Admissions: Don't Forget The Deadlines

When making an important decision that will impact your children's lives, you need to have all the facts in place.

Aside from the basic questions of cost and affordability, there are many different factors to consider when choosing where to educate your kids. “Selecting a private school, like so many things in life, requires care and attention to detail,” believes Judi Robinovitz, Certified Educational Planner and Founding Owner of Score At The Top Learning Centers and Schools.

We compiled a list of the most important factors to consider when choosing a final private school for your child.

Academic Style

The #1 reason parents invest in private schools is to get the best possible education for their children. Keep in mind that not just raw academic strength is important, but the style of the learning environment and if it meshes with your child’s personality. We are learning more and more that each student learns in different ways and responds to different types of teaching styles. Some children may thrive on the competition while others succeed under reduced pressure. Others may learn quickly and need more advanced subject matter, while their contemporaries struggle with the basics.

Mike Weagley, CEO of elite tutoring service Lotus Prep, suggests that parents ask themselves, “Is the school too hard or too easy for my kid? Does my kid flourish in a looser or more structured, rigid atmosphere? Is the school a pressure cooker or Zen-like?” Learn how teachers structure their

What Do They Teach?

This article is a companion article to How Do They Teach?, which discusses what goes on in private school classrooms. This article explores the academics and other material that schools teach.

When we parents start thinking about sending our children to private schools, one of the first questions that comes to mind is the teaching content. What exactly will the schools you are looking at teach? Obviously, with thousands of private schools, I cannot address all the permutations and variations. So, I thought it might make sense to look at several educational approaches and methods and see what they teach. That will at least give you a starting point for some in-depth exploration of what they teach at schools you might be interested in.

Toddler

The wee ones won't be at school for very long daily. Apart from that, the teachers will create a rich environment to peak a child's interests. The development of fine and gross motor skills, as well as language and speech skills, are a focus.

Prekindergarten

Most prekindergarten programs focus on preparing their students for kindergarten. Look for the development of motor skills and teach children how to socialize. Also, look for play-based lessons with an emphasis on collaboration, teamwork, and listening. Building on the excitement of discovery is another component in the prekindergarten teacher's portfolio of skills. Children learn by doing. Your child should have lots to do balanced, of course, with snacks and quiet times.

Here is

I wrote Part 1 of What I Do When...? a few years ago. It contained eight questions and my answers. Here are another ten questions. If you think of any other questions you would like answered, all you have to do is message me on Facebook @privateschoolreview. I will give them my best shot.

So, here goes Part 2 of What Do I Do When....?

What do I do when...

I can't decide whether to send my child to private school for the early years or high school. Which is more important?

There are two schools of thought on this subject. Some parents feel that the early years give their children a solid educational foundation and love of learning, which is desirable. Other parents think that an intense three or four years of high school and college preparation is what their children need. And others send their children right through from prekindergarten through to twelfth grade.

I want my child to have a religious education.

Our faith means so much to us. We have raised our children to be observant and to practice our religion. I hear you, and in this situation, your best option would probably be a private religious school. The biggest obstacle that you will face has to do with the available options in your area. Private schools exist in just about any faith you can think of. They also exist in various levels of orthodoxy within those faiths. Most religious schools will be

Paying for Private School: 7 Options

I am always sad to hear parents rule out sending their children to private school because it is too expensive. The conversation usually begins with one of these facts as the reason for considering private school:

1. Their child is gifted.
2. Class sizes in the local public school are way too large.
3. Their child has a learning disability.

Any one of these reasons is a valid reason for considering private school. Unfortunately, that is as far as considering a private school gets in most cases.

• Why? Because either the parents assumed that they could not afford private school.
• Or, perhaps, they looked at the tuition and fees page on a school's website, and they panicked.

Considering sending your child is a major decision.

• As with any major decision, it makes sense to do your due diligence before ruling anything out.
• When you take time to do a thorough investigation of the facts, as opposed to your assumptions, you just might be pleasantly surprised at what you discover.

That applies equally to paying for private school.

Here are seven ways you can pay for a private school education. One might prove to be the answer you are looking for.

1. Write a check.

Some people can afford to write a check for their children's private school tuition. If you are in a position in life where you can do this, don't forget to