How did the Girls Get Themselves Into Eastland?

[James28]

Was it ever explained in the series how the main characters of The Facts of Life (Blair, Natalie, Tootie, etc.) get themselves accepted or admitted into the Eastland Academy in the first place? Did some of the girls get themselves into much trouble at public school, or was it some other reason?

['80sSitcoms]

It was never mentioned why or how Blair, Nancy, Cindy, Molly, Natalie, or Tootie went to Eastland; although we do know that Blair's mother was an Eastland alum, so for Blair at least it was "tradition" and expected.

As for Sue Ann and Jo, we do know that they went to Eastland on scholarship. Jo's mother sent her there to put her on a better course for her life, to help her get on a straight path.

[gidgetgrape]

Originally Posted by James28

Did some of the girls get themselves into much trouble at public school, or was it some other reason?

Eastland was a prep school, not a reformatory. It was a private school parents sent their girls to in preparation for college. There was an episode in which Tootie's parents were upset because Ms. Garrett was encouraging Tootie to pursue her interest in beauty. You don't send your daughter to a prep school for her to become a hairdresser or a beautician. Both are respectable professions, but not the professions a prep school parent would be proud of.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by '80sSitcoms

It was never mentioned why or how Blair, Nancy, Cindy, Molly, Natalie, or Tootie went to Eastland; although we do know that Blair's mother was an Eastland alum, so for Blair at least it was "tradition" and expected.

As for Sue Ann and Jo, we do know that they went to Eastland on scholarship. Jo's mother sent her there to put her on a better course for her life, to help her get on a straight path.

Yep.

We also know, roughly, when some of the girls started attending Eastland.

Jo first attended on November 26th, 1980 and graduated on May 4th, 1983.

Blair attended since at least Fall 1977, since she had won the Harvest Queen award three years in a row ("Rough Housing"). She, too, graduated on May 4th, 1983.

Sue Ann attended Eastland since at least Spring 1978, since she had previously won the big race two years in a row ("Running").

Natalie and Cindy seem to have arrived at Eastland somewhere in between May and August 1979, since they were not present for "The Girls' School", but were present for "Rough Housing", although I suppose it's possible they were simply moved in from another dorm. Natalie graduated on May 8, 1985.

Tootie attended Eastland from at least Spring 1978 to May 3rd, 1986.

Nancy and Molly attended Eastland starting at least in Spring 1979. Nancy was still attending Eastland in January 1982; Molly appears to have disappeared from the Peekskillverse after 1980.

[80s Dude]

Easy question for me to answer since my father worked at a prep school. These are gifted students often from wealthy and well to do families. Schools like Eastland are like colleges and universities for kids. The schools recruit and the parents look around and pick.

It's not like public elementary and secondary schools where often the school you go to is based on where you live.

[80s Dude]

We all know Mindy went to a private prep school. But then so did Felice and Molly, though they were coed. I am not sure about the other girls.

[valentina warner]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yep.

We also know, roughly, when some of the girls started attending Eastland.

Jo first attended on November 26th, 1980 and graduated on May 4th, 1983.

Blair attended since at least Fall 1977, since she had won the Harvest Queen award three years in a row ("Rough Housing"). She, too, graduated on May 4th, 1983.

Sue Ann attended Eastland since at least Spring 1978, since she had previously won the big race two years in a row ("Running").

Natalie and Cindy seem to have arrived at Eastland somewhere in between May and August 1979, since they were not present for "The Girls' School", but were present for "Rough Housing", although I suppose it's possible they were simply moved in from another dorm. Natalie graduated on May 8, 1985.

Tootie attended Eastland from at least Spring 1978 to May 3rd, 1986.

Nancy and Molly attended Eastland starting at least in Spring 1979. Nancy was still attending Eastland in January 1982; Molly appears to have disappeared from the Peekskillverse after 1980.

That's a very accurate interpretation retro!

BLAIR did seem to be the longest (although she got shipped from several boarding school, before she finally landed at the only school she would call home EASTLAND)....

I would have thought SUE ANN and CINDY arrived no longer after BLAIR (they seemed to be veterans and quite familiarized by it).

Same with NANCY and TOOTIE: they were one of the first along with BLAIR i would say.

MOLLY maybe a year after BLAIR?

NAT was definitely the last one to arrive... (i'm not counting JO cos she's not a season 1 girl)

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by valentina warner

That's a very accurate interpretation retro!

BLAIR did seem to be the longest (although she got shipped from several boarding school, before she finally landed at the only school she would call home EASTLAND)....

I would have thought SUE ANN and CINDY arrived no longer after BLAIR (they seemed to be veterans and quite familiarized by it).

Thanks, Valentina!

I don't think Cindy was a long-time Eastland student. She wasn't there in TGS, seeming to arrive sometime between TGS and RH. In TLC, she indicates that 1979 was her first year at Eastland: she says "that first year".

Same with NANCY and TOOTIE: they were one of the first along with BLAIR i would say.

Eastland didn't seem to have girls younger than 12, so that must have been Tootie's first year.

[TV Guy]

Eastland was grades six through 12, right? Tootie was in sixth grade during season 1 and eighth grade in season 3, when they started referring to ninth-grader Natalie as an upperclassman (grade 9 and up at Eastland, though that term is reserved for juniors and seniors in schools with grades 9-12).

[80s Dude]

Originally Posted by TV Guy

Eastland was grades six through 12, right? Tootie was in sixth grade during season 1 and eighth grade in season 3, when they started referring to ninth-grader Natalie as an upperclassman (grade 9 and up at Eastland, though that term is reserved for juniors and seniors in schools with grades 9-12).

There isn't really grades as we traditionally think of them at private boarding schools. It's more like a college where freshman and seniors can take classes together.