On the other hand a private high school can be just the ticket when it comes to preparing your child for college. Most private high schools offer intensive academic preparation for tertiary level work. Most offer AP courses. Some also offer the internationally recognized IB program. So with that in mind, let's get started finding a high school for your child.
Decide What Kind of School You Need
This is really important. You have to know what kind of school you are looking for. The best way of finding that out is to involve your child in the process right from the beginning! Even though you ultimately will make the final decisions, you will not achieve success unless your child buys into the idea completely and enthusiastically. She has to think it is her idea.
Discuss your needs and hers thoroughly. Listen to her carefully. Try to put yourself in her shoes. Changing schools can be traumatic for young people.
Make lists of issues which are important to both of you. Athletics, academics and social life or community will be at the top of your list.
Find common ground. You will be surpised at just how much common ground you both actually share. But you won't know that until you make those lists.
A Parent's Needs
As a parent you are looking ahead to your son's future. You instinctively want him to have a better education than you had. You want to shield him from some of the pressures and stresses you felt at his age. You want him to be happy and successful. You want him to have the social network which you never had. While all of those thoughts are wonderful, that's not what you son is thinking about.
A Student's Needs
He wants a life. He wants to study subjects which interest him. He wants to play lots of sports. He wants friends. He wants to go to exciting places. He wants to fit in.
So how do you strike a compromise? Fortunately for both of you, most private schools offer programs which will satisfy both of you. Not 100%, but pretty close. Here's see why.
Balanced Approach
Private schools offer a balanced approach to three things:
- Academics
- Sports
- Enrichment
Academics
- Small class size
- Low teacher to student ratios
- Highly qualified faculty with relatively low turn-over
- Personal guidance and mentoring
- Encouragement of excellence
- Establishment of good study habits and discipline
- Wide variety of courses
- AP or IB programs
Sports
- Extensive sports facilities
- Activities on a variety of levels
- Compulsory participation on a community level
Enrichment
- Study programs abroad
- Well-stocked libraries
- Superb facilities for art, music, and drama
- Specialist teachers
- Full schedule of student activities
Once you have discussed academics, sports programs and enrichment with your child, and have reached the necessary consensus, the next step is to match your needs with the right school. Easier said than done. To guide you through the process you need to hire an educational consultant. You will need the professional advice and knowledge which a consultant can provide.
Identify the schools
Choose 10-15 schools which you and your child think might work. Use the Web to find the schools in which you might be interested. Request catalogs online. Usually there will be an application form together with an attractive prospectus. Often a video of the school is included. If you can't do this on line, then call or email the school.
Visit the schools
You cannot make a decision of this importance without visiting the school. So set aside the time and take your child for the visit. If the school can arrange an overnight for your child, so much the better. Usually the school visit coincides with The Interview. Preparation for this event is essential too. Do some role playing with your child!
Evaluate the schools
This is not an easy task! Start with my article on How To Evaluate A School Ask lots of probing questions! Ask friends and relatives, parents of present students what their opinion of the school is. Be observant to little things which indicate how well managed a school really is and how well it looks after its community members.
Complete this part of the process by early fall. Then you will have several months to arrange visits and interview. Most admissions testing takes place in December which means you need to fit in admissions testing preparation as well. Lots to do. See page 2 for the next step.
