How to Get a Child Into a Private School

Getting your children into private school can be difficult at best, depending on where you live in the country. In places like New York City, it's all about who you know; in other places, getting into private school means that your child has to have an excellent resume and be able to interview well. Whatever your situation, there are ways to get your children into private school a little faster.

Instructions

1. Have a long list of recommendations. When it comes to getting your children into a private school, who you know really makes a difference. Get recommendations from former teachers, family friends and anyone else who can attest to your child's academic and social skills.

2. Provide good test scores. You can't have your kindergartner take the SAT, but higher grade levels require that you submit SSAT/ISEE tests to prove that your child is up to par academically.

3. Practice the interview process. Private school admissions counselors want to make sure that your family is the right fit for their school, so everyone will need to interview at some point. Make sure to practice with your child, so that she knows how to be courteous and mind her manners during the interview.

4. Buy your way in. While it isn't always the most popular choice, many private schools will accept donations in your child's name. So, if your child is on the borderline, a bit of the green stuff may help tip the scales in his favor.

Tips & Warnings

• If you know someone who attended the private school in question, he should be your lead reference since alumni usually carry a lot of weight in the admissions process.