Do Ranks Matter?

You can send in a resume and use an agency to find a private school job. But the very best way to find a private school job is to use your network. You do have a network, don't you?

In truth, the private school job-hunting season never ceases. The main window of opportunity is from December through March. Not much happens on either side of those months unless a school has an unexpected vacancy. This is where your network comes in. Let's say you are considering finding a new position for the next school year. You should try to firm up that decision by the end of October or November so that you can begin your active job search.

The First Steps

Check the job boards in the areas you are thinking about moving to. Register with an agency that specializes in placing private school teachers. They will know about openings. That will get you thinking about the possibilities.

Know why you want to make a move. Are you making a lateral move, i.e., moving to another school to do the same thing as you have been doing? Or are you thinking about different responsibilities, such as being an administrator? It is very important for you to have your goals clearly understood. That will be invaluable during the interview process when the inevitable question "Why do you want to leave St. Swithin's and come teach at our school?" is asked.

This brief video offers three tips to

Some people can write a check for a year's tuition and never miss it. But with private school tuitions running into the $ 30s for day school and getting close to $50,000 for boarding school, we must be creative.

Here are some options for paying for a private school education.

• Pay the fees in two installments.
• Sign up with a tuition payment service and pay monthly installments.
• Borrow the funds you need.
• Apply for financial aid.
• Investigate other funding sources.

Pay the fees in two installments.

Paying the fees in two installments is common in many educational institutions to ease the financial burden on families. This method allows parents or guardians to divide the total tuition cost into two equal or nearly equal parts, generally paid at the beginning of each semester or term. It provides a balanced approach, ensuring that the entire amount isn't due all at once. This can help families budget their finances better without having to worry about paying the whole sum upfront.

Private schools generally render their bills in early summer and late fall for payment within 30 days. These invoices will include one-half of the academic year's tuition charge as well as incidentals. Incidentals include fees for items such as technology, sports, activities, laundry, and so on. Be sure to ask whether the school offers a cash discount.

Sign up with a tuition payment service and pay monthly installments.

Some families prefer to spread out the tuition costs over several months, making monthly payments more manageable.

Visiting schools is a critical part of choosing a school. Yes, you can get a pretty good idea of school programs and facilities from a web site. But remember that the school is presenting itself exactly as it wishes to be seen in a highly edited and sanitized manner.

Accordingly, you simply must see the school, inspect the facilities, meet some students and chat with the staff. After all, you are thinking about entrusting your precious child to these people. You must determine if they are a good fit for your child. Your child won't be just a number in a private school. Small class sizes and a low student to teacher ratio mean that she won't get lost in the shuffle. Consequently she needs to be in a setting which will nurture and bring out the best in her. Your practised eye can root out any potential problems. Use a Checklist for Comparing Schools to keep track of your observations and answers to your questions.

This video from Your School Marketing explains how open houses work as part of the admissions process.

Remember: a school doesn't shape just educational outcomes; it also strongly influences attitudes and critical thinking. The culture of a school has a lot to do with this. Visiting the school allows you to evaluate all these important aspects.

Many schools have open houses. These offer you a wonderful opportunity to

Most private high schools have application deadlines of January or February. If you are applying to several schools, make sure you are on top of each school's specific deadlines. Use our Application Calendar to keep you organized. The application process varies from school to school.

Application Options

Generally, you have three options for applying to private schools:

• Online at the school's web site
• Online at the SSAT site
• Complete and submit a paper application

Let's look at how each application option works.

Applying Via Individual School Web Sites

Not all schools offer an online application feature. But for those schools which have the resources to offer it, you will find the process is straightforward and generally intuitive. Woodberry Forest's is typical. You complete the application, pay for it with a credit card and even download teacher recommendation forms online. How convenient is that? Finally, you can check back as often as you like and see what the status of your application is too.

The Ten Schools Admissions Organization offers a one-stop site for applying to the following schools in the northeast: Choate Rosemary Hall, Deerfield Academy, The Hill School, The Hotchkiss School, The Lawrenceville School, The Loomis Chaffee School, Phillips Academy, Phillips Exeter Academy, St. Paul's School, The Taft School.

SSAT's Standard Online Application

The SSAT's Standard Online Application allows you to apply to several schools using the same