High School

Have you ever wondered...

Why a private school doesn't have to tell you why it refused your child admission?

Private schools do not have to accept applicants who do not meet their specific admissions criteria. Each private school has its own unique admissions criteria. Each school reviews its own applicant pool. Each school makes its own decisions completely independent of what any other school may decide. There is no appeal process once that decision is made. Neither does the school have to tell you why it made the decision it did. One way of 'reading the tea leaves' as it were is to hire an educational consultant. Her long experience with and knowledge of schools and their admissions process will generally be most helpful.

What happens if your kid gets caught breaking the rules?

This question is important. Unlike public schools where there is due process and something called student rights, private schools are governed by contract law. You and the school signed a contract covering the various terms and conditions of your child's stay at the school. While it may seem like a lot of fine print and legal language, it is there for a purpose: to protect the school. Read your contract carefully and understand that the school may discipline your child for breaking school rules. Depending on how serious the infraction is, the punishment could include expulsion.

This video offers a testimonial about Solomon Schecter School.

Graduates of private schools end up doing all sorts of things. Many of them become distinguished leaders in their chosen fields. Almost all of the alumnae and alumni selected below have also chosen to return time, talent and treasure to the schools which gave such a solid start to their careers. They serve on boards of trustees, raise money for their schools and act as stalwart supporters of these institutions.

That's really the point of this little piece: dream of being something when you are a young person. Attend a school which will help you realize those dreams by giving you the skills, the confidence and the belief that you can accomplish whatever you set out to do. That is the essence of a private school education.

But aren't all the people on this list fabulously rich? Indeed some are. But many were not quite so well off when they were just starting out. All of these graduates share one thing in common. They had families which valued the sound, balanced approach to education which the schools they attended afforded them.

Notable Graduates

• Andrew Litton, Conductor, Fieldston School, New York NY
• Audrey McNiff, Goldman Sachs (retired), Lawrence Academy, Groton, MA
• Arthur Bunn, Bunn-O-Matic Corp., The Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville, NJ
• Betsy Licht Turner, Northern Trust Investments, The Madeira School, McLean, VA
• Betty White, Actress, Horace Mann School, New York, NY
• Bill Gates, Microsoft, Lakeside School, Seattle, WA
• Britt Hume, Journalist, St. Albans

"Which colleges should I apply to, Mom?" That question will be very much on your child's mind as she begins her junior year of high school. Of course, you have been worrying about which college she should attend since she was a toddler. But now, this critical question is very much on her radar. Fortunately for both of you, this is another instance where sending your child to a private school will give her an advantage over most public high schools. Why? College counseling is a function and job responsibility that private schools take seriously. Private schools are not likely to cut staff in this area. Remember when you were choosing a private school for your child? You reviewed the colleges where various schools' graduates had been accepted and were attending. You remember thinking that the colleges listed for the graduates of the school where you decided to send your child were pretty much the kind of tertiary-level institutions you had in mind for her anyway.

There are several advantages a private school can offer over most public schools. For example, small class sizes and individual attention are given. Sports programs and extracurricular activities also make the list. But what about college advising? In the first place, getting a solid college education is probably one of the reasons you sent your child to a private school. You read the course catalog and approved of the breadth and depth of the school's academic offerings. But what about the skilled

A private school handbook is essentially a set of guidelines for life in the school community. The reason why I am devoting an entire article here on Private School Review is to underscore the importance of handbooks. Both you and your child need to understand that the school's handbook is linked to the contract which you signed with the school. Private schools are not like public schools in this very important regard: students have rights in a public school; but they do not have rights in a private school. They are governed by what is known as contract law. That contract which you signed with the school spells out all the obligations of the parties to that contract. Somewhere buried in the fine print will be a statement to the effect that one of your child's obligations is to abide by the rules and regulations of the school and its community as set forth in the school's handbook and elsewhere.

Most handbooks are comprehensive, very detailed documents which seek to cover every conceivable aspect of school life. They are generally rather lengthy documents too as you will see when you review the examples listed at the end of this article. Take time to review your school's handbook. Discuss and confirm that your child understands the seriousness of this document. While the school will explain the content of its handbook at the beginning of school, assume nothing. Make sure that she understands that failure to abide by the terms

As you well know, there are several reasons why you are considering private school for your child. Her safety is on your list, albeit somewhere below other considerations such as academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities when you first start thinking about schools. Safety continues to be one of the top concerns for families in 2026, particularly as schools address evolving issues such as cybersecurity, student mental health, and campus security. Safety is not usually an issue in private schools. Indeed, school violence is not often found in private schools. In fact, the only examples of which I am aware in recent years consist of a few scattered incidents of hazing and cyber-bullying. I won't scare you with examples of school violence in public schools. You see and read about these incidents every day, both at home and abroad. Instead, let's explore some of the reasons and factors that make private schools safe places for your child. You can check that box on your list of questions about private schools.

Families researching schools may also wish to read Private School Review's guide to Private School Safety Measures in 2026, which examines the security practices many independent schools have adopted in recent years.

Discipline Codes

One of the most important reasons why private schools tend to be safe places for your children is because they all have discipline codes. These discipline codes are enforceable and, indeed, are enforced simply because you and your child entered into a legal contract