Prep4School

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Prep4 Makes Boarding Better!

Members get Instant Access to Awesome Videos
that Teach these Essential Student Success Skills:

In-Class Participation
Homesickness Prevention
Recalibrating Your Self-Image ← Watch preview below!
Maximizing Achievement
Coping with Academic Pressure ← New for 2023! Preview below!
Efficient Time Management
Advisor Communication
Cross-Cultural Comfort
Restorative Sleep Patterns
Caregiver Support of Students ← Watch preview below!

By watching Prep4School videos, students learn life skills and build a social-emotional foundation for success—both in and out of school. Each of Prep4School’s multilingual animations teaches new and returning students (and their caregivers!) the most effective strategies for managing time, preventing homesickness, adjusting to boarding culture, speaking up in class, communicating with advisers, coping with pressure, and more! Membership also includes live webinars on topics of great importance to faculty and families alike.

Your annual all-school membership to Prep4School is an affordable and effective way to support students’ mental health.

Dr. Christopher Thurber
Dr. Szu-Hui Lee

Harvard graduates Dr. Christopher Thurber and Dr. Szu-Hui Lee created Prep4School after helping thousands of students at Phillips Exeter Academy, where they both serve as clinical psychologists. “We knew that students would do better if they had essential information before arriving on campus,” says Dr. Thurber. “Hard work got them into boarding school,” notes Dr. Lee. “Prep4School helps them thrive.”

The Association of Boarding Schools is a proud supporter of Prep4School.

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International Inclusion is Our Philosophy

Prep4School is committed to worldwide student success, so our videos are available in an ever-expanding selection of languages. We are the only student resource available in a combination of English + Mandarin (subtitled in both languages), English-only (American accent), English-only (Australian accent), English with Russian subtitles, and English with Spanish subtitles.

Prep4School’s primary audience is students, of course. But we know that caregivers love to know what students are up to, so we did make one video primarily for parents. We hope you enjoy watching Caregiver Support for Students in the language and subtitle combination of your choice.

Click one of the language tabs below to watch Caregiver Support for Students in your preferred language.

English only (American accent)

Coping with Pressure, Part 1

All students experience pressure to perform. The ones who succeed understand the difference between healthy and harmful pressure, and learn to benefit from a growth mindset.

Coping with Pressure, Part 2

When academic pressure mounts, successful students use one or more of the five strategies in this video. Instead of avoiding challenges, learn to face them with confidence.

Caregiver Support for Students

Success at boarding school depends on loving support from caregivers. Learn the secrets of “parenting from afar” to help your student make a smooth and joyful transition.

Re-Calibrating Your Self-Image

Top students from around the world come together at boarding schools. Learn how to be at peace with more work and tougher grading.

English only (Australian accent)

Coping with Pressure, Part 1 - English Only (no subtitles)

All students experience pressure to perform. The ones who succeed understand the difference between healthy and harmful pressure, and learn to benefit from a growth mindset.


Caregiver Support for Students - English Only (no subtitles)

Success at boarding school depends on loving support from caregivers. Learn the secrets of “parenting from afar” to help your student make a smooth and joyful transition.


Caregiver Support for Students - English Only (no subtitles)

Success at boarding school depends on loving support from caregivers. Learn the secrets of “parenting from afar” to help your student make a smooth and joyful transition.


Re-Calibrating Your Self-Image - English Only (no subtitles)

Top students from around the world come together at independent schools. Learn how to be at peace with more work and tougher grading.

English + Mandarin ( Simplified )

应对压力: 第1部分
Coping with Pressure, Part 1 - English/Mandarin (simplified)

所有学生都会面临着压力。成功的人了解健康压力和有害压力之间的区别,并学会从成长心态中受益.

All students experience pressure to perform. The ones who succeed understand the difference between healthy and harmful pressure, and learn to benefit from a growth mindset.


应对压力: 第2部分
Coping with Pressure, Part 2 - English/Mandarin (simplified)

当学业压力增加时,成功的学生会使用本视频中的五种策略。与其回避挑战,不如学会自信地面对挑战。

When academic pressure mounts, successful students use one or more of the five strategies in this video. Instead of avoiding challenges, learn to face them with confidence.


