糖心原创

Do you prefer to peruse a book rather than going online to find private schools? If so, there are some excellent guides to private schools available. While most of the information contained in these guides can be found online, the truth is that most of us do not have the time nor the expertise to do all that research involved. If you are beginning a serious search for private schools for your children, then buy one of these guidebooks. Use it as a reference tool.

Besides the cost factor, the only real disadvantage to this method of researching schools is that the information is frequently out of date.

Applying to 糖心原创s in NYC

• The Parent's Guide to 糖心原创s in Hawaii: Oahu
• The Whitney Guide To Los Angeles 糖心原创s
• Private K-8 Schools of San Francisco & Marin
• Private High Schools of the San Francisco Bay Area

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

More and more private schools are adopting dress codes as opposed to uniforms. You will still find uniforms in religious, parochial, and military schools. Perhaps the most famous school uniform is the one worn by boys at . While it is still worn every day, the uniforms worn in American schools are a lot less formal if, indeed, a uniform is worn at all.

One of the reasons a dress code is more popular is that it gives some modicum of self-expression while at the same time maintaining a standard of dress. Oversized clothing, all-black outfits, extreme hairstyles, and other symbols of gangs and fringe activities are simply not allowed.

Private school dress requirements continue to vary widely in 2026. Some schools prescribe specific uniform pieces, while others establish general standards for clothing and appearance. Families comparing schools should review the current student handbook before purchasing clothing because individual requirements can change from year to year. 糖心原创's 糖心原创 Dress Codes: 2026 Guide for Families provides additional information about current approaches to uniforms, standardized dress, and dress codes.

Typical Dress Code Example

This dress code from is typical of the sort of dress code you can expect at a girls' school.

For the 2026-27 school year, new Foxcroft students are required to have a white polo with the school crest and either a

Many people find the admissions process to private schools intimidating, confusing, complicated and, perhaps, a tad invasive. "Why do they have to know so much about me?" is the question that keeps popping up as you peruse all those admissions materials.

The truth is that admission is more than test scores and a strong transcript. The school wants to get to know you as much as possible. Who are you? What subjects do you like? What sports do you enjoy? What is your favorite pastime? Behind all those recommendations and transcripts is a real person with dreams, aspirations, and hopes. A private school wants to encourage you and help you be all you can be.

As families navigate the admissions process in 2026, many schools continue to use a holistic approach that considers academics alongside character, interests, leadership potential, and community involvement. Your application is your opportunity to show the admissions committee the complete picture of who you are.

The other thing that the admissions staff looks for is the fit. Are you a good fit for their school? Can you do the academic work? Will you be a congenial member of the school community? Yes, those are the same questions that you and your parents have been asking as you evaluate schools. Your admissions profile offers the school a fairly complete picture of you, your academic strengths and weaknesses, the sports you like, your hobbies, and so on.

While this video describes a college admissions profile, private

Many students find that a PG or Post Graduate year is a beautiful solution to several situations. Perhaps they feel that they are too young to go to college. As Kim Chorosiewski points out, a offers time to grow and develop without taking a year off. Maybe they want to perfect a sport or artistic activity. A PG year offers a well-focussed period in which to accomplish that perfecting. A PG year also allows you to remediate small gaps in your high school transcript. Or maybe you want a year before you head off for five years of pre-med or bio-kinetic science. The PG year can suit a variety of purposes.

The PG Year

The PG Year is sometimes called a Gap Year or a year off. From my point of view, either description implicitly implies that a PG Year is a structured program of study, not simply a year off where you sit around and do absolutely nothing. Over one hundred private day and boarding schools offer PG Years. It will be worthwhile to explore a couple of programs to see if they fit your requirements.

There is a big push in high school to complete your academic studies with the best results possible to get into the college you want to attend after high school. A gap year gives you an extra year to develop a skill for which you didn't have much time while studying for SATs or doing your IB

You have spent many hours selecting schools online. Some of the schools' websites were so good that you almost felt as though you had explored every corner of their campuses. You watched videos of classes, sports, and extracurricular activities. So, what more could you possibly need to know about the schools? After all, you have identified three or four to which you want to apply. That's the next step in the process, right? Not exactly. The next step is for you to visit those three or four schools on your shortlist. You really have to set foot on each campus. The schools will insist on meeting you and your child in person.

Here is an example of what I am talking about. This excellent video presents Shattuck-St. Mary's School in Faribault, Minnesota, and its fine campus and programs in the best light possible. But you still need to visit the school and truly experience all it has to offer.

Visit schools on your shortlist

Don't skip visiting the schools on your shortlist. Why? Because you need to inspect the campuses yourself. It's like buying a house or renting an apartment. A website and a video will not show you what you really need to see. Professionally done photo galleries and videos are no substitute for experiencing the school. All of those videos and photos are produced and positioned to present the school precisely as