10 Best Connecticut Boarding Schools For Boys & Girls |  Ranking

The role boarding schools play in the development of a child can’t be ignored. Aside from their preparatory function, they help your child to take a lot of little steps towards maturity.

Attending a boarding school in Connecticut is definitely a plus as Connecticut is home to some prestigious universities.

So to help you in deciding which is best, we’ve compiled a list of the top preparatory boarding schools in Connecticut (CT).

According to Education Week’s Quality Counts report, Connecticut ranks third in the nation for educational performance.

Connecticut, one of the states in the New England area, is home to some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the entire United States. For example, the prestigious Yale University.

So, taking your child or ward to one of the boarding schools in CT will do him or her more good as some of them are affiliated to these universities.

They’ll get to live in a diverse, close-knit community and get taught in small, challenging classes by teachers who care.

Also, these boarding school provide a unique chance to develop the skills needed for college.

According to the TABS (The Association of Boarding Schools)study, 78% of boarding school grads felt well prepared for the non-academic aspects of college life such as independence, social life, and time management. This is higher when compared to 36% of private day and 23% of public school students.

Now, this article will provide you with the vital information you need regarding boarding high schools in CT. You’ll also get to know the cost of these Connecticut boarding schools, and why you should choose them.

Here is a table of what to expect:

What is a Boarding School?

A Boarding School is a college preparatory institution where students and teachers live and study together in a safe and secure campus environment.

In other words, a boarding school provides education for pupils who live on the premises, unlike a day school. 

Why Enroll Your Child in a Boarding Schools in Connecticut?

As a parent, there are many reasons why you should consider sending your child to a boarding school. The school’s academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities are just a few of these considerations. 

First and foremost, a boarding school will help develop your child academically.

Basically, boarding schools have an outstanding tradition of academic excellence, built on an educational model that delivers diverse curricula, taught by highly qualified and exceptionally motivated teachers, in small classes that encourage meaningful interaction with the students.

In fact, most boarding schools are staffed with well-qualified teachers, have extensive athletic facilities, and also offer 24/7 supervision.

Secondly, learning in a boarding school continues beyond the classroom.

Learning at most boarding schools generally extends beyond the classroom. This is because the staff and students live together. So, students get to benefit from countless “teachable moments” inside and outside of the classroom.

Thirdly, your child will learn will learn to be responsible for himself.

At boarding schools, students have to learn to get along with others because it is a community. They learn to be responsible for their actions because they’re bound by an honor or discipline code of some kind. 

In addition, boarding school students typically participate in more extracurricular activities than students in day schools. For example, playing sports, engaging in creative endeavors like music or painting, or participating in student government and school club activities.

Now, why choose a boarding school in CT?

Just like other boarding high schools in the USA, Connecticut preparatory boarding schools serve the purpose outlined above and more.

What is the Best Age for Boarding Schools In Connecticut?

According to Psychologists and child specialists, the best and most suitable age for studying in boarding schools in Connecticut and other parts of the USA is 12 years and above.

They believe children attain a maturity level at this age to interpret their parents’ plans for them positively without any hard feelings.

What is the Average Cost of Boarding Schools in Connecticut?

The average tuition cost of boarding schools in Connecticut, USA is about $63,000. However, as a parent it’s best you look up the financial page of your preferred school for the exact cost.

What are the Best Connecticut Boarding Schools For Boys And Girls?

There are several Connecticut boarding schools for boys and girls. So, to effectively rank them, we used the following ranking factors:

This looks into the approval and recognition of the programs and existence of these boarding schools in Connecticut by the right accreditation body.

The NEASC Commission on Independent Schools (NEASC-CIS), one of three commissions within the NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges), accredits and supports a wide range of private schools in the six states of New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 

Basically, the grades a boarding school offers can determine the level of facility it’s operating with. That is if it has a low or high facility.

It is often said that students in lower grade usually have more facilities and hands than others.

This refers to the number of students the Connecticut boarding school has in each class. A lower number means that the teacher gets to give the students the required attention they need.

This simply means the fee parents are to pay each year for their child. Tuition shows how affordable the school is.

Here are the best Connecticut boarding schools for boys and girls:

• Choate Rosemary Hall
• The Hotchkiss School
• Loomis Chaffee
• The Taft School
• Pomfret School
• kent School
• Westminster School
• Suffield Academy
• Canterbury School
• Cheshire Academy

#1 Choate Rosemary Hall

Tuition: $60,950

Average class size: 12 students

Grades: 9-12, PG

Founded in 1890, Choate Rosemary Hall is a private, co-educational, college preparatory boarding school in Wallingford, Connecticut, United States. It is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and is currently one of the best CT boarding schools.

