Atlanta JATP Testing: Why Do Parents Wait Until The Last Minute to Think About Private Schools?

If you ever met my in-laws, you would not be surprised that they planned for my husband's education and his scholastic transitions five years before he changed from his first school to his second school. When I talk to my mother-in-law about these different events, she describes the planning that she had to do in addition to all of the milestones he would need to meet in order to be considered for some of the scholastic challenges that lie ahead.

Fortunately for my husband, the work was done for him. My situation of transitioning from one school to another was not as smooth. My parents moved in the middle of my fifth grade year from one area of town to another and even though it was still in the same city, I lost a core group of friends and teachers that understood me as a student and needed to re-learn everything.

When parents look for someone to help them with the private school process in Atlanta, it is a daunting and challenging process. During the first meeting that I have with my new clients, I find myself apologizing at least once (maybe more than once) about the information that I provide to them and sometimes, expect them to remember when they leave the office. I'm extremely happy by the sheer number of parents that contact me early because I compliment them on their timing and can be honest about the element of time and how it can help with your child's development. However, parents who contact me with only a few weeks to help them navigate through the process of selecting a private school are not as lucky.

Some things to consider when you are looking for a professional who is working on an advisory role as you choose private schools for your child are the following:

1. How well do they know the school? (Other than receiving subjective information from a friend.)

2. What makes them qualified to speak about school choices? (A response of "I"m a parent!" is not a qualification..)

3. How long have they been doing this professionally? (If they are recently retired from one of the schools, that makes them bias - and great for that school in particular.)

4. What can they do other than talk about a school? (If they have a brochure from the schools, that is great if you would like to hire someone to act as a filing cabinet.)

5. Why are they advising you on school choices? (I have clients every year call me the "School Whisperer" because I predict which school(s) will send the acceptance letter.)

If you are on the road to having your child go through the Atlanta Private School Admissions Process and would like to have some additional insight/consulting on this rewarding journey, feel free to contact me at: christine@learningridge.com or you can call me at 404-964-8533.