Boarding Life

Appleby College's boarding program caters to high school students, beginning in Grade 9, with most new boarders entering in Grades 9, 10, and 11. Families and graduates describe the boarding experience as fostering independence, strong student-faculty connections, and a global perspective through experiential learning.

Insider community voices

Hear directly from Appleby College community as they share insights into the Boarding Life.

Leadership

Innes van Nostrand

Explains the school’s relationship with the surrounding community.

Alum

Dawson Meloche

Reflects on experiences with the boarding program.

Alum

Jaime Bourbonnais

Reflects on experiences with the boarding program.

Alum

Simi Ogunsola

Reflects on experiences with the boarding program.

Facts and analysis

Boarding Population

Appleby College has 270 boarding students, which is 33% of its total enrollment.

The proportion of boarding students at Appleby College is larger than 45% of other boarding schools we cover.

Breakdown by grade

Grade	Boarding students as a percentage of total enrollment per grade
Grade	Appleby College	Median of all other boarding schools
Gr. 9	11%	40%
Gr. 10	23%	48%
Gr. 11	28%	53%
Gr. 12	100%	60%

Why it matters

The size of a school’s boarding population and its ratio to total enrollment shape the character of campus life. A larger boarding community can create a more immersive residential environment and a more consistent daily rhythm that often includes day students as well. A smaller boarding population typically strikes a balance between two styles of campus life, juxtaposing the intensity of boarding with the flexibility of the day student experience.

Boarding grades

Appleby College offers boarding for students in Grades 9 to 12.

Across all Canadian schools, boarding can begin in the middle school years (Grades 6–7) and continue through Grade 12, though most boarding programs focus on the high school grades.

Breakdown by grade

Grade	Boarding enrollment
Grade	Appleby College	Median of all other boarding schools
Gr. 9	16	26
Gr. 10	37	28
Gr. 11	48	20
Gr. 12	173	11

Why it matters

The grades in which boarding is offered shape the overall experience of residential and school life. They determine not only when students can first join the boarding community, but also how their daily routines, peer groups, and developmental experiences unfold over time. Comparing a school’s boarding grade range with national patterns provides valuable context, revealing how early boarding can begin, how long it can continue, and how a school’s approach aligns with or differs from other Canadian schools.

ENTRY GRADES FOR BOARDING

Appleby College admits the largest number of new boarding students in Grade(s) 9, 10 and 11.

Across all other boarding schools we cover, popular entry grades are Grade(s) 9, 10 and 11.

Breakdown by grade

Entry grade	Number of openings available: Boarding
Entry grade	Appleby College	Median of all other boarding schools
Gr. 9	18 - 24	9
Gr. 10	20 - 25	8
Gr. 11	24 - 28	11
Gr. 12	0 - 2	8

Why it matters

Popular entry grades often provide more openings for new boarding students, along with structured supports to help them adjust. Entering at these grades can increase the chances of admission and offer greater opportunities for social and academic integration.

Qualitative insights

These insights are based on conversations with parents, alumni, and school leadership. Handpicked and curated by our editor, they offer a close look at how the school is experienced and perceived by those who know it best.

It's an effective way to learn independence and prepare for university life.

Observations from students, parents, and administrators highlight that mandatory Grade 12 boarding at Appleby College serves as a significant ‘half-step’ towards university, easing the transition by fostering independence and self-confidence in a supportive environment.

My experience could have been better if I had been able to take advantage of the boarding opportunities more. But I still loved my boarding experience and met a lot of really fun people. And I'm so grateful for that. Boarding really teaches you a lot about what it's like to live away from home, what it's like to live at a school for university. So when you move away, you're prepared.

—Jaime Bourbonnais, alum (see full interview)

Appleby has mandatory Grade 12 boarding. That is something that I don’t think is too common among other schools. It is such a great way to, in your final year, solidify your friendships. Also to prepare for university, because for most university experiences, you’ll probably move away from home. For many students, that coupled with the new school, coupled with the new people—it can be overwhelming. By helping you get accustomed to living on your own, you can focus on other things, like the new university, the new classes, and the new community. It’s one less thing for you or your parents to worry about because you’ve done it before.

—Noah Caza, alum (see full interview)

I must mention how prepared the students are when they leave Appleby. The school experience is intense, with long days, but this teaches students how to manage their time wisely. That’s a skill that proves invaluable in their life after high school. The mandatory boarding in Grade 12 is an amazing experience that prepares them well for university. It teaches them discipline and self-care habits. When they proceed to university, they find that they have more time on their hands, they join clubs and other extracurricular activities, thanks to the skills they developed at Appleby.

—Erin, parent (see full discussion)

I would say that the biggest impact that Appleby had is building confidence. I’d say that both of my kids going through the program, doing the Boarding Student program in Grade 12, and going off to university, I felt that their level of self-confidence was something that I just was in awe of. There’s so much to try and so much to do and so much support that it’s just a wonderful confidence builder. I think it comes from Appleby.

