How Military Boarding School Prepares You for College

No one doubts the impact a high-quality college education can have on your child’s future. But getting into a top college (and qualifying for scholarships) is no easy task, especially in today’s highly competitive environment. To have the greatest chance for success, parents and students both need to start planning well in advance.

When it comes to the college admissions process, having a great secondary education can be the key that unlocks a slot in one of the country’s top-ranked universities. Military boarding schools can help students gain the edge they need when applying for college, increasing their odds of acceptance while also setting the stage for success in college and beyond. Here’s how.

Getting into a top college is about a lot more than having the funds to pay for it. In fact, plenty of high-earning families have problems getting their kids into top-rated post-secondary schools. That’s because colleges need more than funds to stay afloat. In order to maintain their reputation, they need a student body that’s ready and able to achieve. That’s why today’s leading colleges put emphasis on academics and extracurricular activities when it comes to admissions. And it’s also why it’s so important to make sure your son stands out from the rest of his peers when his application makes the rounds.

Admissions officers know the academic standards at military boarding schools are among the highest in the nation, and they also know that when a student succeeds in a military school, they have a significantly higher chance of succeeding in their college career as well. A military boarding school for boys instills a drive for excellence, as well as critical character-building traits like self-discipline, personal responsibility, a deep commitment to ethics, and a desire to lead – all of which support a positive college experience. College admissions officers know when they admit a graduate from a military boarding school, there’s a significantly higher chance that student will have a successful college experience.

Plus, they know military school grads will contribute to the student body in other important ways. In a military boarding school for boys, students are required to participate in extracurricular activities as well as service projects. That means when they go to college, they’re a lot more likely to continue in those activities as well. In a nutshell, having a top student benefits the university, both in terms of its current reputation and in terms of its ability to attract top-notch students in the future.

Of course, while getting accepted to a highly-ranked college is a major hurdle, once your child is accepted, they need to be prepared to handle the challenges of college. And again, graduates of military boarding schools have an advantage. According to The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS), about 80 percent of boarding school students say they feel academically prepared for college. By comparison, about a third of private day school students and less than a quarter of public school students report feeling academically prepared for college.

In fact, about half of all boarding school graduates go on to earn advanced degrees beyond their bachelors’, while only about a third of private day school graduates and a fifth of public school grads earn a graduate degree. Additionally, because a military school education encourages excellence in all areas of a boys’ life, students will be in a much better position to qualify for scholarships, including competitive academic scholarships as well as scholarships in sports, extracurricular activities, and community service.

As a parent, you want to do all you can to prepare your child for adulthood. Enrolling your son in a military school is the first step toward a fulfilling, successful future.