How do schools decide who to admit in the first place?
Many factors go into determining whether or not a child will be offered admission to a school. Additionally, many factors go into creating an entering class of students. A school’s highest priority is to admit students who have the greatest chance at success in their educational environment and who will contribute the most to their school’s community. They also take into account the make-up of the class and will want to strike a balance between criteria that might include gender, birth date, geographic location, and more. Ultimately, the decision to admit – or not admit – a student takes into account individual characteristics as well as potential group dynamics.

Is being placed on a waitlist just a polite way for a school to deny admission?
If a school feels strongly that a child will not succeed in their environment, most admissions directors will not offer admission to the student. However, if the admissions director believes that the child could be successful but wasn’t admitted for another reason, perhaps a group factor as described above, the child could very well be placed on a waitlist. Then, if a space becomes available at some point in the future, a student from the waitlist will be offered admission.

If the school believes that my child could fit in well at their school, why was my child placed on the waitlist rather than someone else?
Many factors go into admitting students to private schools. For example, let’s say that two students – a boy and a girl – are both seen as potentially successful students at a given school, but the entering class has an overabundance of girls. If all other factors are equal, the school is more likely to admit the boy to better balance the class.

Is there anything I can do to improve my child’s chances of getting off of the waitlist and into the school?
If you receive a letter telling you that your child has been placed on a waitlist, you can call the school’s admissions office to affirm your commitment to enroll if your child is ultimately admitted. You may also ask how many children are currently on the waitlist and the likelihood that your child is in a position to move off of the list. If a spot does open up, the school will be more likely to offer admission to a family that is a “sure thing” over a family who might not commit. Be mindful, however, that there is a fine line between letting the school know that you remain interested and stalking the admissions office. One phone call should be sufficient.

What if my child doesn’t make it off of the waitlist but the school is still our first choice? Is there anything we can do to improve our chances in the future?
If you know for certain that your child will not be attending a school for the upcoming year, either because you did not make it off of the waitlist or you received a rejection letter, you really have nothing to lose by contacting the admissions officer and politely asking for feedback. Some admissions officers will even go as far as offering advice on how you might improve your child’s chances for admission in the future. For example, if the admissions officer thought there were issues of academic deficiencies, perhaps your child can spend the upcoming year building up the skills that are required to be successful at the school.

Learn more

Find out what parents outside of San Diego have to say about their experiences with waitlists on the following blogs and discussion forums:

AdmissionsQuest: Waitlisted at a Private School?
http://www.admissionsquest.com/~Resources/ShowArticle.cfm/ArticleID/90/ArticleTypeID/5/Topic/waitlisted-at-a-private-school

NYC Private Schools Blog: Waitlists for Private Schools; You’re Not Alone
http://nycprivateschoolsblog.com/education/waitlists-for-private-schools-youre-not-alone/03/03/2009/

Private School Review: Waitlisted? What next?
http://www.privateschoolreview.com/articles/66

The SF K Files: Private school wait lists
http://thesfkfiles.blogspot.com/2009/02/hot-topic-private-school-wait-lists.html

The NYC Private Schools Blog is an online community which encompasses all aspects of NYC private schools (approximately 800 schools). Although there are many wonderful sites and communities which cover NYC public schools, there are few which focus on NYC private schools.

While the focus of the blog is on private schools in the five boroughs, it also provides a plethora of information useful for anyone interested in private schools no matter the location. For example, visitors to the site can learn about different types of schools, the admissions process, paying for private schools and the financial aid process, child development and learning issues, and much more. And with 14,196 followers on Twitter, they must be doing something right!

Congratulations, NYC Private Schools Blog. We look forward to more great posts.

For the first Friday Find of 2010 we’ve chosen a website that should be required reading for parents who are considering private school education for their children – the Private Schools section on About.com. The site is maintained by Robert Kennedy, who is the About.com guide to Private Schools. His background definitely qualifies him as an expert as he has been involved with private schools in three capacities: parent, teacher and administrator. According to Robert,

This site explores the world of private K-12 education in the United States and worldwide. You will find profiles of schools together with my comments on them.

I also offer help and advice on choosing the right school for your child, getting into schools and paying for them. My blog spotlights issues and happenings in the private school world. Feel free to join in the dialog, ask questions and make your own comments.

The site is extremely well-rounded and offers features such as School Finders, a free newsletter, Spotlights on Schools, discussion forums, and an informative and up-to-date blog.

Once you visit the site and begin browsing the wealth of information that it offers, you’ll understand why it’s been chosen by Forbes.com as “Best of Web in Education” every year since 2001! Congratulations and thanks go to Robert Kennedy and About.com for creating such a terrific resource.

