when is the best time to do an inquiry form?

Prep School Admissions
1

<p>the title says it all</p>

2

<p>I did all of mine during the summer and that worked out fine (but I had done pretty thorough background research first). But if you’re planning to interview during the summer I would maybe do them towards the end of the school year.</p>

3

<p>You’ll want to send the inquiries at the beginning of the process, so you get on the schools’ mailing lists and get invited to local receptions.</p>

4

<p>Of course it’s not too early to plan visits. If you live close enough, try to go to some school events at schools you/your child might consider. Getting a close up look at the school on a normal day is a good idea. Check the school calendars, then call admissions and see what they recommend for a preliminary visit. Some schools will also give tours that are not associated with the interview process.</p>

5

<p>Note that often schools are preparing new viewbooks/materials in the Summer…more than one sent me a provisional/smaller brochure and then followed up in the late summer with the “real” one. Groton sent one with the the caveat that “Our new viewbook won’t be ready until XX/XX/XX…” They sent me that one, too.</p>

<p>A few words of advice:

  • Do not use the application essay prompts posted by any school until you know they are the ones for the current application cycle. I made this mistake, and my daughter had to scramble to repurpose a few essays from other school prompts at the last second.</p>

<ul>
<li>Also, if you know that you are NOT interested in pursuing a school after receiving their materials…be courteous enough to notify them to take you off the mailing list. You’ll save trees plus the school’s money and time.</li>
</ul>

<p>As a preview of a longer piece I’m writing on our process, here are the schools from which we requested info and when:</p>

<p>Early (1) — Spring 2010
Miss Porter’s*</p>

<p>First Wave (7) — June 2010
Andover
Choate
Exeter
Groton
Madeira*
Milton
St. Paul’s</p>

<p>Second Wave (5) — August/Sept 2010
Cate
Mercersburg
St. Andrew’s
Thacher
Westtown</p>

<p>*All-girls schools</p>

6

<p>thanks guys</p>