The quality of a student’s high school education can largely determine that student’s chances of professional success, at a time when college admissions are more competitive than ever.
In 2016, for example, Stanford University became the first school in history to admit less than 5 percent of applicants, while Harvard University admitted just 6 percent of applicants, according to a report from the Washington Post.
For those who can afford it, boarding schools give students a greater chance at landing at an elite college, with many of these high-school level schools serving as "feeder schools" to some of the nation's most celebrated universities.
In a new research report, Niche, a website that researches the best places to live, work and receive an education, has ranked what it has deemed to be the best boarding high schools in the U.S.
These schools bring a number of advantages.
For example, many boarding schools offer financial assistance beyond graduation. Boarding schools are more likely (58 percent) to extend merit scholarships to their students toward the cost of their education than schools overall (29 percent), according to a report from The Enrollment Management Association.
Boarding school alumni said they felt well prepared academically (87 percent) and socially (78 percent) for college, compared to only 36 percent of public school students in each category, according to the Association of Boarding Schools (TABS).
More graduates from boarding schools go to college on average and 50 percent obtain advanced level degrees, as compared to only 21 percent of students in public schools, according to TABS.
Niche.com used data from the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. boarding schools, and reviews from students and parents to identify the top boarding school programs in the U.S. Key metrics included SAT/ACT scores, student-teacher ratios, prospective colleges of students, school ratings and parent satisfaction.
Here is a list of Niche's top 10 boarding schools, in ascending order:
10. The Groton School
Groton, Mass.
Tuition and boarding: $56,550
Parents who want their child’s education to incorporate religious values may consider the Groton School. The school is traditionally Episcopal and has a teacher-to-student ratio of 4 to 1.The average endowment per student is 1,000,000, according to the school. Well-known alumni include former President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his two sons, Archibald and Quentin Roosevelt.
9. The Noble and Greenough School
Dedham, Mass.
Tuition and boarding: $56,000
This school offers a program where about 85 percent of students study abroad before graduating. The school is co-ed and emphasizes experiential and community learning and is partnered with more than 400 work sites worldwide, according to the school’s mission statement. Notable alumni include former President John F. Kennedy and astronomer Percival Lowell, according to a report from Forbes.
8. Milton Academy
Milton, Mass.
Tuition and boarding: $57,650
The Milton Academy accepts 24 percent of applicants and is the alma mater of Nobel Prize-winning poet T.S. Eliot and former U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. Today, 99 percent of graduates go on to four-year colleges, according to the Niche report. Former U.S. Sens. Robert F. Kenedy and Edward (Ted) Kennedy, one of the longest serving senators in U.S. history, are among the school's alumni.
7. The Thacher School
Ojai, Calif.
Tuition and boarding: $58,920
This boarding school is located on a former ranch where students frequently horseback ride and go camping on the school's 427-acre grounds. Students have an average SAT score of 1410 and only 13 percent of applicants are accepted into the program, according to the report. Famous alumni include American novelist and playwright Thorton Wilder and actor Noah Wyle.
6. Deerfield Academy
Deerfield, Mass.
Tuition and boarding: $58,050
Deerfield Academy was established in 1797 and is one of the oldest and most established private boarding schools on the list. All graduating students go to four-year colleges, including Harvard University, Yale University and The University of Pennsylvania. Former Time Warner CEO and media mogul Jeffrey Bawkes and screenwriter and producer Budd Schulberg both graduated from the Deerfield Academy.
5. The Lawrenceville School
Lawrenceville, N.J.
Tuition and boarding: $64,430
The Lawrence school offers a jaw-dropping assortment of 154 advanced placement (AP) courses to students. There is also an extensive study abroad program offering a school year in locations including China, Italy, France and Spain, according to the schools course-offering catalog. Notable alumni include publisher Malcolm Forbes and Merian C. Cooper, the director of the movie "King Kong."
4. St. Paul's School
Concord, N.H.
Tuition and boarding: $59,900
The school works to make the program more affordable. For example, students with a household income of $125,000 per year or less qualify for full financial aid toward the cost of tuition. Students with a household income of less than $250,000 can expect to pay no more than 10 percent of their tuition costs, according to the institution. Notable alumni include former presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. John Kerry and Cornelius Vanderbilt III.
3. Choate Rosemary Hall
Wallingford, Conn.
Tuition and boarding: $58,270
Choate Rosemary Hall opened its doors 125 years ago and focuses on integrating technology and research into the curriculum. Ipads are a mandatory learning tool and every student is required to bring their device to class. The school is home to an award-winning robotics team and a program where upperclassman participate in scientific research at university laboratories under the supervision of a scientist who serves as their mentor, according to the school’s website. Well known almuni include Academy Award winner Michael Douglas and actresses Jaime Lee Curtis and Glenn Close, according to the school.
2. Phillips Exeter Academy
Exeter, N.H.
Tuition and boarding: $49,880
This school has a much larger enrollment than many of the other schools on the list, with a student body of 1,085 students in grades 9 to 12. The academy still manages to maintain a student-teacher ratio of 5 to1. Alumni of the institution include author Gore Vidal and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
1. Phillips Academy Andover
Andover, Mass.
Tuition and boarding: $55,800
The Phillips Andover Academy is well known for producing graduates who are accepted into the most rigorous academic programs in the country. For the last three years alone, the school has had 20 students who went on to attend Ivy League colleges. Well known alumni include former presidents George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush and former Governor Jeb Bush.
The full report can be viewed here.