Is a Military School the Right Choice for a College-bound Girl?

A generation ago, military schools were places where stressed-out parents sent teenaged boys with major problems. Since then, military schools have also been an option for helping troubled girls. The newest trend, however, is to send college-bound girls to military schools for their secondary education.

According to MilitarySchools411.com, military schools in the United States are experiencing a heyday of sorts. Part of their evolution from places to confine troubled teens to schools that encourage academics and mold character has been the development of both co-ed and same-sex schools, proponents stress.

Military schools as high schools for girls got a huge boost as women gained greater roles in the U.S. military services, starting in the 1970s.

Reasons to Choose a Military School Before College

One of the biggest reasons parents even consider a military school for their teenaged daughter is the presumption that it will give a girl with an interest in the military a career edge. The hoped-for advantage might be a spot in a college with a crackerjack ROTC program.

Military-School emphasizes that the standards for academics, discipline and even physical fitness are just as high for female as well as male students at most military schools. For the college-bound girl, this type of a school is an excellent place to develop self-confidence, physical conditioning, personal discipline, skill at being part of a team and pride.

Academically, many military schools provide a sound college-bound curriculum with a heavy dose of math and science.

Reasons to Avoid a Military School Before College

According to militaryschoolalternatives.com, while there are a number of co-ed military schools in the U.S., there are only a few with an all-female student body. Many of these are primarily "boot camp" programs for troubled girls and have less-than-impressive academic programs. In some cases, students actually take their courses through a correspondence school.

Whether the school is co-ed or girls-only, if the emphasis is on educating students there because of a troubled background, activities will be extremely structured. The daily schedule typically includes getting up very early, near-constant marching, saluting, cleaning dorm doors, undergoing inspections and being punished for various infractions. Physics might not be a priority.

Military schools teach girls to respect authority. However, some teens don't have the emotional makeup to thrive in one. If a girl is miserable in the environment but has been continually conditioned not to complain or disappoint her family, she could internalize her dissatisfaction and develop a behavioral problem such as an eating disorder.

Myths About Military Schools

Two myths surrounding military schools for teenagers are common. The first, fortunately waning, is that these schools are only places for juvenile offenders or troubled kids. The second is the assumption that if a girl is successful at this type of school, she will have an edge when applying to a military service academy.

Pam, 43, and Eric, 45, were typical two-career couples living in a Virginia suburb that bumped shoulders with Washington, DC. Both were military officers assigned to the Pentagon. At 13, their daughter Sarah showed a definite interest in a military career and was an excellent student.

Eric, a West Point graduate, had his heart set on Sarah graduating from his alma mater and going on to a brilliant military career. He quickly convinced both his wife and daughter that a military school was the way to go.

Sarah attended a co-ed military boarding school, where she graduated third in her class. Unfortunately, West Point, Annapolis and the Air Force Academy turned her down.

A decision on whether to attend a military school before college requires a lot of research and soul-searching on the part of a teenaged girl and her family. For some, a military school is a terrible mismatch. For others, it's a benefit that lasts a lifetime.

Sources:

http://www.militaryschools411.com/military-schools/military-schools-for-girls.html

http://www.military-school.org/Military_Girl_Schools/

http://www.militaryschoolalternatives.com/girls-military-schools.html