Getting Started

In this section we offer a look into some of the most important factors of choosing a private school. Investigate single-sex education and read what students have to say, learn more about what is important when choosing a private school, and get valuable advice on transitioning to a new school.

View the most popular articles in Getting Started:

So Many Choices

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So Many Choices
When it comes to choosing a private school, there are so many choices to consider that the project can be a huge challenge to most of us. We offer some help and advice to help you get started.

As you think about sending your child to private school there are so many choices to consider that for most of us we shut down. It is simply too much to deal with all at once. That is the point of this little essay. I don't recommend dealing with all those heavy-weight questions in one pass. Take each one and work through it systematically from beginning to end. Then move on to the next question. In other words break the project up into bite-size pieces just as you do with any big project or challenge in your professional life.

Use your tablet or smart-phone to keep track of your ideas, thoughts and questions. Google Drive, Dropbox or Evernote will help you share your findings and data with interested parties such as your spouse and trusted legal and financial advisers.

OK, let's get to those big questions. Each one needs to be discussed and reviewed thoroughly. The results of your discussions will impact the next issue.

Boarding school or day school?

This fundamental question needs to be sorted out first. Why? Because the answer to it drives everything else in so many ways. I can hear some of you thinking "Boarding school? I would never think of sending my child to boarding school." Indeed you may have some legitimate concerns for not wanting to send your child to a residential school. But in the long run perhaps that is best for your child.

What is your real concern?

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What Do I Do When....? Part 2

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What Do I Do When....? Part 2
Here are some more answers and resources to help you deal with tough questions such as "What do I do when my child doesn't test well?"

I wrote Part 1 of What I Do When...? a few years ago. It contained eight questions and my answers. Here are another ten questions. If you think of any other questions you would like answered, all you have to do is message me on Facebook @privateschoolreview. I will give them my best shot.

So, here goes Part 2 of What Do I Do When....?

What do I do when...

I can't decide whether to send my child to private school for the early years or high school. Which is more important?

There are two schools of thought on this subject. Some parents feel that the early years give their children a solid educational foundation and love of learning, which is desirable. Other parents think that an intense three or four years of high school and college preparation is what their children need. And others send their children right through from prekindergarten through to twelfth grade.

I want my child to have a religious education.

Our faith means so much to us. We have raised our children to be observant and to practice our religion. I hear you, and in this situation, your best option would probably be a private religious school. The biggest obstacle that you will face has to do with the available options in your area. Private schools exist in just about any faith you can think of. They also exist in various levels of orthodoxy within those faiths. Most religious schools will be

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Why Did You Select That School?

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 Why Did You Select That School?
"Because I heard it is a good school." That may well be, but there are some other factors in the private school selection process we need to consider.

One of the first things a parent says when she speaks to me about private schools is something along the lines of "I want my son to go to such and such a school." When I diplomatically ask why she is interested in that specific school, the answer is usually, "because I heard it is a really good school." That is a starting point in determining which school your child should attend. However, there is much more to the process than merely expressing an interest in a school because you heard it was a good one.

So, why don't you and I work our way through that initial consultation? Hopefully it will help you refine your private school search process. Ideally, it will help you find a school that meets your requirements as well as what your child needs to flourish and be happy.

What are you looking for?

Understanding what you are really looking for is a critical part of any private school search process. So, start at the beginning and apply a couple of filters. The first filter asks what type of school are you looking for. Day or boarding? With thousands of private schools here in the United States as well as hundreds more in Canada and the United Kingdom, using this filter reduces the number of schools for our consideration rather dramatically.

As this introduction to choosing a private school states, you have to look at many schools before you find the one that's

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Find! Visit! Apply!

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Find! Visit! Apply!
What's involved with choosing the right private school for your child? These three steps: find schools, visit schools and apply to schools.

Many years ago I had no clue what a private school was, much less how to get into one. I can remember one of my public school classmates announcing that he was going to be attending a private school beginning the next academic year. Indeed about three of my classmates ended up going to what is still a prestigious old Montreal private school, Lower Canada College. I also had a few friends who had transferred in from a boarding school in the Eastern Townships. As I learned a little later, they had been asked to leave the school. In any case, I am trying to make the point that you are not the only person who isn't really sure how private schools work, how to get your child in and so on. So let's keep this really simple. You won't get too stressed. You might actually find it enjoyable finding the right private school for your child.

Find!

The first step in the process is to find schools which you can explore and investigate as part of your personal due diligence. Sending your child to private school is a major commitment both financially and in terms of your investment of your personal time and energy as a parent. So it is important that we get it right.

Fortunately for us just about every private school has some kind of web site. You will find all levels of web sites ranging from embarrassingly amateurish to extremely professional. Don't

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What's On Your To-Do List?

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What's On Your To-Do List?
We busy parents use to-do lists to keep ourselves organized. Keeping the school selection process organized will require a lengthy to-do list.

We busy parents use to-do lists to keep ourselves organized. Honestly, I sometimes wonder how we could keep going without to-do lists. If you are thinking about private school for your child, some of these items might just be on your to-do list too.

Identify 8-10 schools we like.

This is one of the fun parts of choosing a private school. Why? Because most private schools offer video tours both on their websites and on their YouTube channels. While both websites and videos are obviously edited carefully to make the best possible impression on you, they are terrific for giving you an overview of programs and the school community.

Watch as many videos as you can. Review the academic and sports programs in detail.

By casting the net widely in the early stages of choosing a school, you can easily eliminate schools from consideration because they lack something you feel is essential for your child's education.

This video offers a look at the Forsyth School in St. Louis, Missouri.

Visit 3-5 schools this summer and early fall.

Summer and early fall are really the best times to visit schools. Summer has its advantages and disadvantages. The major advantage is that school is not in session. That means you can expect to spend some time with the admissions staff who will have more time to allocate to you than, say, in November or December. Application deadlines

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Choosing a Private School