Boarding schools can open up a world of learning for advanced students.
When local schools aren't satisfactory for their student's needs, many parents turn to boarding schools to fill the gap. Whether the school is local or across the country, each boarding school has a specific focus and intent. There are boarding schools that focus on the arts, others that focus on preparing a child for an Ivy League education and schools that focus on sports. Although there are quite a few boarding schools in the United States, including coed, single-sex and other specialty schools, some excel over others for a variety of reasons. Considering one school over another, however, can be difficult to qualify. Therefore, only coed schools with competitive acceptance rates are outlined here.
Choate Rosemary Hall
Choate Rosemary Hall is located in Wallingford, Connecticut. It is not easy to gain admission to Choate; the school's acceptance rate hovers at around 25 percent. A secondary school with a student-to-teacher ratio of about 6 to 1, Choate's graduates go on to universities like Harvard, Yale and MIT, and notable former students include John F. Kennedy. While its students focus on academics, the school also offers a rich variety of sports and extracurricular activities, and parents can expect to pay more than $40,000 a year in tuition.
Deerfield Academy
Located in Deerfield, Massachusetts, Deerfield Academy was founded in 1707. Maintaining a low student-to-teacher ratio of around 5 to 1, Deerfield accepts only about 14 percent of total applicants. In addition to a rigorous curriculum the school offers more than 22 sports, including water polo, swimming, basketball and volleyball, as well as more than 71 extracurricular activities and student organizations, such as chorus, debate and animal rights. Tuition exceeds $40,000 a year, and notable former academy students include actor Matthew Fox and King Abdullah II of Jordan.
Eagle Hill School
Founded in 1967 and located in Hardwick, Massachusetts, Eagle Hill School serves high-performing learning-disabled students in grades 8 through 12, with a student-to-teacher ratio of around 5 to 1 and an acceptance rate of less than 25 percent. The school offers about 10 Advanced Placement courses, as well as sports and other extracurricular activities.
Groton School
Located in Groton, Massachusetts, Groton School was founded in 1884. Serving grades 8 through 12, with a student-to-teacher ratio of around 5 to 1, more than 75 percent of Groton's faculty hold advanced degrees. In addition to its rigorous curriculum that includes college preparatory courses, the school offers sports and other extracurricular activities. Students can participate in the Model UN, for example, join the Outdoor Club or be part of the Christian Fellowship, and parents can expect to pay about $50,000 a year in tuition.
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