Choate Rosemary Hall is also part of the Eight Schools Association and the Ten Schools Admissions Organization. It is a school that sees potential in students to pursue their goals and dreams through the school’s academic, athletic, and artistic programs, along with the opportunities their close-knit and collaborative community provides young people each day.

At Choate, students stand out for their desire and drive for knowledge, their passion, their creativity, their energy, and their commitment to service. The students are also guided by passionate educators who are excited about their craft and who are energized by what they do every day.

As a boarder, two interwoven priorities define the Choate boarding experience. A rigorous academic curriculum and an emphasis on the formation of character in a setting that allows teachers and students to live with and learn from each other.

Through the boarding experience students learn how to live as responsible members of the community: respecting their fellow students and adults; treating the physical environment with care; recognizing the safety of the entire community, learning sensitivity to differences; and embracing the values of Choate Rosemary Hall.

In fact, Choate is a place where, if you have a great idea, you can find the resources and a kindred spirit to help you bring your idea to fruition.

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#2 The Hotchkiss School

Tuition: $63,180

Average class size: 12 students

Grades: 9-12, PG

Founded in 1891, the Hotchkiss School is an independent boarding school located in Lakeville, Connecticut. It is one of the best preparatory schools in Connecticut And also, a member of the Eight Schools Association, Ten Schools Admissions Organization, and G30 Schools group.

Accredited by the NEASC, the Hotchkiss School provides an education of academic distinction to 600 students in grades 9 through 12, and to a small number of postgraduates.

As a student who joins Hotchkiss, you become part of a diverse community that represents individuals from around the country and the globe. The small class sizes and an atmosphere dedicated to learning and personal growth make a Hotchkiss education truly unparalleled.

With 93 percent of students living in a dorm, students here have the unique opportunity to share life together as teammates, classmates, friends, and community members.

From competing on a sports team, embracing their creative side with the arts, or participating in community service activities, there is always a place for every student at The Hotchkiss School.

In fact, the Hotchkiss School is committed to cultivating curiosity, excellence, and creativity.

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#3 Loomis Chaffee School

Tuition: $61,760

Average class size: 12 students

Grades: 9-12, PG

Founded in 1874, Loomis Chaffee is an independent, co-educational, college preparatory boarding and day school for grades 9-12 located in Windsor, Connecticut.

It is accredited by the NEASC and is currently one of the best Connecticut boarding schools.

Loomis provides students with the best education — an education in which excellence in teaching and learning is shaped by the why, as much as the what, and every member of the community shares a commitment to the best self and the common good.

Loomis Chaffee School is a place that recognizes that the best things in life are those that are both challenging and fun. So at Loomis, you will be inspired to be your best self and also serve the common good.

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#4 The Taft School

Tuition: $62,500

Average class size: 11 students

Grades: 9-12, PG

Founded in 1890, the Taft School is a private, academically rigorous coeducational college-preparatory boarding and day school in Watertown, Connecticut, United States.

It is accredited by the NEASC and is also one of the best Connecticut boarding schools in the USA.

Basically, education at Taft School is personal, moral, and ethical, as well as academic. Taft’s culture is inseparable from its mission. The community is fundamentally shaped by a belief in helping young people become lifelong learners, thoughtful world citizens, and caring people. Here, they believe in academic rigor and deliver it with heart.

Also, Taft fosters personal responsibility, honor, and an achievement ethic in all areas of school life: intellectual, artistic, athletic, and extracurricular. 

At Taft, their dorms are considered in every sense, a home away from home. Here, students live together, learn together, and grow together.

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#5 Pomfret School

Tuition: $61,000

Average class size: 12 students

Grades: 9-12, PG

Founded in 1894, Pomfret School is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory boarding and day school in Pomfret, Connecticut, United States, serving 360 students in grades 9 through 12 and post-graduates. 

Pomfret School is accredited by the NEASC and is currently one of the best preparatory boarding schools in Connecticut, CT.

Brought to life by an exceptional faculty, Pomfret has a bold and practical approach — intensely focused on the interests and needs of the students, and pragmatic in their efforts to prepare them for the joys and rigors of college, work, and life.

Here, students are encouraged to cultivate knowledge, build relationships & live independently.

In fact, Pomfret has vibrant and engaging classrooms, dorms that foster deep personal relationships, and an advisory system that encourages intergenerational connections that truly distinguish them from many other great schools.

