Tagged: Boarding school

Best time for campus visits is upon us

October 2nd, 2017

October is now upon us and it’s the perfect time of the year for campus visits. Leaves are changing and the air is crisp!

Not only are school grounds typically beautiful at this time of the year, but students are now comfortable with their new surroundings and schedules. Visit schools on your list during a normal week if at all possible, rather than on a weekend or during finals week. This will provide great opportunity to see what college or boarding school life is all about and give you a chance to interact with faculty and students.

Before going on a campus visit, I encourage you to be prepared to ask a lot of questions so you can learn as much as possible. Provided below is a link to a thorough list of questions to consider when going to view a school or college for the first time. Many of you have this campus visit guide already; although it’s written for the college search, it’s equally valid for boarding school exploration.

Indiana University mobile pocket guide>>

But wait, there’s more! Whether you are applying to college or boarding school, the article posted below is another wonderful resource. Although written for boarding school families, some of the advice can benefit families looking at colleges, too.

Article referenced below from The Boarding School Review

Many parents feel that they know a boarding school because they have spent time on its web site. They ‘liked’ the school’s Facebook page and are following it on Twitter. They also have watched all the YouTube videos the school has posted on its YouTube channel. They and their child are convinced that the school is a good fit for them and their requirements. So why bother actually hopping on a plane, renting a car, booking accommodation and taking all that time to go and visit the school? It goes without saying that you need to visit any school to which you are thinking of sending your child. The school will insist on it because they want to meet you in person whenever possible.

Your educational consultant may have given the schools glowing reports. Your great uncle has always spoken about his years at one of the schools on your short list with great fondness. In fact he has given generously to his alma mater. One of your colleagues in the Boston office has a daughter at another school on your short list. She apparently loves her school’s equestrian program. But that’s their opinion. You and your child need to set foot on each campus on your short list, scope each one out and use your own judgement about whether your child will be happy there for three or four years. Here is a list of things to look for and questions to ask.

Developing Personal Insight

July 24th, 2017

This week I want to share a link to a series of personal insight questions from the University of California’s college admission application. I especially appreciate these questions for their scope and direction. Whether you are applying to the UC system or not, you’ll find that the questions comprise a valuable exercise in shaping choices and reflection on what is important to you personally. The personal insight questions are also beneficial for younger high school and middle school students and their parents to consider as they look ahead to searching for a boarding school and/or college.

Personal development is something we all continue to work on each day of our lives, whether we’re aware of it or not. The series of questions provided by UC is a great way to get us to dig a little deeper and gain a better understanding of ourselves.

Intrigued? Please read the article provided below.

Article published below by University of California’s Admissions website

What do you want UC to know about you? Here’s your chance to tell us in your own words.

Directions

You will have 8 questions to choose from. You must respond to only 4 of the 8 questions.
Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words.
Which questions you choose to answer is entirely up to you: But you should select questions that are most relevant to your experience and that best reflect your individual circumstances.

Read more at University of California Admissions >>

Tagged: Applications, Boarding school, College, Personal characteristics

What does my boarding school admission decision mean?

March 6th, 2017

The wait is almost over, as March 10th marks the official release date for boarding school admission decisions. So what can you expect to see? Here at the Shrop Ed office, we hope to hear the exciting news that our students are awash in acceptances.

No matter the outcome, the Cheshire Academy blog post linked below, which describes the various responses you may receive, will be helpful when deciding your next step in the process. This article comes at the perfect time, as spring college admission decisions are around the corner as well, and high school seniors stand to receive the same array of responses.

Our best hopes are with all of our students, boarding school and college applicants alike!

Article below published by Cheshire Academy

Written by: Stacy Jagodowski

What does my admission decision mean?

It’s March 10, and that means, boarding school admission decisions are here. You likely received one of five admission decision responses, and we know what you have to do next.

Can campus tours be vacation opportunities?

October 10th, 2016

Fall has arrived in Kentucky and here at the ShropEd office, we consider this college and boarding school touring season. Choosing the university or school you attend is one of the largest investment decisions you will make during your lifetime (not only on financial terms) so we believe it is important to take a close look at your options. This is usually a beautiful time to visit campuses; not only are the leaves changing colors, but school spirit is in full bloom during football season and classes are in session so you can get a feel for what your school or college experience will be like.

While you may think that looking through brochures and “googling” the school of your choice is just as good as seeing it in person, there really is nothing like first-hand experience. The article we’ve posted today, written by Elaine Glusac for The New York Times, shares ways to make college visits more enjoyable for parents and kids.

We love Glusac’s list and suggestions for making these trips into more of a vacation for everyone. Although written with college in mind, this article is equally applicable to families visiting boarding schools.

Article below published September 22, 2016

Written by: Elaine Glusac

At Amherst College in Amherst, Mass., my family, including our son, prospective applicant Seth, enjoyed the natural history museum and spied on swim team practice. At Colby College in Waterville, Me., we appreciated the colonial architecture and the modern art collection. At the University of Chicago, we loved the Hogwarts-like reading room and the pierogi truck.

So it goes with college campus visits, a mix of research and entertainment through which high schoolers shop for their academic future.