“Avoid the pursuit of happiness. Seek to define your mission and pursue that.” –John Perry Barlow

Selection and application counseling

Applying to independent schools is a serious decision for most families, and doing it well is an involved process.

The process involves four main phases — one in the early fall, two in the mid-fall, and one in the late fall. These are the major steps I help families take with confidence.

  • I meet with families and students to gather extensive information about how you think about education and schooling, what’s important to your child, and whether there are must-haves and/or dealbreakers. From that conversation, I’ll generate a list of schools where I think your child can thrive. (Clients are free to modify that list at their discretion, of course. It’s a starting point for the work we’ll be doing throughout the process.)

  • Many schools require testing, such as the WPPSI, the WISC, and/or the SSAT or ISEE — and almost all that don’t require it allow applicants the option to submit testing results. We’ll talk about the impact of that testing on the admission process at various schools, and you’ll consider whether you’d like your child to undertake any formal preparation. Tests are generally administered in the fall and early winter.

  • You and your child will visit most of the schools to which they’re applying. I’ll provide counsel and strategy suggestions to parents and student for making the most of these opportunities.

  • Most schools will ask for written reflections on various questions from parents, and from students applying (usually) to grade 6 and higher. We’ll talk about strategies for approaching these important parts of your child’s candidacy, and how to achieve the most effective applications in the process.

Chapel pews at Concord Academy, in Massachusetts. Many schools’ “chapels” are still used for religious services, while some in nonsectarian schools like CA are used for school gatherings, but no longer hold religious significance.

Approach

My approach emphasizes helping families make reasonable, confident decisions about their children’s schooling.

Rather than telling families what to do, I work with them to develop questions that help them understand their preferences in education, and the ways particular schools align with those preferences.

I don’t believe there are “good schools” and “bad schools,” and I urge families not to get caught up in school “rankings” — instead, there are good choices and bad choices for each particular family and student, and you can discover those by learning more about the process.

The process of applying to schools is esoteric, but it is not incomprehensible. By learning more about how the process works, parents and students can develop confidence in their own decision-making.

Dining hall, Cranbrook Schools, Michigan. Designed by the Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen and his son Eero, Cranbrook boasts that it was the original laboratory of the Mid-Century Modern style in America. The campus also includes a graduate program in art and an art museum.

  • Most families take advantage of several of the steps below.

    • Interviews and conversations with parents (and with applicants to grade 6 and above)

    • Review and discussion of grades and school reports

    • Review and discussion of standardized testing and professional evaluations

    • Discussions of schools identified by parents

    • Discussion of advantages and disadvantages of boarding schools

    • Recommendations for schools to consider for applications

    • Recommendations for additional testing and resources (if indicated)

    • Recommendations for test preparation services

    • Discussion of teacher recommendations

    • Discussion of application calendar

    • Evaluation of the likelihood of admission at particular schools

    • Discussion and coaching on student school visits and interviews

    • Discussion and coaching on parent school visits and interviews

    • Complete review of applications

    • Advising on unusual conflicts between schools

    • Discussion of admission options after offers are received

    • Strategic counsel on waitlist decisions

    • Preparation for matriculation

    • Other questions and concerns as they arise

  • Probably not.

    Schools and students aren’t perfect, and expecting a “perfect fit” is chasing rainbows. The good news is that almost all students can find success at a range of different schools.

    Children’s development requires both opportunities and challenges. When we look for “perfect” experiences for our kids, we inhibit their development in two major ways: We rob them of opportunities to develop skills and coping mechanisms; and we communicate that adults in their lives do not have confidence in them to solve everyday problems and to accept minor, routine injustices as a part of life.

    I advise families to search for options where students can adapt and thrive. Even at schools that are great matches, it is rare that a family doesn’t disagree with their school now and then over the long term. There’s nothing wrong with a first choice, but capable people have lots of second choices too. Instead of adopting the “one-ism” approach that’s common in school searches, I help families discover the advantages and disadvantages of various schools, and evaluate those attributes to make smart, confident decisions.

  • The process of applying to schools — at least for those who want to do it as well as possible — almost always takes several months. It’s hard to approach the process piecemeal and still feel like you’ve done the best job possible. For this reason, I give priority to families who are interested in engaging the whole process, rather than those looking for a bit of help here and there.

    In limited situations, however, families have specific questions that require less discussion and planning than a full application process involves. For example, sometimes families begin the process later in the fall, after some deadlines and admission events have passed. If a full-service process doesn’t make sense, I am happy to discuss hourly billing.

  • If we’re already working together, of course! Waitlists feel like a kind of admission purgatory, and counsel on waitlist strategy is an expected aspect of my work each year with a handful of families. While we can’t create openings where none exist, most waitlist situations that I encounter resolve favorably.

    I generally do not accept new clients solely to provide counsel on waitlist situations in the spring. That’s because I begin work with most families at the beginning of a school year, and of course some of their children are waitlisted too. I try to avoid putting longer-term clients at a disadvantage that can arise with new clients looking for just a little strategic advice.

  • My fees are comparable to those of others who do similar work. However, I try to be sensitive to differences in family resources, and at times I adjust fees based on family circumstances. If you are committed to applying to independent schools, and you’d like to explore working with me, but you are concerned about the expense, please get in touch so we can discuss your situation.

Does it work?

No counselor can guarantee your child admission at any school.

However, I have worked with about 400 students on school placement. Just under 90 percent of those students have been admitted to their first-choice schools; just over 90 percent have been admitted to either first- or second-choice schools.