For Personal Growth
A postgraduate year is beneficial for strengthening academic skills, participating in sports, preparing for admissions testing, and also for many children, just giving them a chance to mature. Over 150 schools worldwide offer postgraduate programs. Admissions standards vary as do the objectives of the postgraduate programs themselves. It probably makes a certain amount of sense to have a student stay on at his old school for the postgraduate year. If he wants to attend another school because of the programs offered, he may find the admissions process almost as intimidating as applying to be a first former! On the other hand admissions to a postgrad year at his old school will be a mere formality. Postgraduate years are particularly useful for boys who need an extra year to grow up before moving on. Boys seem to take a bit longer to mature as we know. The postgraduate year gives them that little extra confidence which they might lack at the end of twelfth grade.
To Improve College Admissions Chances
Many students choose to do a postgrad year to improve their chances for admission to a particular college. College admissions can be fiercely competitive. If a student has his heart set on getting into a certain college, he may in fact be better off waiting out a year on the assumption that his application might be more favorably received. As with all academic decisions, consult your educational professional.
To Perfect Athletic Skills
Other students want to take a year before heading off to college to perfect their athletic skills. Perhaps a student is a really fine field or ice hockey player or a swimmer. The extra year spent perfect athletic skills can really boost his chances of making a top college team.
There is only one school which offers a PG program exclusively. That's Bridgton Academy in North Bridgton, Maine. All the other schools on the list below offer their PG year as a kind of Grade 13 if you will.
Here are some schools which offer PG programs:
Advanced Academy of Georgia, Carrollton, GA
The Andrews School, Willoughby, OH
Avon Old Farms School, Avon, CT
Berkshire School, Sheffield, MA
Blair Academy, Blairstown, NJ
Brenau Academy, Gainesville, GA
Brewster Academy, Wolfeboro, NH
Bridgton Academy, North Bridgton, ME
Camden Military Academy, Camden, SC
Canterbury School, New Milford, CT
Chapel Hill-Chauncy Hall, Waltham, MA
Cheshire Academy, Cheshire, CT
Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, CT
Christchurch School, Christchurch, VA
Culver Academies, Culver, IN
Cushing Academy, Ashburnham, MA
Darlington School, Rome, GA
Darrow School, New Lebanon, NY
Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA
Emma Willard School, Troy, NY
Ethel Walker School, Simsbury, CT
Florida Air Academy, Melbourne, FL
Fork Union Military Academy, Fork Union, VA
The Forman School, Litchfield, CT
Fryeburg Academy, Fryeburg, ME
Gould Academy, Bethel, ME
The Gow School, South Wales, NY
Grand River Academy, Austinburg, OH
Grier School, Tyrone, PA
The Gunnery, Washington, CT
Hargrave Military Academy, Chatham, VA
Hebron Academy, Hebron, ME
Hill School, Pottstown, PA
Hoosac School, Hoosick, NY
Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, CT
The Hun School of Princeton, Princeton, NJ
Idyllwild Arts Academy, Idyllwild, CA
Indian Springs School, Indian Springs, AL
Kent School, Kent, CT
Kents Hill School, Kents Hill, ME
Kimball Union Academy, Meriden, NH
The Kiski School, Saltsburg, PA
Lake Forest Academy, Lake Forest, IL
The Leelanau School, Glen Arbor, MI
Leysin American School, Leysin, Switzerland
Linden Hall School, Lititz, PA
Loomis Chaffee School, Windsor, CT
Marine Military Academy, Harlingen, TX
Mercersburg Academy, Mercersburg, PA
Miller School, Charlottesville, VA
Missouri Military Academy, Mexico, MO
Montverde Academy, Monteverde, FL
New Hampton School, New Hampton, NH
Northfield Mount Hermon School, Northfield, MA
Oldfields School, Glencoe, MD
Orme School, Mayer, AZ
The Peddie School, Hightstown, NJ
Perkiomen School, Pennsburg, PA
The Phelps School, Malvern, PA
Phillips Academy Andover, Andover, MA
Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH
Pomfret School, Pomfret, CT
Randolph-Macon Academy, Front Royal, VA
Saint John's Preparatory School, Collegeville, MN
St. Timothy's School, Stevenson, MD
South Kent School, South Kent, CT
Stoneleigh-Burnham School, Greenfield, MA
Suffield Academy, Suffield, CT
Thomas Jefferson School, Saint Louis, MO
Tilton School, Tilton, NH
Verde Valley School, Sedona, AZ
Vermont Academy, Saxtons River, VT
Wasatch Academy, Mt. Pleasant, UT
Wayland Academy, Beaver Dam, WI
The Webb School, Bell Buckle, TN
Wentworth Military Academy, Lexington, MO
West Nottingham Academy, Colora, MD
Western Reserve Academy, Hudson, OH
Westminster School, Simsbury, CT
The White Mountain School, Bethlehem, NH
Wilbraham and Monson Academy, Wilbraham, MA
Williston Northampton School, Easthampton, MA
The Winchendon School, Winchendon, MA
Wyoming Seminary Upper School, Kingston, PA
