It’s winter, what you need to know.
It’s winter, what you need to know.
We hope you and your family are staying healthy and doing well during these trying times. The impacts of COVID-19 are testing us all in ways we never imagined, yet we continue to be inspired by stories of care and compassion in our local communities and around the world.
Who would have imagined that most families are touring schools virtually. Though many of the students looking at schools a very different way than students before them, schools have created impressive online opportunities, showing their amazing communities and interest in boarding schools seem to be on the rise. The schools are working on the best practices to bring families to campus for tours, interviews, and “revisit” days. However, we are getting ahead of ourselves…….
Application Deadlines: Most boarding schools have deadlines of January 15th or February 1st, though junior boarding schools may differ. By now you have asked teachers to submit letters and have spent time during the winter holidays to complete the application (general information) and the student and parent essays. The application, essay, and interview are the most important pieces to submit as close to the deadline as possible. Schools offer grace period for other elements, such as teacher recommendations and admission offices are very understanding as well as helpful. If you have questions or a piece of the process will be late, communicate with the main admissions email or email the person who did the interview.
The Quiet Period: With applications in hand, admission offices are reading files throughout the months of January and February. Committees discuss each candidate and review every piece of an application. Each school may weigh different parts of the application differently. Some schools look closely at SSAT scores while others use the scores as only a small piece of the puzzle, choosing to focus on transcripts, teacher recommendations, and extra curriculars, whether athletics, arts, community service (to name a few). If something new and wonderful has happened in your child's life, do have your child update the admissions representative who interview him or her. Even though it is past the deadline, admissions committees enjoyed learning as much as they can about each student.
Notification Day: Most boarding schools announce acceptances on March 10th though depending on the day the 10th falls on, the decisions may come via email a day before. Many schools email decisions, while other schools require families to log onto their admission accounts and some do still mail the news. If you are unsure, reach out to the person who did the interviewed. This person will share the instructions as well as the timing the news will be sent. This means some schools send right after midnight while others send later in the day.
If the news is a waitlist, applicants will be asked to let the school know if they would like to remain on the waitlist. Please let schools know immediately, especially if this is the “first choice” school. Letting a school know of the student will enroll if accepted is also important at this time.
Revisit Days: Please understand that many states or territories will have travel restrictions and schools will be concerned about the students and faculty on campus and in-person visits will be limited and virtual events will continue to be the norm. Look closely at the events available and begin to narrow down what is most important in learning more to help find the “right fit” for your child. Zoom fatigue is real and it may not be reasonable to watch hours and hours of virtual events over a two-three week span. Know that schools are doing their best to showcase their communities and all the bonuses that joining a boarding school education offers.
Enrollment Decisions: Families should communicate with schools by April 10th. If a student has been accepted to a school they know they will not be attending, it is best to let that school know as soon as possible. This way, a school can accept another deserving student. When students have trouble deciding, encourage them to research, speak with students, revisit, etc... Some students just feel one school is the better fit than other and may struggle to explain why.
No matter what, please do take the time to let the schools your child was accepted but will not be attending, know your family's decision.
We are just beginning the process, are we too late?
Rolling admissions: The holidays are over and application deadlines for boarding schools are quickly approaching. Many have deadlines of January 15th or February 1st. However, do not panic, if you are just beginning your search, some schools have rolling admissions throughout the spring and sometimes, the summer. Visiting campuses for the interview and tour will be important as the turn-around time may be quicker than the traditional March 10th - April 10th, and families may not have the opportunity to plan a revisit.