Learn more by visiting the About.com Private Schools website at http://privateschool.about.com/.

Megan is a passionate educator with a firm belief in the effectiveness of individualized, one-on-one instruction. She specializes in reading intervention for children with dyslexia, study skills and metacognitive strategies, and standardized test preparation.

A San Diego native and La Jolla High School graduate, Megan received her B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley in International Political Economy and her Master’s degree in Elementary Education and California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

From August 2004 through January 2009, Megan served as Elementary Director for Wells Academic Solutions, developing a successful K-6 program.  Megan’s professional background includes teaching first grade through Teach for America in inner city Los Angeles, mentoring and tutoring inner city students, and presenting teacher-training workshops on school-site and for the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE).

Megan is currently pursuing her Certificate in Educational Therapy through the UC Riverside Extension.  She has taken continuing education courses on reading assessment and instruction, dyslexia, and ADHD through the UC Extension Programs and the Center for Child Development at UC Irvine.  In addition, she completed Lindamood-Bell’s training on the language processing programs, Seeing Stars and Visualizing and Verbalizing.  Megan currently serves on the board of the San Diego Branch of the International Dyslexia Association (www.interdys.org) and is active in the Association for Educational Therapists (www.aetonline.com).

More information about Megan, La Jolla Learningworks, and their services that include ISEE test prep, may be found on their website at http://www.ljlearningworks.com/.

San Diego Cooperative Charter School

Selecting a Charter School

If you are interested in learning more about charter schools, I highly suggest you approach the process in much the same way you would approach the search for a private school. Learn about the charter schools in your area and find out about their missions and how they approach education. Your goal is to find schools that fit with your educational philosophy and that will be a good fit for your child and your family.

A good place to start your research is by visiting the schools’ websites. Charter school directories are maintained by both San Diego Unified School District and the San Diego County Office of Education. Links to the online directories may be found at the end of this post.

Albert Einstein Charter School

The Application Process

While charter schools are public schools, each school defines and coordinates their own application process. For some schools the process simply involves completing an application. However, other schools may have additional requirements such as a school visit, attendance at an Open House, or meeting with an administrator. These requirements will vary by school.

Once you have decided on the school(s) to which you would like to apply, visit their web sites and carefully review the requirements for applying and enrolling. Pay particular attention to the dates that their applications will become available and the deadlines for returning the applications. Some schools provide a simple online form that you complete for application while others might require you to download, complete and then mail or fax the application form.

High Tech High Schools

What Are the Odds of Getting In?

Estimating the odds of getting in to a charter school depend upon many factors, not the least of which is the school’s reputation within the community and the resulting demand. While some schools have enough room to accommodate every student who wishes to attend, others are overwhelmed by applications, even by as many as 100 applications for every available seat. This phenomenon will continue to occur with greater frequency as charter schools become more popular with families looking for innovative educational choices.

If a charter school receives applications that exceed the number of available seats, the school might institute a lottery for student selection. Sometimes a student’s placement in the lottery will be determined by priorities. For example, a school may draw the first group of students based upon their home addresses and give priority to certain zip codes.

Often schools will institute waitlists for students who are not admitted during the lottery or who turn in their applications after the deadline has passed. If and when spaces do become available at some point in the future, schools can offer admission to students on the waitlist.

To find out more about the application process and the likelihood that you will (or will not) be able to enroll in the charter school of your choice, schedule a visit with the school and ask them about it. But remember, you will definitely NOT be admitted to a charter school if you don’t apply. After all, someone has to win the lottery.

If you are not admitted to the school of your choice, find out how to get on the waitlist. A lot of changes can take place over the summer – families move or new classes may be added. Charter schools often have spaces that become available at the beginning of the new school year and if you are on the waitlist, your child might be the one selected.

Links to More Info

Center for Education Reform, Charter School FAQs
http://www.edreform.com/Fast_Facts/Ed_Reform_FAQs/?Just_the_FAQs_Charter_Schools

US Charter Schools
http://www.uscharterschools.org/pub/uscs_docs/index.htm

San Diego Unified School District, Charter Schools
http://old.sandi.net/school/charter/index.html

San Diego County Office of Education, Charter Schools 2009-10
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/business2/dfs/charter/sdcoecharter.html

The interview is often the most anxiety-ridden hurdle for families, but it doesn’t need to be. Just as you would never show up for a job interview without doing your homework (so to speak), preparation is key for a successful school interview. Therefore, we’ve compiled our TOP TEN NO-NOs FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL INTERVIEWS to help you prepare. (Just to be clear – these are things that you should NOT do!)

