Private School Interview Questions: How to Prepare Your Child
Quick answer: Common private school interview questions ask why your child wants to attend, what they enjoy learning, how they handled a challenge, and what they do outside class. To prepare, start about a month ahead, identify three or four real stories, and run at least two mock interviews with an adult outside the family. […]
Pros and Cons of Boarding School: How to Decide
The real pros and cons of boarding school, from a Former Admissions Officer: a clear comparison table, honest tradeoffs, and how to decide.
Best Boarding Schools in California: A Former Admissions Officer’s Guide
Quick answer: The best boarding schools in California include Cate School, The Thacher School, and The Webb Schools among the most selective, plus Stevenson School, Santa Catalina School, Woodside Priory School, and Idyllwild Arts Academy. Most cluster in the Ojai Valley, along the Santa Barbara coast, around Los Angeles, and in Northern California. Fit matters […]
What Is Boarding School Like? A Cheshire Academy Former Admissions Officer’s Honest Answer
Quick answer: What is boarding school like? It is a full-time residential community where students live, eat, study, and spend evenings and weekends alongside classmates and teachers. The academics are demanding, the independence is real, and the friendships formed over four years tend to last well into adulthood. Ask a dozen families what boarding school […]
SSAT vs ISEE: How to Choose the Right Private School Entrance Exam
Quick answer: In the SSAT vs ISEE decision, most independent schools accept either test, so choose the one that best shows your child’s abilities. The SSAT tends to suit confident readers and verbal thinkers, while the ISEE suits confident math students and has no guessing penalty. Take a practice test of each before deciding. If […]
Beyond Boarding School Rankings: A Suffield Academy Former Admissions Officer’s Case for Fit
Quick answer: Boarding school rankings are a starting point, not a verdict. Will, a Suffield Academy Former Admissions Officer, turned down Deerfield and Choate for Suffield after an overnight visit showed him where he would thrive. Use rankings to build a list, then decide based on campus visits, community, and how each school fits your […]
Inside Choate Admissions: A Choate Rosemary Hall Former Admissions Officer on Finding the Right Student
Quick answer: Choate Rosemary Hall admissions officers look for genuine students whose essays, interviews, and recommendations show real curiosity and character. The school reads applications holistically, testing is optional, and the online interview is highly recommended. Chris, a Choate Rosemary Hall Former Admissions Officer, says over-coached applications read as artificial. As a Choate Rosemary Hall […]
Tabor Academy Admissions: A Parent’s Story From Waitlist to Acceptance
Quick answer: This parent’s account follows a student from a Beijing international school who was admitted to Tabor Academy from the waitlist on March 28, weeks after the March 10 decision date. The key lessons: start preparing early, practice interviews seriously, apply to a balanced list, and keep showing sincere interest while you wait. In […]
How an InGenius Prep Student Earned an Offer from The Webb Schools
Quick answer: Daniel, a science-focused student from a Chinese public school, earned an offer from his top choice, The Webb Schools in Claremont, California, after working through language barriers and months of essay revision. He worked with his InGenius Prep team: a Choate Rosemary Hall Former Admissions Officer, a Penn Graduate Coach, and a mentor. […]
The Character Skills Snapshot: What It Tells Private and Boarding Schools About Your Child
Quick answer: The Character Skills Snapshot is an online assessment from the Enrollment Management Association, the organization behind the SSAT, that many private and boarding schools use in admissions. It measures seven skills, including initiative, resilience, teamwork, and self-control, through scenario-based questions. There are no right or wrong answers, so students should answer honestly. When […]