There are many positive benefits for your teenager should they attend a military school. But, like most things in life, there can be a downside as well. Here is a report explaining what’s good and bad about study in a military high school.

To start with if your teen is in trouble with serious health issues or a major attitude problem, they stand little or no chance of being accepted. Military schools today set very high academic standards. They are not therapy centers for kids with problems. Two of their major goals are to produce students able to enter prestigious colleges and/or join the military.

Discipline is a major part of a military environment. If your teen is lazy and disrespectful they will get a serious jolt in a military school. They will be out of bed at 0600 hours, they will make their bed and tidy their possessions, and they will be on the parade ground and exercising before breakfast. This type of lifestyle could change your teen’s attitude to life.

Of course a military school is a residential facility and while students are allowed to attend approved activities in the local town, things like taking a part-time job in the grocery store are simply not an option.

There is a full extra-curricula program at a military school with plenty of time for artistic pursuits and outdoor education. This means your child is getting an all-round education and enjoying their schooling at the same time.

Opportunities for leadership roles are many and varied in a military education. If your child requires a challenge and enjoys being a leader, they will develop their talents and be truly extended in such a school. It is ideal for developing the total person.

If as a parent you are looking to a military school to mollycoddle your child, you will be disappointed. It’s much more a shape up or ship out approach from the school. If your child chooses to disobey and fails to complete tasks, the school will not spend a great deal of time and effort in whipping them into line.

Those who do work hard are sure to be well rewarded and for life. College entrance is likely and if a career in the military is required, this type of secondary education is perfect for such a move.

A military school is a community where teamwork and bonding is part of every day life. If this suits your child, fine. If your child is a loner and doesn’t like a regimented and disciplined lifestyle, then a military school is not for them.

When you hear the words “military school”, many different images are conjured. Some see a campus enhanced with beautiful stone buildings, manicured lawns, and cadets proudly marching with perfectly tailored uniforms gleaming from all the spit and polish. Many of these young men and women are aspiring to future service in the armed services of their country.

Others see a compound, reminiscent of that seen on Hogan’s Heroes, where misbehaving inmates are sentenced to hard time for their past behavior, and angry drill instructors scream at a hopeless collection of trouble-makers. The later is more reminiscent of what today has become known as teen boot camps, where an intense regime of shock therapy and even abuse over a short period of time is designed to turn troubled teens around.

The truth is that both of these types of organizations exist, as does everything in between. This is why one size does not fit all when looking for a military school or academy.

In the United States, there are numerous military schools. In Canada, there is only one. You don’t need to search for too long on the internet to find them. But why are there so many and why are they so popular? Some have a long proud history dating back to before the Civil War. Students attend because of tradition; their father, and grand father, and great grand father attended. Some attend because they see it as a stepping stone to one of the federal service academies like West Point, Annapolis, or the Air Force Academy. Others see it as a structured environment within which their misbehaving youngster will learn their bad discipline and be transferred from a life of misfortune into become a contributing member of society.

There are military schools that cater to each of these groups. However, when these students with differing goals end up in the same school the outcome is often chaotic. Those who do not want to be there fight the system every step of the way. The others end up suffering as a result of these negative influences. In the end, neither group receives what they want, or what they need.

It is for these reasons that it is important to know what you are looking for in a military school, and why. Ask the right questions and tell your whole story to the admissions department before enrolling. This will help determine whether a particular school is right for your son or daughter, and whether your son or daughter is right for the school.

The moral of this story: Not all military schools and academies are alike. Be sure you understand the difference between what you want and what you (or your son or daughter) need, because these are not necessarily the same thing.