Sonntag, 29. Juni 2014

Which schooltype?


When it comes to the topic going abroad there are many questions.

One of the main questions is: which school type do I prefer?

There are three different options:

·         public school

·         private school

·         boarding school

 

I am going to briefly explain all three types and then dig further into the pros and cons of each school.

Public schools:

This is probably the most common type. You are going to search an organization (there are often fairs so you should visit at least one to get a good overview) and then they are going to look for a host family. You basically have no say in the whole process and it is a good possibility that you might end up at a farm when you dreamed about Hollywood or in a bigger city when you always wanted to be a cowboy. Also problems with your host family aren’t that rare and you basically have to stop most of the contact with your real family.

Pros:

·         the prices aren’t that high

·         you have the surprise effect

·         barely any work to do

Cons:

·         problems with your host family

·         barely any contact with your real family

·         you might end up in a state you don’t like

 

Private schools:

Sure boarding schools are private schools too but I decided to separate both because there are some differences.

When you decide to apply at a private school you still have the whole “new family experience” but can decide which state and even which school district you would like to visit. You have a normal American school day and in the afternoon/evening you are free to do whatever you want to do.

Pros:

·         you can choose the state and school district

·         still have the whole “host family” experience

·         not always on campus

Cons:

·         higher prices

·         problems with the host family

·         if there are “siblings” in the host family they might not attend a private school

·         there are different school options

 

Boarding schools:

Boarding schools are like private schools just that you don’t stay in a host family and live on campus together with many other students. The connection between students and teachers in general is better because most of the staff lives on campus with their family. Also it is made sure that you get enough time to learn during the week. On the weekend there are always activities planned. Also you can see your family during holidays.

Pros:

·         high education

·         no problems with a host family

·         direct contact with students

·         you can choose the school yourself

Cons:

·         high prices

·         most boarding schools close over the holidays

·         share a room with at least one more person

·         most of the time no own bathroom

·         always on campus

·         defined check-in times

 

There are many aspects to consider and even though there might be more cons on your list you should also think about how much weight all of those points have. For example the boarding schools have more cons than a public school but problems with a host family and nearly no contact with my family have way more weight.

I hope that helped you guys a bit. If you have more questions feel free to ask!

The next post – about finding the right boarding school – should be uploaded within the next week.

 

Love,

 

J

General Information


Hey everyone,

I am a fifteen years old girl from Germany who is lucky enough to attend one of the best boarding schools in the US after summer break.

During the applying process many questions came up for me. Luckily I found some persons who could answer a few of them, but I still had to figure most of it out myself. While some may say “That’s the fun part about it!” – and I do agree with that – I thought a few general tips and a share of my experiences shouldn’t do any harm.

So in the following posts I will try to cover all the important topics about the apply-process and once I actually arrive at my boarding school I will also keep you updated about the happenings there.

However if you have any other questions that I didn’t answer yet: feel free to send me a quick email!

Love,

J