1. Call and schedule your interview two days before the application deadline. Usually a completed application file includes an interview, so make the interview appointment as early as possible to ensure that you are able to complete the requirement well before the deadline, even if something comes up and you need to reschedule.
2. When you call to schedule your interview, demand that the school accommodate your request for a meeting the next day. Admissions season is busy – and even hectic – for admissions offices, and it gets even busier as you get closer to the application deadline. When you call for your appointment, have a couple of possible days and times to offer within the next couple of weeks. Calling with the expectation of booking an appointment for the next day is not only unrealistic but it can also make a bad first impression with the admissions office.
3. Be prepared to stonewall any questions that try to get to know more about your family, or simply give yes or no answers to questions. The school wants to know more about you and your family so that they can determine if you are a good fit for each other. They may ask you, the parents, to describe your child, share your educational goals for your child, and explain why you think the school is a good match.
4. Answer any and all questions directed at your child, especially if she is older than six or seven years old. While the school definitely wants to learn more about your hopes and dreams for your child, they will probably also want to hear from your child. If she is old enough, the school may ask about hopes, dreams, goals and aspirations, previous educational experiences, personal strengths and weaknesses, and why this school is a good fit.
5. Let the admissions officer know that your best friend’s cousin lives next door to someone who is VERY well-connected to the school. A school’s number one goal is to find students who can succeed and contribute as a member of their learning community. Whether a child is or is not a good fit, the connections should not matter. However, if you think that it is important that the school know about your connection, a more subtle approach would be to bring it to their attention through a reference letter from the connected person addressed to the school.
6. Mention that you might be interested in making a significant donation toward their new gymnasium construction project. Schools take their reputations very seriously. The last thing they want is the appearance of impropriety when it comes to their admissions process. And if you try to buy your way in to one school, they will assume that you’ve tried it at others. If you are serious about wanting to make a donation, wait until your child has been accepted. The school will be thrilled to have a new family making such a financial commitment toward the future.
7. Don’t tell the admissions officer that your child has a significant learning disability. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: admissions officers at private schools are looking for students who can succeed at their schools. Many parents don’t share this information, thinking that once the child is accepted the school will take care of things. In reality, though, if a school is not equipped with the specialized staff or facilities that your child needs, they’re probably not going to build a program just for your child. Since you want what’s best for your child, keep looking until you find the right program.
8. Wear your sweaty gym gear to the interview. You raced over directly from your spinning class, and you’re only ten minutes late. This is San Diego, after all. Dressing for success is key to a school interview, no matter the location. While there is no need to pull out the tuxedo or the cocktail dress, this is the time to look smart and pulled together, much as you would for a business interview. Remember, private school admissions is a business and you only get one chance to make that all-important first impression. Let your external appearance enhance the substance of what you and your child bring to the interview. And do we really need to mention that you should arrive on time, no matter what? If something unforeseen does happen that might cause you to be late – like an accident on the 5 freeway – give the school a call and let them know.
9. Answer your cell phone and send texts during your interview. Admissions offices are busy places, yet they have cleared their calendar for the duration of your interview so that they can focus on you and your family. Return the favor and give them your undivided attention. After all, most interviews only last 20-30 minutes. Unless you’re expecting a call from a patient awaiting a transplant, turn the electronic devices off. Wait a minute – why aren’t you at the hospital?
10. Let the admissions officer know that this school is your back-up option in case you don’t get in to your first (or second or third) choice. When you make your short list of schools that you are considering for your child, try to keep an open mind when you go in to the interviews. Listen to what each of the schools has to say. You never know – the school that was originally at the bottom of your list may quickly move up based upon what you learn. The last thing you want to do is hurt your chances of getting in because the school thinks that you aren’t seriously considering them.

If you are considering a San Diego-area private school for your child for the 2010-11 school year, chances are you are immersed in research on not only area schools, but also the admissions process itself. The excerpt above is from a 2007 article in the Los Angeles Times entitled, “Admission to private schools is a stress test.” The piece provides a behind-the-scenes look at the admissions process for a Southern California private school. It’s well worth a read if you’ve always wondered what goes into a school’s decision to admit – or deny admittance – to a student.

Read the full article here.

The month of October is the time that a family can begin thinking about the types of schools that might be a good fit for them and their child. Learning more about the traits and personalities of each school are vital to this process. For families who are new to private schools or who want expert help and advice on navigating the abundance of school choices that are available in San Diego, you might consider using an educational consultancy such as An Educated Choice.

Whether you use a consultant or not, your first step might be visiting web sites – both general school review sites and the web sites of the individual schools. Make your first list of schools that seem most interesting as potential choices. Contact these schools by phone or via email to request an admissions packet or catalog, and inquire about any open house events or tours that are available for prospective families.