The Journey to Enrollment

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 information. It

Applying to a private school is a process. It is a process with many sections and parts to it. If you are accustomed to managing projects and meeting deadlines, this is just another version of that kind of exercise. I strongly recommend that you set it up just as carefully as you set up any major 12 to 18-month project at your office. When you organize yourself this way, you can put the project on the back burner for a week or so in the first six months without losing any momentum because you have your notes and 'Must Do's' listed. You can see what has to be done at a glance.

Start the process well in advance.

Begin your private school search at least 18 months in advance of when you actually want your child to begin classes. For example, if you want your child to begin Grade 10, then you would begin your private school search process in the spring of Grade 8. That will give you summer and fall to identify and visit schools. That will also allow time for admissions testing and submitting applications. You can start earlier if you prefer, but this timetable will give you enough time to thoroughly research and visit schools without feeling rushed. You will be able to arrive at well-informed decisions about where to apply. Starting far in advance ensures that