About.com Private Schools

'NYC Prep'

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:37:54 +0000

Have you seen the new reality show NYC Prep on Bravo? It started last week. Naturally I was curious to see how they portrayed private schools. The truth is that the private schools themselves are spared. We are left to surmise what goes on inside the schools. All we see is a bunch of super rich, very spoiled, self-indulgent teenagers running around Manhattan shopping, clubbing and eating in chic restaurants. And, of course, there are numerous scenes with little cat fights and lots of dissin'.

I guess the show is supposed to make us believe that private schools are elitist and that only rich kids go to private schools. While it is certainly true that children from very wealthy families do go to private school, the emphasis these days is on diversity. Even in Manhattan schools.

Read my review of NYC Prep. I'd love to hear what you think of this series.

Happy Canada Day!

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:18:43 +0000

I grew up in Westmount, Montreal, Quebec back in the Maurice Duplessis era. Haven't lived in my home and native land since 1968. No matter, it is still my home and native land. And I miss silly things like a smoked meat sandwich from Ben's and those cream-filled easter eggs from Laura Secord. But I digress.

If you are looking for a private high school for your teen, you really ought to consider some of the Canadian schools. They offer superb academics including IB programmes. (Yes, I know, I am being very Canadian today.) They have lots of sports besides hockey and curling. Best of all, for this frugal old Scot, Canadian schools are an exceptional value now that the U.S. dollar is so strong versus the loonie. Toronto and Montreal are very accessible from most parts of the States, as we style our big neighbour to the south.

Happy Canada Day!

More on Admissions Tests

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:00:16 +0000

A week or so ago I was doing some research on admissions tests used in private schools. I was amazed to discover that there are almost as many admissions tests as there are schools. Well, not quite, but you get the idea. The tests used are now very specific depending on what the school is looking for. That was not the case 15 years ago.

The primary grades and some schools serving gifted students use intelligence tests. The middle schools and high schools seem to be more interested in what a student has learned to date. So SSAT, ISEE and COOP are widely used. By the time you get to 12th grade and PG years, the schools are quite happy to accept PSAT, SAT or ACT results as well.

Take a look at Private School Admissions Tests. It's not the most exciting title, but it does contain a pretty exhaustive list of the most commonly used private school admissions tests.

If your child will be taking an admissions test this fall, I recommend you do two things:

Make sure she does several practice tests so she's relaxed when she does the real thing
Explore my colleague Kelly Roell's authoritative site on Test Prep. She's got plenty of test-taking tips and strategies for you to consider.

Spotlight on Lausanne Collegiate School

Sat, 27 Jun 2009 12:04:01 +0000

Today's spotlight takes us to Memphis, Tennessee, the home of Lausanne Collegiate School. Lausanne Collegiate School is renowned in the private school education community for its Laptop Institute which attracts 100's of educators from all over the country. LCS is also an IB school, one of only a handful of IB schools in the U.S.

Read Lausanne Collegiate School's profile. If you went to Lausanne Collegiate School, we would like to hear about your experiences and what you thought of the school. Please post your response here.

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Preparing for Your Admissions Test

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:43:58 +0000

Most students applying to private school will have to take some kind of admissions test. These tests vary according to the grade to which you are applying. The school wants to determine if you can do the work its academic program requires.

Private School Admissions Tests explains the more common tests and offers test preparation advice. My best advice is to begin working practice tests as soon as you can. Most students take the tests in late November and early December. So, if you start admissions test preparation now, you will be in good shape by the time winter rolls around.

Plus Ca Change, C'est la Meme Chose!

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:33:07 +0000

Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr's epigram "Plus ca change, c'est la meme chose" is literally translated "The more it changes, the more it's the same thing". It crossed my mind this morning as I drove across downtown Puebla, Mexico in morning traffic. I stopped at a light and then found the narrow street blocked with high school students milling in the general direction of their school. They looked smart in their uniforms. You could tell there were plenty of insults and wisecracks flying through the air judging by the looks and gestures. Cellphones and iPods also proved that these young people could have been students anywhere. Didn't matter that it was June 22, 2009. Or that I was in Mexico. It made me realize how connected we are by so many of the same basic things we all deem essential.

