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Private School Admissions

We know what it takes to make you stand out from the crowd!

The private school admissions process can be a life-changing experience for the whole family. It may seem daunting and rigorous with all the application requirements and admissions events to attend but with strategic planning, it can be a very fulfilling experience as well.

Our private school admissions consulting service aims to make your journey less stressful and geared toward success. Our premium educational consultants help plan and strategize every step to provide support and gain leverage in the admissions process.

Although most schools are test-optional, we strongly advise that students submit impressive scores to differentiate them from the other applicants. Our test prep program teaches test-taking skills, strategies, and techniques for navigating the tests to give students the confidence to undertake the whole test-taking process. We offer SSAT practice tests, ISEE practice tests, and HSPT practice tests to help your child achieve favorable scores.

Some schools require a Proctored Writing Sample to assess a student’s aptitude and readiness to undertake the grade-level coursework. Our writing tutors can help your child prepare for the Proctored Writing Sample assessment by giving them examples of prompts they could work on, giving feedback, and editing their essay samples.

Our expert educational consultants and coaches conduct interview preparation sessions where you and your child will receive tips and advice on how to answer the interview questions convincingly.

Our private school admissions consulting is thorough and well-planned. We set up the stage to make you and your family stand out and be differentiated from the rest. We have a high success rate in getting families into the top and prestigious private schools such as Menlo, Castilleja, and Sacred Heart, among others.

TEST PREPARATION

We are the leading experts in test prep! Our time-tested effective strategy not only generates high scores but also builds the student’s character along the way. Our test prep program is a holistic process that not only focuses on the mastery of academic concepts and skills but also builds character and develops confidence.

We have developed our own curriculum for test prep which is also used by other international companies. Our academic consultants closely monitor and adapt to each student’s progress to strategically address strong and weak points.

We offer comprehensive test prep programs for SSAT, ISEE, and HSPT. Remember that submitting test scores will add more value to your application despite the test-optional policy that most schools follow. Added to your GPA, academic standing, and subject grades, standardized test scores will give admissions officers an idea of your real scholastic aptitude.

STRATEGY CONSULTING

Whether applying to local schools, preparatory schools, or boarding schools, families that develop a cohesive and unique strategy set themselves apart from the other applicants. There is always something special in the way families live that admissions officers will find interesting. The challenge is in identifying what that is and being able to use it to their advantage.

At Cardinal Education, our private school admissions consultants are experts in building strategies because we understand the nuances that make applications stand out. We take the time to get to know your family in order to make appropriate recommendations.

We know how to shine a positive light on your student and the entire family.

ESSAY ASSISTANCE

Writing essays is both an art and a science, requiring both components to be successful. Just because an essay is well-written, does not mean it will resonate with admissions officers. It is important to understand what they are looking for. Each school has a different set of standards that they uphold hence, they look for particular skills and personality traits among the applicants that will be a good fit for them.

Our expert admissions consultants know what each school values and can offer expert guidance based on thousands of data points. It is a long and detailed process that begins with setting goals and brainstorming ideas to generate answers to essay prompts or topics for personal student statements. Once a draft has been made, we spend several sessions reviewing, revising, and editing the essay to minimize preventable mistakes and make sure that it brings out the best and what is special in you and your family.

INTERVIEW PREPARATION

The private school admissions interview gives admissions officers a chance to learn more about you beyond your grades and test scores. Without preparation, it can be a missed opportunity to let them see what makes you unique and special.

Our interview preparation program empowers you to overcome obstacles that may hinder you from having a successful interview. We understand how intimidating it is to stand in front of admissions officers so we aim to take away as much anxiety as possible by building communication skills to give you confidence and the ability to express yourself well. Mock interview sessions with our admissions consultants will equip you with the skills to handle different scenarios and teach you techniques on how to answer commonly asked questions.

