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Signs that your child is ready for Boarding School

December 14, 2024

"Our playgrounds were our kingdoms, and the streets were our adventure maps."

Ahhh the halcyon days of childhood! Days are long and summers are short, filled with scuffed knees and wish-pleasant dreams. We are certainly grateful for the happy childhood that our parents were able to provide us and no doubt you parent readers are doing the same.

Yet times have changed and the world is an increasingly competitive place and you know that while time is long to a child, you know that there is always less time than you think there is. However, college admission has become exponentially more competitive and parents are always looking for ways to best elevate their children’s chances of getting into good universities. For many families in Asia, they consider the best platform to be boarding schools.

Parents often come to Gems Akademia asking about boarding school options for their children, even ones as young as 6-years-old and how that will shape their future. And we always tell them, boarding school considerations are even more multifaceted and complicated than university considerations. At this juncture, Gems Akademia is a distinctive and special place where children feel valued and imagination is very much alive. We encourage the various talents of our students in order to ensure that they all develop a confidence and independence that is recognized by everyone who meets them.

There are a lot of unknowns about high school but you are sure of one thing—you have big plans for yourself and you want to be in the right place. If you have ever considered a boarding school, it is advisable to take a look at these signs that your child is exhibiting and is ready for this exciting journey.

1. Your child is ambitious and is a dreamer:

It’s no secret that boarding schools are a great way to build the resume, report card and character building for top tier colleges. With classes designed to prepare you for whatever you may want to do and the staff for support, you’ll have advantages at every turn.

2. A passionate and smart worker:

You’ll find the best of the best at boarding school and be able to grow in a supportive learning environment. From Career counselling to “extra” extra-curricular activities, you can study everything from martial arts to fine arts and microeconomics.

3. Self-sufficient and independent worker:

Boarding school gives you the chance to manage your own schedule. Sure, it may sound a little scary to be in charge of when you study, socialize and sleep, but you’re never far from a supportive mentor who will help you build smart habits that will follow you into adulthood. It is this mentor-mentee bond in the boarding that encourages a child to always walk that extra mile and turn purpose into passion.

4. Nature and adventure lover:

Bringing education outdoors – in the country’s most breathtaking places – is one of the coolest things about boarding school. Imagine starting your day on lush green playgrounds, or finishing with a breathtaking sunset.  Now imagine that every day. The spirit of adventure, the quest to know the unknown and the zeal to conquer the unconquered, instills a sense of responsibility, curiosity, determination and courage to think out of the box.

5. A curious thinker:

Satisfy your adventurous side while you kick-start your education. By attending boarding school away from home, you’ll be able to explore other parts of the country, and even the world, meeting people from, and in, other cultures. A mind which is constantly allowed to learn, unlearn and relearn will always emerge victorious in any and every situation.

6. A keen learner and able to create strong networking:

Boarding school is like living with your best friends because, well, it is living with your best friends. Even better, you’re surrounded by people who are so beautifully different, but share the same passion and appreciation for learning. This skill is the need of the hour as in today’s world we seek out for enthusiastic, flexible and smart worker who can bring out the best in everything he or she does.

7. You’re YOU – unique individual, giver and an acceptor:

Independent, Curious and Passionate. Interested and Interesting—YOU. Boarding school celebrates your “you-ness.” Believing in your dreams is the first step to success. If you can dream it, you will achieve it anyhow, no matter what you have to go through and endure.

8. Excellent speaker and orator:

If your child’s English language usage is not as frequent as you’d like then a boarding school can provide notable scope for real meaningful progress. In many classrooms around the world the focus is still more focused on theory over practice and at GAIS our classes are designed to allow for maximum English usage.

9. A future leader:

If your son or daughter is already considering their future university choices then GAIS can provide the perfect dress rehearsal. At GAIS, students not only walk in the footsteps of their Mentors, but also have academic programs tailored to develop the very skills they need to get there in a workplace. All in all, the entire GAIS experience is designed to help students feel like they are not only on their way to becoming university students but are in actual fact, already there.

10. An explorer:

If your child has an insatiable appetite to hunt down knowledge and is continually inquisitive about the world, then why not facilitate that further by allowing them to be part of a global learning community in some of the most celebrated academic institutions anywhere in the world? At GAIS, our mentors and tutors are made up of inspiring individuals carefully selected not just on their academic successes, but on account of being professionals with a real flair for self-improvement and stimulating the intellectual growth of young and enthusiastic learners.

In conclusion, there isn't a definitive "best age" to send a child to boarding school. The decision should be based on thoroughly understanding the child's emotional readiness, academic preparedness, social development, life skills, and family dynamics. Each child is unique, and what works for one may not be suitable for another.

Boarding schools can offer a nurturing and intellectually stimulating environment that fosters personal growth and independence. When the decision is made collectively and thoughtfully, boarding school can become a transformative experience that positively shapes a child's future.