Choosing the right private high school for your student is a major undertaking. Ideally, you should begin the process of choosing a school eighteen months prior to the time your student will enroll in high school. An early start to this time-consuming and sometimes daunting process will reduce the pressure and confusion that can accompany a private high school search.
The following planning calendar provides a general timeframe for the private high school admission process and specifies tasks and activities to be performed by the student as well as the parent. Although school visit dates and application deadlines will vary from school to school the general order of activities is consistent among schools.
Your private high school search should include all of the steps that are included in the calendar. Like anything else that is important in life, there are no shortcuts to success.
April ? May
Parents:
- Determine your goals and expectations for your student?s education
- Identify your student?s interests, talents, academic inclinations ? obtain input from teachers, coaches, and advisors
- Identify the type of private high schools that you are interested in having your student attend
- Visit school Web sites ? pay particular attention to recent school and classroom activities, school news, and messages from administrators, and faculty members
- Contact schools to request admission information, application materials, and a curriculum guide
June ? August
Parents:
- Review admission information and application materials provided by the school
- Create a system to organize admission information and application materials
- Talk with parents of children that currently attend the schools that you are considering for your student
Students:
- Prepare for admission tests ? read, build vocabulary, practice math problems, and take sample tests
- Review admission information and application materials provided by the schools
- Visit school Web sites-pay particular attention to recent school and classroom activities and school news
- Talk with students that currently attend the schools that you are considering
September
Parents:
- Develop short-list of schools that are of interest to you and your student
- Obtain a schedule of open houses for schools of interest
- Confirm dates for admission testing and student application and financial aid application deadlines
- Schedule Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT), Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE), or other admission tests required by schools of interest
- Arrange for student full-day school visits and interviews, if interviews are required
Students:
- Continue to prepare for admission tests - read, build vocabulary, practice math problems, and take sample tests
October
Parents:
- Attend open houses for schools of interest; keep a record of your impressions of each school
Students:
- Attend open houses with parents; keep a record of your impressions of each school
- Participate in full-day school visits and interviews, if interviews are required
- Take Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT), Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE), or other admission test required by schools of interest
November
Parents:
- Attend open houses for schools of interest; keep a record of your impressions of each school
- Begin to narrow school choices
Students:
- Attend open houses with parents; keep a record of your impressions of each school
- Participate in full-day school visits and interviews, if interviews are required
- Take Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT), Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE), or other admission tests, if not already taken
- Begin to compose admission application essays, if they are required
December
Parents:
- Together with your student, narrow your school choices
- Monitor progress of your student?s essay and application completion
- Complete financial aid application, if aid will be requested
Students:
- Attend remaining full-day school visits and interviews; keep a record of your impressions of each school
- Complete submit applications that have December deadlines
- Take Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT) and Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) or other required tests, if not already taken
January
Parents:
- Monitor progress of essay and application completion
- Periodically, call the admission offices to check on the status of your student?s file
- Complete and submit financial aid application, including required IRS forms
Students:
- Complete and submit applications to schools that have January and early February deadlines
February
Parents:
- Call the admission offices to confirm that your student?s file is complete
March
Parents:
- Review the acceptance and enrollment materials provided by the schools to which your child was accepted
- Confirm that your school of choice will fully meet the goals and expectations for your student?s education that you identified at the beginning of this process
It is important to remember that private schools differ from each other in terms of mission, program, and student composition. Careful attention to all of the steps contained in this planning calendar will help you to attain a good student-school match.