Are you considering sending your son or daughter to a boarding school in Texas?
The first thing you should keep in mind is that the boarding school system in Texas is divided into two broad categories: traditional college preparation schools and therapeutic schools.
While traditional boarding schools in texas focus on preparing students for the challenges of college, therapeutic schools are ideal for pupils with unusual emotional or behavioral problems (read: residential treatment facility)
But apart from these, there are religious-based boarding schools in Texas that facilitate religious denominations. There are also military boarding schools that oblige the customs of a branch of the military.
So it depends on which boarding school climate you want. But there are still other factors that go into picking the best such as the school’s reputation/profile, fees, programs and activities, presence of financial aid and what have you.
To help streamline your search, we have reviewed 20 of the best leading boarding schools in Texas that you can enroll your child in today.
List of the best boarding school in Texas
The Brook Hill School in Bullard is a popular pick-boarding school in Texas. It is a Christian-affiliated school with impressive academic performance and top-notch student culture. So, this is the best recommended. The co-ed tuition fee is around $38,850 and enrolls students in grade levels between 8 to 12.
However, if you are interested in a non-denominational boarding school, then the top recommendation is The Hockaday School in Dallas. It cracks the top as an all-girls boarding school in Texas.
But Brook Hill is also the most affordable option you will find in this review, coming after the popular San Marcos Academy ($32,500 tuition)
Despite this verdict, other amazing boarding schools around Texas may have the exact qualities you are looking for. So we have made sure you don’t have limited choices. Here are the top 20 boarding schools in Texas in 2023:
- The Brook Hill School
- San Marcos Academy
- Marine Military Academy
- The Hockaday School Texas
- Amerigo Houston Saint Pius X High School
- The Village School
- TMI – The Episcopal School
- St. Stephen’s Episcopal School Texas
- Thrive Girls Ranch & Home
- North Central Texas Academy
- Chinquapin Preparatory School
- New Hope Boys Home
- Incarnate Word High School
- International Leadership of Texas Private High School
- Ozark Trails Academy
The Brook Hill School
The Brook Hill School is a popular option for boarding schools in Texas, and for good reasons. It is an independent Christian school that provides excellent college preparatory education.
Seated on a 280-acre campus near Tyler in Texas, the boarding school is also an ideal option for international students in Texas. According to Boardingschoolreview, Brook Hill has 15 percent international upper schools studying from more than 30 countries.
With an acceptance rate of 71 percent, Brook Hill offers boarding from Grades 8 to 12 and it has an enrollment volume of 775 students.
Your child will have laser-focused student attention and participation because the average size class at Brook Hill is around 14 students.
And of course, Brook Hill is not a boring place for students. They boast of Arts and Music programs, Club organizations, and sports.
It remains the leading choice for parents who want their children to learn cultural and moral values.
San Marcos Academy
If you want an excellent boarding school for your child, but you live in Texas and would love to have them around at home some weekends, then the San Marcos Academy is the top pick. The school offers two boarding programs: a 7-day boarding program and a 5-day program for families who live within 70 miles.
Aside from the accessibility, San Marcos Academy is famous for its college preparatory curriculum that trains students in leadership, fine arts, and ESL for international students.
The coeducational Christain boarding school offers boarding facilities from Kindergarten through grade 12.
The acceptance rate at San Marcos Academy is 80 percent and students pay an average of $31,500 as tuition.
Marine Military Academy
Many students of MMA graduate to gain admission into four-year colleges without hassle. The Marine Military Academy is an only-boys boarding school in texas.
It is a surefire place to put your boys to ensure they are transformed from young men into tomorrow’s leaders. The school is heavy on mental and emotional developmental tools that are needed to navigate the path forward.
With an average class population of 11 students, no teen goes unnoticed. The school has an acceptance rate of 98 percent and the tuition fee is $35,000
The Hockaday School Texas
The Hockaday School is another excellent option for parents looking to enroll their kids in a boarding school in Texas. However, this one caters only to girls – from prekindergarten to the 12th grade.
Located in Dallas, The Hockaday School has a strong conviction in the potential of young girls and this reflects in their curriculum. Through their boarding educational structure, students are helped to become confident teens and women in their careers.
The average class population at The Hockaday School Texas is 17 students and they have a teacher-student ratio of 1:7 so that all kids receive deserved attention.
However, The Hockaday School in Texas is a boarding school with one of the lowest acceptance rates (19 percent) but student Enrollment is more than a thousand.
