The EDUFAX Educational FAQ

Question #15:

I won a full four year scholarship to Choate Rosemary Hall (called the Icahn Scholars Program) and I am wondering if leaving home and going to a totally new place is worth doing. My public school district is the best in my state and numerous schools in my district have won Blue Ribbon Recognition. I have been told that I would receive the same education and the same difficulty in either school. What would you suggest to do? Is it worth going to an eastern prep boarding school?

Answer #15:

Congratulations on winning the prestigious scholarship to Choate! Choate is recognized as one of the top preparatory schools in the United States. It is possible that you might have some classes in your public school and in Choate which have similar levels of academic challenge. But you are comparing apples to oranges. In order to choose between these two types of educational experiences, you have to decide what is most important in your life and then assess those values within the context of your educational opportunities. If you stay at home and attend public school, you will have the experience of enjoying four more years with your family and your hometown friends. You will expand the experiential framework which binds you to your state and your experiences in the area where you grew up. Your educational experiences will be essentially limited, however, to whatever opportunities emanate from your local public school and to the national educational programs in which they participate. There is much to be said for spending as much time as possible with your family and friends. This opportunity will probably never present itself again since the natural instinct after high school is for young people to disperse and pursue independent goals. If you choose to go to Choate, you will study among a diverse community of students from around the country and from a number of international venues as well. You will be exposed to state of the art facilities, expansive cultural opportunities, myriad curricular offerings and academic support for both independent and faculty guided research and coursework. You will be part of a learning network that has been traditionally partnered with the nation's top colleges . You will probably have more homework and academic competition than you ever imagined possible. Mom's cookies,however, will probably taste a bit stale by the time they arrive in the mail, and you'll have to wait for vacations to collect hugs and highlights from your family. So - is it worth leaving home to go to an Eastern boarding school? Only you can answer. If your number one drive is academics, I would say that you should go. If other things top your priority list, then stay where you are and exploit every opportunity that your local school can offer. EDUFAX provides Services for the Independent School Applicant.

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