Choosing the right private school for your student is a major family project. Ideally, you should begin the process of choosing a private school eighteen months prior to the time that you plan to enroll your student. An early start to this time-consuming and sometimes daunting process will reduce the pressure and confusion that can accompany the private school search.
The following planning calendar provides a general timeframe for the private school admission process and specifies activities to be undertaken by the student as well as the parent. Although, school visit dates and application deadlines may vary among schools, the general order of activities is consistent among schools.
Your private 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 and academic inclinations ? obtain input from teachers, coaches, and advisors
- Identify the type of private 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 schools
- 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 child
September
Parents:
- Develop a 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 of admission testing and student application and financial aid application deadlines
- Schedule admission tests if required by schools of interest
- Arrange for school visits and interviews, if family interviews are required
October
Parents:
- Attend open houses for schools of interest; keep a record of your impressions of the school
Students:
- Attend open houses with parents; keep a record of your impressions of the school
- Participate in school visits and interviews, if student interviews are required
- Take admission tests required by schools of interest
November
Parents:
- Attend open houses for schools of interest
- Begin to narrow school choices
Students:
- Attend open houses with parents
- Participate in school visits and interview, if student interviews are required
- Take required admission tests, if not already taken
December
Parents:
- Together with your student, narrow school choices
- Complete and submit applications that have December deadlines
- Complete financial aid applications, if aid will be requested
Students:
- Take required admission tests, if not already taken
January
Parents:
- Complete and submit applications to schools that have January and early February deadlines
- Periodically, call the admission offices to check on the status of your student?s file
- Complete and submit financial aid application, including IRS forms, if necessary
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 student has been accepted
- Confirm that your school of choice will fully meet the goals and expectation 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.