Back to school in Jordan

Prepping the next leaders This month, while much attention was focused on the landmark opening of a branch of the Sorbonne in Abu Dhabi, a potentially more daring educational initiative was taking form in the Middle East, as Jordan’s King’s Academy officially began accepting applications for the 2007-08 academic year. Modeled on New England prep schoolsKing’s Academy, which is modeled after the elite preparatory schools of New England (in particular, Deerfield Academy, where King Abdullah graduated in 1980), has given itself the ambitious mandate of introducing the prep-school ethos to the Arab world, blending rigorous American-style education and community life with Arab culture and values. More ambitious still, through a strong financial aid program—15% of tuition fees will go towards scholarships, and approximately 30% of the student body is expected to receive partial or full need-based financial aid—King’s Academy plans to host a diverse student body, where class lines and