School Finder and Comparison Tool
To help parents navigate the middle school admissions process, the website has a school finder as well as a school comparison tool that will allow parents to identify a set of schools that meet your child's and family's needs as well as compare these schools' characteristics (e.g., educational philosophy, cost, test scores, attendance rates). To learn more about these services, please click on the School Finder Tab above.
Handouts
Moreover, the website has handouts that help parents prepare for the child and parent interviews, the entrance exams as well as the school tours that includes a survey to help parents keep track of the strengths and weaknesses of each school they visit.
Please click on the following links to download the handouts:
- Middle school tour handout
- Writing a compelling essay for the application
- Reference letter handout
- Admissions officers' pet peeves
- Admissions decisions handout
- Financial aid and scholarships handout
We also provide more personal services to help parents navigate the middle school admissions process, including eduprofile, workshops and individual consulting. To learn how to purchase these services, please click on the Our Services Tab.
Eduprofile
We have created a survey that will help us determine your child’s educational profile as well as your family’s educational goals and practical concerns. More specifically, the survey asks you about your child’s basic learning capacity, skill development, special interests, learning styles, motivation to learn, social temperament and disabilities. In addition, the questionnaire asks parents questions regarding the importance of various educational characteristics (e.g., what content is emphasized, teaching methods, classroom behavior management approach and school community) as well as any practical considerations that are important, including the school’s type, location, educational approach, schedule, transportation, and cost. Once we have reviewed the survey, we will send you information about your child’s educational profile as well as a list of schools that we think will meet your child’s and family’s needs.
Workshops
We offer the following 2-hour middle school workshops:
- Navigating the New York City middle school admissions process
- Preparing children for the entrance exams
The middle school admissions process workshop provides parents with tips regarding 1) how to identify the middle schools that meet your family’s needs, 2) the logistics of the admissions process, 3) touring schools, 4) parent interviews, 5) preparing your child for interviews, 6) writing a compelling essay, and 7) juggling acceptances and wait-list offers.
The second workshop, preparing students for the middle school entrance exams, explains the rationale behind the admissions tests required by many middle schools. Parents will also learn how to prepare your child to be as comfortable as possible on the date of the test.
Individual Consulting Services
We provide individual consulting services to parents who would like help navigating the public and private middle school admissions process. More specifically, we can help parents with any one or all of the following steps:
Step 1) Develop your child's and family's educational profile
Step 2) Identify the middle schools that meet your child’s and family’s needs
Step 3) Understand the logistics of the admissions process
Step 4) Prepare for the school tours as well as the parent and student interviews
Step 5) Complete the applications and write a compelling essay
Step 6) Select the best school for your child and family