Today is Kindergarten D-Day for Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Riverdale private schools, and some schools are now emailing decisions or asking applicants to get them from their websites!
This is a big step forward for NYC private schools. Why every school isn't making decisions electronic is a mystery to me. Snail mail increases peoples' tension exponentially.
Good luck today! (And this weekend, early next week...)
My educational consultant colleague Toby Glick is an expert in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Westchester and New Jersey Jewish schools, from day schools to yeshivas. If you need help figuring out which Jewish school is right for your child and getting him or her in, Toby will help you. A school psychologist who has worked in Jewish private schools and whose children and grandchildren attend, Toby is the New York City, Westchester, and NJ expert on Jewish schools. Now is the time to call Toby for the inside scoop on the 2012-2013 private school admissions season: 646-300-1881 or toby(at)parentconfidante.com
From a client today: (Child was admitted to middle school. Identifying details removed.)
Hi! Emily
We just got <Child's> acceptance letter today. Thank you so much for everything!!! We could not do it without your Guidence. He is so happy! We are very proud. Thanks again for everything!
Best!
<Mom's name>
Many of our educational consulting clients from public school and even many private schools complain that their children's vocabulary, writing skills and/or math skills are lacking. For these students, early prep can help not only with ISEE or SSAT test scores, but also with school grades and essay writing.
Here's what we offer at Private School Authority:
Jump Start Math Program
For students who need that extra bit of help with their math performance, we provide our Jump Start Math Program. During this program, we focus on the fundamentals of the quantitative reasoning portions of each exam, teaching our students strategies, formulas, tactics, and processes to improve their scores and lower their anxiety. Students in our Jump Start Math program receive full, comprehensive instruction in all areas where they need the help most.
Jump Start Verbal Program
For students who need that extra bit of help on the verbal portions of the exam, we provide our Jump Start Verbal Program. During this program, we focus on the fundamentals of the verbal reasoning portions of each exam, teaching our students strategies, vocabulary, tactics, and grammatical concepts to improve their scores and lower their anxiety. Students in our Jump Start Verbal program receive full, comprehensive instruction in all areas where they need the help most.
Jump Start Writing Program
For students who need help writing their ISEE / SSAT essays, we offer the Jump Start Writing program. Our 10-hour program teaches students the fundamentals of proper essay writing, introducing them to such topics as thesis construction, topic sentence formation, and general essay structure. The benefits of this program reach far beyond test scores - Jump Start Writing will teach your child how to construct and edit perfect essays for the rest of his or her academic career.
Question from the email bag today: Is a private school wait list a good sign or is it a kind rejection?
Answer: It could be either. I work with my educational consulting clients to help them understand how to work the wait list--understanding where they are on it and how to increase the chances their children get off it and in.
Manhattan, Brooklyn and Riverdale private school wait lists are active during the period between when you hear and when parents have to respond. Once you sign a contract with one ISAAGNY school, no other ISAAGNY school is supposed to offer you a contract. If you don't enroll your child in an ISAAGNY school, you can usually remain on the wait list.
Wait list strategy is tricky and often rewards the strong of stomach.