Keeping Your Kids On Track

Are you the parent of a young child? Are you trying to decide how he or she can receive the best possible education? Instead of moving to another city to have your child attend a different public school system, you should also check out the private schools in your area. Of course, you probably have questions that you want to ask before you make any decisions. Here are some of the most common questions and their answers: 

Aren't private schools expensive? Private schools can be expensive, but many of them also offer scholarship programs. Some of the available scholarships may be need-based while others are based entirely on merit. Not all of them will advertise their scholarship programs openly; you may need to contact the school for more information. 

Does my child need to attend an accredited school? Accreditation helps show other educational institutions that the school in question meets or exceeds certain educational standards. Without accreditation, at least at the high school level, it may be slightly more difficult for your child to find a college or university that will accept him or her based on his or her report cards alone.

Is it difficult to get into a private school? This will, of course, depend on the school. Some private schools will only accept a relatively few applicants every year while others may accept nearly any student. The ones that only accept a small number of students every year usually have a more rigorous application process. This process may include a variety of things, including multiple interviews, academic testing of your child or even an essay that details exactly what you and your child hope to gain by attending the school. Just like with difficult university applications, you may need or want to hire someone who can help walk you through the process.

Aren't all private schools for boys only or girls only? Decades ago, this was usually true. If you or your parents attended a private school, it may have been all boys or all girls. However, these days, there are also many co-ed private schools. For example, if you have a son and daughter who both like art, you can find a private school with an art-based curriculum that they can both attend. This way, you won't have to worry about whether your son or your daughter is possibly missing out on an education, due to being forced to send them to separate schools.