Partner Series: Meet Holly Treat
Finding the Right Boarding School Shouldn’t Feel Overwhelming
When families start exploring boarding schools, they often tell Holly Treat, “All the websites look the same.”
That’s usually where her work begins.
With more than 30 years of boarding school experience, she helps families cut through the noise and focus on what really matters: finding a school where a student can thrive — academically, socially, and personally.
Her process always begins the same way: with a conversation that centers the student’s needs, not anyone else’s expectations.
What's the Pain Point? Centering the Student's Boarding School Needs
What’s the first thing you listen for when you meet a new family?
“Listening for their needs. I’m listening for why they are thinking about boarding school in the first place. What’s the pain point? What’s the need?”
Before talking about programs or campuses, Holly focuses on why a family is exploring this path. Is it structure? Challenge? Community? Sometimes it’s about reigniting a student’s confidence. Other times it’s about finding a place that offers independence and belonging.
That starting question — What’s the need? — shapes every next step.
The Danger of the Wrong School Fit
Tell me about a moment or story that taught you what “fit” really means.
“Two ways: When it’s a really good fit and the child winds up thriving and exceeding expectations, trying things they haven’t before. The alternative also happens when I find children at what is clearly the wrong school and can really damage them: self-esteem, confidence, mental health. The wrong fit is actually a little dangerous these days.”
Holly has seen both sides of the fit equation. The right environment can spark growth that surprises everyone — a shy student trying out for theater, a self-doubting one excelling in leadership. The wrong environment, though, can leave lasting effects.
“Children checking out, anxiety, depression, doing poorly academically, not making friends, isolating, disconnecting, shutting down, school refusal.”
It’s why she takes the matching process so seriously. Fit isn’t a buzzword; it’s a safeguard for a child’s wellbeing.
The Guiding Principle: Putting Parental Ego Aside for Your Child's Needs
If you could leave a family with one piece of advice about finding the right school, what would it be?
“I think it’s really paying attention to fit and putting your own ego aside. Seeing your child authentically. Understanding your child’s needs and not doing what’s best for you. Parents can sometimes lean toward a certain school that meets their own needs, not their child's. This often happens subconsciously.”
Holly encourages families to focus on authenticity — to see their child as they truly are, not as they hope them to be. She warns against letting outside opinions shape decisions:
“Careful not to listen to too much chatter in the world — parking lot, grocery store, etc. There can be a lot of misinformation out there and everyone’s perspective is from their own purview.”
Every child’s path is different, and what’s “best” for one student may be the wrong fit for another.
Common Boarding School Misconceptions
Is there a common misconception families have that you wish they understood sooner?
“I’ve learned along the way that the application process is not just a series of steps to go through, it’s actually a real growing and learning opportunity for students.”
For Holly, the process itself is part of the education. She’s watched students develop confidence and self-awareness as they write essays, visit campuses, and articulate what matters to them.
“There’s so much self-reflection and self-discovery that occurs that it’s one of the coolest parts of my job, being part of that journey.”
Begin the Journey with The Bertram Group
Every student’s story is different, but the path to finding the right school starts in the same place: a thoughtful conversation. Holly’s process turns what feels overwhelming into something intentional, personal, and deeply rewarding — one step at a time.