Boarding Schools in Texas: Why Boarding School?

Boarding Schools in Texas
Boarding Schools in Texas: Why Boarding School?

Have you ever wondered why a parent should send his or her child to a boarding school when there are public schools, private day schools and charter schools to choose from? As it turns out, parents have several valid and well-rationalized reasons for choosing a boarding school. Discover why you may want to send your son or daughter to a boarding school in Texas.

Eight Common Reasons Parents Choose Boarding School

  1. Special Programs: Many boarding schools offer classes and extra-curricular activities that are not available in local public high schools. Specialized programs can range from film-making and pilot training, to boxing and sailing.
  2. Special Needs: A struggling student may need the attention and more personal instruction that can only be found at boarding schools. For example, teenagers with ADHD often perform well in a structured, distraction-free environment with a daily routine and consistent rule enforcement.
  3. Change of Environment: Boarding schools allows parents to remove their teen from a toxic setting. Whether the student has fallen in with a poor set of friends, the local community and school are unsafe or the parents are involved in a messy divorce, boarding school can remove him or her from an unhealthy surrounding.
  4. Overseas Work: Sometimes parents must travel or work in areas of the world that would not be a good location for their child. Boarding schools provide a safe place for those students while they await their parents return.
  5. Single-Parent Household: Raising a child alone can be difficult, particularly for a single parent with a demanding job. Boarding schools offer a safe environment where a student can be supervised throughout the day and night. In single-mother households, boys can benefit from the strong male role models.
  6. Opportunity to Participate: Many urban schools have huge student bodies and only the most gifted students have the opportunity to participate in athletic programs and other extra-circular activities.  Boarding schools tend to be much smaller communities who offer the regular teenager a chance to be on the team or participate in a club.
  7. Well-Rounded:  At public school it is easy for a teen to go unnoticed. Boarding schools tend to be much more aware of each individual student. They often will have participation requirements so that the shy or less social student cannot avoid playing on a team or joining a club. This helps a young man or woman grow both socially and responsibly.
  8. Academic Focus: Students at boarding schools are encouraged to focus on academics.  Smaller classes, mandatory study hours and help from dorm study groups can contribute to earning better grades.

Types of Boarding Schools in Texas

If you are interested in sending your son or daughter to a boarding school in Texas what are your options?  There are two broad boarding school categories – traditional college preparation schools and therapeutic schools. Therapeutic schools focus on students with unusual emotional or behavioral problems. You might think of them as a kind of residential treatment facility while traditional boarding schools ready students for the challenges of college.

Within the above categories there are general boarding schools which are similar to a normal public school, religious based boarding schools which promote a religious denomination and military boarding schools which follow the customs and traditions of a branch of the military. The popular opinion concerning military schools is that they are only for “bad” kids or that they are preparing a student for military service. But, this is far from the reality of the modern military school whose focus is on academic success, structure and leadership training. A good article that outlines the advantages of military school is: Advantages of Military Schools.

Another difference difference between boarding schools is whether they are co-educational or single-gender. A benefit of single-gender education is that the distraction of the opposite sex is eliminated. Here is a article that describes the advantages of single-gender schools:  Five Advantages of an All Boys School.

Texas Boarding School Options

At the time of this writing there are eight well-know college-preparatory boarding schools in Texas.  For the most part the academic curriculum at each of these schools is the same.  Where they differ is in their philosophy, extra-curricular opportunities and the life lessons they teach.  Below is a list of the Texas Boarding School options:

SchoolLocationGrade LevelsStudentsGenderTuitionAffiliation
The Brook Hill SchoolBullard, TX8-12, PG540Co-ed$38,850Christian
The Hockaday SchoolDallas, TX8-121,090All-girls$51,000Non-denominational
Marine Military AcademyHarlingen, TX8-12, PG260All-boys$38,150Non-denominational
North Central Texas AcademyGranbury, TXK-12192Co-ed$49,000Non-denominational
St. Stephen’s Episcopal SchoolAustin, TX8-12688Co-ed$51,460Episcopal
San Marcos AcademySan Marcos, TX7-12280Co-ed$32,500Baptist
TMI- The Episcopal School of TexasSan Antonio, TX8-12450Co-ed$44,840Episcopal
The Village SchoolHouston, TX9-121,549Co-ed$49,500Non-denominational

Learn More

Interested in learning more about Texas boarding schools? Visit these resources:

To learn more about the benefits of boarding school read:

To learn more about choosing a boarding school read our guide A Parent’s Guide to Boarding School or  Boarding School 101 What is Boarding School.

Marine Military Academy is an all boy military boarding school located in Harlingen, Texas.