Slow Down to Go Fast: An Independent School Admission Season Primer
4 tips on navigating Enrollment Season from the Indy School IG!
Slow Down to Go Fast
We get it. Applications are available, and suddenly it feels like the race is on.
But independent school admission is not a race.
We know families who decided to apply close to the deadline and gained acceptance. How you show up throughout the admission process can be far more powerful than how quickly you complete an application.
Application deadlines exist for a reason. Use the time available to thoughtfully highlight your scholar’s academic abilities, interests, extracurricular achievements, and the qualities that make them who they are.
That does not mean waiting until the last minute if you have already decided to apply to independent schools. It means slowing down long enough to get it right and positioning your family and your scholar to be as competitive as possible.
2. It starts way before admission season.
The optimal time to begin thinking about school choice is well before applications become available.
School choice became real for me when I came face to face with a local school in my neighborhood while strolling with my two-year-old daughter. In that moment, from the facade of the building alone, I knew that, at face value, the school did not match what I had been pouring into my child from the moment I learned I was pregnant.
You are your child’s first teacher.
The earlier you begin investing in your child’s development, the more opportunities you have to understand what they enjoy, how they learn, what sparks their curiosity, and the environments in which they flourish.
For older learners, make sure you are also providing opportunities for them to discover interests and develop confidence outside of academics. Those experiences help shape the story they will eventually tell about themselves.
3. Advocate passionately for your learner.
I have had the pleasure of consulting passionate parents and scholars throughout the admission process. Trust me, it takes one to know one!
Being passionate does not mean being obstinate. It means being ultra-aware of what you want from your child’s educational experience and clear about who your scholar is as a learner.
And if you have an older scholar, they should be able to articulate who they are as a learner, with excitement and confidence, too.
Recruitment and admission leaders will see this in several ways: during tours, open houses, and interviews; in responses to application prompts; and whenever there is an opportunity for your family to show up and speak up.
Be confident. Apply as if you are already enrolled.
4. Stay the course.
The admission process is long and can be arduous. It will require considerable time, energy, and resources. You may feel anxious about acceptance. You may worry about whether you can afford tuition.
If you are applying for financial support, don't allow the sticker price alone to determine what is possible before you understand a school's financial aid process and what support may be available to your family.
Above all, find ways to enjoy this experience.
This is a season of curiosity and discovery: learning about schools that align with your vision and your scholar’s capacity while also learning more about your own family.
Where are you now? Where do you want to be? And how are you going to get there?
5. Here’s an extra tip: You don’t have to go it alone.
Identify opportunities for your family to be seen and heard by schools.
SAVE THE DATE: RIISE Fall Boutique Recruitment Salon | October 18
And consider finding support for the journey ahead. Having someone help you think strategically about school choice, positioning, parent and scholar interviews, applications, and the culture of independent schools can make a meaningful difference as you build your foundation for success.
Schedule your RIISE Parent Consultation today.
And speaking of success, be sure to read our RIISE Roadmap to Independent School Success and Beyond, sign up for the RIISE Newsletter, and follow @4RIISE on social.
Admission season may have started.
You still have time.
Slow down. Get clear. Show up confidently. Then go.