I would not recommend repeating junior year. She sounds like she is already pretty grown up and the continued rules as boarder will be stifling as a 19 year old.
I’m sure there are many boarding schools that will take her. Or go the day school route.
One thing we did was to give her and others the book, “The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College,” published in 2002 and available used for almost nothing. It is a “Year in the Life” of the college admissions staff at Wesleyan, and some of their applicants.
We also commend this book for parents trying to send their kids to highly selective prep schools. It is eye-opening for students, who tend to think of the admissions process as a strict meritocracy. While 15 years old, probably the only thing that has changed much is that Wesleyan is even more difficult to get into.
The advice to pick up the phone and start calling around to target schools to see if they can entertain an application at this point seems the most logical, so that’s what we’ll do. Some of the websites schools use for Admissions “reset” on July 1 for the 2018 cycle so it’s not clear how exceptions are handled without a call.
Because you said she is an athlete, you need to check what the restrictions are for her playing for 2 more years. Many states do not allow students to play for more than 4 years. Some have restrictions on students over 18 from playing. Repeating a year and not being able to play for senior year would be a big deal for many kids. If she intends to play in college, the NCAA would only allow the courses from the first 4 years to be qualifiers (which may not be a problem at all for this good student).
Stanford, Nebraska, and Indiana University have on-line high schools.
For the difference in BS cost, you might be able to combine one of those with some purposeful and educational travel. More of a Peace Corps than tourist bus thing.
I can imagine several positive side effects.
@twoinanddone, I’ve never seen that at any prep school. In fact some schools require students to participate in team sports regardless of how many years they’ve played on the high school level.
Many public schools don’t allow grade repeating by kids coming from prep schools but it’s very common among kids going from one prep school to another.
Told her this week she must hand write apologies to everyone she let down in this process, as well as thank you notes to those who stepped up to help or offered to be references. We want some reflection and introspection before we launch into a new search.
Called Milton and they simply stated they were full with a waiting list for 2017-18 and did not take new 12th graders anyway. We’ve left messages at some others,waiting to hear back.
As others have mentioned I encourage you to look at some of the top online HS programs to see if she could do online schooling to complete her HS degree. Also the possibility of Home Schooling with Community College classes. Even look and see the policies at some of the Early College programs like Bard at Simon’s Rock, Mary Baldwin Early College, etc… Or, does she actually have enough credits to apply to go to college early. I have friends who basically graduated from high school at the end of junior year and went to college… some after a gap year of volunteering/ travel/ work/ study abroad.
Not to say that she will not be able to find a place at a boarding or school that meets her needs, or that any of these options will be best for her, but just to explore all the many options that could be available.
Wishing you all the best! It is difficult to be so far into schooling and be separated from the school. The logistics are different than if she were a freshman or sophomore.
We heard back from BB&N. They don’t take new Seniors, and stated few students enter after 9th grade.
They suggested that the Association of Independent Schools website (https://www.aisne.org/) will have a list sometime this summer of schools with openings. Didn’t see it so sent an email asking for information.
Lincoln Academy in Maine is still considering applications and they have quite a nice college matriculation list. If you’re still considering boarding schools it’s worth a look.
https://www.lincolnacademy.org/academics/college-counseling/
You can also check out the SSAT open seat list. There’s no guarantee these schools are still taking applications but this list is a good place to start.
I’d call Winsor and Nobles. Also Rivers in Weston worth checking out. What about Lawrence in Groton and I think Dana Hall always has openings.
I would think the best option would be to look to rent an apartment somewhere in the south shore for the year as suggested upthread. Maybe in duxbury or hingham if going metrowest is too far. It seems like a hole in the wall rental on realtor dot com can be found for about $1500 per month. Doing something like that would be a drag for four years, but for one year it may be alternative.
I made an email inquiry to Winsor and they responded, “No new Seniors.”
We have friends at Nobles who say they do not take new Seniors and there is no application option listed for grade 12.
Rivers and Cambridge School of Weston are a solid 45 minute commute each way, subject to traffic disruptions. Have to think about that.
I was impressed with Dana Hall’s college matriculation list this year that they posted to their website. What about her boarding during the week?
Salem Academy in NC has rolling admissions and might have openings. I’m pretty sure that last year they had a 1st year boarding Senior…
I don’t get it. She had SEVERAL offenses at a school for which you are private pay and both you and most of the posters on this thread are advocating jumping through hoops so she can continue on her journey in private schools? I am sorry you are going through this but from my perspective she belongs in public school, day school or home-schooled (where you can keep an eye on her behavior) or the like. At what juncture does she start taking personal responsibility for her actions? Why are you so intent that she must attend an elite college? Doesn’t sound like she has deserved it. And you know…rubbing elbows with the common folk might just do her some good.
You know… you’re probably right. We haven’t explored the option of waterboarding his daughter yet. 
Seriously, you make all the other school options sound like a punishment when they’re not.
So home or public school is equivalent to waterboarding?
Wow. No words for that.
The options I listed were not mean to be “punishment”. I’d be most concerned with realizing, identifying and modifying the behaviors that led to the expulsion and I think any school that doesn’t include consistent monitoring in person by the parent(s) should not be an option. Clearly this child is in need of a firm hand to steer her in the right direction. Instead, it appears to me that elite college admission is the focus.