—Vanessa Barr, parent (see full discussion)

My own biggest surprise was the value in the boarding program in Grade 12. You quickly realise that it’s the best thing for you and for them, and it’s just such a great eye-opener before they go to university—just to have a little bit of practice on the studying, the independence, and quite simply getting along with roommates and figuring out what that’s all about. It’s not your family, and you have to sometimes adapt your behaviours and figure out what’s important to you with roommates. So those are all really valuable lessons. My kids would say it’s their favourite year there, when they were Grade 12 boarders. It’s just so good for their confidence and for their independence, to get their work done on their own and learn how to manage their fun time with their school time.

—Vanessa Barr, parent (see full discussion)

Your boarding experience at Appleby really helps, because boarding gives you that chance to really be yourself as a student. You are in charge of your sleeping, eating and working schedules, and social schedules as well, and that’s a skill that a lot of students have to pretty much develop from scratch once they go to university. The fact that Appleby already gives students a year of guided experience to make good habits, that puts you at a massive advantage in so many ways when you go into university.

—Gabby Ponikvar, parent (see full discussion)

The most shocking part of the whole process was when my parents found out that Appleby has mandatory boarding in Grade 12. That experience eliminates the stress associated with transitioning to university residence life, making me feel more comfortable and prepared for the next stage of life. This option starts as early as grade nine and attracts a lot of international students. In the final year, local students join the international ones, fostering a strong sense of community like nothing I've seen before.

—Dawson Meloche, alum (see full interview)

Appleby taught my son how to handle himself. It exposed him to responsibilities. His days were very long. I remember him messaging me when he was in the boarding program, saying ‘It’s 10 p.m. and my day isn’t done, but I really love what I’m doing’. He enjoyed and was very self-fulfilled by the responsibility that he had. It taught him organization. It taught him planning. It taught him leadership and how to be a mentor. These are beautiful things that he learned.

—Gabby Ponikvar, parent (see full discussion)

Strong bonds are developed between students and faculty.

Accounts from students and alumni reveal that the unique relationships at Appleby College between students and faculty, along with a gradual increase in responsibility and freedom, create a nurturing community that is both inclusive and closely connected.

The strongest bond that you can find at Appleby is the close relationship between students and faculty. I think that's something you don't always get in high school, and you certainly don't get it much in university. It's something that Appleby really prides themselves on, with various components contributing to it, one of which is the gradual trust and freedom. Each year at the school, you get more and more responsibility, which mirrors the gradual increase of freedom and trust you experience as you grow older. This connection between boarding students and day students is also a unique addition to the Appleby community, fostered through numerous spirit days, events, and activities. Inclusivity emerges as the highest value, creating a welcoming and nurturing environment for everyone, regardless of their interests and personality traits.

—Dawson Meloche, alum (see full interview)

Students develop a global perspective through experiential learning.

Experiences shared by students underscore that Appleby College’s international trips and diverse boarding community extend learning beyond the classroom, offering invaluable global perspectives and connections that shape personal growth.

Grade 12 boarding at Appleby College is so incredible. The experiential education programming allows you to think deeply about who you are as a person, enter the world at the age of 18 with a sound understanding of yourself, and approach new challenges and new communities in a really thoughtful way.

—Noah Caza, alum (see full interview)

Students will go on a trip to another country, and just the opportunities to connect with schools and students all around the world and just gain so much knowledge through those experiences really, I think, built me as a person. The trips around the world, which used to be optional, made them part of the Appleby Diploma. I just think that international perspective and just learning about lives other than your own and situating yourself in a global context is so important. It expands your mind so much. Also, just having students from all over the world and having a boarding community does that as well.

—Simi Ogunsola, alum (see full interview)

Probably the most significant experiential piece that people would note, that’s unique to Appleby College, is our boarding program. We have boarders in Grades 9 through 11 — mainly internationally, but some from Canada as well. But what’s unique at Appleby is that, in Grade 12, everyone has to go into boarding. And that’s a wonderful thing. When you talk to parents and kids, often their greatest fear is what’s going to happen when they leave home and go off to university. What we’ve created is this kind of ‘half-step’. They get used to doing their laundry, living with a roommate, and getting up for meals. That’s such a powerful experience, it’s a very safe experience — and, boy, does that Grade 12 class bond together.

—Innes van Nostrand, Principal (see full interview)

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Boarding Life

Page Contents

Insider community voices

Innes van Nostrand

Dawson Meloche

Jaime Bourbonnais

Simi Ogunsola

Facts and analysis

Boarding Population

Breakdown by grade

Why it matters

Boarding grades

Breakdown by grade

Why it matters

ENTRY GRADES FOR BOARDING

Breakdown by grade

Why it matters

Qualitative insights

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My Shortlist

BUILD YOUR SHORTLIST

EVALUATE YOUR SCHOOLS

TRACK IMPORTANT DATES

Boarding Life

Page Contents

Insider community voices

Innes van Nostrand

Dawson Meloche

Jaime Bourbonnais

Simi Ogunsola

Facts and analysis

Boarding Population

Breakdown by grade

Why it matters

Boarding grades

Breakdown by grade

Why it matters

ENTRY GRADES FOR BOARDING

Breakdown by grade

Why it matters

Qualitative insights

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