A finishing school is a type of private school for girls that emphasizes cultural studies and prepares students especially for social activities. The name reflects that it follows ordinary school and is intended to complete the educational experience. It may consist of an intensive course, or a one-year program. The course fee of a finishing school is without exception highly expensive, and as such it is traditionally the preserve of the aristocracy and the social elite. Private schools, or independent schools, are schools not administered by local, state, or national government, which retain the right to select their student body and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students tuition rather than with public (state) funds. ... The Ancient Greek term aristocracy originally meant a system of government with rule by the best. The word is derived from two words, aristos meaning the best and kratein to rule. Aristocracies have most often been hereditary plutocracies (see below), where a sense of historical gravitas and noblesse oblige demands...

A finishing school focuses on developing a range of academic and social skills. Programs typically include subjects such as languages and communication, interpersonal skills, etiquette, and social skills; but also home management, cooking, floral art, table decoration and many others.

Switzerland is noted for its private finishing schools, such as Institut Villa Pierrefeu or Institut Alpin Videmanette (now closed), where Diana, Princess of Wales studied, and Mon Fertile, where Camilla Parker Bowles was partly educated. It also is known for traditional boarding schools such as Institut Le Rosey, whose alumni include the last Shah of Iran and Rainier III of Monaco. The Institut Alpin Videmanette was a finishing school in the municipality of Rougemont, Switzerland. ... Diana, Princess of Wales (Diana Frances Mountbatten-Windsor; née Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, eldest son and heir apparent of Elizabeth II. Her two sons, Princes William and Harry, are second and third, respectively, in line to the... Camilla Parker Bowles (born July 17 1947) was mistress, now girlfriend, of Charles, Prince of Wales. ... A boarding school is an educational institution where some or all pupils not only study, but also live, amongst their peers. ... Institut Le Rosey, established in 1880, is the oldest private boarding school in Switzerland and one of the most exclusive private education institutions in the world. ... One of the worlds longest-lasting monarchies, the Iranian monarchy went through many transformations over the centuries, from the days of Persia to the creation of what is now modern day Iran. ... Rainier III, Prince of Monaco (Rainier Louis Henri Maxence Bertrand Grimaldi; 31 May 1923 – 6 April 2005), styled His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Monaco, ruled the Principality of Monaco for almost fifty-six years, making him one of the longest ruling monarchs of the 20th century. ...

The term is occasionally used in American parlance to refer to certain small womens colleges, primarily on the East Coast, that were known for serving to prepare their female students for marriage. Since the 1960s, many of these schools have become defunct as a result of financial difficulties stemming from parents' decreased interest in paying for such an education for their daughters. However, some such institutions effectively transformed themselves into highly selective and well regarded academic institutions, with modern, rigorous curricula. The Seven Sisters institutions serve as prominent examples. This process of academic rejuvenation at Wellesley College is portrayed in the film Mona Lisa Smile. The plot focuses on the tension arising due to society's expectation for the students to marry a man of proper, blue blooded background and many of the students' own desire to have careers comparable to that of their husbands. Seven Sisters may refer to: The Pleiades, seven sisters who are companions of Artemis in Greek mythology The Pleiades, a star cluster named for the mythological characters The Hesperides of Greek mythology The Seven Sisters, fictional characters from the Forgotten Realms Geographical locations: Two places in England: Seven Sisters, Sussex... Wellesley College is a womens liberal arts college that opened in 1875, founded by Henry Fowle Durant and his wife Pauline Fowle Durant. ... Mona Lisa Smile is a 2003 film that was produced by Revolution Studios and Columbia Pictures, directed by Mike Newell, written by Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal, and starring Julia Roberts, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kirsten Dunst, and Julia Stiles. ... Blue (from Old High German blao shining) is one of the three primary additive colors; blue light has the shortest wavelength (about 470 nm) of the three primary colors. ...

External links

The following are examples of finishing schools for young women:

Pure Finishing School

• Institut Villa Pierrefeu (The Original Swiss Finishing School - Multi-cultural Etiquette 20 countries)

High School or Language School with Finishing Programme

• Surval Mont-Fleuri (Finishing programmes provided by Institut Villa Pierrefeu)
• GSFS (Good Shepherd Finishing School, Ooty, India)