Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Age or Ability Specific Forums Elementary School WWYD - boarding high school?

There's a big difference between a private boarding school with lots of internationals and a public school. It's not an apples-to-apples comparison. Phys Ed wouldn't be my concern, more the social aspect of boarding where the kids spend significantly more time with peers in organized activities than at a typical day school. Supervision and behavior at boarding schools is also an issue, and while bullying may be less of an issue, early access to inappropriate material or alcohol may be more of an issue (in the UK this a problem; where we live it isn't). If the school gets kids as young as 11, they will be better prepared to deal with the age group than a school that generally accepts its youngest students at 13.

Others will have more experience with this, but community college does not in general offer rigorous math courses, nor are the (college-aged) students at a CC particularly mathy in general. Your boarding high school likely has more rigorous math than the CC, even if the CC courses seem to be higher maths. I would rather have a mathy kid in a rigorous high school course that may be slightly below level than a higher maths CC course that lacks depth.

He is adamant he does not want to go to the local public middle/high school. Like tears and tantrums adamant. I find this a little humorous because we are in the building every other week for school board meetings, during school hours, and he's always lingering by classroom doors interested in the classes. He is physically comfortable in the building and navigating halls between classes.

He wants very much to go to the community college, as soon as possible. He spent a semester on campus and in classrooms, so he knows what the environment is. I worry that he is idolizing college.

He doesn't know much about the boarding school. He started off with dramatic crying and then was like "wait, what kind of school is it?" Then he was worried about not being able to take care of his bottle-raise lambs (he's not understanding the timeline). I said they have a Rube team and then he's begging to go. :rolleyes: He is not being terribly rational, and doesn't have enough information to form a solid opinion.

A tour and possibly a day to visit and shadow may help him make a decision.

A few thoughts before you tour the school:
- Print or screen-print a copy of their application form, and talk through the application form with your son.
- Have your son make a resume including special interests, activities, community college courses which counted toward homeschool, any awards, etc. He could include a list of books read if these help to portray him as a high-school student, especially with an interest in global issues, cultural exchange, etc. The exercise of prioritizing and organizing information about himself into a resume will help him present himself well, rather than having a "deer in the headlights" reaction if school staff ask him impromptu questions.
- Help your son make a list of questions to ask of school staff/administrators.
- Have him carry a clipboard or folder during the tour so he can make notes of answers he receives to his questions, and jot down other things which he notices.
- Have him consider sending a "thank-you" letter after the tour, possibly mentioning a tour highlight and something learned/appreciated about the school. If he has this in mind while he preps for the tour, then during the tour he will observe and recall items to incorporate into the letter, after the tour.