Essential Tips to Choose the Ideal Private School for Your Child

In recent years, the less than average academic achievements and safety records of public elementary schools have led many parents in NYC to enroll their children in private educational settings.

As elementary schools are responsible for developing the desire for acquiring new knowledge and skills in students, the matter of selecting a private school in NYC is not easy by any standard.

While most parents rely on the advice of friends and other parents for evaluating private schools and different educational curricula for their children, the competitive NYC school circuit demands much more than a few recommendations and instructions.

If you are also looking for a private school for your child in NYC, consider these essential tips before making the final decision.

Start Early

The process of choosing a private school for your child should start at least 6 month or a year before the planned admission. While there are countless private schools in NYC to choose from, not all are efficient enough to serve the requirements of your child.

So, the first step is to conduct an assessment of your child’s needs and preferences, and to create a list of schools that correspond to those specific requirements. It can be accomplished by segregating your requirements into practical (distance and transportation), desired (school facilities and educational curriculum) and extra-curricular elements.

It should also be mentioned here that most private schools in NYC start the application process a year before the beginning of the teaching program. Therefore, it is essential to keep track of admission dates beforehand to avoid delays.

Survey Schools

Once you have outlined your priorities and created the list, it is time to perform some legwork to gather as much information about the short-listed schools as possible.

Special attention should be given to the structure as well as the educational philosophy of the school, not to mention the discipline policy and qualification of teachers.

Parents can also join The Parents League, an organization of NYC private schools to inform families regarding the admission process.