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#6 Kent School

Tuition: $64,600

Average class size: 12 students

Grades: 9-12, PG

Founded in 1906, Kent School is a private, co-educational college preparatory school in Kent, Connecticut, United States. 

Kent School is accredited by the NEASC and is also one of the best boarding schools in CT.

Kent’s curriculum is at once traditional and innovative. They support their students’ intellectual, spiritual, emotional, and social growth through a relationship-based program. Here, you will be known and appreciated for who you are during your Kent journey.

In fact, through myriad academic, chapel, service, artistic, and athletic programs, Kent is committed to educating the whole person. At Kent, they have a lot of fun; it is a place of joy, but they take seriously their responsibility to provide their students with the skills necessary to be engaged citizens and leaders in the world.

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#7 Westminster School

Tuition: $62,475

Average class size: 12 students

Grades: 9-12, PG

Founded in 1888, Westminster School is a private coeducational boarding and day, college preparatory school in Connecticut, USA. It is one of the finest college-preparatory schools, and certainly one of the very top small boarding schools, in the country.

Westminster School is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and is also one of the best boarding schools in CT, USA.

The challenging academic program at Westminster, grounded in the liberal arts tradition, prepares boys and girls in grades 9-12 and postgraduate for academic success and the rigors of college while cultivating in them a love of learning that becomes a lifelong habit.

Here young people are surrounded with smart, accomplished and resourceful adults who instill in the students the desire to pursue excellence in everything they do.

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#8 Suffield Academy

Tuition: $63,200

Average class size: 9 students

Grades: 9-12, PG

Founded in 1833, Suffield Academy is a private preparatory school located in Suffield, Connecticut, United States. It is a coeducational independent secondary school serving a diverse community of day and boarding students.

Suffield Academy is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and is currently one of the best preparatory boarding schools in Connecticut.

Basically, Suffield Academy has a clear, intentional approach to secondary school education. The school has a tradition of academic excellence combined with a strong work ethic. They are guided by shared values of respect for others, hard work, honor, and kindness.

They engender among their students a sense of responsibility, and they are challenged to grow in a structured and nurturing environment.

In fact, the entire academic, athletic, and extracurricular experience at Suffied prepares the students for a lifetime of learning, leadership, and active citizenship.

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#9 Canterbury School

Tuition: $64,200

Average class size: 12 students

Grades: 9-12, PG

Founded in 1915, Canterbury School is a college preparatory, coeducational boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12. 

Canterbury School prides itself on creating a community based on its Five Values (Honesty, Respect, Compassion, Spirituality, and Self Reliance) in which students and faculty forge lasting bonds and every student experiences a broad and challenging program in a small school setting.

The School’s educational environment basically fosters academic rigor, athletic development, artistic enrichment, spiritual growth and strives to ensure a superior experience that prepares students for leading colleges and universities and for life.

Furthermore, with its rigorous and humane approach to students, both in and out of the classroom, Canterbury’s program inculcates vital intellectual and ethical habits of mind.

In fact, the School sees all students as individuals, encourages them as necessary, challenges them as appropriate, and inspires them to become moral leaders in a complex, secular world.

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#10 Cheshire Academy

Tuition: $63,600

Average class size: 10 students

Grades: 9-12, PG

Founded in 1794 as the Episcopal Academy of Connecticut, Cheshire Academy is a selective, co-educational college preparatory school located in Cheshire, CT, United States. It is currently the tenth oldest boarding school in the USA.

Cheshire Academy is a community in which talented, dedicated faculty and staff motivate the students to stretch beyond their comfort zone. They encourage their learners to embrace academic rigor, challenge themselves in their course load, and to try new activities to broaden their perspective.

At Cheshire Academy, students grow increasingly capable of independently observing, questioning, explaining, interpreting, and analyzing the world.

The academic process here begins with what students know and want to know. So, Cheshire Academy develops active learners who reflect on their growth and the implications of their learning.

Furthermore, the Cheshire Academy experience is full and active; living and learning take place not only in the classroom, but also in the art studios, dormitories, dining commons, on the athletic fields, and even on the footpaths.

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FAQs On 10 Best Connecticut Boarding Schools For Boys & Girls | 2023 Ranking

Conclusion

The article above provides you with vital information on the best preparatory boarding schools in Connecticut (CT) for boys and girls.

I hope this helps you in your decision making process.

Good Luck And Success!!!

Reference

• BoardingSchoolReview – Top Connecticut Boarding Schools
• Niche – Best Boarding High Schools in Connecticut
• Forbes – Why Your Child Should Attend Boarding School

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