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
