Schools - Too many to choose from

According to News Week, I went to a very good public school, top 5% in the nation. I am grateful for having such an opportunity. Today, I am faced with more choices then I imagined.

Websites
Once you know what you and your child's preferences are, it is time to start review the school websites. This will give you all the basics from teacher student ratio to the number of teachers with terminal degrees (they have completed all the education possible for their profession).

Internet
Do a search on the internet. It is not unusual for schools to make headlines. This is a valuable resource.

Friends & Neighbors
If you have friends with older children ask them if they will share some of their experiences from their school even if it is a school you do not think you will apply to. You may be surprised, or confirm your opinion of the school but most importantly you are building up a data base to compare to.

Gathering data can take a while, consider starting a year before the application is due.