Private School Reviews

Remember those Trident sugarless gum commercials? You know, the ones that said, “Four out of five dentists surveyed would recommend sugarless gum to their patients who chew gum.” Back before the days of the Internet and the ability to search for reviews on every product imaginable, the Trident people actually gave us the review as a way to give credibility to the stated benefits of sugarless gum.

When going through the process of selecting a private school, you’re looking for the stated benefits of the schools in which you are interested. You’ve gone over websites with a fine-toothed comb, you’ve received materials in the mail, and you’ve even taken time off of work to attend Open Houses and other get-to-know-you type of events. And based upon what you’ve seen and heard so far, the schools all seem perfect. But what source – or sources – will give credibility to what you’re seeing and hearing? What’s the school REALLY like?

One way to find out what current and former families think about a school is to just ask them. Perhaps you know someone – a neighbor, friend, co-worker – who has had a child attend the school that you’re interested in. Ask them what they thought about the school overall and what they thought specifically about the program and people. You can also ask admission directors for references from current parents who you can call to find out more about the school.

If you’re reading this blog, however, my guess is that you are looking for online sources for information and reviews on private schools. While there are fewer San Diego-specific school review web sites than you might find in cities such as New York City or San Francisco, below is a list of sites with up-to-date information that you can use.

• Great Schools
  http://www.greatschools.net/
• Nickelodeon Parents Connect
  http://gocitykids.parentsconnect.com/category/san-diego-ca-usa/resources/schools
• Private School Review
  http://www.privateschoolreview.com/
• The Savvy Source
  http://www.savvysource.com/
• Trulia
  http://www.trulia.com/real_estate/San_Diego-California/schools/
• Yelp
  http://www.yelp.com/

Additional online resources that have more specific information include:

• The Baby Bond, Favorite Schools of Attachment & Natural Parenting Families
  http://thebabybond.com/San%20Diego%20Private%20Schools.html
• San Diego Magazine, Great Schools, July 2006
  http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/media/San-Diego-Magazine/July-2006/Great-Schools/

Do you have any additional web sites that you use to find out information on San Diego private schools? If so, please list them in the comments. I’d love to hear about them!

Update: Another resource you might try is EducationBug.