Private school admissions have a lot to do with first impressions and doing it right the first time around. The school wants to impress you and of course YOU want to impress the school. It is imperative to plan your first visit at the private school or schools of your choice. Almost like a job interview; you want to visit the school with the right preparation, knowing what to ask and also dressing to impress. After your visit the first impressions have been made and now you can make decisions if you want to pursue the application process for that school.

1.Actually Visit The Schools: do a reality check

Schools may look great on the internet or someone has given you a recommendation as well as tips on the private school admissions procedure. What you have done is painted a picture of what you think the school is like. Now it is time to do a reality check and go visit the school with your child.

Depending on where the school is located, you may need to make extra arrangements. As many boarding schools have overnight visits and that means extra accommodations will be needed. Ask if the child can stay overnight at boarding school and if there are lodging arrangements for parents.

If it is a day school, they will have an open house day, so planning your visit will be important since time is limited.

2. Plan Your Visit: Get to know who is who

First find out the planned itinerary before you get to the private school. Know when and if there is an interview, what time the guided tour takes place and any other events planned for your visit. Finding out this information is important because now you need to make sure you can make arrangements to talk to faculty or staff. This is important to get your child’s face in front of the key people to firstly make a great first impression and to know who is who when there is a need to contact someone in the future.

3. Prepare Questions: Practice questions with your child

At home take some time to prepare questions that you as a parent want to ask and ALSO questions that the child has. Practice some of these questions with your child, so that perhaps during the interview your child can ask them. This is important, since the school sees this as being interested as well as organized. This makes for a great first impression.

Another important question that needs to be addressed to is; if they have any tips or guidelines on how to get into a private school. Many private schools have their own admissions criteria that they use in addition to the SSAT or ISEE score.

4. Dress To Impress: Choose clothing that signals intelligent, motivated, successful

Think about what you will be wearing in advance. Choose clothing that signals intelligent, motivated, successful. Avoid being over fashionable, since it distracts from your goal to present your self and interests. Make sure both child and parents follow this dress code.