private school admissions

Tomorrow’s decision day for many Dallas private schools.  Emails will go out in the late afternoon; then schools close their doors for spring break.  I want to extend my very best wishes to everyone for an optimal outcome.

If you need help next week (choosing between schools, dealing with a wait-list situation, or regrouping from bad news),  I’ll be available. Contact me if you need assistance.

Good luck!

© Eleanor Munson, PhD.  Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Eleanor Munson, PhD is strictly prohibited.  Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Eleanor Munson, PhD with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

For parents applying their children to private schools, this Friday can’t come soon enough.  The last weeks have most likely been filled with anticipation and anxiety; waiting for a phone call this week if your child is an alumna or sibling or if not, an email Friday afternoon or letter Saturday.  You’ve played out the various possibilities in your mind, “what if he gets into Good Shepherd, but not Parish?” or the nightmare of every parent “what if he doesn’t get in anywhere?”

But March 18th is here…..and you’ve gotten the email…..and now you know.  Here are five potential scenarios to prepare for and some guidance on what to do for each.  Know that I am here for you every step of the way.  Call or email me if you need any assistance in the coming weeks.

Option #1:  Your child gets into your top choice

The best possible news!  Congratulations!!  Take a minute to breathe a sigh of relief and relax.  Then pay close attention to the deadline date the school has given you.

What to do:  Be sure to respond with your acceptance, fill out any necessary paperwork, include your deposit, and get it to the school prior to the deadline.  If you don’t reply in a timely manner, your child’s spot will almost certainly be given to a child who was waitlisted.

Option #2:  Your child gets into multiple schools and you have to choose

It’s wonderful to have choices…..but it’s difficult to have choices.  Spend the next week thinking through the pro’s and con’s of each school.  It might help to make lists so you can go back and recall your decision points.

What to do:  When spring break is over, contact the schools you are deciding between and ask to observe in the classroom.  In my experience, you will have a good feel for what school is best for your child if you sit through a morning or afternoon in the classroom.  If you have particular concerns, you may want to visit by phone or in person with the admissions counselor of head of the school to get their opinion of how your child will “fit” into their school.

Option #3:  Your child gets into several schools, but is wait-listed at your top choice

Though you may be disappointed, this is a good situation to be in.  You have options.  If you researched your private school options carefully and applied where you felt your child would be successful, then your decision should be easy.  Responding “yes” to the acceptance is a no-brainer.  You have the choice of waiting to hear from the school where your child is wait-listed, which is a gamble.

What to do:  It is generally a wiser decision to accept admission to a school where your child has been accepted.  Remember – a bird in the hand….  There are no guarantees of admission when you are wait-listed.  It is safer to put a deposit down where you have a spot and consider forfeiting the deposit if you get in at the top choice later.

Option #4: You received NO acceptances but are on several waitlists

Don’t panic!  It isn’t the end of the world, but it is time to re-strategize.

What to do:  Call the school(s) where your child was wait-listed and let them know of your continued interest and that you would be very pleased to have your child accepted to their school.  Do not make repeated calls and pester the admissions people.  You risk annoying them which could jeopardize your chance to come off the wait list.  Realize that there is a lot of movement in the weeks after letters are mailed out as families make their decisions and spots open up.  The days of waiting will be stressful, but may end up paying off.

Option #5: Your child was rejected at all the schools you applied to

What to do:  First,breathe.  Go somewhere where you can be alone.  Many mothers I know have cried upon receiving bad news – it is normal.  However, if at all possible, cry, yell or hit your pillow in private.  It is best to approach your child with the news when you are less emotional so they don’t feel like they have failed you.

Once you are past the emotion, get into high gear.  You need a plan. Start by looking at smaller schools that have rolling admissions, magnet or charter schools in your district, and/or your local public school.  Sometimes districts will allow parents to petition to attend another public school in their district that is outside the boundary lines.  Start the visit and application process as quickly as you can.  Another option:  This may sound extreme, but some parents will consider distance learning (online school), homeschooling, or finding a tutor to work with their child.

NET NET:  Just remember as you open your email this week, that everything will be OK in the end.  There are many schools where your child can learn and thrive.  If you don’t get the acceptances you are hoping for, make an appointment with the admissions counselor and listen to what they have to say.  Your child may be a good candidate for their school, they just may not have had enough spots.  You may be encouraged to try again next year.  Or maybe it isn’t the best place for your child and you need to look elsewhere.  Either way, remember that your child’s future will not be determined by where they go to school next year. And best of luck!

originally posted March, 2011

© Eleanor Munson, PhD. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Eleanor Munson, PhD is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Eleanor Munson, PhD with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

I’ve been offline more than usual this winter, a combination of the rush surrounding admissions deadlines and, this year, my son’s journey through the college admissions process. It’s been a fascinating adventure, both as a parent and an educational consultant, and while I’ll spare you my parental observations (read: roller coaster ride), I’ve spent some time reflecting on the comparisons between college and private school admission.

If it feels like it’s a competitive arena out there, it is.  In an article published in Time magazine last spring, author Dan Edmonds (@edmonds_dan) noted that although parents and students believe that getting into a selective college is harder than ever, in reality the number of high school seniors, and therefore the number of applicants, has been on the decline since 2011.  What’s happened is that the near-universal use of the Common Application for college admission has changed the behavior of high school seniors, with more and more students applying to more and more schools, even those they are not qualified for, thus inflating the number of applicants and reducing the acceptance rates.  Edmonds notes, “It has arguably become easier to get into a selective school though it may be harder to get into a particular selective school.”

Is this true for the Dallas private school admissions scene?  Yes, I believe so, with one slight caveat.  From July 2012 to July 2013, the population of Dallas County grew by 26,000, a trend that seems to be continuing.  So there are more students vying for the same number of spots at any given school.  Indeed, many parents are aware of the competitive nature of the admissions process and apply to multiple schools, thus lowering the acceptance rate and your child’s chances of getting into one particular school.  This year I’ve seen very few families whose children have been accepted to every school they applied to, and the ones who succeeded in doing so have all been applying to preschool, where the most slots are available.  My clients with older children have all had at least one school wait-list their child, as has also been the case with my friends and acquaintances.

So what’s the takeaway here?  Well, there are several.  If you’re looking at some of the more competitive schools in Dallas, you can’t just apply to one or two schools and expect to gain a spot.  And, while the odds improve as you increase the number of schools you apply to, the same thing that Edmonds indicated holds true here as well.  If you have your heart set on a particular school for your child, know that he might not get in there, but he’ll get in somewhere.  You’ve got to be flexible and start early.  Most important, I believe, is to try and find a handful of schools that will be a good fit for your child’s abilities.  As I’ve mentioned before, there are lots of very good schools in Dallas.  Just be willing to open your search.

© Eleanor Munson, PhD. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Eleanor Munson, PhD is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Eleanor Munson, PhD with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.