We parents are always full of questions about boarding schools. We are aware of residential schools, but we are not familiar with how they operate. We also want to learn how to apply to boarding school and whether we are eligible for financial aid.
Here, then, are my thoughts on some of the more common questions I receive.
Should I read my child's admissions essay?
Like a good attorney would answer, "It depends." I am a firm believer in not writing your child's admissions essay. Reading it is another matter. By the way, the admissions essay is the exercise that appears as part of the application. Typically, you will see instructions requiring the candidate to write answers in her hand. The essay must also be her original work.
Madeira's essay form gives you a good idea of what is required.
Take time to explain to your child that what she writes and how she presents her ideas make a powerful impression on the school's admissions staff. Unlike a test or examination, there are no time limits when she writes her essay. She can even do a rough draft if she likes and then make a fair copy, as the English say. That way, the content not only represents her best effort, but the presentation shows her at her best. She wouldn't turn up for the interview wearing grungy clothes, would she? Therefore, she shouldn't submit