What's all of this got to do with private schools? Well, occasionally some of us get the chance to be posted overseas. I've been an expatriate or expats as we are usually styled. It's an exciting, life-changing experience. What about your school-aged children? Don't worry. There are plenty of international schools in most major cities abroad. Your children will fit right in and be up to speed when you return home at the end of your posting. If the opportunity beckons, go for it. It will make you appreciate, as I appreciated once again this morning, that we are citizens of a global village with far more in common than you might think.

Spotlight on Cistercian Preparatory School

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:54:29 +0000

Today's spotlight takes us to Dallas, Texas, the home of Cistercian Preparatory School. Cistercian Prep was founded in 1962. Residents of the Dallas area have many excellent options when it comes to private K-12 education. Cistercian Prep is one of them especially if you are looking for a boys' school and a Roman Catholic education and values.

Read Cistercian Preparatory School's profile. If you went to Cistercian Prep, we would like to hear about your experiences and what you thought of the school. Please post your response here.

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Was It a Good Report Card?

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:41:18 +0000

Now that school is out, or almost out depending on which school your child attends, you have had time to review her progress. Were you pleased with her report card? Does your school even issue a report card with grades? Most progressive schools will issue a detailed written evaluation several times a year. Buxton School in Williamstown, MA, for example, issues what it calls 'report letters' three times a year. The same approach can be found in most Montessori and Waldorf schools.

But what about report cards with real grades on them? What is an A? Is it the same as the A your nephew received at his school? Are grades comparable from one school to the other? It's a fascinating subject. Read Dr. Cleveland Latham's explanation of Why an A at One School is a B+ at Another. Is it possible that you and I are too fixated on grades? What do they really indicate anyway? Leave your comments and thoughts either here or in the Private Schools Forum.

Parents Ask AG to Investigate School Closing

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 17:47:37 +0000

A group of Waltham, Massachusetts parents has asked the Massachusetts Attorney General to investigate the closing of The Bartlett School, according to a story in The Daily News Tribune. The Bartlett school was a K-6 private school which had been in operation for over 75 years. Declining enrollments and rising costs forced the board of trustees to act last March.

I have seen many schools close over the years. While the circumstances which forced each school to close are unique, containing costs and adapting to changing circumstances seem to be fairly common reasons why many of them closed.

These are difficult economic times. Many of the old assumptions and expectations for running your school which worked for years suddenly are no longer valid. If your school has a large endowment, it will have a shield against the financial buffeting which many schools are experiencing. If it operates solely on tuition income, then it will be exposed to every market force out there. Keeping your school afloat will require creative marketing. Lots of success stories being talked about by satisfied parents will bring a steady stream of new students to your admissions office.

If you attended private school a decade or two ago, now's the time to step up to the plate. Call your old school. Find out what you can do to help. You wouldn't want to read your school's obituary, would you?

Why Did I Just Say That?

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 07:46:59 +0000

It's easy to get flustered. Being nervous is perfectly normal when you are in unfamiliar surroundings. That's why it's worth taking a few minutes to review how you should handle your son's admissions interview. The admissions staff has set aside a limited amount of time for your visit. You have questions and concerns. They want to know more about you and, of course, your son.

5 Things to Avoid at the Admissions Interview is my take on the situation. I used to interview prospective parents and students when I was deputy head of R-E-S-P-E-C-T Academy in Nassau, Bahamas. Many parents who had never experienced an admissions interview would be very nervous in a situation which they did not control. I guess they weren't sure what I might ask.

Since a lot is at stake during an admissions interview, take time to prepare adequately for the occasion. Once you have done one or two interviews, they should become routine. One last tip: don't forget to send a hand-written note promptly after your interview. Admissions staff appreciate such old-fashioned courtesies.