Frequently Asked Questions (US Admissions)

For students who exhibit a higher level of independence and self-discipline, many families may decide to enrol their child to junior boarding schools (middle school) as early as the equivalence of Grade 6. However, it is most common for children to be enroled in boarding schools at the entry level of Grade 9 and 10 (high school). Many schools will not offer places for student entry at the Grade 11 and 12 level except for exceptional cases / circumstances where the applicant exhibit particularly strong athletic or academic qualities.

For the most optimal results to be achieved through our education strategical planning, we recommend families allocate 15 to 18 months for us to advise on the student's academic path. Most school applications are available by September of the year before entry (deadline - January of the year of entry).

The fundamental difference between liberal arts college majors and university majors is that liberal arts colleges usually offer one core expansive area of study, whereas at universities, the same major may be broken down into two or more degree pathways.

For example, a student at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in engineering possesses a variety of pathway options. He or she is able to either major in engineering through a bachelor of science program or through a dual-degree in engineering through the bachelor of science as well as bachelor of arts programs. The dual-degree program would involve the study of engineering through the School of Engineering & Applied Science as well as the School of Arts & Sciences, which would include different course focuses, with SEAS geared more toward research and SAS geared more toward theory and principle. This is a good example of how universities cover more specific topics related to a major.

However, at a liberal arts college like Amherst College, which doesn’t offer an engineering major, students can still become engineers through majors related to the study, like sciences, mathematics, and statistics, or even through enrolling in a graduate school program (postgraduate degree) following Amherst. When it comes to liberal arts and engineering, students have an expansive range of what they can study. They can major in mathematics and still end up pursuing an engineering career. This does not mean that liberal arts colleges possess lesser-developed classes or curriculum in these areas; this just means that they offer broader areas of study, sometimes incorporating components that students don’t gain from more focus-oriented classes.