Factors Influencing Boarding School Affordability
Factors that influence the cost of a boarding school education include: location, 5-day vs. 7-day (if offered), prorated tuition during rolling enrollment periods and the types of financial assistance offered. Check out this school’s tuition overview as an example. In addition, top boarding schools may charge more simply due to their reputation and history of graduates being accepted to the Ivy League and other prestigious institutions of higher education.
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- Location of Boarding Schools: Tuition varies by region; for instance, schools in the Northeast often cost more. If you want to do quick cost comparisons, check out Boarding School Review, where you can select up to three schools to do comparisons. This will allow you to check western boarding schools like this campus on the beachfront as well as boarding schools across the U.S. at a glance.
- Type of Boarding School: Financial Aid Availability: Generally speaking, most boarding schools offer need-based financial aid, payment plans, loan options, and sometimes special scholarships or merit awards. Many families aren’t aware of the financial resources available to them to assist with being able to afford an academically rigorous boarding school education. Keep in mind that boarding schools are committed to both affordability and accessibility to attract a diverse mix of students nationally and internationally.
- School’s Reputation: If you research U.S. boarding schools and their college matriculation, you will find top boarding schools in the east such as: Groton School, Phillips Academy Andover, Phillips Exeter Academy, Choate Rosemary Hall, The Hotchkiss School, and The Lawrenceville School. On the West Coast, you will find top schools including: Thacher School, Cate School, Webb School, Stevenson School, Dunn School, Army and Navy Academy, and many others.
Breakdown of Boarding School Expenses
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- Boarding School Tuition: Tuition typically covers academic instruction and access to school facilities, but many schools also bundle in the costs for dorms and meals to simplify the overall tuition cost.
- Room and Board: This often refers to housing and meals, which is a significant portion of the total cost of boarding school.
- Additional Fees: Expenses for books, uniforms, technology, and extracurricular activities are typically extra fees that are not included in tuition.
- Day Student Tuition: Day students obviously do not pay for room and board, but lunch is typically included in their tuition.
- Junior Boarding vs. High School Tuition: In some cases, boarding schools charge based on grade level. For instance, junior boarding school (grades 6-8th) may be less expensive than years spent in a boarding high school (grades 9-12).
- International vs. Domestic Tuition: Being an international vs. a domestic student typically carries different costs as the process of supporting international students is more intensive on campus.
- Least Expensive Tuition: Military schools can be a great option and sometimes offer less expensive tuition than traditional boarding schools. For instance, New Mexico Military Institute is state-funded, so it comes in as one of the least expensive boarding schools in the U.S. according to Boarding School Review. Military schools like Army and Navy Academy (CA), Marine Military Academy (TX), Fork Union (VA), and St. John’s Northwestern (WI), New York Military Academy (NY), and others could also be worth checking out as they sometimes offer special awards, military discounts, and other methods to offset tuition.
Average Cost of Boarding Schools
- National Averages: As costs vary from year to year, we recommend you check resources like Raise Right blogs and Education Data, which detail private day schools, boarding schools, and other types of schooling, as well as average costs by each state.
- Education Data is a very reliable website and offers a number of breakdowns. For instance, they indicate these averages:
- $55,425 is the average annual tuition at 5-day boarding schools.
- $69,150 is the average annual tuition at 7-day boarding schools.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
- Need-Based Aid: Most private boarding schools operate as nonprofits with specific budgets allocated to financial assistance awards. Following national standards for private schools, most boarding schools offer a need-based approach to financial aid and adhere to similar application steps and requirements.
- Scholarships: Awards for academic or special achievements are sometimes offered; however, most private boarding schools cannot offer athletic scholarships. This is different from colleges and universities where athletic scholarships, and even compensation packages, are now offered. This is not to say that sports achievements cannot be included on applications, but boarding schools must follow athletic state rules (e.g. CIF in California).
- Financial Aid Application Process: Steps to apply for financial aid and important deadlines will be important in order to receive financial assistance. Apply immediately after being accepted to a respective school(s). You will need to provide certified tax documents from the most recent year, fill out an application and discuss your needs with the Admission Office.
Prorated Tuition and Discounts:
- Prorated Tuition for Transfer Students: Some boarding schools offer prorated tuition to reduce costs for transfer students, so ask if they offer rolling admission during the first or second semester. .
- Military, Alumni and Sibling Discounts: Boarding schools typically offer discounts for alumni, military families, and families with more than one child attending.
- Diplomatic and Corporate Family Programs: Boarding schools are very helpful to families working and living outside the U.S. Check with the admission office to explore financial options for diplomats and corporate employees living abroad.
Comparing Boarding and Day School Costs
- Day Students: Typically pay lower tuition as they do not incur room and board expenses. If the boarding school is close by, this can make the boarding school more affordable. Lunch is typically included in basic costs.
- Cost-Benefit Analysis: If you live locally, evaluating the value of boarding versus day schooling is based on family preferences and financial considerations.
- International Students: International students typically pay higher tuition as they may be required to pay for some additional fees or even special classes such as: ELL, ESL, or ESOL or co-curricular activities.
Are Boarding Schools Worth the Cost?
You may be asking if a boarding school is worth it and what are the actual benefits for boarding school students. The Association of Boarding Schools has cited that boarding school students report being very well prepared for college academically by comparison to private day schools and public schools.
Later in life, a high percentage of boarding school graduates hold top-level management jobs, compared with lower percentages of private day and public school graduates.
Also, due to the strong academics and other student achievements, boarding school students often gain an extra edge to gain entrance to The Ivy League, top colleges and universities, and the military service academies. They also are well-positioned for college scholarships. In some cases, college scholarships even offset the entire cost of a boarding school education.
In summary, boarding schools offer a quality education and can be a life changer for your teen. Private boarding schools offer access to rigorous college prep academics, robust athletic programs, co-curricular activities, and an environment that fosters independence and unparalleled mentorship, guidance, and support.
Explore the Cost of Boarding School: As a public service, the admission team at ANA is standing by to address your questions. Feel free to contact us at Army and Navy Academy, located on a beachfront campus in Southern California’s Carlsbad Village.
Army and Navy Academy is a college preparatory school with boarding and day options. Geared exclusively for boys in grades 7-12, we are a model school for boys in middle school and high school and are ranked as one of the top military schools in the U.S. If we’re not the right fit, we will make every effort to provide other information about U.S. boarding schools.
Army & Navy Academy Admission Office:
Phone: 888-762-2338
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