From the 12th to the 14th of November, I had the chance to represent LA at the Linden Boarding School Fairs in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
There was a mix of schools on the tour ranging from traditional boarding schools such as The Masters School outside of New York City to other town academies like Foxcroft right here in Maine. The thing that struck me was that parents everywhere are the same:
- They want the best for their children and in the case of the Vietnamese parents with whom I spoke, the “best” entails a U.S. education.
- They asked about safety and wanted to know to what extent their children would be cared for.
- They were concerned about matriculation opportunities following LA and were impressed by our college acceptance list.
I was eager to tell them about our caring faculty and staff who would treat their children like family. I spoke with confidence about our friendly, talented student body and the opportunities they would have to experience an authentic American high school experience in a safe and beautiful environment. They were impressed with our long history.
Among the prospective students with whom I spoke were classical pianists, soccer players, artists, and mathematicians. Most of them came from the top schools in their cities. Some of them attended bilingual or English medium schools, and all of them were polite and friendly – hoping to make American friends, study hard, and return to their country to make a difference.
In the end, though, they were teenagers – teasing and jostling each other as they came to my table, rolling their eyes at their parents, and eager for approval and acceptance. I can’t wait until you have the chance to meet some of these kids, as well, and welcome them into our community!
Sheryl Stearns Director of Admissions
