Once you have agreed on a short list of schools to visit, you need to call and make arrangements for The Interview. Typically this will take place while you visit the school. What is involved?
Almost every school wants to meet candidates for admission. The admissions test scores, teacher, principal and extracurricular recommendations as well as the applicant's essay and parent's statement all offer a snap shot of an applicant at a particular time and place. The interview on the other hand gives the admissions staff a chance to fill in the missing elements and to assess the applicant's character.
Schedule well in advance. Be sure to schedule your interview and school visit well in advance. This is not something you do on a Friday afternoon expecting to turn up the next day. There are only so many hours in a day with a correspondingly limited number of interview appointments. It is important to get your interview out of the way by the end of November if at all possible. Most applications need to be completed by the deadline, and that includes the interview.
What does the interview entail? How long is the interview? Usually about 20 minutes. What will the admissions staff ask? The person who interviews you wants to get to know you. He already has an idea of who you are and what you have accomplished. He will be looking to see what kind of a person you, how serious you are about your school work, what your hobbies are, and so on.
What should I wear? How should I dress for an admissions interview? Dress as you would for any semi-formal occasion. Men will look smart in a white or blue shirt, tie, slacks and leather slipons. Women should wear a blouse, skirt or slacks or a simple dress. Keep the footwear simple. Dress as if you were meeting the governor of your state or some other important official. This is not the time to make a fashion statement or dye your hair green.
Nor is it the time for chewing gum. Politeness is always appreciated. Look the admissions person in the eye. Smile naturally. She knows you are nervous. How you handle this new and unfamiliar experience is something she is watching out for. Show respect with polite phrases such as "No, Mr. Smith." "Yes, Dr. Binglemeier." Learn the name of the person who will be interviewing you. Use it. "Sir" or "M'am" is appropriate if you are interviewing at a military school.
Ask questions. The interview is not a one sided affair. You have questions about the school. Don't be afraid to ask them. Asking questions proactively demonstrates your interest in the school.
Send a Thank You note. A simple thank you note written by you, never typed or done on a computer, mailed the day after your interview is always appreciated.
Here are a dozen or so girls' schools' public thoughts about themselves and their missions.
Make Summer a Special Time! If you have children in private school, then you are most likely looking at three months, perhaps even longer, which you must fill with activities of one kind or another during the long summer break.
Are You Liable? Is your DEL key about to get gaveled? It doesn't matter whether you teach in a public or private school setting. You expose yourself to legal risks every single day on the job.
The Interview Part of the admissions requirements of almost every private school is the interview. While it sounds as though this is a one sided exercise, you should be interviewing the admissions personnel as well.
Why Should I Admit Your Child? Why should I admit your child? We examine some of the things needed to get into private school.
Admissions to Private School: A-Z Admissions to Private School: A-Z puts all the information you need to navigate the private school admissions process in one convenient place. Whether you are just beginning or have been through this before, you will find help and advice to guide you.
5 Admissions Tips for International Students In addition to complying with all the usual admissions requirements, international students must also obtain a student visa. Here are five tips to help you navigate the admissions process.
Application Calendar Keep track of all aspects of choosing a school as well as the application deadlines.
Play the Hand You Have Been Dealt Card games such as bridge and solitaire with multiple decks of cards fascinate me. I have learned to play the hand dealt me. So must we all when applying to private school.
Your Admissions Profile The admissions process can seem confusing, even intimidating. In reality all the admissions staff want to do is to get to know you.
Applications - The Parent's Statement Part of most school's admissions package is something called the Parent's Statement. We take a look at this document and offer advice on how to complete it.
Admissions - The Acceptance Letter The desired result of taking the admissions test, visiting schools and submitting all that paperwork is to receive an acceptance letter. Here's how to handle this part of the admissions process.
Is It Too Late to Apply? Starting the admissions process and getting into a private school in late spring and early summer is a challenge.
They Didn't Accept My Child! You thought everything was set. The test scores were excellent. She had glowing teacher recommendations. The visit and the interview went well. But the school didn't accept your child. What do you do now?
Applications - The Candidate's Statement Among the many forms which you must complete when applying to private school is something called The Candidate Statement. Here's what it is involved in preparing this document.
How Do I Apply? You can apply online or submit a paper application via snail mail.
Applications - Principal/Head/Counselor Recommendation Form Most schools require confidential recommendation forms as part of the application process. The forms coming from your child's current school and teachers need to be handled according instructions given in the admissions materials.
The Writing Sample At some point in the admissions' process, your child is going to have to write an essay sometimes referred to as The Writing Sample. Here's how to cope with that challenge.
SSAT and ISSE Most private schools use standardized tests as part of their admissions process. The SSAT and ISEE are the common tests you will encounter at independent schools.
Preparing for Admissions Tests Don't leave admissions test preparation to the last minute. Adequate test preparation will give you the confidence to take the test and do as well as you can.
How To Read The Test Scores SSAT test scores can be mysterious to most parents. What do they mean? How does the admissions staff use them?
Preparing for TOEFL Applicants to American private schools for whom English is not their first language must take a test known as TOEFL.
Do My SSAT or ISEE Scores Really Matter? SSAT and ISEE scores are one part of the total picture which most private school admissions staff review. These standardized tests reveal what you have learned in key mastery areas.
COOP, HSPT and TACHS You will encounter COOP, HSPT and TACHS if you are applying to some Roman Catholic high schools.
Admissions Test Preparation: 2 Strategies Admissions tests are supposed to measure accomplishments. But what if your child has serious problems in math or English? What do you do then?
Top Roman Catholic Boarding Schools These Roman Catholic boarding schools offer good value, great educations and a faith-based community experience.
For Profit vs Not for Profit Schools What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of a for profit versus a not for profit school? Is one kind of school better than the other?
Free Schools There are but a few free private schools in the United States. Most of them were founded by visionary businessmen who believed that children from working class and poor families should have the same educational advantages as children from families with money.
Private School May Be Free If You Make Less Than $75,000 Harvard, Yale and Dartmouth set the pace. Now several top private schools are offering free or greatly reduced tuition for children from families making less than $75,000.
Make Summer a Special Time!
Are You Liable?
