Private Schools

Private schools abound in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Washington-DC. You will find lots of choices at every grade level. Virtually every educational method can be found as well. Generally there are far fewer boarding schools than day schools in these metropolitan areas. Bear that in mind as you select schools. Another consideration is transportation: it is expensive and inconvenient. The big advantage to an urban setting is the wealth of cultural amenities and attractions.

Looking for a Montessori school in Alaska? Need a boarding school in Wyoming? Find schools with their own web sites as well as teacher licensing, maps and useful information from About.com's guides. Bear in mind that private schools tend to be concentrated in the major population centers. Use these pages to get an overview of locations and schools. Then ask your educational consultant for the facts and figures behind the beautiful web sites.

When your child has emotional or behavioral difficulties, and other educational methods or community-based counseling solutions have failed, you might want to consider an alternative school. Length of treatment varies according to your child's individual needs and requirements. As always, investigate schools thoroughly before signing anything.

There are just a handful of private schools in the United States which are devoted exclusively to the arts and the performing arts. They combine artistic training with serious academics. From Adda Clevenger in San Francisco to Interlochen in Michigan, these schools are just what your actor or violin virtuoso needs.

Back in the 1970's boys' schools fell out of favor. Coeducation seemed somehow to be more equitable for students. Now the pendulum is swinging the other way. Research has shown that single sex education might just be beneficial for many students. Boys, for example, learn in their own unique way. Placed in a nurturing, supportive, single sex environment, boys enjoy the arts and foreign languages without fear of criticism. They study drama and learn to play stringed instruments - pursuits which might be considered 'unmanly' in a mixed setting. A boys' school is an option well worth exploring.

There is only one residential church-affiliated choir school in the United States. Indeed there are only four left in the rest of the world. Choir schools, both residential and day, have seen a steady decline in their numbers largely because of two devastating world wars in Britain and changing values in modern society both in America and abroad. On the other hand if you seek a truly special educational opportunity for your son, consider sending him to a choir school.

A couple of private schools have equestrian facilities which rival some of the best in the world. If your child rides, you will want to consider these schools. Most offer English style riding. A couple of schools feature western riding. A few combine both. Happy trails!

Education should know no economic or social restrictions. These private schools are a wonderful tribute to that sentiment. Philanthropists like Stephen Girard and Seymour Hershey have left lasting legacies in schools which bear their names.

Many girls cannot achieve their full potential in a coeducational school. Peer pressure, their perceived need to conform to popular opinion and thinking, their desire to be accepted - these are some of the reasons which make many girls suppress their own personality and individuality in a coed academic setting.

Only about 30 private schools offer the IB or International Baccalaureate program. Schools which do adhere to strict standards monitored and scrutinized by an international body. They are required to teach a specific curriculum laid out by the International Baccalaureate Organization. That alone should offer some reassurance to parents.