Helpful Tips
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Home > Finding a School > Helpful Tips for Your School Search
Helpful Tips for Your School Search
The search for the perfect school for each child is one of the most important tasks any family can undertake. Since the consideration of a college preparatory barding school allows families to consider educational options beyond their local community, the search can be wide ranging. Below are some helpful hints to make that search as meaningful as possible.
Before You Begin Your Search
- Understand a student's educational needs:
Before your family even begins to consider individual schools, take time to understand a student's unique educational needs. Open and ongoing discussions among family members and with a student's current school will help each family develop a better understanding of the kinds of schools that may work best for each student.
- Think about your perfect school:
It may be helpful for students and their parents or guardians to develop a wish list of characteristics that their perfect school would have. Would a student be better served in a large school or a small school? A rigorous or supportive school? Are their particular academic, athletic, or artistic programs that the school should have? Should the school have a program for students with learning differences? The possibilities are endless, but trying to answer these questions now will make your search more productive.
- Consider speaking with an educational consultant:
Sometimes educational consultants may alert families to options about which they were previously unaware. Objective advice from a consultant may also bring a family to a deeper understanding of the student's educational needs. A good resource for locating an educational consultant in your area is the Independent Educational Consultant's Association. (Please see our Helpful Links page for more information.)
Collecting Information About Schools
- The Internet:
An abundance of information about college preparatory boarding schools exists on the internet from reputable sources listed on our Helpful Links page. All schools have their own sites as well which will provide families with detailed descriptions of programs available at each school.
- Printed Information:
Families can receive information about schools by contacting each school directly, by email or phone. Schools will be glad to send you information about their programs.
- Call Schools:
Don't hesitate to call schools and speak with a member of their Admission Office staff. Speak candidly about what you are looking for in school and ask about programs they may have that would be important to your family.
Visiting and Applying To Schools
- Visit a variety of schools:
The best way to understand a school is to visit and families who visit a variety of schools will understand how subtle differences can be important. These visits and the impressions they leave can also lead to further discussions among family members that will help you to refine your search.
- Use your school visits as an opportunity to learn more about each school:
Each school will have its own visitation process, so ask in advance what you should expect during your visit. If you wish to meet with a particular person at the school, ask if it is possible when you call to arrange the visit. Many schools are glad to arrange such meetings, but it is helpful when it is done in advance of your visit.
- Speak openly with the admission office during your visit:
If your visit will include a meeting what a representative from the admission office, use this meeting as an opportunity to speak openly about how the school and student may or may not be a good match.
- Be conscious of application instructions and deadlines:
Be sure that the student completes the parts of the application that are designed for them and that parents complete the parts that are designed for them. Students who take ownership of the application process will have a vested interest in finding the perfect school for them. Be aware of application deadlines that can vary from school to school.
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