Boarding at Westtown

Many parents look at Westtown and like what they see—a great program that delivers excellent academics and much more. They can see themselves and their children at Westtown because of the fine program and teachers, the beautiful facilities and campus. And then—Yikes!—they run up against the boarding program that’s a required part of the program in 11th and 12th grade.

We understand how hard it is to imagine your young child eventually living at Westtown. So we ask you to put the issue of boarding aside for the time being to consider Westtown because of what its Lower School has to offer your child for the present. Visit Westtown and see for yourself. And as your child experiences the transformative aspects of a Westtown education, you may just change your mind about boarding.

Why does Westtown believe boarding is so important, after all? And what can it offer you and your child—that no place else does as well as Westtown?

• Supervised independence:

I chose Westtown because of the welcome that I received on my visit. The students were friendly, open, excited and proud of their school, and the interaction between student, staff and faculty was extraordinary. The students talked quite a bit about their ability to have conversations with their teachers and the other adults in their lives. ~ from a Westtown student

• Development of time management and study skills needed for college:

Boarding at Westtown prepared me for the future like no other aspect of the school. I learned more about myself and others through the actual boarding experience than I ever imagined. I arrived at college so far ahead socially of other students because of the boarding experience at Westtown. In boarding, individuals will either sink or swim, and Westtown provides a support system that would help any “sinking” student—a far better support system than colleges. ~ from a Westtown alumnus

• A safe and healthy environment:

I knew from the moment I stepped onto Westtown’s campus that it was different. There was a palpable warmth to the environment. One aspect I noticed in my visit was that I saw boys and girls interacting with each other as friends and peers. I didn’t see the same distance between the genders I felt on other campuses. This warmth and true community distinguishes Westtown and permeates many aspects of life as a student there. As someone who felt excluded in my prior public school experience, Westtown offered me the opportunity to deeply engage socially and, as a result, academically. ~ from a Westtown alumna

• Living in an authentically diverse community:

I loved boarding at Westtown. It made the experience complete. Westtown would not be the school it is without the boarding experience. The problem solving skills that are developed when living with 70 people are extraordinary and invaluable to college and beyond. I was able to develop friendships that have lasted my entire life—and my friendships with people now are shaped and developed in a very different way because of the interaction I was able to have with the men and women I lived with those years at Westtown. ~ from a Westtown alumnus

Only you can be the parent to your child. Westtown knows we can’t do a better job than you do yourself. We don’t see ourselves as replacing parents, but rather, we hope to work in tandem with you as your child experiences the exciting challenges of young adulthood. We encourage students to articulate their family values, and we support them in being true to those values.

I thought it would be hard to be away from my family (even though I lived close to Westtown and had been a day student) but in the end it was better for my relationship with them. When they came to the school to visit or when I went home, I was that much more appreciative of them. As someone who lived close to the school, I had the best of both worlds: I got to hang out with my friends all week, and on the weekends I could go home and spend time with my family. Sometimes I would bring my friends who lived far away to my house so they could get away. Also, up until I boarded, I hung out mostly with other day students. But once I was living at school, I started  to branch out and become friends with non-day students whom I don’t think I would’ve befriended if I hadn’t boarded.  ~ from a Westtown alumna

If you still have questions about Westtown’s residential life program, we’ll put you in touch with other parents who have grappled head-on with the issue of boarding, just as you’re doing now. Come see us, and talk directly with boarding students to learn what it is that sets Westtown’s boarding program apart. Talk with teachers and administrators about the ways in which boarding is truly the culmination of a Westtown education. And if you give Westtown a chance, we think you’ll like what you see.