Many parents are surprised to discover how inexpensive a private boarding school can be. Once the exclusive territory of the wealthy, private boarding schools are becoming more popular, since they provide a home school-like environment which is a great way to balance learning and living. Boarding school tuition schedules vary according to location and services. When all of the factors are weighed, boarding schools are usually a reasonable expense that lies within the means of many families.

The location of a boarding school is often a factor that impacts the tuition rates. Schools located in the middle of a large metropolitan area will have higher property taxes than a school located in the countryside. Additionally, the city school will likely have less grassy areas, or wild places for children to play and explore the natural world. A school that's near the city will also have other built-in expenses, like regular visits to the theater, the museums, or exposure to other city resources. A school in the countryside, or in the woods is less likely to offer these kinds of activities on a regular basis, and the transportation expenses will be higher. Additionally, a school in the city will have to spend more on security, for the safety of the students.

The services offered by the school will also be a factor in determining their pricing. Many parents mistakenly believe that finding a school that offers the behavioral therapies and counseling to help a child with learning disabilities or behavior problems would be more expensive, and are sometimes surprised to find that their medical insurance is able to pay part of the costs. Additional services sometimes, but not always, impact the price of a private boarding school but there are usually ways to have a portion of the fees paid by medical insurance, scholarships or grants.

The final factor that impacts private boarding school rates is the students themselves and the curriculum. With a student body that has special needs, you can expect higher rates. A curriculum that involved a lot of travel, or activities that increase insurance rates, or require extra staffing, like swimming, camping, hiking, using power tools, advanced science laboratories, college level texts, or other expensive educational opportunities all come at a cost, but sharing the cost with a lot of families is often cheaper than providing it for one child.

When you factor in all of the costs associated with housing your child, and providing the opportunities that come with a professional residential education, the efficient rates of a private boarding school are more manageable than you might think, and range anywhere from $1000-$10,00 a month. For some families, the cost associated with a private boarding school are comparable to just one parent's income. Providing access to resources that a child can share with others, like telescopes and science laboratories makes boarding school more efficient than homeschooling, and the residential coziness allows kids to be part of a learning community.

Reputable schools often have an alumni foundation that offers scholarships. When you've found the perfect school, be sure to ask about scholarship opportunities. Also, some schools use a 10 month payment schedule while others use a 12 month payment schedule. Annual payments that are split into 12 will be smaller than payments split into ten. Consider also, that during the summer months, your child will probably not be at school and you'll need to fund a summer camp or house the child in your home, each has variable associated expenses.

Here are additional resources you might be interested in:

Information Teenage Boarding School

American Boarding Schools Directory

California Boarding Schools