7 Benefits of Boarding School

By Cierra Rickman, Director of Admissions & Advancement

Boarding school, specifically at Midland School, offers students the opportunity to be exposed to and engage with different perspectives and cultures by immersing students in a close-knit, self-reliant community where education extends far beyond the classroom. 

Outside of their hands-on and experiential academics, Midlanders are responsible for helping to maintain the campus through our jobs program, giving them authentic leadership and responsibility. They also uphold school traditions that emphasize sustainability and independence. This hands-on experience fosters a deeper understanding of responsibility, teamwork, and leadership, as students live and work alongside their peers and faculty.

Living at school cultivates a sense of ownership and pride in their surroundings, while the absence of distractions like technology allows for reflection and personal growth. This unique lifestyle shapes students’ perspectives on community, resilience, and their role in the world, helping to prepare them not only for college, but life beyond. 

What are the Benefits of Boarding School?

Encourages Independence 

Midland School encourages independence through its hands-on approach to education, fostering self-reliance and personal responsibility. Some key ways Midland supports independence include academic ownership, minimal technology, the jobs program, and purely by living away from home. 

In the academic realm, students are expected to take responsibility for their learning. With small class sizes and supportive faculty, students are encouraged to advocate for themselves, seek help when needed, and explore subjects that interest them. 

Midland’s intentional technology policy encourages students to develop their communication, time management, and problem-solving skills without constantly relying on screens or instant solutions. This philosophy creates an environment where students learn to manage their time, work independently, and focus on personal connections and self-reflection, while learning how to overcome the constant distractions technology can add to a teenager’s academic and social experience. 

The boarding school environment itself also fosters independence. When a student chooses to move away from family, it requires them to learn how to handle daily responsibilities like managing laundry, allocating their time appropriately, and navigating relationships with people they just met, all while also balancing their academics and extracurricular activities.. 

Grow Within a Community 

Midland School fosters a culture of responsibility and collaboration through many different aspects of our program, which helps foster a close-knit community that students flourish in. Our community values and school traditions, such as family-style meals 5 nights a week and bi-weekly Chapel gatherings reinforce a sense of unity and respect for one another.

Midland’s jobs program ensures every student is seen, valued, and needed as the campus would not thrive without their daily support. The shared responsibility that all students hold, as well as the leadership opportunities the jobs program provides for our seniors, teaches the value of hardwork, teamwork, and accountability, which further instills a sense of collective responsibility and ownership within our community. 

The relationships students form with both their peers and faculty teach students the importance of collaboration and conflict resolution, as well as gives the opportunity for students to learn how to work with different communication styles. These skills help students grow socially and emotionally within a supportive environment.  

Greater Academic Focus 

Midland provides students with an environment that emphasizes student engagement and a healthy balance of distraction-free environments. 

With an average class size of 10 students, Midland provides an academic environment that allows each student to be truly seen and engaged in the classroom. The learning environment at Midland encourages active participation and meaningful discussion in every class and gives students the opportunity to take ownership of their learning, which in turn promotes academic growth and intellectual curiosity. 

Midland’s healthy work-life balance promotes a balance between academic work, outdoor activities, and personal well-being, something that all students (and adults!) need more of in today’s world. Midland’s values ensure that students stay focused and energized, giving them ample time to engage in not only college-preparatory academics, but in outdoor activities and sports that help foster belonging and reduce stress. 

Through a combination of personalized attention, a rigorous curriculum, and a focused, supportive environment, Midland helps students stay academically engaged and prepared for the challenges of higher education.

Access to College Prep 

Midland provides comprehensive college preparation through a blend of personalized support starting in 11th grade, rigorous academics, and experiential learning that equips students for success in higher education and beyond. Our student-to-counselor ratio allows for focused support during the college search, application process, and decision-making phases, ensuring that every student is truly seen through the process and guided to a school or schools that would be a great fit for them, not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well. Academics at Midland prepare students for the demands of college through a challenging and diverse curriculum. With small class sizes, students receive personalized attention and the opportunity to engage deeply with subjects. Midland encourages critical thinking, strong writing skills, and independent research, all of which are key skills for college success.

Enhanced Extracurricular Activities 

One of the greatest benefits of attending a boarding school is that all of your extracurriculars are right at your fingertips. Students no longer need to rely on rides to participate; instead, they can dive into a variety of sports and activities that may not have been available to them before. Midland offers both competitive and non-competitive options, allowing students to pursue a familiar sport or challenge themselves with something new. From Outdoor Leadership and Natural Horsemanship to surfing and circus, Midland encourages students to step outside their comfort zones and take risks. Whether you discover a new passion or simply try something that isn’t for you, the breadth of opportunities at boarding school—free from the constraints of commuting—ensures students can fully explore their interests.

Promotes Outdoor Activities 

Midland’s setting alone encourages students to explore the outdoors. Located on 2,860 acres in Los Olivos, CA, adjacent to the Los Padres National Forest, students are given ample opportunities to engage with the natural world through our academics and both structured and casual exploration of place.

Midland’s Outdoor Leadership Program gives students the opportunity to become Stewards, which allows them to lead their own backpacking trips throughout the property without the aid or oversight of a faculty member, and our Natural Horsemanship Program gives students the chance to explore the property and native landscape from the back of a horse, further encouraging students to get outside. 

Midland’s place-based and experiential academics enable students to study ecology, biology, and environmental science, just to name a few, in a hands-on, immersive way, enhancing their understanding of natural systems in a way that allows for active participation in a student’s learning.

Our sustainability efforts engage students in meaningful ways that allow them to dig into topics like restorative land management and crop production, specifically in our 10-acre organic garden. 

Supports a Healthy Lifestyle 

Midland’s farm-to-table philosophy promotes a healthy lifestyle and benefits the entire community. Our 10-acre organic garden supplies nearly half of the produce served in the dining hall; we raise our own beef and pork, and have chickens for eggs. By connecting students to the origins of their food and the effort behind each process, we reduce food waste and foster a culture of mindful, healthy eating. Additionally, with 35 miles of campus trails and a requirement for all students to participate in sports or activities four afternoons a week, Midland offers ample opportunities for outdoor exercise, encouraging students to find joy in movement and fostering healthy lifestyles. 

What is The Purpose of Boarding School? 

At Midland, the purpose of boarding school is to provide a holistic, immersive educational experience that goes beyond rigorous, college-preparatory academics. Boarding life fosters independence and self-reliance, as students learn to manage their own time and solve problems—both academic and social—without the immediate support of parents or guardians. The diverse, global community at Midland exposes students to different cultures and perspectives, allowing them to live and learn alongside peers from around the world. This creates a close-knit, inclusive environment where students build strong relationships with both their peers and the adults in the community.

Overall, boarding schools aim to nurture students into well-rounded, capable individuals who are ready to excel academically, socially, and personally in college and beyond.

Start Your Boarding School Journey at Midland!