There are three types of preparatory schools. Some of the schools admit students with only one sex while other co-educational. Some of the school operates on boarding program (were students live in the school compound) and most operate on day programs.
The selective nature of prep schools makes them challenging and high academically and there are independent of state and local control. This is because the control of government is seen to them as a burden to the schools education and possible matriculation, which to them is very unacceptable. This act alone has lead to the growth of prep schools.
The tuition of preparatory school has been known to be high. It is even been likened to the fee of college tuition. But the bright part of it is that the ratio of students to a teacher is very low. Unlike public schools creating a very conducive environment for the students to learn. The high tuition is used in hiring quality teachers of high integrity, so as to offer quality service that give the value of money paid. They also give scholarships at some bases so as to create a heterogeneous background of the schools setting.
Prep school lay high emphasis on sports, where student must participate in one or two kind of sports, including plays, music and other leadership programs. All these are put together so as to give their student a better foundation in the preparation for a college life. They have also known to have drawn up British precursors but have tried improving American tradition.
They have been controversies drawn up with some schools trying to add term “prep school” to their name. NCAA have ruled out that such schools do not posses the academic requirement to participate in intercollegiate competitions. Athletes that graduated from these schools are disqualified and not allowed to participate in college competition after graduation from high school.
History shows that prep schools have been attended by the high and mighty. Some of the notable peoples are: William Carlos William, John Kerry, John .F. Kennedy, Ambassador John .R. Bolton, U.S president George H.W Bush and his son George .W. Bush.