Amerigo Houston Saint Pius X High School
- Amerigo Houston Saint Pius X High School Admission Process Page
- Amerigo Houston Saint Pius X High School Fees Details page
Amerigo Houston Saint Pius X High School is located in Houston. It has secured the top 20 spots among 314 other schools on the TO Boarding School In America ranking system. So, you won’t regret going by this option.
Amerigo Houston Saint Pius X High School offers a co-educational boarding facility for grades 9 to 12 in a nurturing and challenging learning environment.
In addition, the small class size of this school is a huge advantage. With an average class size of 19 students, your ward will get the student participation they deserve.
The school has an acceptance rate of 50 percent and boarders pay an average of $62, 850 as tuition fees here.
At at the time of writing, Amerigo Houston Saint Pius X High School’s student enrollment capacity was a little shy of 600.
The Village School
If you prefer a coed boarding school in Texas with no religious affiliation like most others, then The Village School might be exactly what you’re looking for. It offers boarding facilities to students from grades 7 to 12.
The Village School has a large student body and it is internationally oriented. We are particular about the innovative teaching method offered by this boarding school. The academic citadel has colorful reviews about their Maths and Science teaching approach.
Students have the option for a 7-day boarding option or a 5-day boarding option if they live in the great Houston area.
The Village School has an acceptance rate of 50 percent and a student enrollment capacity of 1,750 students.
TMI – The Episcopal School
The robust and innovative college preparatory curriculum that TMI – The Episcopal School offers to boarders may be the crucial favorite part of the school. But on many review sites, past students throw more weight behind their sports activities. TMI – The Episcopal School does well in extracurricular activities that help boarders grow intellectually and socially. These activities include football, soccer, baseball, and lacrosse.
TMI – The Episcopal School is a private boarding school in Texas that has been operating since 1893 and serves students in grades 6-12.
It is Christian-affiliated and has a total enrollment of 432 students. The acceptance rate at TMI – The Episcopal School is 85 percent and the average tuition fee rests at $44,840
St. Stephen’s Episcopal School Texas
- St. Stephen’s Episcopal School Texas Admission Process Page
- St. Stephen’s Episcopal School Texas Fees Details page
We strongly recommend St. Stephen’s Episcopal School Texas to parents who are particular about all-around development for their wards. The school is seated on a 370 acres campus and offers an academically friendly environment with top-of-the-line boarding facilities.
The financial aid available at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School is also worth nothing. After studying data on the school’s website, we observe that 19 percent of the students in St. Stephen’s Episcopal School are on financial aid.
The acceptance rate at this boarding school is 54 percent and boarders pay around $63,340 for tuition. St. Stephen’s Episcopal School’s enrollment capacity is 694 students.
Thrive Girls Ranch & Home
Thrive Girls Ranch & Home is a girls-only boarding school option in texas that offers boarding facilities to girls between the ages of 12 and 17.
Parents who send their girls here are those who want to curtail the youthful exuberance or puberty changes that are affecting child moral behavior.
Thrive Girls Ranch & Home is your best bet if you think your girl child’s personality and behavior are crossing the line and require disciplinary measures.
Thrive Girls Ranch & Home curriculum that helps transform misbehaving, struggling with destructive or dangerous behaviors into responsible and respectful young women.
The boarding school is also built on a Christian foundation so they offer biblical advisors and mentors who help students with academic and therapeutic activities.
The best part is that the school is affordable and the acceptance rate is 98 percent.
North Central Texas Academy
Popularly known as Happy Hill Farm, North Central Texas Academy is another excellent option for boarding schools in Texas. The Christian-affiliated school is located on a 500-acre campus and is also known for its athletic center, dining center, fine arts center, and residences for boarding students plus staff housing that is made with bespoke facilities.
The school has been operating for the past 48 years and has 29 faculty through which it offers college preparatory education from pre-kindergarten to grade 12.
There are about eight students per house in the boarding homes at North Central Texas Academy and two students for each room. The school is also a member of the Texas Christian Athletic League.
The tuition at this university is $9,000 for private students but the acceptance rate is 25 percent.
Chinquapin Preparatory School
- Chinquapin Preparatory School Admission Process Page
- Chinquapin Preparatory School Fees Details page
One hundred and twenty-five students are under 6th to 12th grade at the Chinquapin Preparatory School and the college boast of a 100 percent acceptance rate. According to the school, 86 percent of their students qualify for free or reduced lunch and about 97 of them receive tuition scholarships on average.
