Choosing a Boarding School

chillibreeze writer — Jyoti Sood

At least we had got one thing clear between us - that the children would go to a Boarding School. It was not because we were a working couple but because both, my husband and I had spent our formative years in residential schools and had fond memories of the time spent there. We felt we had to give this experience to the children, never mind the fact that they would have to be away from us. That was the easy part, now came the question of choosing the school.

I had views of my own. If they had to be away from us, I would rather send them to the best institution possible. ‘Best’ is the catchword. Gone are the days when there were a select, handful of schools to choose from. Today, the choices can be quite confounding. There are co-ed, all boys or all girls’ schools and there are the elite public schools with extra curricular activities, schools which focus almost entirely on academics, military schools, schools which have emphasis on sports. Some schools have a religious vein and so on. There was a time when some of the best boarding schools were located in hill stations and places with salubrious climate- not so now. Residential facilities are available in a lot of schools even in the metro cities.

Which one would be appropriate for our boys? My husband and I differed in our choices. He wanted to send the boys to his alma mater or to a rigorous military school where they would emerge as ‘men’ while I was more inclined towards a prestigious institution in Dehradun.

We wanted to send them to a Boarding School, so that they learn to be independent and they learn the art of community living. The next logical question was when should we send them and at what age?

I personally felt that twelve or thirteen would be an ideal age, as, by then the child has had the security and protection and nurturing environment of home and family and would be ready to adjust to a new environment.

Once you have battled the odds and have decided to send your child to a Residential school, there is another hurdle wherein it is not solely your decision that matters. Once you have narrowed down your choices, come the brass tacks - does your child qualify with the standards the school prescribes?

Somewhere along the line, the roles have been reversed. It began with our short-listing the institution and now we wait for the institution to select us.
You now have to deal with the anxiety of your child being able to clear the selection process, given the stiff competition and the long list of aspiring candidates. Right from when the child takes his initial step into the world of education, he is subjected to a battery of tests and interviews. At that tender an age he has to understand that his entry into any prestigious institution depends on how he performs in his entrance exam and interview.

So armed with all this information, we set out to make a choice and believe me, it was not an easy one. Our options narrowed down to choosing between my husbands’ school, St. George’s College, situated in the hill station of Mussoorie, on the one hand and The Doon School in Dehradun, on the other. Both these institutions offered quality education, sports and extra curricular activities. They follow the ICSE Board and The Doon School also has IB. The student-teacher ratio is small. A lot of emphasis is given to dramatics, elocution, music and debating. Given the opportunities for exchange programs, MUNA and the Round Square Conferences, the child gets an exposure to a broad spectrum of ideas, which is integral for his all round personality development.

Entrance exams for the Doon School and St. George’s are held in various parts of the country and abroad to suit the convenience of the students. My son too, wrote the exams and we waited with bated breath for the results. There was a general euphoria when we learnt that he had cleared the Doon School entrance exam. Once that was done came the next step, the interview. Anxiety and tension is palpable in parents who are waiting outside the interview hall. Results are conveyed to you at a later date. Our son cleared the interview and we felt jubilant. One milestone had been achieved.

In all the excitement of attaining admission one completely forgets that in a few days, the time will come when one will have to actually part with the child. But that is another story.

Chillibreeze's disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article.

Out of 5 “chilies”, our editorial team gave this article...

—About our writer:

Jyoti writes for chillibreeze.

>> Read more articles written by Chillibreeze writers:

More resources for Writers on Chillibreeze.com

Chillibreeze offers Indian writers the opportunity to work on customer projects. We are also India’s biggest writer network and a one-stop shop for Indian writers and editors. The writers’ section on Chillibreeze offers freelance writers and editors a variety of tools to advance their careers. Resources for writers include:

Assessment of your writing, editing and proofreading skills

Writing courses

Expert Feedback on your article

An opportunity to promote yourself on our website

Top websites for Indian writers

Tips and resources for Indian freelancers

Book Publishing services

And more………………..

Explore our writers’ section using the links on our left-hand side menu.