TaborTalk Blog

We’re preparing for our first big admissions event of the year! Our annual fall admissions open house will take place on Sunday, November 4^th.

When visitors come to my house or to my neighborhood, or even to my town, I like to show them around, point out different places I like and tell them stories. It has always been natural for me to share places with people who are seeing them for the first time, especially if it is a place I love. So, of course, when I came to Tabor Academy I became a tour guide so I could share my new school in the same way.

The boarding school experience is probably starting to take a bit more shape in your mind by this time of year.  You’ve looked at websites and talked to representatives, poured over materials, and visited some schools. You are starting to imagine yourself in some of the places you have visited, engaged in classroom discussion, playing sports, living in a dorm, and making new friends. You may still be wondering what it is like to be away from home. Maybe you can imagine having a roommate or living in your dorm room, but what will your day look like, exactly? What will you do when you have time to yourself?  

If you’re reading this post, you’re very likely considering (or have already scheduled, hooray!) a visit to Tabor Academy and perhaps a number of other independent schools. You understand that the visit is a critical part of the admissions process for parents and students alike. However, you might be curious about what to expect and how to make the most of the visit.

The irony of the boarding school search process is that the busiest and most ambitious kids often are the ones seeking these opportunities, but the process of getting there is quite involved, making them even busier. We know we are asking a great deal of kids and families with already-busy lives, and we are always grateful for the work that goes into selecting the best fit boarding school for you!

It’s beginning to look a lot like application season! With each passing day, we are clicking “complete” on more and more applications completed by our prospective Seawolves. Most admissions people appreciate the cyclical nature of our work. From travel to interviewing to reading, each phase of the process has distinct elements to it. Traveling is wonderful, but you can’t wait for the awesome kids you meet on the road to visit campus. Campus visits and interviews are great because they get you excited to read their applications! And lastly, reading applications is rewarding because you start to imagine all these great kids becoming part of the story of your school.

On November 1, School and Student Services (SSS) by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) rolled over the financial aid application from the current academic year to the next. Families wishing to apply for financial aid now have the ability to visit the website, create an account, and begin reviewing the application forms. Some families will need time to gather documents, speak with family members, and other steps as needed. The application is due February 1st with the remainder of the student’s admission application. The additional steps required for a financial aid application can feel like obstacles when families are left without sufficient information. The goal of this post is to provide insight into the process, practical tips and advice, and to demystify the financial aid process for prospective Tabor Academy families.

The head of another independent boarding school once said to me, “I suspect you have very wise parents.” It was such a humbling compliment because I truly do. My parents are wise, kind, well-educated, and fun. In my line of work, I often hear from parents, “Oh, I love my child too much to send them to boarding school!” Some parents even have a strong physical reaction, reaching out to grab their child or pull them closer. Comments like that used to make me sad, because I went to boarding school and my parents loved me very much (Still do!). Now those comments just fuel my creative juices for new blog posts.

Education rights activist Malala Yousafzai tells us that, “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” School is a fundamental aspect of a child’s life, and each child’s life holds the undeniable potential to impact the world. Most parents approach high school without realizing there is a choice when considering how to maximize their child’s potential. It is the recognition of this innate potential that drives the school choice movement. Before the “choice” is made, an objective school search should be undertaken. That search might include boarding schools, day schools, parochial schools, charter schools as well as taking a critical look at your hometown public school. In this post, we offer an outline and our words of wisdom on how to approach the process in hopes that it may feel more accessible.