WRITING PROGRAM

Being able to communicate effectively is one of the most important life skills that a person has to develop to have a successful career. Most people focus on developing verbal communication and spend minimal effort on improving their writing skills. Students need to develop writing skills early for them to gain leverage on their academic coursework.

A customized writing tutoring program will help students organize their thoughts and express them cohesively in writing. Whether you are struggling as a writer or already a strong writer wanting to further improve your writing skills, finding the best writing tutor will help you unlock this skill.

Boarding School Private School Independent Admissions Consulting

Boarding school and private school admissions consulting. Our college counseling & college admissions packages bring you closer to success!

How To Get Off The Waitlist

Why do private schools have a waitlist?

Private schools are known for offering high-quality education, specialized programs, smaller class sizes, better learning resources, and relevant extracurricular activities that help prepare students for college admissions. Thus, many families seek admission to the most prestigious private schools for their children which causes an influx in the number of applicants, more than the school can accommodate. This causes limited capacity for enrollment and admissions officers to screen applicants thoroughly and prioritize who will get in first.

Who is put on a waitlist?

Applicants who met the admission criteria and could be a good fit are put on a waitlist if there are not enough spaces. The school waits until previously accepted applicants enroll to determine how many more they can accept. There are multiple factors to putting students on a waitlist and each school will have its own criteria.

What should I do to get off the waitlist?

If you are waitlisted, you should immediately write and submit a letter that expresses your continued interest in the school. It is critical that you submit the letter as soon as you receive the notification of your waitlisted status.

At Cardinal Education, we believe that there are smart ways to deal with being on a waitlist. In our two decades of experience in private school admissions consulting, we have handled numerous waitlist situations over the years and we are proud to say that our students eventually got into the top private schools that are fit for them. Our educational consultants can help you plan and strategize your next steps and teach you how to reach out to admissions officers and write compelling letters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hiring an independent educational consultant as you go through the private school admissions process is the best decision you can make. The admissions process can be somewhat confusing and daunting, and with all the other things you need to do with your personal life, it can cause undue stress and tension in the family. Our expert admissions consultants can guide you throughout the admissions process and provide relevant information and insight on what the schools are looking for and assist you with completing the requirements and submitting them on time. We will give you unbiased and objective advice on how to build a strong student profile that will impress admissions officers and actually consider your application. Most importantly, we will help you find the best fit school so your child can maximize his / her potential and achieve success.

For the past year, some schools have replaced standardized tests with the Proctored Writing Sample as part of the private school admissions process. This is an online writing session, done through Zoom, where students write essays on a specific topic. The activity is proctored by one of the admissions officers. A student applying to any of the Peninsula Schools—Castilleja, Crystal Springs Uplands, The Harker School, Menlo School, The Nueva School, Sacred Heart, Woodside Priory, Keys School, Silicon Valley International School, Woodland School, and The Girls’ Middle School— need to submit only one common Proctored Writing Sample to multiple schools in the group.

Signing up for a Proctored Writing Sample Practice Test will familiarize you with the process and learn how to write powerful and compelling essays that will make you stand out and differentiate yourself from the other applicants.

Preparing early is best. If you are planning on transferring to a private school next fall, it is a bright idea to enroll in a writing program where you will be taught the basic writing mechanics and given several writing exercises to equip you with the necessary writing skills and the confidence to undergo the writing assessment.

The private school admissions interview gives admissions officers a chance to learn more about you beyond your grades and test scores. Without interview preparation, it can be a missed opportunity to let them see what makes you unique and special. Our interview preparation program empowers you to overcome obstacles that may hinder you from having a successful interview. We understand how intimidating it is to stand in front of admissions officers so we aim to take away as much anxiety as possible by building communication skills to give you confidence and the ability to express yourself well. Mock interview sessions with our educational consultants will equip you with the skills to handle different scenarios and teach you techniques on how to answer commonly asked questions. We know what the admission counselor interview questions are and we can help you craft responses that are authentic and show the value that you will be bringing into their community.