out that not every kid at boarding school is coming from a place where their local public school can compare to what is offered at boarding school and might not have nearby privates that fit their needs. Be it course offerings,the mindset of the majority of students, or how the district viewed gifted kids with learning differences, our public school just wasn’t an option. Of the nearby options, we had boarding schools or religious schools. And once it was clear that boarding schools were the best option, it opened up boarding schools outside of our daily commuting radius (most of the boarding schools were just too far to be able to balance a packed high school schedule and a commute and still feel part of the community).
We were very focused about “fit” for both our son and our family. We were not seeking name recognition or matriculation boosts. We were seeking an experiential education with courses that would both challenge S23 and keep his love of learning and insatiable curiosity intact. What we found were mentors and exposure to academic fields that he never would have had access to in other settings.
Our question wasn’t what college our kid would attend, but what he would do once he got there. For that, there is no doubt that boarding school was worth it for our student. When I see him on campus now, I know what I’m seeing is a very different outcome than if he had stayed in our local public school.