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Boarding schools in the US provide students with structured academic, social, and personal development. They aim to ensure that students learn beyond the classroom and apply it to the real world. By emphasizing leadership, independence, and responsibility, students can choose subjects that cater to their interests and passions.
Boarding school majors offer students specialized programs aligned with their academic interests, passions, and curiosities. Meanwhile, art-focused boarding schools cater to students interested in liberal arts, and STEM-focused boarding schools cater to students curious about science and engineering. Along with other boarding schools with specialized academic tracks, students may choose the best boarding school that best aligns with their interests and long-term goals.
Do Boarding Schools Have Majors?
Boarding schools aim to prepare students for college life beyond academics. They offer a broad liberal arts curriculum, where students can explore multiple disciplines before deciding on what they want to specialize in for college.
Each boarding school differentiates itself through its:
- Signature Programs. These depend on the subjects being taught in class and the student’s area of specialization.
- Faculty Expertise. Each boarding school has instructors who specialize in different areas, such as STEM, business, the humanities, the arts, and more.
- Research Opportunities. Each school has different opportunities for students to research the subject they want to major in.
- Facilities. Some boarding schools have open-area fields, while others have indoor libraries and laboratories.
- Partnerships. This depends on the boarding school’s culture, advocacies, and specialties.
- Extracurricular Offerings. These cater to a student’s interests, hobbies, and passions outside academics.
Arts-Focused Boarding Schools
Arts-Focused Boarding Schools cater to students who specialize in the liberal arts, such as visual artists, musicians, actors, dancers, creative writers, and filmmakers. They are uniquely known for their conservatory-level instruction, professional studios, performance opportunities, small studio classes, portfolio development, artist residencies, and exhibition opportunities.
These boarding schools significantly enhance a student’s college preparations in many ways. They can help them build a strong arts portfolio and provide them with opportunities to participate in national competitions, art-focused summer programs, and performances. Students can also strengthen their connections with conservatories and universities, which can help them gain admission to selective liberal arts universities.
Here are some examples of Arts-Focused Boarding Schools:
STEM-Focused Boarding Schools
STEM-Focused Boarding Schools are ideal for students who are interested in engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, and artificial intelligence. They provide students with common opportunities such as Advanced AP and post-AP STEM courses, research labs, robotics teams, coding clubs, engineering design, science competitions, and independent research.
These boarding schools can give their students signature experiences, such as science fairs, robotics competitions, Math Olympiads, and hackathons. They also provide students with research mentorships and preparation to help them improve in their field.
By enrolling in STEM-focused boarding schools, students can gain research experience, build their technical portfolios, and win competitions, which can help them stand out in college admissions to STEM program.
Here are some examples of STEM-focused Boarding Schools:
Boarding Schools with Specialized Academic Tracks
Rather than arts or STEM-related fields, many schools focus on unique academic themes. Each theme differs in its genres or categories. Here are some examples of boarding school tracks with different specializations:
For Global Studies
- International relations
- Languages
- Diplomacy
- Study abroad
- Global citizenship
For Entrepreneurship
- Business incubators
- Startup competitions
- Financial literacy
- Economics
For Environmental Science
- Sustainability
- Marine biology
- Outdoor education
- Climate science
For Leadership Programs
- Public speaking
- Service learning
- Student government
- Leadership institutes
For Humanities
- Debate
- Philosophy
- Classics
- Creative writing
- History seminars
How to Decide Which School Fits You
In deciding which boarding school is the most suitable, students need to consider these factors:
1. Consider Your Academic Interests
Identify hobbies you are genuinely interested in. These should be interests that you are passionate about and genuinely curious to learn about. Make sure you see yourself pursuing this field in the long run. For example, a student interested in doing science experiments can enroll in a STEM-focused boarding school, while a student who likes to paint can enroll in an Arts-focused boarding school.
2. Evaluate Available Resources
In choosing the right boarding school, make sure that you assess its resources and which ones cater to or appeal to you as a student. These include the school’s faculty expertise, research opportunities, facilities, clubs, competitions, and community.
3. Think Beyond Academics
Do not just limit yourself to the school’s academic opportunities and curriculum. As learning in boarding school goes beyond the classroom, consider the school’s campus culture, class size, and advising. Since it is a residential institution, make sure to research the students’ residential life and the campus location.
4. Visit or Attend Virtual Events
To immerse yourself in the boarding school campus culture, take campus visits or talk with the current students. You may also want to explore sample classes and independent study opportunities to see if they match your learning style.
Can Students Change Their Interests?
Students who enroll in boarding schools do not necessarily have to stick to one specific major. This experience is meant for a student’s self-discovery, so many students get to explore and discover new passions in boarding schools. Through interdisciplinary learning, students often pursue unexpected academic paths. A student who’s interested in business might also find themselves taking medicine in the future. A student enjoying chemistry might also end up majoring in graphic design. Thus, it is also important to choose a school that is flexible enough to allow an exploration of different interests.
Selective boarding schools cater to different interests; they want students to immerse themselves in their campus community through leadership, creativity, and meaningful involvement. Ivy Talent Education helps students identify their strengths, develop authentic extracurricular profiles, and craft compelling applications that showcase who they are beyond the classroom.
Schedule a consultation with Ivy Talent Education to start building a competitive boarding school application!
