Here's a sobering statistic for any parent to consider. In the current American education system, twenty-five percent of high school students graduate with a college-ready foundation in the core subjects. (The core subjects include English, Math, Reading, and Science.) This means, with our current system, seventy-five percent of our high schoolers enter the next phase of their education and their lives unprepared.

With the absolute state of our public education system, it's no wonder that parents would prefer international schooling. If your family is moving countries, an international school may be one of your best options. Are you unsure if sending your child to an international school would help or hinder them? Here are five reasons you should consider it as an option!

1. Your Child Can Learn Multiple Languages

Did you know that less than one percent of Americans are proficient in a language that they studied in the classroom? That's an insanely small number of people. Especially when you consider the sheer number of schools that require taking a non-English language class to graduate.

Why this is the case is a matter of debate. Some argue that it's a sense of egocentrism. Others argue that we offer and require language learning classes too late. By adolescence, much of the flexibility afforded young brains has started to fade.

Whatever the case, despite the clear benefits to being bi- or multilingual, people still struggle to learn languages other than their native tongue.

By attending an international private school, your child will be immersed in learning multiple languages at once. They won't learn a non-English language as an elective, easily ignored part of their high school education. Rather, they will be able to study many languages at once by socializing with their peers and learning to navigate their new home country.

2. Become a Citizen of the World With Global Opportunity

Smaller, local schools might plan one international trip during your child's four-year tenure with them. That's if you're lucky and the school is well-funded. By sending your teen to an international school, you place the world at their doorstep. During holidays and other breaks, many international schools will plan trips to other countries. (Especially if you send your child to school in Europe. There, your child can easily travel from England to Germany in the time it takes to cross a few state lines.)

Creating such broad connections early on also helps prepare your child for the wider world. When it's time to graduate and start working, they won't be limited by local opportunities. They'll have friends and contacts on an international scale. They may even have access to an international alumnus network, depending on the institution.

3. Diversity in Culture and Learning

Despite what some internet reactionaries like to argue, multiculturalism is a good thing. Children who grow up with more diverse friend groups tend to have greater empathy. This empathy grants them a greater understanding of other perspectives. This sense of understanding will only benefit them as they grow older.

Divisiveness and a lack of empathy and understanding are the leading causes of many of the world's current problems. Any curriculum we can offer our children to resist the words of such reactionaries will only do the world well.

4. Academic Excellence and Balanced Programs

Are you considering an international boarding school option for your child? Then, you should know that international schools host academic excellence beyond comparison. Many of the top international private education institutions have state-of-the-art STEM and performing arts facilities.

These elite high schools often have rigorous academic programs. This leads their students to rank in the top percentile of International Baccalaureate Diploma Programs (IBDP). Such academic rigor would not exist without the aid of a team of expert educators. These teachers have often taught in a host of other countries and have years of experience behind them.

In addition, most schools' cutting-edge facilities are not limited to their curricular activities. Many international schooling campuses have the latest and greatest in sports training complexes. They also play host to a wide variety of extracurriculars, including sports, band, orchestra, theater, visual arts, and many more. Each of these programs receives a level of funding that would be unthinkable in an American public high school.

5. Holistic, Innovative Learning

Lastly, international schools look at their students as whole beings rather than test scores and numbers. In the most elite high schools, the students, the children are the focus, not their test scores. Teachers at these schools wish to cultivate their students into well-rounded individuals. They want their students to have exceptional emotional, social, physical, and intellectual skills.

International schools are more willing to offer students alternative means of learning information than in the classroom. This includes experiential learning or learning by doing. By giving students a chance to apply their knowledge out of the classroom, they can better understand what they've learned.

All of This Sounds Great, But I Can't Afford It

International schooling is a fantastic option for your child if you can afford it. Thankfully, there are a number of amazing scholarships available for those who wish to study abroad in high school. Additionally, some schools may offer financial aid or tuition assistance programs. You just need to speak with the school you wish to attend to find out what your child's options might be.

Reviewing the Benefits of International Schooling

International schooling can offer a host of benefits over public schools or even local private education. By choosing an international school, you give your child access to a rigorous academic environment. They'll have a diverse and multicultural foundation. Not to mention, they'll be enrolled in a program that's designed with their success at the front of the teachers' minds.

Give your children the best chance to succeed in a global, interconnected world. Look into international schooling today.

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