K-12 admissions ...

Getting Into a Los Angeles 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 L.A. private school.

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. L.A. School Scout, for example, helps 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.

Introducing a variety of schools and winnowing down the final list is perhaps an advisor’s most important function. Any educational consultant should help keep the process organized and make sure everything gets done and submitted well in advance of deadlines. There is no doubt that private school application essays should get a careful review and edit, but resist the temptation to have someone else write them for you. You want your application to ‘read’ the way you speak during your interview with the private school admissions representative.

When weighing your private school options, here are some key ideas to keep in mind:

• You and your partner need to agree on – or at least discuss – your goals and your ideas about good educational programs.
• Understand who your child is and how s/he learns.  What might be a good match in a school? Why? This is an ideal time to talk to your child’s preschool teacher and preschool director, and get detailed feedback on what they would see as a good fit.
• Whenever you visit a school, in addition to seeing the lower grades, visit the class with the oldest children.  Can you imagine your child in that class?

So what are some of the things you’re looking for when you consider private schools?

• Teaching is designed to enhance development and learning.
• Teachers respect, value and accept children, get to know them well and treat them with dignity.
• There is a small student to teacher ratio, not more than 15 students to any one teacher. This should stay consistent throughout the grades.
• The school as well as the individual classroom teacher creates a range of enriching and engaging learning environments, using a wide range of teaching methods to promote children’s achievement and intellectual curiosity.
• Teachers strengthen children’s sense of competence and motivation and facilitate the development of responsibility and self-control.
• The school encourages the development of reciprocal relationships with families in which all parents feel welcome.
• The program creates a sense of community.
• The school encourages consistent, positive relationships with other children, where social relationships are seen as an important area for learning.
• The school sees diversity as a strength.
• The learning environment is designed to protect children’s health & safety.

The good news is that you will survive the private school admissions process. Fortunately the cliché is true: There is a great school for everyone, and things are going to work out just fine.