支持学生
Caregiver Support for Students - English/Mandarin (simplified)

寄宿学校的成功取决于护理人员的爱心支持。本视频将教您如何帮助您的学生管理文化适应压力。

Success at boarding school depends on loving support from caregivers. Learn how to help your student make a smooth and joyful transition.


重新校准你的自我形象
Re-Calibrating Your Self-Image - English/Mandarin (simplified)

来自世界各地的优秀学生聚集在寄宿学校。这段视频将教你如何通过更多的工作和更严格的评分来和平相处。

Top students from around the world come together at boarding schools. Learn how to be at peace with more work and tougher grading.

English + Mandarin ( Traditional )

應對壓力: 第1部分
Coping with Pressure, Part 1 - English/Mandarin (traditional)

所有學生都會面臨著壓力。成功的人了解健康壓力和有害壓力之間的區別,並學會從成長心態中受益.

All students experience pressure to perform. The ones who succeed understand the difference between healthy and harmful pressure, and learn to benefit from a growth mindset.


應對壓力: 第2部分
Coping with Pressure, Part 2 - English/Mandarin (traditional)

當學業壓力增加時,成功的學生會使用本視頻中的五種策略。與其迴避挑戰,不如學會自信地面對挑戰。

When academic pressure mounts, successful students use one or more of the five strategies in this video. Instead of avoiding challenges, learn to face them with confidence.


支持學生
Caregiver Support for Students - English/Mandarin (traditional)

寄宿學校的成功取決於護理人員的愛心支持。本視頻將教您如何幫助您的學生管理文化適應壓力。

Success at boarding school depends on loving support from caregivers. Learn how to help your student make a smooth and joyful transition.


重新校准你的自我形象
Re-Calibrating Your Self-Image - English/Mandarin (traditional)

來自世界各地的優秀學生聚集在寄宿學校。這段視頻將教你如何通過更多的工作和更嚴格的評分來和平相處。

Top students from around the world come together at boarding schools. Learn how to be at peace with more work and tougher grading.

English + Spanish Subtitles

Manejando la presión, Parte 1
(Coping with Pressure, Part 1)

Todos los estudiantes sienten presión para desempeñarse bien. Los que tienen éxito entienden que hay una diferencia entre la presión saludable y la dañina, y aprenden a aprovechar de una mentalidad de crecimiento.

 

All students experience pressure to perform. The ones who succeed understand the difference between healthy and harmful pressure, and learn to benefit from a growth mindset.


Manejando la presión, Parte 2
(Coping with Pressure, Part 2)

Cuando aumenta la presión académica, los estudiantes exitosos utilizan una o más de las cinco estrategias de este video. En lugar de evitar los desafíos, aprendan a enfrentarlos con confianza.

 

When academic pressure mounts, successful students use one or more of the five strategies in this video. Instead of avoiding challenges, learn to face them with confidence.


Como apoyan los tutores a los estudiantes
(Caregiver Support for Students)

El éxito en el internado depende del apoyo afectuoso de sus padres/tutores. Este video le enseñará las maneras mas eficaces para ayudarle a su hijo a tener una transición fluida y alegre.


Success at boarding school depends on loving support from caregivers. Learn how to help your student make a smooth and joyful transition.


Recalibrar la imagen de ti mismo
(Re-Calibrating Your Self-Image)

Los estudiantes más exitosos de todo el mundo se juntan en los internados. Este video te enseñará a sentir paz aún con mas tarea y un sistema de calificación mas rigoroso.

 

Top students from around the world come together at boarding schools. Learn how to be at peace with more work and tougher grading.

English + Russian Subtitles

Родительская поддержка
(Caregiver Support for Students)

Успех при обучении в школе-пансионе во многом зависит от поддержки любящих родителей. Из этого видео вы узнаете, что можете сделать вы, чтобы привыкание вашего ребенка к пансиону прошло быстро и гладко.

Success at boarding school depends on loving support from caregivers. Learn how to help your student make a smooth and joyful transition.

Переосмысление самовосприятия
(Re-Calibrating Your Self-Image)

В пансионы съезжаются лучшие ученики со всего мира. Из этого видео вы узнаете, как справляться с большей учебной нагрузкой и более жесткими системами оценивания.

