Let's fact it; boarding schools haven't exactly been getting a good rep'. With the notable exceptions of books like the Harry Potter series and the Zoey 101 TV series,  

coed boarding schools

  are the oft use setting for miserable school stories and are portrayed as tantamount to totalitarian regimes.

In reality, boarding schools and more specifically, coed boarding schools, are like your average high school with a wide range of perks and pluses added on. You might even compare it to the educational experience you'd have at a private college -- though of course it'll be a few years yet before you get your undergraduate degree.

In the meantime though, boarding schools can help you get a jump on the college competition by preparing you with the academics, credentials, and character you need to apply. Check out how else coed boarding schools can get you bang for your buck.

Learning to Live Together
Unlike traditional single-sex boarding schools, coed boarding schools are exactly that -- coeducational. You'll find boys and girls studying side-by-side and learning more about themselves and each other in the process. For parents and students who are wary of enrolling at single-sex schools, coed boarding schools offer the same quality of education while also providing them with valuable life experience as they learn to work with and interact with the opposite sex on a level playing field.

PG's Not Just For the Cinema
Need a chance to think, boost your grades, or get a taste for what you might want to do in life? Then a post-graduate year will give you just the time you need. Available at plenty of, though not all, coed boarding schools, the post-graduate year is offered after senior year as a chance for students to take additional courses. While some students use the opportunities to improve their grades for college admissions, others sample interesting courses while figuring out what type of school and major will appeal to their future aspirations.

Get the Dollars to Get the Sense
It's true, coed boarding schools don't come at a low price. In fact, many have yearly tuition rates that are comparable to what you'd pay to study at a private university, but that doesn't mean you should immediately rule out boarding schools. Just like colleges, boarding schools offer students the opportunity to earn scholarships and receive government financial aid. That means there's more money in your pocket for when you have to apply to college. Student loans are also an option.

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