Here are Twenty Genuine Questions to Ask on Your College Tour

1. Which dining hall has the best food for vegetarians? Ask away! 

2. Where do students go to unwind during their free time? 

3. How far is the nearest cafe with great vibes where students go to work in their free time?

4. Which campus events are the most fun, and which are the most well-attended?

5. Are there many job recruiting fairs on campus?

6. What was the first thing that surprised you when you arrived on campus?

7. What do you think outsiders get wrong about student life at this school?

8. Does the housing get better with each year you spend on campus?

9. Did you find it easy to make friends when you arrived?

10. What are the mental health support resources like? Do students face stigma for using them?

11. How strong is the advising or mentoring system on campus?

12. What’s the arts scene like?

13. Do students actually care about things like sports and school spirit?

14. How engaged are alumni on campus? Is there a strong network for recent graduates to tap into?

15. Do many undergraduates conduct research? Is it easy to access funding?

16. Where can LGBTQ students find community on campus?

17. What’s your favorite place on campus?

18. What advice would you give to an incoming first-year?

19. How popular are study abroad programs here?

20. What’s something you wished you had known before coming here?

The 10 Types of Boarding Schools

The Association of Boarding Schools lists 221 independent, college-preparatory, not-for-profit boarding schools in the United States, Canada, and abroad. According to the advertising-based Boarding School Review website, there are 300 boarding schools. Whatever the exact number, there are ten types of boarding schools, and not everyone is right for everyone. These ten types of boarding school groups differ in associations (The Boarding School Association (TABS) or part of other associations like the Small Boarding School Association (SBSA)), and some have larger percentages of boarders vs. day students. Like everything in an AllKindsofTherapy list, it is not intended to be tidy but is intended to provide you an understanding of the scope of boarding schools you or your child needs/wants.

1. College preparatory school.

When you think of a college prep boarding school, Hollywood focuses on the traditional co-ed boarding school. These may include traditional and predominantly day schools with few boarding students. The school may or may not have a uniform. They will generally have AP classes and an IB program, require students to participate in sports or after-school activities, and the end goal is college. Depending on the school, it may have a summer school for international students or SAT test prep or classes for all students. What can be vastly different in this group is the ratio of boarders to day students or day students to boarders. These boarding schools are generally non-profit and governed by a board of trustees.

2.  Junior boarding school.

Generally serving middle school-aged students with a boarding component for 7th-9th grade, some of these schools can have boarders who are even younger-aged students. Junior boarding schools are unique because they hyper-focus on the middle school-aged students, with boys-only junior boarding schools or co-ed. Junior boarding schools focus on middle childhood, aka “tween years,” to develop organization skills and communication. They are safe communities that have sports, the arts, and developmentally appropriate education.

Please take a moment to review the boarding schools that offer junior boarding options and different types of learning support.

3.  Emotional Growth School.

This school model is out of date, and luckily for children, this “therapeutic” model has been put out of business. If you hear a boarding school defining itself as an emotional growth school, walk away.

4.  Military school.

Most military schools consider themselves college prep and maybe co-ed or single-sex, have AP classes available, and can not guarantee admission into the service academies. Some are religiously affiliated and others are not. The number one myth about Military School is that it is for troubled teens. They are not. Yes, there is structure, consistency, Junior ROTC, rigorous academics, small classes, and diverse student bodies – all of which can help students find and build structure and discipline into their own lives. However, suppose your child is having significant struggles at home with the structure and consistency. In that case, he/she will likely struggle at military school, and you will likely be on the hook to pay the tuition for the entire year, even if your child is there for only the first few months.

5.  Sports Academies.

There are boarding programs all around the country that specialize in a particular sport or sport. They are training elite athletes. If it is a ski or snowboarding school, the classes might be less rigorous in the winter to accommodate travel nationally or internationally. This is the same thing for tennis, golf, soccer, or whichever sport is the primary focus. These schools can be non-profit or for-profit. The goal is not always academics, so it might be a fit if you have a child who is hyper-focused on a sport and academics has not been as much of a priority. In the morning, noon, and night, the focus is on sports, training from all angles, and performance.

6.  Performing arts school or Fine Arts boarding schools.

These schools prepare young artists for careers or higher education in the arts. There are summer programs that assist with vetting out if this is a path a student wants to pursue. Like the Sports Academies, the key to understanding these types of schools is that they can be intense and competitive, and are often designed to weed out the students who are not ready for such a high level of focus or commitment.

7.  Religious boarding schools.

There are many different types of religious boarding schools, including Anglican, Baptist, Christian, non-denominational, Quaker, Catholic, and Episcopalian. While all boarding schools allow all religions to be practiced, some schools focus specifically on a particular faith or style of worship. These schools are generally traditional, and the degree to which there is a religious overlay can vary widely between schools.

8.  Therapeutic Boarding schools.  

Are a type of residential treatment program with an integrated school component. The school generally holds a separate academic accreditation from the treatment program. Although not every state licenses therapeutic boarding schools, where they are licensed, they are also accredited. There are varying levels of structure and therapy based on the license in the state and the treatment model. The average length of stay varies based on the school and the level of freedom varies widely.  Many “therapeutic boarding schools” hold additional accreditation from the Joint Commission, CARF, COA, or NIPSA, even if the state does give licenses.  Many people believe that a “boarding school” is a therapeutic boarding school.  There are Boarding Schools that will accept students who have successfully completed a short-term RTC or treatment program.

9.  Single-sex school.

Gender-specific education may or may not also overlap with any of the above categories.

10.  Semester Long/Short-Term Boarding Schools.

There are just 9 semester-long boarding schools registered in the United States, and they operate courses in and outside the US. These schools often focus on a particular age, e.g., 10th, 11th, or 12th graders, and they generally have a specific focus, e.g., experiential adventure programming, the arts, international travel, etc. Classes and grades are designed to transfer back to home schools or colleges, and this unique opportunity allows students to live in varying types of boarding environments, learn, travel, and create a community with an intimate group of students.

All of the 10 different boarding schools have varying levels of intensity within the specialty or focus. As a parent researching information, examine how the boarding school is operated. Be sure there is oversight to the school you choose, such as a Board of Directors, licensure (state), and/or accreditation. If it is a non-profit, it may be a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) or The Boarding School Association (TABS), a regional association, and the state may require a license. If it is a for-profit boarding school, as a therapeutic boarding school, and if the state issues licenses, confirm with the licensing agency that there are no significant complaints and then confirm if they have national accreditation like CARF, Joint Commission, or COA . Licensing and accreditation do not mean a school is perfect; what it does mean is that there is more than the state’s oversight.  Always review the oversight of the school you are choosing and discuss any questions you might have.

Educational consultants can be important for a variety of reasons, including:

• Personalized guidance: Consultants can provide customized advice based on a student's unique needs and goals. 

• School selection: Consultants can help students find schools that are a good fit for their interests, academic ability, and budget. 

• Academic planning: Consultants can help students set and achieve their academic goals. 

• Financial aid: Consultants can help students and their families navigate financial aid options and scholarships. 

• Application assistance: Consultants can help students craft compelling applications. 

• Career counseling: Consultants can help students explore careers that align with their education. 

• Emotional support: Consultants can provide emotional support and stress management.