Whether because of the current bubble of high school age children, the growing competition to the east (China and India), or for college admission purposes, boarding school applications are at record highs (further raising the bar for admission). At the same time, boarding schools are also reflecting a much wider diversity of student body. Many more families without a boarding school tradition are heading down this path with no experience to guide them. We were among them.

Selecting the best school is about much more than academic standing. Schools have distinctive personalities and emphases. A child's best chance at having the most positive and successful experience is dependent upon an honest assessment and understanding of that child as a unique individual. The challenge is to find the right academic environment in combination with the right social structure for a given individual. Recognizing that boarding schools are clearly not for everyone, they are enjoying a renaissance these days and the caliber of choices and the distinctions among them are quite excellent. Furthermore, financial aid is way up thanks to the healthy state of school endowments.

A lot more information about boarding schools has appeared since 2001. None of it addresses the collaborative effort required between parent and child. Through the Woods looks directly at that issue following a mother and daughter as they navigate and negotiate a path through adolescence and ultimately into boarding school.

The emergence of websites devoted to boarding schools has been a remarkable improvement to the research effort of considering a boarding or private school. By their readily updateable nature, websites can stay far more accurate than a traditionally published source. Websites are undoubtedly the best current sources of written background information available, along with the documentation produced by the schools themselves. However, school visits and exposure to current students and alumni are extremely helpful in gaining a sense of a school.

No doubt, blogs (online journals) written by boarding school students probably exist that might provide additional insights into this experience. Blogs will come and go and some will certainly be more useful than others. For those interested in this sphere, weblogs.about.com is a useful place to start.

Listed below are the books and websites we unearthed and found most relevant.

Boarding School Review
The Boarding School Review site is a good jumping off place. Targeted for prospective students and families, it offers an excellent school search tool.
http://www.boardingschoolreview.com

Greenes' Guides to Educational Planning
The Greenes are a renowned private consulting group for independent high schools and all colleges. Their site offers a broad "Resource" section. Take a look at their "Articles" as well. The Greenes are more focused on higher educational institutions.
http://www.greenesguides.com

National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
NAIS is focused primarily on needs of the private high schools themselves, collecting and making available StatsOnline regarding their member institutions (over 1,100).
http://www.nais.org

Peterson's Educational Portal
Known primarily for test preparation publications, Peterson's Educational Portal is a good place to review and compare institutions, from graduate schools through private high schools.
http://www.petersons.com

The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
TABS is rich in information on boarding schools (over 300) and also provides a "school finder" tool.
http://www.schools.com

The Connecticut Association of Independent Schools
This site serves CT Independent Schools, and 88 of them are currently represented on its board.
http://www.caisct.org