Choosing Schools

We busy parents use to-do lists to keep ourselves organized. Honestly, I sometimes wonder how we could keep going without to-do lists. If you are thinking about private school for your child, some of these items might just be on your to-do list too.

Identify 8-10 schools we like.

This is one of the fun parts of choosing a private school. Why? Because most private schools offer video tours both on their websites and on their YouTube channels. While both websites and videos are obviously edited carefully to make the best possible impression on you, they are terrific for giving you an overview of programs and the school community.

Watch as many videos as you can. Review the academic and sports programs in detail.

By casting the net widely in the early stages of choosing a school, you can easily eliminate schools from consideration because they lack something you feel is essential for your child's education.

This video offers a look at the Forsyth School in St. Louis, Missouri.

Visit 3-5 schools this summer and early fall.

Summer and early fall are really the best times to visit schools. Summer has its advantages and disadvantages. The major advantage is that school is not in session. That means you can expect to spend some time with the admissions staff who will have more time to allocate to you than, say, in November or December. Application deadlines

The Best School $75 Million Can Buy caught my eye. A new private school is always exciting news for this veteran observer of the private school scene both here at home and abroad. But the opening of a new private for-profit school in an under-served market such as New York City? Wow! That takes guts, tons of money and superb planning and execution of that plan. And you know what? Based on what I read, it's going to be a school funded by experienced business people and run by seasoned education professionals. That's what any private school in the 21st-century needs in order to be successful, solid funding and skilled management.

Now, to that interesting question. "Should you consider sending your child to a new school?" I am not being evasive, but my answer is a simple "It depends". It depends on several things. Let's look at some of the factors which will help you decide.

Does the new school meet your educational requirements?

Does the school offer what you require for your child's education? New York City has a strong demand for places in private schools and a very low inventory of available places. Several Roman Catholic elementary and high schools have been forced to close in recent years. Demand for places is also driven by a robust mix of high-income families with school-age children and demanding parents who want the

5 Reasons Why You Might Change Schools

The scenario which we are going to discuss is not as uncommon as you might think.

• After all, you have spent a considerable amount of time researching and visiting schools in a serious effort to find the school with the best fit.
• But a few months after school has begun, you realize that something isn't right. Your child is miserable.

Well, that's just one of the several reasons why you might want to change schools. Let's look at some other reasons.

Canva generated this picture of some parents who are concerned.

1. Your child has been expelled.
Ouch! We will discuss this unfortunate reason for finding a new school first.

• This reason for changing schools is rather like being fired. It is enormously dispiriting and, in many ways, a life-changing experience, just like losing your job is.
• Continuing that analogy, finding a new school for a child who has been expelled is almost as difficult as finding a new job.
• Private school expulsions are covered by the contract that you and the school signed.
• The net result is the same and is a very serious situation.

You can expect to have lots of questions asked. So, have your answers well thought out. Do not equivocate.

• Try not to put too positive a spin on the situation. An admissions staffer will see right through that.
• Answer the questions truthfully. The school

As you begin exploring schools for your child, you begin to realize that you have dozens of options. And they are all a little different. It's rather bewildering looking at all these websites, especially if you have never visited a private school before. They are all so different. How can you ever decide which one is best for your daughter? Start with a very basic strategy, a game plan, if you will. Let's look at what really matters when it comes to choosing a private school for your child.

Your requirements

Start with your requirements. Your requirements trump everything. So have a family discussion. Be relaxed and open-minded because your requirements as a parent will be different from your daughter's. You are thinking about the best educational experience. She's thinking about her life and her friends and the reality that she will have a whole new situation to deal with. That's scary for a young person. But you can make it an adventure and get her to buy into going to private school if you are patient, informative, and, above all, a listener. Dictating your child will probably get you nowhere in a hurry.

So, what's really important? Ponder these questions and then develop some answers after having that family discussion.

1. Are you looking for a traditional college prep school experience or something else?
2. Is your religion a major determining factor?
3. What about sports? Arts programs? Extracurricular activities?

What about a school such as Midland School in Los Olivos,

The historic metropolitan Boston area offers a wide range of academic and cultural activities. Just as impressive is the area's selection of private schools which cater to almost every need.

A fine transportation network and the fact that the Big Dig is finally finished make Boston a wonderful place in which to live and go to school. After graduation, there are thirty-seven colleges and universities to choose from. Head north a few hours and you will find excellent skiing in the winter and a host of recreational activities in the summer. Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard to the east and south are treasures in their own right. Boston's accommodations and restaurants are decidely world-class. Perhaps one of these fine schools should be on your short list.

• The Advent School, Boston
• Archbishop Williams High School, Braintree
• Arlington Catholic High School, Arlington
• The Atrium School, Watertown
• Beaver Country Day School, Chestnut Hill
• Belmont Day School, Belmont
• Beverly School for the Deaf, Beverly
• Bishop Fenwick High School, Peabody
• Boston College High School, Boston
• Boston University Academy, Boston
• Brimmer and May School, Chestnut Hill
• Brooks School, North Andover
• Buckingham Browne and Nichols School, Cambridge
• Cambridge Friends School, Cambridge
• The Cambridge School of Weston, Weston
• Catholic Memorial High, West Roxbury
• Chapel Hill-Chauncy School, Waltham
• Charles River School, Dover
• The Chestnut Hill School, Chestnut Hill
• Concord Academy, Concord
• Cushing