<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I'm not a parent, but I think you'll be a good source of advice. </p>
<p>Can you suggest how I could approach the subject of prep schools with my family?</p>
<p>My mum knows I'm set on college in the US, but prep school... she has no idea.</p>
<p>I was thinking of saying to her 'I'll pay for the application fees, all my exam stuff, if you do the proof of earnings stuff'.</p>
<p>It'll involve some chasing around, I assume.</p>
<p>But any ideas how to approach the subject?</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>Send for the admissions materials for the schools you are interested in that also have the financial endowments to offer substantial financial aid. Start working on the applications. Then show them to her. That is what my daughter did. She is now at boarding school. You’ll have to work very hard to make it happen, but it is worth it. I wouldn’t offer to pay the admissions fees, because that can add up very quickly.
zp</p>
<p>But I know my family can’t afford them…? So I know I’ll have to. I was thinking of applying to the one school I really want to go to above all others as well as an online high school they already know I want to apply to. You’re probably right about getting admissions stuff and applications together though. I’ll go send off for the application now. (: Thank you!</p>
<p>You can get fee waivers at many schools if you need them</p>
<p>Ordering the introductory and admissions materials is a good start. When your family sees the stuff sitting around, then have an honest, direct conversation about it. Just try to keep BS open as an option rather than expecting them to embrace it right away.</p>
<p>I strongly suggest you apply to more than one school. Three is an absolute minimum in my view, and many people apply to seven or eight. Find a way to pay the fee for at least three. Admissions decisions are very complex. Grades and test scores and recommendations and extra curricular stuff, etc., matter a lot, but the schools also try to create good mixes of students, in interests and geography and strengths. So even if you are highly qualified, you might not get admitted to any particular school. Thus, apply to more than one.</p>
<p>If you are going to need almost full financial aid, realize that it is possible! My daughter is now at a top school on about 85% aid. We could never have afforded even half the real costs. Find the schools with the strongest financial aid packages, as no matter what anyone says it makes a difference in admissions. Knowing we needed financial aid, my daughter was accepted to two top schools with huge endowments, but wait-listed at another “second tier” school that couldn’t offer her as much financial aid (and thus knew she was not as likely to enroll there). If you are a very strong candidate, don’t hesitate to apply to the schools with the biggest endowments and top reputations. They are the ones that can make it happen if they admit you.</p>