The Journey to Enrollment

Top 5 Mistakes Parents Make When Applying to Private Schools

Applying to private school is an exciting and often life-changing step for families. With multiple deadlines, interviews, and application components to manage, it's also a process that can be easy to misstep—especially for first-time applicants. While each school has its own admissions process, certain challenges tend to repeat. By recognizing the most common mistakes, you can reduce stress and present a stronger application for your child.

Here are the top five mistakes to avoid—and how to steer clear of them:

1. Starting the Process Too Late

Waiting too long to begin is one of the most common—and avoidable—errors. Private schools operate on specific timelines, often with fall and winter deadlines for the following academic year. Starting late can lead to:

• Missing open house events or campus tours

• Reduced financial aid options

• Rushed essay and recommendation preparation

• Overlooked school options due to time constraints

Tip: Begin researching schools 12–18 months before your desired start date. Mark key dates and create a calendar to keep everything on track. A helpful resource is our guide on how to evaluate a private school.

2. Focusing Too Much on Prestige — Instead of Fit

Many families chase well-known or highly ranked schools without considering whether they align with a child’s personality, learning

Why Do You Need A Guide for International Students?

So, you're thinking about shipping your kid off to an American private school? And all you have to do is apply and write a check? Well, buckle up, because we're about to take a wild ride through the world of admissions, student visas, and yes, even the dreaded TOEFL. Don't worry, though - I've got your back. Oh, sometimes I will refer to you as the parent; other times, you will be the student. It'll be easy to figure out. Let's dive in, shall we?

The Lay of the Land

First things first: American private schools are a whole different ballgame. We're talking day schools, boarding schools, and everything in between. These places are like mini-United Nations, with international students making up about 15% of the population in private schools. Pretty cool, right? Now, if you have just started looking at American private schools, most international students will want to attend a boarding school. There are about 400 of those, so you'll have lots of choices. After you read this blog, have a look at the schools we have listed for you over on our sister site, Boarding School Review. If you have family in the town with a day school you like, then you're all set. Your child can live at home and attend school just like a local. The major hurdle with this approach is ensuring that the school you want

Rolling Admissions

When applying to private schools, you will encounter two kinds of admissions: regular admissions or admissions with a fixed deadline and rolling admissions.

• Regular admissions or admissions with fixed deadlines are self-explanatory.
• The school will publish a specific date by which applications must be submitted.
• Rolling admissions are a little different and more flexible.

Canva generated this picture of a parent pondering admissions deadlines.

What is rolling admissions?

Rolling admissions refers to a school's practice of accepting applications until all their available seats are filled. The school will send an answer to your application within a couple of weeks, as opposed to waiting until a fixed deadline.

How does rolling admissions work?

Let's assume that the school begins accepting applications for the following school year on September 1.

• You could submit your completed application on September 2 and expect to have a decision back from the school within a time frame from two weeks to a month.
• At a school with a fixed deadline for admissions, you could submit your application on September 2 but not hear whether your child had been accepted until sometime in March, assuming the fairly common January 31 deadline.
• Many schools with rolling admissions have a priority deadline.
• You should submit your application before that deadline.
• Once all the places are filled, applications from candidates who would otherwise have been accepted will go on a waitlist.

Professor Allen Grove explains the

Navigating the complex landscape of private high school admissions requires expertise and insight. This article delves into essential areas that every school should master:

• Inquiry follow-up
• Standing out in a competitive market
• Choosing between rolling admissions and fixed admissions deadlines

Discover effective strategies for personalized inquiry follow-ups that engage prospective families. Learn how to differentiate your school from competitors by identifying your unique selling points. Understand the implications of choosing rolling admissions or a fixed admissions deadline and what it means for your school's operations and appeal. Whether you are an admissions professional or a school leader, this article provides actionable insights to elevate your admissions process.

Inquiry Follow-up

Personalized Email Response

Acknowledge each inquiry with a personalized email response. Address the person by their name and answer any specific questions they might have asked. If they didn't ask any specific questions, briefly introduce the school and what it offers.

Regular Newsletters

Send regular newsletters about the school's activities, achievements, and updates. These could also include student testimonials, information about the faculty, and details about the curriculum. It's an excellent way to keep prospective students and parents engaged.

Phone Follow-Up

If the inquirer has provided a phone number, make a personal call after sending an initial email. Your call gives a personal touch and can help answer any immediate questions the person may have.

Virtual Information Sessions

Virtual information sessions can effectively give a more detailed overview of the school's offerings. Invite the inquirers to these sessions, where they

Editor's note: In the following conversation, the parent is fictitious but her questions and my answers are real.

Parent: I am thinking about sending my teenage daughter to a private school for grades 9-12. How do I find the best school for her?

Rob K: Let me answer your question with another question. I know that I sound like an attorney by doing this, but I need to understand why you are thinking about sending your daughter to private school. Once you have told me your reasons, I will explain how to accomplish your goal.

Parent: My daughter's current school is OK. It's a public school which sends a large percentage of its graduates on to further education. So, that's OK. She's been with some of her classmates since kindergarten. Now I feel that she should be with other students who really want to learn. I also want her to be in smaller classes. She's one of 25 students right now. The other thing which concerns me is that the high school curriculum seems a bit thin, and is mostly focused on SATs and AP examination preparation.

Rob K: Now, you are giving me something to work with. Small class sizes are one of the main reasons most parents decide to send their children to private school. Most schools have 12-15 students per class. Your child will not just be a number in a small class. She will know everybody and everybody will know her. She will not