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.

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The A to Z of Private Schools

Updated April 05, 2018 | by Robert Kennedy

This A-Z list will help make you aware of the many things involved in choosing the right school for your child.

A - Applying to private school

Applying to most private schools has become infinitely easier in the last 10-15 years. That's because you can apply online at most schools. When school's don't have online applications, they usually have all the application forms you need online so you can download them easily.

B - Be aware that diversity is an important part of private schools in the 21st century.

Yes, back in the 1950's and 1960's you might have been able to say that private schools were elitist. At least that was the perception which the general public had of private schools. This perception, of course, was reinforced by the media. In the 21st-century, private schools have made diversity and tolerance the center of their mission and philosophy as most schools seek to prepare their students for life and work in a global community.

C - Competitive schools

Many parents have grand ideas about which private schools they want their children to attend. As a result, they focus on the top 10 schools which receive 10 times as many applicants as they have places for. Having one very competitive school on your short list is a smart move when you also have two relatively safe schools on that list as well. Just as with investing, t makes no sense to put all your eggs in one basket. This brief video showcases Phillips Andover Academy.

D - Discipline is part of the deal.

Most private

Updated January 24, 2018 | by Robert Kennedy

5 Reasons You Might Be Looking At The Wrong Schools

Choosing the right school for your child is a major project. We look a five reasons why you might be looking at the wrong schools.

You have started the process of choosing a private school for your child. You have done a bit of reading about the reasons for sending your child to a private school. You have listened to the suggestions and recommendations of family and friends. You have explored dozens of school websites. None of this is particularly difficult to do. It just takes a lot of time, right? Not exactly. Here are five reasons why you might be looking at the wrong schools.

1. They don't offer the kind of curriculum you are looking for.

You need to think carefully about what is taught and how it is taught in each school. And you need to do this important bit of thinking well before you creating a short list of schools for you to visit. The school's curriculum, how it is taught and the quality of the faculty should be at the top of your checklist. That's how important an issue this is as you go about choosing the right school for your child. Listen to the Head of the Math Department at Nichols School in Buffalo, New York explain the school's philosophy about teaching math specifically and teaching in general.

What makes this part of the process a bit daunting is that private schools are unique. They won't all offer the same courses and they most certainly will not approach teaching them the same way. By now you have a pretty good idea of what your

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So Many Choices

Updated April 08, 2019 | by Robert Kennedy

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.

This brief tutorial shows you how Evernote works.

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

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

Updated April 08, 2019 | by Robert Kennedy

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 Do 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 which you would like answered, all you have to do is to message them to 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 for the high school years? Which is more important?

There are two schools of thought on this subject. Some parents feel that the early years give their children that solid educational foundation and love of learning which is so desirable. Other parents feel that an intense three or four years of high school 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 will probably be a private religious school. The biggest obstacle which 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

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Why Did You Select That School?

Updated February 21, 2019 | by Robert Kennedy

"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 not 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 which meets your requirements as well as what your child needs to flourish and be happy.

What are you really 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 a lot of schools before you find the one that's right

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