The highly-rated private boarding school is located in Highlands, texas. It has a teacher ratio of 8 to 1, allowing each student to have equal access to teachers and facilities.
The community is lovable and the events that they do to get to know other grades are fun. The school helps students to be well-rounded but the school is known for changing policies too often.
New Hope Boys Home
- New Hope Boys Home Admission Process Page
- New Hope Boys Home Fees Details page
If one of the primary purposes of sending your child to boarding school is to correct or erase addictions, attitudes, or anti-social behaviors affecting them negatively, then you can consider New Hope Boys Home boarding school.
With an acceptance rate of 97 percent, the boarding school is ideal for struggling boys in Texas and neighboring areas.
It is similar to Thrive Girls but focused on boy-only boarding education. Located in Autin, the school offers boarding facilities to boys between the ages of 12 and 17.
If your boy is handling growth wrongly in areas of teenage puberty, then the New Hope Boys Home is the best option.
Incarnate Word High School
As a member of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), the Incarnate word high school serves 412 students in grades 9 to 12.
The private, all-girls high school is located in Midtown San Antonio Texas, and has been running since 1881 as a division of the University of the Incarnate Word. More importantly, the school has a storied history of academic excellence.
But, aside from the intellectual prowess, the Incarnate Word High School teaches students to develop all dimensions of the girl’s personal mind, body, and spirit through unique academic pursuits, extracurricular activities, and enriching community services.
The school also offer financial aid in form of grants or scholarship based on merit or need-based.
International Leadership of Texas Private High School
- International Leadership of Texas Private High School Admission Process Page
- International Leadership of Texas Private High School Fees Details page
International Leadership of Texas Private High School has a strong focus on academics and college readiness which is helpful for many of the students who will end up being first-generation college students.
However, the focus on academics coupled with the small population at International Leadership of Texas Private High School sort of limits the variety of clubs and electives as seen in other boarding school options.
Located in Garland, Texas, International Leadership of Texas Private High School is a free public charter school and boarding students pay a total of $40,000 per year as tuition and fees.
The school has a solid reputation on crucial ranking factors: state-required tests, graduation, and efficacy in training students for college.
Ozark Trails Academy
Ozark Trails Academy is another fantastic boarding school option in Texas, especially for troubled teens who need therapeutic care coupled with academic training.
The school accepts students all year round and is licensed to provide therapy services to enrollees who need them. The coed school located in Missouri accepts boys and girls aged 12 to 17.
Wrapping up – Why boarding school in Texas?
Teens often get unnoticed at public, day schools. By enrolling your child in boarding schools, you sort of guarantee that they are exposed to up-close student participation so even the shy ones can’t afford to join a club or play on a team.
Apart from your intent on allowing your child to grow socially and responsibly, the focus on academics seems to be unwavering in boarding schools compared to day schools. The schools reviewed above, have smaller classes, mandatory study hours, and help from dorm study groups.
Additionally, if you have been thinking of removing your teen from a toxic setting (poor set of friends, messy divorce, etc) then getting them into any of the above boarding schools is a solid way to change the environment.
And, with this, I hope you were able to find the perfect boarding school in Texas for your expectations.
Boarding school in Texas FAQs
Can international students enroll in Texas boarding schools?
Yes, international students can apply and be enrolled in boarding schools in Texas. This is prominent in private and Christian-affiliated boarding schools because they have schematic structures in place to promote harmonious learning at the college irrespective of origin.
Even generally, Texas boarding school welcomes more international students. Move Magazine published a recent survey that shows Houston, Texas as the number one destination for top boarding schools with more foreign students.
So, the chances of getting enrolled as an international student are not slim.
How to pick the best boarding school in Texas?
Most of the texas boarding schools offer decent boarding services. However, to pick the right option for your expectations you need to look at certain metrics. These include the acceptance rate, tuition, student enrollment, and reviews from alumni or students.
These are the factors we considered to rank the top 20 boarding schools in Texas in the above article.
Are financial aid opportunities available in Texas boarding schools?
Yes, some of these best boarding schools in Texas offer financial aid options to help student study without financial backlog. But these opportunities are awarded based on merit or need-based.
The National Association of Boarding Schools says that 37% of boarding school students get yearly aid, courtesy of the school’s financial aid packages, along with merit-based and foundation scholarships.
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