Transparency From Schools

Six years ago, parents lined up outside of independent schools to be the first to greet the head of school or admissions director, hoping to make a good first impression on behalf of their young one. They would then sit waiting, hoping to be one of the lucky few to be accepted.

How do you get accepted? It used to be who you knew. Did you have a friend on the board? Maybe a neighbor who teaches there? When the letter came in early March, the next few seconds were filled with either excitement or disappointment. Knowing that the next three, nine, even 14, years would not be at the school you had envisioned your child attending can be a difficult pill to swallow.

In 2011, the shoe is on the other foot. Today, with a down economy in a county where the schools are known for their academic excellence, independent schools are working harder than ever to recruit and accept a well-balanced and diverse study body. Now is the time where the smart parents are expecting more transparency from the school to insure they are choosing the best place for their children.

You want to sit in on a class? No problem. You want to speak with current parents? We can arrange that. It’s kind of like buying a car. I, for one, would like to experience what I’m paying for (a test drive) and not just take the word of someone who works at the school or what the advertisement in the local paper describes. I want to experience the value through a “test drive” before I frantically send back the signed enrollment contract hoping my child is not put on the wait list.