Private School Review Blog

Will your child be going to high school in a few years? Are you looking at the academic options available in your local public and private schools? If so, then I recommend that you take this IB quiz. It will help you decide the best college prep approach for your child.

In education, one size does not fit all because children learn differently. Some children do well in a school offering a curriculum centered around Advanced Placement courses and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) preparation. Others thrive in the non-traditional educational experience that progressive schools provide. Finally, some children find that the substantial academic experience that the International Baccalaureate program offers is the right option for them. Your answers to the following questions will help you make the right decisions about your child's academic future and preparation for college.

Why should I consider a school that offers the International Baccalaureate® Diploma Programme?

For several reasons, you should consider sending your child to a school that offers the International Baccalaureate® Programme, or IB as it is affectionately called. First of all, you have decided that you want your child to learn how to do serious academic work in high school so that she is well-prepared for the rigors of tertiary-level academic work. Secondly, you are uncomfortable with her only learning how to do well on tests. Thirdly, you want her to develop superior writing and research skills.

Where is the IB Diploma Programme offered?

Most American public and private high

What are private schools like anyway?

• Even if you're starting your private school research, there's a good chance you already have an impression of private schools.
• Perhaps you have read The Catcher in the Rye or A Separate Peace. Or maybe you saw Dead Poets Society or School Ties. These stories, while entertaining, offer a picture of private schools that is quite different from what you will find today.
• Just as universities and colleges in the United States have evolved in the past several decades, private schools have also evolved.
• Unfortunately, while the perception of private schools is changing, there are still some lingering myths.

Myth 1: You must be very wealthy to go to a private school.

Approximately a third of all private school students receive financial aid.

• Financial aid grants can represent a significant portion of tuition, depending on the school and your family's situation.
• Students now increasingly come from public schools and a wider range of family income levels.
• In general, boarding schools do their best to make their programs accessible to your family through financial aid grants, loan programs, and merit awards/scholarships.

In the past ten years, the emergence of K-12 private school loans has also made boarding school education more accessible.

• Today's families that send their kids to private school represent a broader demographic - geographically, socio-economically, and ethnically (see "Myth 2" below).
• However, what hasn't changed is the

We parents want to keep our children safe from anything and everything. That's always our biggest worry. When I was raising our children, keeping my daughters safe meant showing them how to cross the street and how not to speak to strangers. But, fast forward to the 21st century, and keeping children safe comes with a whole set of digital challenges, besides the analog challenges of crossing streets safely. Smart TVs, tablets, computers, and smartphones can consume vast amounts of a young person's time when we allow that to happen. However, what concerns me most is the quality of the material available on all those digital devices. We don't want our children watching inappropriate content or playing violent games on their smart devices, do we? That's the rationale behind controlling our children's screen times. So, here are a couple of tips on making that happen.

Create healthy screen habits.

Children are curious. Insatiably so. They want answers. They want to explore. And they want to have fun doing it. Create healthy screen habits by configuring your child's smart devices to be tools for learning and exploration. That will open up vast worlds for them to explore. The kid who dreams of building a robot can find tons of information about robotics. The same with the arts, sports, literature, languages - you name it, her smart device will have it. The trick is to configure her smart devices so that she can only access the good stuff, not the

Planning for the future growth of your school in these uncertain times is a challenging exercise. The object of this essay is to give you some guidelines to help you and your trusted advisors plan for the next five years. I am writing this for small schools to help you understand the process that large schools with ample resources to hire consultants and strategic planners use to plan their future growth.

Components of Your Plan For Future Growth

• Develop an overview of what you want to achieve.
• Investigate the competition.
• Examine your organization.
• Develop an implementation plan.
• Develop a marketing strategy.
• Outline the risks your school faces.
• Hold information sessions with members of your school community.
• Track your progress towards your objectives.

Overview

Keep your overview brief yet comprehensive. It should explain the goals of your Plan for Future Growth. For example, if your area is experiencing rapid growth, refer to that as the underlying reason for building your Plan for Future Growth. Then write something like, "Anytown has had an influx of new families at a rate exceeding national averages. As a result, we aim to prepare for the demand for private school seats by adding one class to each grade over the next five years."

Include the important points of your Plan. The overview is a summary, not a detailed list of the things you wish to accomplish.

Investigate Your Competition

First of all, know who your competition is. Use Private School Review to search for and identify schools with similar profiles within

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

Starting or transitioning into a private school can be both exciting and demanding. Expectations are often higher, class environments more rigorous, and extracurricular opportunities more extensive than many students have previously experienced.

While much of the traditional advice for succeeding in private school still applies, today’s students face additional pressures, including increased academic competition, digital distractions, and a stronger emphasis on college readiness. This updated survival guide offers practical strategies to help students thrive academically, socially, and personally in 2026.

Understanding the Private School Environment

Private schools are known for their rigorous academics, smaller class sizes, and close-knit communities. These characteristics create an environment where students are expected to engage actively and take ownership of their learning.

Compared to other educational settings, private schools often emphasize:

• Discussion-based learning
• Independent thinking
• Strong teacher-student relationships
• A wide range of extracurricular activities

For families exploring these differences, resources such as https://www.privateschoolreview.com/blog/private-school-vs-public-school-key-differences-2026-guide provide useful context on how expectations vary.

Build Strong Academic Habits Early

Academic expectations in private schools can escalate quickly. Students are often balancing advanced coursework, writing-intensive assignments, and long-term projects.

Key Strategies for Academic Success

• Stay organized from day one
  Use digital planners or apps to track assignments, deadlines, and tests.

• Participate actively in class
  Many private schools rely on discussion-based learning, making participation essential.

• Ask for help early
  Teachers expect students to advocate for themselves. Seeking help is seen as