<p>Outside BS, repeating a grade may carry some stigma, but inside BS it’s something neutral. Think of it as being on financial aid. No one cares or even has to know about it. That said, repeating is not always a good decision, especially if you are planning on repeating 9th grade when you are still an 8th grader. In other words, you “artificially” design to repeat a year. While there are truly good reasons that warrant the cost (not just financially) for a 5 year HS career, if you are targeting to be more advanced and competitive than peers coming in the door, think again. By junior year, such advantages would be pretty much worn out. I’ve seen more than one kid who was repeating a calculus class in 9th grade and ended up “so-so” at graduation. I would take repeating as a making up measure for kids who evidently need it instead a routine solution just to “make sure” or “feel certain”.</p>