Andover Native is Writing Book

Most students spend their summer relaxing, but a 15-year-old from Newport Beach is busy writing a book about his experiences at boarding school and compiling advice from other students.

Justin Muchnick, who recently completed his freshman year atPhillips Academy Andover in Massachusetts, is in the beginning stages of writing his most recent book, The Boarding School Survival Guide. Muchnick said he noticed there wasn't much information available about the selection and application process for boarding schools when he started researching schools.

"There is not very much information out there other than the websites of the schools," Muchnick said. "I knew there was a void when it came to resources for those interested in boarding schools and I knew I could help fill it."

To add a variety of topics to the book, Muchnick is seeking help from boarding school students from across America to contribute essays to the book about their experiences.

"If it were written by just one person it would be narrow. So I am looking for submissions from boys, girls, upperclassmen, lowerclassmen," Muchnick said. "This book will be written by students, for students."

Muchnick said he was inspired to write his book while co-authoring a study skills book last year with his mom, Cindy.

"It's exciting for me to see him take the reigns," Cindy Muchnick said. "He's been working really hard on it, and had to pitch it to the publishers himself."

The Boarding School Survival Guide will include 25 chapters to help students choose and navigate life at boarding school including campus visit advice, how to deal with homesickness and finding a mentor.

There is also room in the book for other topics and issues.

"A kid chose to write a chapter about entering boarding school as an upperclassman," Muchnick said of a recent submission he received. "I didn't think about that because I am only a freshman, so in that way the book is a little more free flowing."

The submissions have already started to trickle in and will continue to be accepted through Wednesday, July 31.

"No two experiences are exactly the same, people have such a wide array of experiences from going to boarding school," Muchnick explained. "A diverse array of opinions or voices I think could really capture the essence and provide great advice for boarding school."

Muchnick will be writing two chapters in the book and will edit the submitted chapters from contributing student writers.    

The Boarding School Survival Guide is scheduled to be published by Peterson's, A Nelnet Company, in spring/summer 2014.

To find out more about submitting an essay for the book, visit The Boarding School Survival Guide on Facebook. For submission guidelines, send an email to boardingschoolsurvival@gmail.com.

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