A Holistic Approach to Finding the Right High School
Congratulations!
Your child has been accepted to high schools, and now you have about a month to make a final choice (and consider what extra materials you might submit to schools who put you on the waitlist!). Here are some things to consider as you choose the right high school for your child:
Philosophy & Curriculum: No two schools have the same philosophies on learning, the student-teacher relationship, or what courses are important for a well-rounded education. Many students focus on whether they like the kids at a given high school (very important, by the way!), but we recommend starting with the most fundamental piece of a school’s identity: its philosophy and course offerings. Some students need lots of discussion and experimentation; others want access to Latin and Ancient Greek; still others might want a lot of electives. Want a happy teenager who thrives academically? Start with finding a school that works, educationally, for your child’s mind.
Rigor: Although almost all of the independent schools in NYC offer students rigorous educational experiences, some assign more HW, move more quickly, expect more from their students earlier, and evaluate more rigorously. Some students thrive when challenged and others burn out–knowing how your child will respond to the rigor of the high school you choose means setting your child up for success.
Extra-Curricular Activities: What happens outside the classroom is perhaps the most important criteria for many of our students. Some kids want to play on sports teams that only exist at the Hill Schools. Others need strong visual arts. Still others want the best debate teams, access to opportunities to do community service, or vibrant theater programs. And what about the clubs? Robotics! Amnesty International! Computer programming! Students should pay close attention to what offerings already exist and how easy it is to establish new clubs.
Student Body: Social and emotional growth during adolescence is pivotal for academic success and happy, adjusted grown-ups. You may not be able to choose your child’s peers, but you can spend time together at prospective high schools, getting a feel for a student body. Are the kids smiling? Do they seem confident and engaged in the classroom? What have other parents said about their relationship with the school? About their high schoolers’ social lives?
College Placement: Ideally, the four years your child spends in high school help them become thoughtful, capable, compassionate adults, but we know that what comes after high school is important too. High schools have placement lists on their websites (here’s Dalton’s, for example), making it easy for parents to get a clear sense of matriculation for a given school.
We believe that there is no one right school for your child and that there’s only so much you can control as you seek a good fit for these important four years–all the more reason to focus on what matters and take into account the variables that are likely to have an impact on your child.
Email us at director@tutorassociates.com to book a time to chat about placement tests, our experience with these high schools, or absolutely anything else about the high school process. We loved your kids as middle schoolers, and we can’t wait to watch them grow as high schoolers!
