Even before you begin to gather information from the private schools you might consider for your student, thoughtful parental reflection and consideration should be given to an array of factors that are essential in making informed choices about private school education. As the starting point in selecting the private school that best meet the needs of your student and family, you should assess 1) your goals and expectations for your student?s education, 2) your student?s interests, talents and academic inclinations, and 3) your family characteristics and preferences.

The Private School Student Family Assessment, which follows, provides a framework for giving full and requisite attention to several essential matters that you will face in choosing the right school for your student. It is suggested that you record your responses to each of the questions that comprise the assessment so that they are available for subsequent reference. This will enable you to maintain a proper and consistent focus on your goals and your desired outcome for your student?s education and formation.

In considering the items about your student?s academic abilities and talents, it may be helpful to obtain input from teachers, advisors, and coaches.

The Private School Student and Family Assessment

• What are your goals for your student?s education? How do you think that private school education will support your goals?
• How do you characterize your student?s academic motivation and work ethic?
• How does yours student learn and process information?
• Is she/he an auditory learner, a visual learner, or a kinetic learner?
• What are your student?s academic strengths and limitations?
• Does your student have any special academic or emotional needs?
• Do you have a preference for schools with a religious affiliation or nonsectarian schools?
• How far from your home are you willing to have your student travel to and from school?
• How will your student get to and from school?
• How much are you able to spend on tuition, fees, and transportation?
• Do you plan to request financial aid or tuition assistance?
• Are you looking for a rigorous, highly competitive curriculum, a moderately challenging curriculum, or a curriculum to support your student?s special interests and talents?
• If your student is talented in a particular area, will you be looking for opportunities for enrichment and expanded study in that area?
• Do you have a preference for a single-gender school or a coeducational school?
• Do family interests or your student?s out-of- school activities limit the amount of time that your student will have for homework?
• Recognizing that smaller schools generally offer a more nurturing environment and larger schools have more programs, do you prefer a smaller school or a larger school for your student?
• If class size is important to you, what do you consider to be the ideal number of students per class?
• Are you interested in a school with a diverse student body? If so, in what type of diversity are you interested?
• If a school ends it educational services at the sixth or eight grade, where will your student attend school afterward?
• Are you able to support school activities as a parent volunteer?
• Will your schedule permit you to participate in school activities during the school day?
• Is boarding school an option that should be considered?

As mentioned previously, it will be beneficial for you to record your responses to each of the questions contained in this assessment. These steps will prove to be important as you begin to gather information from various schools and participate in school visits. In the end, your work will reduce confusion and help you to retain sight of your original goals and expectations for your student?s education.