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As the year 2017 nears to a close, it’s important to look ahead to the season of school admissions. Click here to register for Cypress Christian School’s upcoming information session, where the open house will include a general assembly and tour of the campus.
If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to selecting a school for your child, consider checking out The Firat Guide or meeting with Ibrahim Firat for College Counseling. The process should not be stressful but one of excitement for this new phase in your child’s educational journey.
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Good luck to all of the kids taking the STAAR tests this week! For those kids who have yet to take them, we offer Educational Assessments and Test Prep to help your child get ready for the STAAR series of tests.
Be sure to check out Northland Christian School’s Open house tomorrow, March 27th! Also, best of luck to all of the students taking the STAAR this week!
Lastly, be sure to contact us if you need any Test Prep help in getting ready for the upcoming ACT on April 8th.
This time of year always brings anxiety, excitement, and a little disappointment as admissions decisions are sent out by private schools in the Houston area. Parents often struggle with the next step in school admissions, the decision. The child was accepted to every school, some of the schools, or none of the schools and these scenarios needs to be approached differently. Below I have broken them down into two possible outcome:
ACCEPTED INTO ALL/MOST/SOME SCHOOLS
Congratulations! Being accepted to a school is wonderful news. However, now the hard part, deciding which school (if accepted to more than one). The key to choosing the best school for your family is evaluating their strengths and comparing those to what you are looking for a in a school. At Firat Education, we often start with location and cost, but then look at a factors such as Academics, Athletics, Faith Formation, Social Awareness, and Character Development. Most private schools in Houston are strong in one or many of these aspects, but every school is different and values different aspects. Matching those to what your family values is the key to finding the “right fit” school.
Once the schools have been placed in order of preference by family, talk with your child (depending on their age) and make sure they are open to attending the number 1 (and possibly number 2) school(s). Of course, it goes without saying that the child does NOT get to decide where they go to elementary school, but if they are excited and/or open to that school, the transition will be smoother. Hearing the child out and talking through any concerns they may have, may help with his or her eagerness. Then contact the school and let them know of your acceptance, or ask for another opportunity to visit if you are not completely sold yet.
NOT ACCEPTED TO A SCHOOL
This is a tough scenario for any family. Being rejected from a school feels like a personal attack on your child, and even your family. While it’s easier to say this than do it, we need to keep in mind that there are a multitude of factors which go into admission decisions and a rejection is not an indictment on your family or your child. The first thing to do is attempt to gain some understanding of why your child was rejected. Some schools will be more open and accessible about this than others. Reach out to the admission office and request a phone call or meeting. Then accept whatever they tell you, there is no need to argue or defend yourself as the decision has already been made.
Second, step back and look at all educational options – private schools that may fit your child better, public schools, magnet programs, etc. Reach out to any school which is feasible and ask about enrollment. Some may be full or past deadlines, but there are many private, charter, and of course public school options which are not full and will accept students past March. Once a couple of realistic options have been identified, go through the sam process as above; identify strengths of each school and match what your family values and make a decision based on acceptances.
No matter the admission outcomes, always keep in mind that you are trying to do best for your child. Regardless of the reason for talking to a school, keep things calm, polite, and as positive as possible; it will only help in the long run. If your child is not accepted to a specific school, I always try to look at it as a blessing in disguise and maybe that was not the school for you after all. There are many very good schools in Houston, and finding the “right fit” for your family may not be the biggest name or where kids in your neighborhood go. But keep your head up and find what is right for your child.
Unlike popular belief and practice, March is not the time to rest. It really should be regarded as the beginning of the college application process for juniors and the beginning of the test preparation process for sophomores. The more you spread out the college admissions process throughout the years and months of high school, the easier it will be when you start applying in your senior year.
Here’s your March checklist:
• Take the SAT on Saturday, March 11th
• If you’re not ready to take the SAT, register for our FREE 2nd SATurday practice test on March 11 at Firat Education to prepare for the official test.
• Register for the April 8th ACT
• Start researching jobs or internships for the summer
• Continue building the first draft of your college resume
• Juniors: speak to your counselor and teachers about college application recommendation letters
• Visit colleges during Spring Break
• Register for career-oriented summer programs for high school students
• Do your research about the Common Application, Coalition Application, Apply Texas, and Universal Application for college admissions, and see which one or two applications you can use for most of your applications.
For more customized help with college preparation, please call us or email us! Our professionals develop and execute a customized plan for each student that aligns school academics, standardized testing, and college counseling with college and career goals.
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Applications for Saint Catherine’s Montessori School are due on Wednesday.
Episcopal High School will host their last admissions tour of the semester at 10:30 AM on Wednesday.
Prospective students of Cypress Christian School have the opportunity to attend the school’s visit day on Thursday at 9:00 AM.
Please comment below to let us know about your admissions experience!
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Applications for Trafton Academy are due on Friday February 10th.
Cypress Christian School is hosting their Kindergarten – 12th Grade preview on Tuesday at 7:00 PM.
Episcopal is continuing their weekly tours on Wednesday at 10:30 AM.
Dr. Nicholas Morgan will attend the John Cooper School Campus Tour on Wednesday morning at 9:45 AM. This is a fantastic opportunity to meet the Author of The Firat Guide for Early Childhood, Lower School, and Middle School.
Good Luck to everyone taking the SSAT on Saturday!
The last day to register for this exam date is Wednesday.
Don’t forget to leave comments about your admissions experience!
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Applications for St. Anne Catholic School, The Regis School of the Sacred Heart, Saint Thomas Episcopal School, and St. Thomas High School are due on Wednesday.
Dr. Nick Morgan is visiting The Regis School of the Sacred Heart on Monday. If you have any questions that you would like him to ask during this visit, please comment below.
Dr. Nick will also be attending the Elementary Tour at Faith West Academy on Tuesday. This is the perfect opportunity for parents to meet the author of The Firat Guide for Early Childhood, Lower School, and Middle School.
Episcopal High School will continue hosting their weekly Admissions Tours at 10:30 AM on Wednesday.
Good luck to everyone taking the HSPT at St. John XXIII College Preparatory on Saturday! Contact the school’s admissions office for information on registering for this exam.
Please post comments here to let us know about your admissions experience!
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Applications for The Woodlands Christian Academy are due on Thursday.
Cypress Christian School will host their 6th Grade Preview at 7:00 PM Tuesday and their Kindergarten Preview at 7:00 PM on Thursday.
Episcopal High School will continue hosting their weekly Admissions Tours at 10:30 AM on Wednesday.
Good luck to everyone taking the ISEE at Fort Bend Christian Academy, The Honor Roll School, Houston Christian High School, Lutheran High North, St. Thomas Episcopal School, and The Woodlands Christian Academy on Saturday!
Please note: Registration for these ISEE exams has closed. Registration for the ISEE is available up to three weeks before the test for a fee of $105.00. Late registration is available after the three week deadline has passed up to two weeks before the test date for an additional $25.00. If you have questions about whether or not you should take the ISEE more than once, please contact us!
Saturday is the late registration deadline for the February 11th SSAT exam. There is an additional late registration fee.
Please post comments here to let us know about your admissions experience!
Dr. Nicholas Morgan writes for CKW Luxe readers. Which is better? Montessori or traditional?
The Montessori vs Traditional school arguments have been raging for over a hundred years, (109 years to be exact). In 1907, Maria Montessori opened a school in a poor area of Rome with her own unique educational philosophy in place. Since then, her ideas and philosophy have spread worldwide and have become known as the Montessori method we know today. As soon as her philosophy started to spread around the world, so did the arguments about which method is better.
So who is right? Read more here.
