Pop culture paints a rather gloomy picture of boarding schools, we have only to look at popular movies like Dead Poet Society and even the South African written Spud, and a general feeling of punishment and cold showers prevail. While this is hugely exaggerated, it leaves people asking: “Why would anyone want to go to a boarding school?”
Boarding schools, simply aren’t like the movies. They represent an opportunity for students to learn a number of skills, make lifelong friends and become an independent individual, all of this while having access to high-quality education, fantastic sporting facilities and an active extra-curricular program.
The New York Times said it best in the following article:
"To generations of students whose syllabuses include J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye," boarding school represents the winter of their adolescent discontent; a cold, distant place where parents threaten to send their children if they don't measure up. Parents dropped their children off in September, picked them up again in June and let the schoolmasters worry about what went on in between.
If Holden Caulfield were to return to school for Alumni Day 2001, he would find that the world of proctors and prefects, dorm teas and Mr. Chips has undergone a millennial thaw. Most of the approximately 36,000 students at boarding schools packed their bags willingly and are in daily e-mail contact with mom and dad. The ivy is no longer one shade of green. Students are as likely to room with a real prince of Thailand as with the fresh prince of Bel Air, as the schools reach farther into the public high schools for the majority of their students, making admissions more competitive than ever.
The monastic life of formal dinners, daily chapel and cold showers has given way to international theme meals, contemporary ecumenism and interdorm dances." - Less Austerity, More Diversity at Prep School Today - By VICTORIA GOLDMAN and CATHERINE HAUSMAN, November 12, 2000, New York Times
For some parents, especially those who were a boarder themselves, the decision to send their child to boarding school is part of a bigger picture approach. The decision to go to a boarding school will pay off in the long run, many a successful businessman, athlete and politician came from the boarding school system.
Although the above-mentioned is true, and networking has become a reality at some of the top schools, boarding works because of the abundance of opportunities and the strong bond between boarders. A typical boarder is a student who embraces the opportunity they’ve been afforded. To live in a community where the love of learning, growth and self-actualization are prioritized and where making friends is eminent.
For the student that immerses themselves in the many activities schools offer today, boarding really is the best option. From extra classes and music practice before school to sport and choir late at night, a boarder has the opportunity to participate in as many of the activities the school offers, as they can squeeze into their day.
In a world where parents are increasingly becoming helicopter parents, boarding is the solution. Students learn to wake up on their own, make their own bed and even clean their own room. This preparation comes in handy at University when mom’s not around to wake you up with a steaming cup of coffee every morning. Having to wake yourself up every morning and making sure you are on time for meals, activities and sports practices teach one essential time and self-management skills.
Students don’t just manage their own affairs, they learn by and from other. They therefore develop the interpersonal and communication skills to navigate life with people constantly around.
The standard of education in South African’s private schools is exceptionally high, that combined with the opportunity to learn English as a first language is a huge draw for many international families. South African boarding schools also hold great appeal because they offer a combination of sport that most students find enticing.
With these international students come their different cultures. It gives local South Africans an opportunity to get to know different cultures. This exposure often gives the local students the thirst to want to explore and experience more beyond the confines of the school. Gary Player once said he believes that “Travel is the University of life!”
Academics is vitally important, but at the reunion in 20 years’ time no one remembers that one great Afrikaans lesson, they remember what happened in between. They remember their dorms, their friends and, dare I say, the mischief they got up to. Boarding bonds the students together as lifelong friends.
"You probably won't have 70 sisters at any point during your lifetime, but at boarding you do." – Jessica, Appleby College.
The Canadian Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) began a National Tracking Project in 2006 to track private school student success in university. They found that students that come from boarding establishments find it easier to adopt to life at the university.
The best boarding establishments have a unique way of simulating and preparing you for life after school. Whether it is for university, entrepreneurship or travel, a good boarding foundation will make you fit right in.