The Foreign Service Journal, December 2007

D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 7 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 69 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT are ready for intellectual freedom and have developed excellent study habits. Others need the structure of manda- tory study halls, frequent progress reports and close teacher supervision. It is important to determine if a particular student is likely to achieve at about the same level as other stu- dents at the school. The boarding school’s Web site and literature may not list the typical band of test scores and grades of accepted students that colleges do. However, they will give you this information if you ask, and this will be helpful in determining if the school is a good academic fit. In some cases, a young person may have already identified an area of intellectual passion or demonstrat- ed unusual abilities. During a recent boarding school visit, I spoke with several young women who were doing internships in the genetic research labs of a nearby world-class university. They bubbled with excite- ment about their projects. The right school will give students the opportunity to go as far and deep as they wish in a field that has aroused their curiosity. There are boarding schools that have special programs in everything from classical dance to marine science, where stu- dents can study with experts, teachers and other students who share their passion. The social fit is as important as the Continued on page 71 Which boarding school is best depends on the characteristics and interests of the student and the circumstances of the family. Continued from page 66