Today, April 10th is decision day for private schools. It is the day that families must pay their deposit to hold a seat for the fall. Some students are deciding between several schools (a nice problem to have). Other students have been wait listed and they are hoping that the school they want to attend will have a spot open for them this week.
What to do if you do not hear from the school this week?
If you do not hear from the school this week it is not likely that a spot will open up. Most schools will have gone to the wait list already prior to today, as they will have heard from some accepted students that they will be attending other schools. The schools will work quickly to offer openings to students on the wait list this week, and they will likely not have any changes in enrollment between now and back to school in the fall.
You will still remain on the wait list in the unlikely event that a spot opens between now and September, but given that every accepted student has paid their deposit, it is not likely that things will change between now and September.
So what do you do next?
You can try re-applying to the school for admission next year, or for the next year that is an entry point for the school. You do need to make sure that the second time around things are different, so that you do not get the same results again. Below are a list of areas to work on improving for a second application:
- Make sure your child is prepared for the entrance exam and they score as high as they can on the test. The higher a student’s score the better the chance of admission. Schools require these tests for a reason, and do not let anyone tell you that the test does not really matter – it does – at some schools it matters A LOT!!!!
- Your child should spend time getting to know the ins and outs of the school. Sign up for the school’s social media accounts, regularly check for school news on the school’s web site and attend school events open to the public (concerts, play and sporting events) to learn as much as possible about the school.
- Start preparing for the interview and make sure your child (and you) are prepared to wow them in the interview this time. Be very clear about why you want to attend the school and why the school is a good fit for your child.
- Look over the application and the essays that were submitted to see where there are areas for improvement. You cannot submit the same application and essays again. The answers to the application questions and the essays must show the student’s growth and a deeper appreciation for the school and their place at the school.
It is important to learn from the mistakes that were made the first time around so that you can get a better outcome the next time around!
Anne Yount Boston ISEE Prep 617-553-8083 www.bostoniseeprep.com - Test Prep for the ISEE & Latin School Exam Boston Tutoring Center 617-553-8083 www.bostontutoringcenter.com - Tutoring Grades K-12 Boston Private School Search 617-553-0540 www.bostonprivateschoolsearch.com - Your Resource for Private School Admissions Follow my blog at: www.privateschoolguru.com/blog