What to Expect When Applying cont’d. experience for you and your child and that there is a good match between your child and the school. Try to avoid:
• Don’t miss application deadlines. But if you do, some schools have rolling admissions and admit students throughout the school year.
• While admissions officers want to be helpful, don’t call too often, overload them with additional information about your child, or try to impress them with your business or social contacts. • Don’t jump on the bandwagon of applying to a school just because your child’s peers are applying. Similarly, don’t just apply to a school because it is one of the “top” schools in the area and boasts of its graduates who go to the Ivies. Be realistic about your child’s strengths, interests, and personality. Apply to schools which are a good fit for your child. • Don’t shy away from disclosing vital information about your child or family—notably about any special academic needs your child has or about your family’s financial need for tuition help. While most private schools cannot afford to meet the academic and financial needs of all students they would like to admit, you won’t increase your child’s chances of acceptance by failing to be upfront about certain information. And, if the school turns your child down for any special issues, it’s likely the school was not a good fit.
Too Late to Apply? Don’t give up on a school if you’ve missed the admissions deadline.
“F
inding a school that will accept your child after the normal admissions deadline has passed is not easy. But it can be done,” says Private School Review, an online site, www.privateschoolreview. com, that profiles private schools. “ You suddenly decide in late winter or early spring that you want to get your child into a private school for fall. Or a job transfer makes finding a private school in a hurry an absolute necessity. So, are you indeed too late? It depends.” First, contact the school’s admissions office, state your case, and see how school officials respond. Some schools have flexible or rolling admissions and accept students as long as the school enrollment roster has room, and some schools create waitlists when full. There is a chance that an accepted student may withdraw or cancel, creating an available spot at the last minute. The bottom line? “Ask anyway. You never know, and it never hurts to ask,” Private School Review advises.
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Parents’ Press | Guide to Private Schools
www.ParentsPress.com
