Boarding schools today are poles apart from their stereotypical Bollywood images, as havens for children of privilege or refuges for troubled teens. Research proves that contemporary boarding schools serve a diverse body of motivated students who study and live in supportive, inclusive academic communities where they learn about independence and responsibility – values that help them achieve success at higher rates than private day and public school students – in the classroom and beyond.
Interviews with current boarding school students reveal what they learn once enrolled, and how boarders spend their time. Interviews with boarding school alumni across generations reveal the long-term, life-changing effects of attending school in a residential setting, and how the lessons and values learned at boarding school influence and shape college experiences and professional success.
1. Challenging Academics
A boarding school education is known for being more challenging than a private day school or public school. Boarding School place a unique emphasis on rigorous academics and experience-based learning. An experience-centered environment helps students grow in self-discipline and develop a strong work ethic that will prepare them for higher education. In fact, 78% of boarding school students reported feeling prepared for college versus 36% of private day students and 23% of public students.
2. Peer Learning
In a boarding school setting, you live, play, study, and socialize among your peers. A diverse boarding school setting with students from different backgrounds offers a special opportunity for growth and learning. Students can expand their perspectives and horizons as they learn together both in and out of the classroom.
According to a study, 78% of boarding students reported being motivated by their peers, a number significantly higher than the 49% of public school students. When you live and learn together in a community, you motivate and grow together, too.
3. Smaller Class Sizes
Small class sizes can make all the difference in a student's success. When students have the chance to interact with their peers and teachers, they engage with the subject material more closely — a dynamic that makes the information more likely to stick. Teachers and students develop a closer mentor relationship within a smaller classroom. In addition, students often feel more confident and comfortable voicing opinions and sharing their answers.
Boarding schools typically offer this advantage over public school classrooms. The average class size around 20 – 30 students. This gives everyone an opportunity to have their voice heard and learn from the perspectives of fellow students.
4. Personal Growth
Living away from home and residing on campus in a dorm setting provides invaluable opportunities for personal growth. Boarding school students tend to develop life skills such as time management, work ethic, and independence in an accelerated manner than a public school student.
While they receive ample care and guidance from teachers, administrators, and dorm parents, as well as their families, boarding students must take an added level of responsibility for their education. This growth is part of what helps many boarders feel adequately prepared to step into college, where these skills are necessary to succeed.
The accessibility of extracurricular activities and clubs means that students must make key time management decisions to prioritize their commitments and create a balanced schedule.
5. A Learning-Conducive Atmosphere
A boarding school is a hub for learning. Many schools offer ample spaces for students to stretch themselves and put their classroom learning into practice. This includes facilities like performing arts spaces, science labs, athletic fields and courts, and more. Schools prioritize the arts through spaces designed for photography, dance, music, theatre, and media, and the sciences with unique facilities including an engineering, fabrication, and exploration lab as well as an observatory.
Also activities as Cricket, Horse riding, Shooting range, Archery, Crossbow, Taekwondo, football, volleyball, golf course, tennis courts, climbing walls, fitness centre, and more to allow students to pursue many athletic opportunities all year long. Most boarding school students find themselves with abundant opportunities to learn and grow through a culture of acceptance and encouragement.
6. Advanced Co-curricular Activities
When you live on campus, you have access to a world of choices for both advanced learning and personal growth. With clubs and activities from language learning and competitive athletics to STEM project clubs and the arts, every student has a chance to get plugged in with their niche interests. This is easier than ever at a boarding school, where residential living encourages students to pursue their hobbies and join groups that match their passions.
The opportunity to stretch themselves through extracurriculars means boarding students can develop new skills, try different activities, and discover more about who they are.
7. Social Maturity
Learning and living among a diverse group of peers has the potential to lead to disagreements. Yet this dynamic paves the way for broadened world views and social maturity. Students learn valuable life lessons about connection and conflict. As a result, they're often more socially prepared and ready to embrace a world full of different people with contrasting points of view.
Boarding school often leads to a stronger sense of community. When you share life and grow up together outside of the constraints of a private day school or public school setting, you build a sense of belonging and community that is unparalleled. Not to mention, much more fun!
The decision to attend a boarding school can be life changing. Even parents convinced of the advantages sometimes harbour doubts. Stereotypes about boarding schools often support their concerns.
Here, we are cutting through the stereotypes. What are the benefits of attending a modern boarding school?
Therefore, attending a boarding school offers many advantages, teaching young adults important skills so that they grow with confidence, resilience and independence towards adulthood.
We believe that boarding schools offer a unique opportunity for students to deep-dive into learning and community, rigorous academic standards are complemented by an emphasis on each student's personal development and preparedness for their next step in life. If you're considering a boarding school, we'd love to answer your questions and give you more information about Residential School and culture. Apply today!
