Boarding School • Guest Post

The Ten Schools Admissions Organization Travels to India

POSTED ON 10/04/2024 BY Jill Thompson - Phillips Academy Andover | John Hutchins - Phillips Exeter Academy

: Discover how the Ten Schools Admissions Organization, representing some of the top US boarding schools, offers exceptional academic and holistic opportunities.

According to The Association of Boarding Schools’ study, The Truth About Boarding Schools, “Contemporary boarding schools serve a diverse body of motivated students who study and live in supportive and inclusive academic communities where they learn about independence and responsibility – values that help them achieve success at higher rates than private day and public school students – in the classroom and beyond.” Looking at the long-term benefits of US boarding schools, the study finds that 44 percent of boarding school graduates in the US and Canada achieve top management positions by mid-career. This contrasts with 33 percent of private day school graduates and 27 percent of public school graduates. 

We are thrilled for the opportunity to introduce our group of schools, the Ten Schools Admissions Organization (TSAO), to students and families in India. Our schools have a long history of enrolling students worldwide, with dozens of countries represented in our student bodies.

Collectively, the TSAO member schools represent the most rigorous and selective schools in the US. The academic and extracurricular opportunities at our schools are unparalleled. Prospective students interested in our schools seek us out for more academic opportunities and meaningful ways to engage outside the classroom.

Choosing the right school for your child is a big decision that can significantly impact their future. Here are five reasons why a US boarding school might be the right option for your family: 

1) The Ten Schools offer exceptional academic opportunities:

  • Students can access rigorous high-level courses, some with a level equivalent to US undergraduate university courses. 
  • Students have small classes of 10-12 students and regular access to teachers. They develop close relationships with their teachers in communities where the student-to-teacher ratio is about 5:1.
  • Classes are often discussion-based and student-centred, meaning that the students are responsible for their learning process with teachers as their guides.

2) The Ten Schools schools offer holistic development beyond the classroom:

  • Involvement in our extracurricular programmes is a key component of our student experience. Our schools offer students various athletics and sports opportunities across three seasons of the academic year. With multiple levels for each sport, novice athletes without experience can also participate. In addition to interscholastic athletics, students can engage in physical activity through theatre, dance, and physical education programmes.
  • We offer community service opportunities at our campuses. Students can take part in various activities during their time at our schools. Trying something new often sparks an interest they didn’t know they had before coming to our schools
  • Our schools have impressive facilities for holistic engagement, including performance halls, turf fields, stadiums and more. 

3) The Ten Schools offer a strong community and network:

  • The teenage years are a time of significant growth and development, making relationships between students especially powerful and long-lasting. In a residential setting, these relationships are even more impactful. Our students live and learn with their peers while being supervised by faculty members, and can develop their relationships with their peers throughout their time at school.
  • When our students graduate and become alumni, they join an everlasting network of individuals who are bonded by the transformative experience they have had at our schools and have access to this network for the rest of their lives.

4) The Ten Schools foster personal growth and independence:

  • Typically,  adolescents look to establish their identity and learn what they want to become as adults. Boarding schools provide them with the opportunity to grow independently from their parents yet within reach of adult support.
  • Gone are the days when students were “sent away” to boarding school by their parents. Our students actively seek independence for all the right reasons and are supported by a strong network of trusted adults within our schools. Faculty members live alongside students in residence halls, building close relationships while providing supervision. Additionally, student leaders in each residence hall offer mentorship and guidance, fostering a supportive and enriching community.

5) The Ten Schools offer unparalleled support in the US college and university application process:

  • Our schools have expertly-trained college and university counsellors who work with small groups of students to help them navigate the complex US undergraduate application process. These counsellors build close relationships with the students they work with, enabling them to provide comprehensive support. 
  • Students who join our schools from outside the US and continue to study at US colleges and universities often feel much better prepared to adapt to their new environment. Having already made the transition to the US during their adolescence, with strong support from our faculty, they navigate this change more confidently.

We hope you will join the US Boarding School Fair by TSAO in Mumbai on November 19 at St. Regis, Lower Parel, Mumbai and on November 21 at Ambassador New Delhi, to learn more about us. We look forward to learning about your children through the application process and exploring whether this could be the best next step on their educational journey!