Do Ranks Matter?

Published January 19, 2008
Photo by Robert AichingerIn a consumer driven age where we can find out information instantly, it is still difficult and tedious to find out how one private school compares to another. In other words, there is no easy answer to the question parents ask most often: “What is the best school in _______?”
 
Why is it so hard to get answers? For two reasons. First of all, the private schools themselves circle their wagons and will not participate in any survey which tries to rank schools. The private school community refuses to engage in the sort of annual publicity stunt which U.S. News and World Report puts on for colleges and universities.
 
Secondly, private schools don't take public funding. As a result, they are not subject to the kind of reporting requirements public schools must comply with. NCLB (No Child Left Behind) does not apply to private schools, only to public schools.
 
But back to that nagging question all of us ask: "What is the best school in _______?" Best for what? Some other parent's child? Best for hockey? Best equestrian facilities? Best pre-school curriculum? Best results in college acceptances? What are you comparing?
 
Once you answer that question, then you can begin to develop a list of schools which are best for you and your child's requirements. That is much more important than ranks and comparisons.
 
 
The Data Is Available
The information you and I need to drive our decision in choosing a private school is available. We just have to ask for it from each school. The data is not aggregated in any one publicly accessible area. Gathering it is a tedious process and is one more reason why you should consider hiring an educational consultant. An experienced consultant has facts and figures at his fingertips. He also has the contacts to get information quickly. Based on his knowledge of your child and her requirements he can make recommendations which will be a good fit for her.
 
What Do You Need To Know?
What kind of facts do we need to know? Things like number of students, number of faculty, faculty qualifications, average class size, number of AP courses offered, teaching methods, where graduates have matriculated for the last 3-5 years, faculty turnover, who the headmaster is and how long he's been there, the size of the endowment and so on. Another consideration when choosing a boarding school is to ask how many day students the school has. Ideally, the ratio of day to boarders should be in a range of 1 day student to 100 boarders.
 
You can obtain much of this information from individual school web sites. It does take a bit of reading and research. Again, this is another reason why you need an educational consultant's intimate knowledge of schools and his expertise in finding out the information you need in order to make an informed decision. Use our Checklist for Comparing Schools to keep track of your data.
 
Rankings Are Not Important
To be truthful, even if rankings of private schools were available, they wouldn't mean much anyway. Why? Because the most important part of the equation is whether the school is 'right' for your child. She is unique. Her needs and interests are best met by the school which is the best fit for those needs and interests, not the school which happens to send the most graduates to Harvard. The only way you will know whether a school fits or not is to go and actually visit the school, interview the staff and make your determination based on what you observe.
 
Choosing a private school is almost as arcane a science as buying a house. Perceived value and market value can be quite different things in the housing market. With private schools you need to look behind the fancy catalog and impressive web site and determine whether the school offers programs and a community which suit your child's needs and yours. You know your child better than anyone. Find the school which is the best 'fit' for her, not the school which is considered 'better' . The 'best' school is the school where your child will be happiest. Her happiness is really the only thing which matters.
 
About Schools
 
Resources

Read Related Choosing a School Articles:

Step by step guides and tips on finding the right school.

  • Choosing an Elementary School
    You would think it would be easier to get your child into an elementary or primary school than into a prep school. But in fact it is almost as complicated.
  • Evaluating and Choosing a Private School
    How should parents evaluate and choose a private school? Read about some helpful tips regarding this important decision.
  • Changing Schools and Moving to New Area
    Find out tips and services for changing schools and moving to new area.
  • Should You Send Your Child to Private Primary or High School?
    If you had to choose when to send your child to private school, would you send her to private school for the primary grades or high school?
  • Open Houses
    You must visit schools on your short list. Open houses are an efficient way to do this. More on organizing this task here.
  • Small Is Good
    Private schools offer individualized attention to their students because their class sizes are generally small.
  • The Value of a Private School Education
    Why pay $30,000, $40,000 or more for something which public education gives you for free? Here are five reasons why you would do so.
  • Why Private School?
    Is private school right for your child? Learn about the things you should consider and the unique benefits of a private school education.

Identifying Schools

Make lists of schools which seem to fit your requirements.

  • Choosing A Prep School
    Here's a recap of the steps you need to follow to find the right school for your child. Work through the process in sequence from beginning to end.
  • Boarding or Day School?
    Many parents agonize over sending their child to boarding school or keeping them at home and sending them to day school. A look at the pros and cons here.
  • If We Did Rank Schools...
    Ranking private schools is almost impossible because it is so difficult to gather the data needed to compare statistics. If we did rank schools, this is how to do it.
  • When Should You Consider a Therapeutic School?
    It is a heart-stopping moment for any parent when you realize that your child needs much more help than you can give him at home and at his current school. Perhaps a therapeutic school is the answer.
  • Single Sex or Coeducation?
    Sooner or later you ought to consider a single sex school as opposed to a traditional coeducational school. Why? For several reasons.
  • When Should You Consider A Special Needs School?
    Dealing with the reality that your child has a learning difference can be a defining moment for many parents. So much is at stake. Special needs schools offer programs and highly trained faculty.
  • Which School Is The Best For Your Child?
    It depends on your requirements. But in the end only one thing matters most anyway.

Evaluating Schools

Doing your due diligence.

All Categories:

Featured Partners:

Featured Partner