Narcissism article in Newsweek

I read an interesting Newsweek article about the tendency toward narcissism being at epidemic proportions.  So, how does this relate to military school?

The feeling that just "showing up" is enough to receive a passing grade or get a bonus at work is an interesting phenomenon.  The article mentions that young people are used to their parent's fixing situations when things are not going right.

This is where military school comes in.  What better environment to teach real world survival skills, than one in which the individual is forced to deal with his own situations on a daily basis. Every expectation at a military school is spelled out plainly and the consequences for falling short of those expectations is consistent.  

On the flip side, proper and competent performance of daily tasks may result in the individual being recognized as a leader and give real responsibility with the system.

One of the things I like beast about Fork Union is the fact that rewards come at regular intervals, but it takes a lot of time to really ascend the rank structure.  By doing this, the school naturally teaches that consistent competence is the key to being successful.  We don;t get a gold star every time we shine our shoes and make our bed.  Those are basic expectations.  Do this well consistently, however, and you will stand out above your peer group

What a great lesson to teach our youth as they move forth into college and then into the workforce.  You not only need to show up everyday, you actually need to do your best everyday.

School Safety

It seemed appropriate to write about school safety today.  10 years ago Columbine High School experienced a tragedy that no one will forget.  In the years since the tragedy, school violence.

Recently, Independent School Management (ism), conducted a study in which they tried to identify the main reasons parents choose the school they do.  Guess what number one on the list was.

"Safety of my child."

With this in mind, I think it is appropriate to ask schools about campus safety.  What type supervision is there, especially in non-classroom hours.

I believe that boarding school can be inherently safe environments, because teachers and staff really get to know the students they work with.  These children do not go home every night, but rather remain on campus.  Meal time, recreation, study time...everything falls under the wakeful eye of the adults on campus.

It is not difficult to determine when there is a visitor on campus, because you really get to know everyone quickly.

So, what should I ask when visiting?

How are nights supervised?

Are there adults present in the dormitories?

How do you handle bullying?

How many adults accompany students on off campus trips?

Does your school have a crisis action plan?

The answers provided to these tough questions will be a good litmus test for your relative comfort in enrolling your child at the school. 

Low Cost Boarding Schools

Here is a link to a short piece on "low cost" boarding school options.

The author correctly points out that, when considering a price point, you need to take into account possible financial aid awards the may be available at some of the more "expensive" schools.  

For eaxmaple, at Fork Union Military Academy, the basic cost for a new student for the 2008-2009 school year was just under $30,000. However, the average financial aid award was in excess of $10,000.

While cost is ultimately a determining factor in choosing a boarding school, I think it is prudent to avoid sticker shock if possible.  If you value what a specific school has to offer, see if their tuition assistance program can meet you in a range that is affordable for your family.

Is it too late to apply?

Military school's are a different animal than most traditional private boarding or day schools. With most traditional schools, applications are submitted early in the year, and acceptance decisions are made by spring.  In the military school environment it is not uncommon for the bulk of applications to come in over the summer months or even close to the start of the school year.  While every school would love to know exactly how many students they will have in the fall, few probably have "full" enrollment before the school year kicks off.

In Fork Union's case, there are a few grades the are limited in number, such as grade 6, in which we tend to accept no more that about 20 students.  This allows for class sizes in the range of about 10 cadets per class (as we have 2 sections).  In the upper grades, with a more diversified scheduling options, there is more flexibility in the number of students per grade.

If you are in the market for financial aid, I would suggest that the earlier you apply the more realistic your chases are to receive an award.  Most schools operate on a fixed aid budget, and once it is allocated, additional awards are more difficulty to obtain.  I would suggest contacting the individual school and inquiring as to the availability of aid up front, if that is a deal-breaker.