See, the thing is that at some point, someone somewhere will always compare you to another writer. No matter how well you write, no matter how amazing and fresh and original your ideas are, chances are there will always be some other writer, obscure or famous, that you can and will be compared to. Some comparisons are more obvious than others (Eragon and Lord of the Rings, but only because the former is a cheap rewrite of the latter) but for the love of god don't worry about it.
Make the story your own, but don't try so hard to avoid being compared to other writers. Chances are that it will at some point happen, not because you're not an amazingly original writer — which I'm sure you are — but because people do that. Don't worry about it and keep writing. (And maybe, maybe when you're done the story, if someone can write a lengthy, articulate essay on how your work is a rip-off of Tolkien and they have a point, you might want to listen to them. Maybe. Not necessarily. They may have ignored your geniusly unique plot points, so it's your choice.)
"He yanked himself free and fled to the kitchen where something huddled against the flooded windowpanes. It sighed and wept and tapped continually, and suddenly he was outside, staring in, the rain beating, the wind chilling him, and all the candle darkness inside lost."
First of all, why are you writing this? Think about it. If you're writing this solely to become a best seller, then you probably should stop. First of all, J.K. Rowling has the market on magical schools, so they may not want to turn to you.
However, any idea is worth writing about if you really truly want to write about it. Finally, there are no original ideas that we write about. Its the style of the writer and the little quirks involved in the story and characters that make the story strong. If you really love doing it, your love will shine out from the story and make it a little gem.
So write it if you want to. If you love what you're doing, it won't sound cliched at all.
Ubi caritas est vera, Deus ibi est.
"The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls the butterfly." ~ Richard Bach
Dot get too close to Final fantasy though, with the modern and non modern mix there. But other wise it will work fine make it post-appocaliptic so the planet you choose civil is gone. i dunno just an idea
You shouldn't worry too much about how similar it is to other books. Besides, the magic school idea has been done by a lot of authors, but as long as they make the plot line and characters original, it always works out fine. As long as your characters are original and the plot line is different, it shouldn't matter too much if there are a couple of similaries. Oh, and be very careful with your main character (for example, if she's an orphan with special powers none of her classmates have and she's beautiful, you have a problem). Just keep your characters in shape and maybe lose the boarding school, and it should be great.
Um. It's a good idea. To tell the truth, the Harry Potter books were fun up to a certain extent, but after a while it got to be like being bludgeoned to death by a wet seal. We understand that Harry is the savior of the world (does not want to be the savior of the world/yet always wins). I do like your idea - what with the girl and France and all, but maybe you shouldn't make it a boarding school, you know? It takes a unique idea and makes it seem a little too Rowling-esque.
Hmm...it does seem to be a lot like Harry Potter...epescially with the boarding school, young savior, and the magic. The fact that it takes place in France and partly in the U.S. makes me decide that it is sort of like Harry Potter, but not all the way.
I think you should turn it into a regular school.
But I've you hate it then perhaps I'll have to work on it a bit more 
