Tuesday, February 23, 2010

South Kent School


South Kent School is a boarding and day school for boys in grades 9-12, located in the heart of the Litchfield Hills in northwest Connecticut. An enrollment of 145 students and a teaching staff of twenty-nine translates into small classes and individualized attention for students. The average class has ten students." I had a chance to visit the campus at South Kent, as a consultant and offer parents the unique opportunity to know the school on a personal level.

South Kent is located in a rural area of Conneticut, but its campus by no means simply a rural setting. With over 350 acres of land the campus provides a large number of activities for the school and great housing. Selectivity is a part of coming to the school. however, it does not require the SSAT, which is traditionally required for boarding schools. Many of the students come from all over the country, as well as other parts of the world. Acceptance rate is 46% and all students must meet the application deadline which is in March. There is a rolling admission policy for new students, and most students must be prepared well to attend South Kent.

At a glance, South Kent represents a traditional boarding school but its lower and upper school grades make it very appealing for families. In many ways with the strong academic of the students expectation by the faculty, South Kent is considered a smaller boarding school.

It would be a good match for a student looking for a traditional small boarding school that has some selectivity. There is a tuition assistance program and most students receive some assistance. The endowment at Kent is 6 million, making this school not only affordable but cheapeer in overall tuition for day students compared to boarding students which is $24,000 (twenty four thousand) for day students and $34,000 (thirty four thousand) for boarding students. Ken is an all boy's boarding school not a co educational boarding school.

Activities on campus range from crew, basketball, cycling, snowboarding, skiing, baseball and soccer among other intermural or competitive sports. The students we had as tour guides were very polite, appeared to have selected Kent based on its traditions and its academic program. There are no accomodations of students with learning differences at the school. The range of grades start at middle school to upper school from 9-12,

Most of the consultants, we spoke to regarding the school were very familar with its tradition's and its acceptance rate. The minority acceptance rate is just above 12 % of the student population, with a over 80 percent of the children from middle class to upper class families.

We believe, South Kent, is a good match for the right student. Kent would be a good fit, for parents looking for an all boys school, college prepatory with a strong academic focus. Students must be engaged in learning to come to the school. They must also be motivated and interested in learning and self disciplined. Many parents would be surprized that the range of activities at South Kent would be appealing for young men between 9-12th grade.

A single gender boarding school, has much appeal for a boy who needs to be focused academically, needs a disciplined school, but preparing for college, and can make the adjustments to lving in an all boys enviroment. Single gender boarding schools are actually very popular, in the boarding school community.

Activities are not just limited to the all boys setting buy co educational activities to happen on campus with other girls schools. Generally supervised activities are organized with faculity and parent groups, which might be a surprize to many parents. A consultant working with a family in these instances would be helpful not only in determining the selection of a school, but the potential sucess of a student in a school like South Kent.