Military School Life

Military school life can be very rewarding, teaching discipline and hard work, while helping girls develop leadership skills. Many teenage girls have the desire to challenge themselves with a military school experience. Learn about military school life here.


Military Boarding School vs. Military Style Boot Camp

One of the biggest misconceptions about military school life is that it is like being at boot camp, and that military school is meant for troubled teen girls. This is not the case. A military boarding school is a place for academic achievement. While girls will slight behavioral issues might be sent to military school, many of these schools won’t accept students that have even moderate behavioral problems.

This is because a military boarding school is not a military style boot camp for trouble teens. Military style boot camps are designed to break down the troubled teen and then help re-make her into someone who is disciplined and respectful. Most of these military style camps for troubled teens are short term, lasting only a few weeks. They are designed to attempt to shock teenagers into better behavior and only very rarely is there an academic component. While military style boot camp can be effective for some troubled teens, it is not for everyone, and it is not a good example of military school life.

Life at a Military Boarding High School for Girls

Military school life does include practices that are similar to military practices. Girls learn how to drill, and there is a strong fitness component. Girls may learn proper flag etiquette, and also learn self-defense and how to use some weapons. However, military functions are not the main focus of military boarding school. Indeed, most military schools have strong and challenging academics.

The real military connection comes in with the values taught by military boarding schools. Girls in these schools learn the military values of loyalty, discipline, hard work, citizenship and achievement. The curriculum may include military history and tactics, but it also usually includes other subjects such as art, literature, math, English and foreign language. Many military boarding schools for girls have strong science and technology components to their academic regimen, providing an incentive for science-minded girls to attend these types of schools.

Most military boarding schools also include extracurricular activities. Music, performance, clubs and sports are usually part of military school life, providing girls with access to opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Opportunities for community service are also usually included, and girls are encouraged to participate in service projects. Social activities are also conducted at many military schools. Joint dances with nearby high schools or affiliated all boys’ boarding schools are often arranged. Additionally, many military boarding high schools offer chances to go to town, and to attend church meetings as part of the military school life.

For many teenage girls, military school life represents a desirable challenge. It provides them with an advanced curriculum that can help them excel. While attending a military style boarding school doesn’t guarantee acceptance into a military academy later, or even acceptance into military service, it can help when applying to military school. It can also give girls a chance to develop their skills in a safe environment where they get one-on-one attention due to small class sizes. They also learn to be well-rounded, with opportunities to engage in physical fitness and develop their talents and abilities.

Before you write off military boarding school, visit one and observe military school life. Then determine if it might be right for your teenage daughter.

Related Article: Choosing a Girls' Military School >>