Military School Info

College Prep, or College Preparatory, schools are designed to help prepare students to attend the top colleges and universities. Learn what college prep schools have to offer girls as an alternative to boarding schools and optional military prep schools.

It’s likely obvious that College Prep is short for College Preparatory, meaning “a school that is geared to prepare you for college. But there’s more to the term than that. A college prep school is often a school that aims to send its graduates to the best colleges and universities in the country and the world. And sometimes, a college prep school may also be a military school. This article gives an overview of college prep schools for girls.

Day or Boarding College Prep Schools

People may think of college prep schools as being boarding schools, but this is not always the case. Schools have different methods of determining the geographic area in which day students may live, and some schools are only equipped for boarding students, but it is possible to attend a private college prep school as a day student.

College Prep Schools For Girls

One way of looking at college prep schools for girls breaks them down into two types: college prep schools that are for girls only on the one hand, and coeducational college prep schools that admit both boys and girls on the other hand. If you are searching for a school, this may be a key factor in making a decision.

If you are seeking a college prep school that has a military component, note that your choices will be more limited. This is likely due to the fact that for a large part of our history, women have not served in the armed forces. The military schools that grew up during that time served the population that needed military training: boys and young men. This has changed as the role of women in the US military has expanded.

Military College Prep Schools

The result is that there are now some schools of the sort, sometimes referred to as military prep schools, that welcome girls on their campus. Note that they are, as of early 2010, all coeducational opportunities:

• Admiral Farragut Academy offers college preparatory curriculum at a “military style school” for both boarding and day students in grades 6-12. Its campus is in St. Petersburg, FL.
• Florida Air Academy offers college preparatory curriculum in a military school setting for both boarding and day students in grades 6-12. Its campus is in Melbourne, FL.
• Howe Military School offers college preparatory curriculum and “military training” for boarding students in grades 5-12. Its campus is in Howe, IN.
• Massanutten Military Academy offers college preparatory curriculum in a military school setting  for boarding students in grades 7 through post graduate. Its campus is in Woodstock, VA.
• New Mexico Military Institute offers college preparatory curriculum in a military school setting for boarding students in grades 9 through post graduate. Its campus is in Roswell, NM.
• New York Military Academy offers college preparatory curriculum in a military school setting for boarding and day students in grades 7 through post graduate. Its campus is in Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY.
• Oak Ridge Military Academy offers college preparatory curriculum in a military school setting for boarding and day students in grades 7-12. Its campus is in Oak Ridge, NC.
• Randolph-Macon Academy offers college preparatory curriculum in a military school setting for boarding and day students in grades 6 through post graduate. Its campus is in Front Royal, VA.
• TMI- The Episcopal School of Texas offers Episocopal college preparatory curriculum in a military school setting for boarding and day students in grades 6 through post graduate. Its campus is in San Antonio, TX.
• Wentworth Military Academy & College offers college preparatory curriculum in a military school setting for boarding students in grades 9 through post graduate. Its campus is in Lexington, MO.

Non-Military College Prep Schools

If college preparatory school, rather than explicitly military college prep is your aim, or if you’re not sure, it is definitely worth exploring college preparatory schools that do not include a military component. Some of these, like Culver Academy in Indiana, focus on a college preparatory curriculum and leadership training. Many are non-denominational, but some have a faith affiliation. In the 21^st century, you are likely to find that the faith component is a guide for student activities, not student admissions.

Things to Look for in a College Prep School

As you examine college preparatory schools, here are some questions that you may wish to find answers to in order to help guide your decision:

• What is the student body like? (coed or single sex education? International students? Day vs. boarding students? Total number of students?)
• What grades are available?
• How big is the campus?
• Are the buildings well-maintained?
• What is the average class size?
• What is the average teacher qualification?
• Is there a dress code?
• What extracurricular activities are offered?
• What athletic teams are supported?
• Is the curriculum extensible for the student who completes the standard college preparatory courses? How?
• How many and which AP courses are offered?
• How many and which foreign languages are offered?
• What kind of support is offered for a student having difficulties?
• What is the school’s financial situation?
• What is the graduation rate?
• In which colleges are graduates of the school enrolled?
• What are the admissions requirements?
• Is the food good?
• What’s the atmosphere like?

Any college prep school is likely to have a website and print information available to help answer initial questions. Some will also have DVDs, student blogs, and other new media to help you become better acquainted with the school. Visiting the campus, if possible, is always a good idea.