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You’re familiar with the story about the early bird catching the worm, yes?
While many consider spring as “off-season” for NYC admissions, at SCK we see it as a perfect time to start prepping for next cycle’s admissions process. In fact, the more you can spread out admissions work, the less stressful any given month of the admissions process will be! Planning now for deadlines you'll encounter soon enough makes the kind of sense you'll appreciate ten-fold later on.
Here are a few key areas you can begin focusing on now to gear up for the admissions process, regardless of how old your child is or whether you’re applying to public or private schools.
GET STARTED ON TEST PREP
The first step is to figure out whether or not your child will need to take tests for their upcoming school applications. In general, students do not need to take admissions-specific tests if attending public school; the exceptions are specialized public schools, which require your child to sit for the SHSAT. Testing is commonly required for private school and Catholic school admissions.
If your child needs to take a test, early preparation is key. Now is the time to get started by registering for a diagnostic test. The diagnostic test will give you a sense of how much preparation your child will need and will give you a roadmap for preparation for the coming year.
Once you have diagnostic results, you can decide what is the best course of action for your child – they may benefit from guidance from a tutor, or they may choose to begin an at-home study routine. Even though private school test registration doesn’t open until August, you can create your child’s log in credentials and complete their profile now, so you’re set to go. Remember – every little bit of work you can do now helps in the end!
BEGIN RESEARCHING SCHOOLS, INCLUDING SPRING TOURS
As we often remind our clients, the Admissions process is a marathon, not a sprint – and it’s never too early to start reflecting on your priorities and starting your initial research. One of the main reasons parents get overwhelmed in the admissions process is that they don’t give themselves enough time to research school options. By the time the fall rolls around, deadlines are looming, and pressure is amped up. So instead of waiting, start now by reading through websites, checking social media pages, talking to fellow parents, and reflecting on what you’re looking for in terms of best fit schools for your child. You can even take advantage of the “spring tours” some private schools host for prospective families.
START BRAINSTORMING PARENT STATEMENTS
If you’ll be applying to private schools this fall, you’ll likely need to submit Parent Statements: essays to help schools get to know you and your family. Parent statements are an important part of the admissions process – and one that you can control. Due to the weight they carry and the fact that it’s difficult for many parents to write objectively about their own children, parent statements often become one of the most nerve-wracking components of the process. Getting an early start often offers a huge advantage. Use the common essay prompt “Tell us about your child” as a start.
Journal or taking notes about the many things you love about your unique child, and don’t forget to include quotes and anecdotes. You can then massage snippets of writing full of specifics into rich essays in the fall. full essays later on this fall.
END THE ACADEMIC YEAR STRONG
For older children applying to middle school or high school this fall, academic performance will be an important component of their admissions evaluation. Spring is an important time to refocus on grades and end the year with a strong report card. If your child is struggling in specific areas or classes, check in with their teacher, consider tutoring, and/or recommit to healthy study habits.
Beginning admissions preparation in the spring doesn’t have to be time-consuming; even a few minutes per week on school research and a couple of tours can help you feel much more confident as you embark on your admissions journey this fall!
SCK is New York’s premier educational consulting firm dedicated to finding the best fit school for your child and family. Need help for next fall’s admissions cycle? Reach out to us today and we’ll take the guess work and the stress out of your process!
