What to Look For In a Private School
The day has arrived – far sooner than expected – that you need to start looking for kindergarten for your child. For whatever reason, you’ve determined that the local public school is either not up to par, or doesn’t offer the depth and breadth of learning and extra-curricular activities you see as necessary. Charter schools, magnet schools – while these might be options, handing your child’s educational future over to a lottery system hardly seems like the quality approach you want for your child. You may have heard glowing reports from other parents, friends and colleagues about this or that private school. So here you are, in search of the right private school. In Los Angeles for example, the pressures of protecting your children from the public school system due to its generally poor reputation and scare stories you may have heard, combined with the plethora of private school choices and their limited openings, make for a trying time for many families.
As a first step, parents need to answer some questions themselves, such as “Is it all about prestige, or is it about finding and getting accepted to the school that is best for your child?” Being frank with yourself about your child’s prospects at any particular private school can be difficult, but will serve you better in the long run. Rather than applying to only the most “prestigious” schools, or, conversely, putting an application out to every private school in sight, consider getting the help of an educational consultant to help you examine your options and winnow them down to what appear to be the best options for you. Of course you have to be prepared to accept a professional’s considered opinion, advice and assistance, every step of the way.