Late summer and early fall is the ideal time to focus on scheduling school visits, which begin in mid-September and end in early to mid-January. Here are some initial steps and information to get you started:
- All schools require that you complete an inquiry form on their admissions website page before they will allow you to schedule a visit. The forms are fairly straight-forward and are essentially used to enter your student into their system. Don’t fret about how you answer each question about interests, etc.
- A few schools who use the Gateway to Prep application platform require you to complete Part 1: The Candidate Profile before you can schedule a visit (Andover and Exeter, for example). This form is a little more in-depth and includes an activities list. Be prepared to complete that section to the best of your ability because you won’t be able to return to it once submitted. HOWEVER, there are other places in the application you can include information you may have forgotten to include.
- Each visit consists of a tour, student interview and parent conversation. You should plan to be there for 2 ½ to 3 hours. It is possible to complete two visits in one day, if necessary.
- Some schools offer virtual interviews to students who live far away. Choate, for example, only offers virtual interviews. But we strongly encourage you to visit campuses for a tour (if not an interview) to demonstrate your interest in the school and to fairly assess if it is a good fit for you/your student.
- Interviews are not held during school breaks (Thanksgiving, holiday winter break) but they do offer visits on Indigenous Peoples Day, Veterans Day and Jewish holidays. Also, schools without Saturday classes usually do not offer Saturday visits. Plan accordingly!
Each school has their own way of doing things so it can be difficult to navigate scheduling sometimes. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your consultant!
THE RETURN OF TESTING
In 2020, colleges and schools suspended standardized testing requirements because of the pandemic. For the next few years, these institutions examined data to see if standardized testing was a useful tool, or if the admissions process could be improved or predictive of academic success without scores.
Like their higher education counterparts, there has been a slow return to requiring testing among selective boarding and day schools. To date, almost all Boston area day schools and many boarding schools have reinstated testing requirements. Therefore, in most cases, we will recommend that you prepare for and take the SSAT.
Please consult McMillan’s Owl Boarding School Guide advanced search function to see which of your schools require testing.