Top students from around the world come together at boarding schools. Learn how to be at peace with more work and tougher grading.


  • Phillips Exeter Academy

    Tyler Caldwell - 9th Grade Dean
    "Prep4School is an amazing series of short videos that provide a much needed pre-orientation experience for students. By providing expert solutions to many of the challenges students face, Dr. Lee and Dr. Thurber help students feel connected, supported, and confident, even before they set foot on campus."
  • Groton School

    Temba Maqubela - Headmaster
    "Dear Chris: Thank you for coming to visit us a second time!!! Reports from the Groton faculty are that your workshop was a homerun. Thanks so much for spending time listening to our faculty's individual questions and concerns...and thank you for helping us with the thorny and often uncomfortable topic of Preserving Professional Teacher-Student Boundaries. With gratitude."
  • Phillips Exeter Academy

    Ryan - 10th-grade student
    "Prep4School got me psyched for boarding school. I learned useful time-management and coping skills and particularly liked the video on reducing academic pressure. I know now that a positive mindset can help me achieve the outcomes I desire in a more effective manner."
  • Avenues, The World School

    Ty Tingley - Co-Founder
    “Chris Thurber delivers practical wisdom about the struggles that girls and boys encounter as they learn and grow in schools and camps. Our faculty appreciated hearing from someone who knows first-hand what it’s like to be in the classroom and who brings the insight of a highly trained psychologist to teaching and learning. Chris’s wonderfully precise vocabulary, humor and casual manner earned him a lot of big fans at Avenues!”
  • George School

    Nancy Starmer - Head of School
    “Chris, I’ve heard nothing but positive comments from faculty members following your workshop. Thank you so much for taking the time to come all this way. Your presentation was perfect...and that’s saying something—As you know, teachers who’ve been in the profession for many years, can be a skeptical audience! You have a wonderful and very engaging way of connecting with your audience and we appreciated your realistic examples. The workshop was informative, authentic, and thought-provoking. I know our faculty will continue to discuss the cases you presented and the ones you left with us. Thank you!"
  • Hillside School

    Monica Lucey - Dean of Faculty & Academics
    "Chris, your sessions are so valuable to us!  Several faculty have already told me how you changed their thinking about boundaries and energized them to start the year.  Everyone also enjoyed your workshop on "intelligent failure."  This year, we are teaching our boys about grit, and part of grit is being able to fail, dust yourself off, and try again.  Our faculty have communicated with parents about letting their sons fail, and your talk has helped advance that conversation immensely. Thank you!"
  • Tabor Academy

    Jay S. Stroud - Headmaster
    “Thanks, Chris, for our workshop today. It was VERY well received. You were lively, the nuances and complexities of a fascinating topic were heard, and folks felt it was a more than worthwhile morning–actually important. Thank you! You helped get our faculty off on the right foot, and that gets the year off on the right foot, kids and parents all.”
  • Middlesex School

    Kathleen C. Giles - Head of School
    “Chris, we greatly appreciated your work with our faculty. Even the most veteran of teachers/coaches/mentors benefits from an airing of the professional closet, and I appreciated that your presentation was smart, engaging, respectful, and direct. The workshop was funny—caused some squirming at times—and overall really quite masterful. You met our faculty with their good energy and intentions and helped them think about the responsibilities that we have to our students as fiduciaries. Your presentation offered us the opportunity to listen to each other and develop a renewed sense of professional standards in which to take pride.”
  • Indian Mountain School

    Mark A. Devey - Head of School
    “Without a doubt, Chris’s workshop was well-received by all faculty, ranging from lower school core teachers to 9th grade dorm heads. Frankly, it was the most positive feedback we received about an in-service day in many years. Drawing on his personal and professional experiences, Chris’s easy going style encouraged our faculty to open up and reveal their worries and challenges in a way that benefitted our entire group. His stimulating sessions helped to energize and empower faculty as the headed back into the trenches. I highly recommend Chris Thurber!”
  • St. George’s School

    Dr. Cheryl Jenkins - Director of Counseling & Health Education
    “Typically wary of an in-service at the opening of the school year, the faculty at St. George’s were quickly won over by Dr. Thurber’s high energy, apt examples, and creative use of video clips. Thank you so much!”