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School
Preference Search
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This tool is designed to assist
you in locating schools that meet your specific
preferences. It gives you the opportunity to conduct
a narrow search based upon preferred characteristics.
Please note that fewer school preferences selected
will yield more search results. If you have any
additional questions regarding how this search
works, or any other frequently asked questions,
please refer to our FAQ
for further details.
To begin searching for schools
based on your preferences, please answer any or
all of the following questions.
1. I am looking
for schools located in the following state(s):
2. I have a preference and know the name of
the school(s) that I am searching for:
3. I am interested in the following type(s)
of schools:
4. I am searching for schools with the following
student composition:
Co-educational
Exclusively male
Exclusively female
No Preference
5. I am looking for day and/or boarding schools:
Day
Boarding
No Preference
6. I am searching for schools based in the
following location setting:
Urban
City
Rural
Suburban
No Preference
7. I am interested in schools that serve
the following age(s) and grade(s):
*
NOTE: Since some schools have restrictions or
allowances regarding age, please check both
the grade level AND age you are searching for
below.
8. I have a
preference for schools that exude the following
characteristics:
Overall Philosophy:
A school's philosophy is determined by a variety
of topics related to teaching, learning and assessment.
While most schools utilize a mixture of philosophies,
it is possible to differentiate schools based
on the degree to which teachers use more traditional
(versus less traditional) methods of teaching
and evaluation.
For
example, a school with a more traditional philosophy
generally uses multiple-choice exams and standardized
tests based on writing, math, science and language
for assessment. A school with a more non-traditional
philosophy uses alternative methods of assessment
including portfolios, open-ended exams or other
types of non-standard forms of evaluation and
also emphasizes a wide range of skills and abilities
including artistic abilities, practical skills
or emotional and/or spiritual development.
School Culture: School
culture refers to a school's approach to student
conduct (including dress code, discipline, and
social or emotional issues), instruction and methods
of evaluation.
For
example, a school that is conservative might
have explicit rules and regulations for student
behavior and rigid consequences for not abiding
to those rules. A progressive school might not
have clearly defined rules for student behavior
or discipline, but instead determine the consequences
for a student's actions on a case-by-case basis.
Goal Orientation: Goal
orientation reflects a school's approach to teaching
and evaluation. A process-oriented school will
place its instructional emphasis on how students
learn and a school that is goal-oriented will
place its instructional emphasis on meeting specific
performance goals.
For
example, teachers at process-oriented schools
might focus their instruction on the development
of students' intellectual or creative thinking
rather than specific performance goals. These
schools tend to employ a more individualized
and student-centered approach to teaching and
learning. Goal-oriented schools might encourage
students to attain a certain score on a standardized
test. These schools also tend to have more clearly
defined proficiency standards and goals for
teachers and students.
Approach to Student:
Approach to student refers to the school's flexibility
in terms of how it responds to the students' needs.
This may include how students are grouped, how
involved parents are in developing their child's
academic program, or the extent to which teaching
practices are consistent across the school.
For
example, a school that tends to be more structured
is more likely to assign its students to a class
based on the students' ages and to provide more
consistency in terms of the design of students'
academic programs. A school that is more flexible
is likely to assign its students to a class
based on the students' abilities and to employ
a more individualized approach to placement,
assessment and teaching.
Sports & Extracurricular
Activities: Some schools will prioritize extracurricular
activities and provide a wide range of options
or advanced levels of coaching and/or instruction
relative to other schools. These schools are also
likely to have greater levels of student participation,
event attendance or higher levels of student performance
in these activities. Schools with exceptional
sports programs may also facilitate performance
in regional and national level competitions in
specific sports.
9. I prefer schools that
have a strong focus on or have an exceptional
program in a particular subject area(s):
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