TaborTalk Blog

Writing is ingrained in every aspect of the college application process. Your ability to convey who you are in writing is important. If you are an athlete, a robotics team leader, or the main character in Chicago, admissions counselors want to know you outside of the classroom. They want to know you as your genuine, authentic self. How can you make your personal statement and supplemental essays stand out?

Having a roommate is one of the most profound and unique experiences you can have at boarding school, and it teaches you things you never thought you would learn. Having a boarding school roommate challenges you in new ways, brings out your best, and teaches patience, resilience, and empathy. There can certainly be challenges in any roommate relationship, but most can be overcome with good communication and a little help from trusted adults on campus.

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you have done well in middle school, or you are the parent of someone who has! Transitioning to high school requires some slight modifications and a step above the habits that got you there. But you don’t have to know how to succeed in high school already, and you won’t be expected to figure it out by yourself.

The differences between middle school and high school might surprise you. 

The biggest part of our job in the admissions office at Tabor is to meet with families who are searching for the right high school. Although we represent a boarding school, our conversations with families about what the next step of their student’s educational journey might look like cover a range of topics because there are many factors to consider. One thing that many students wonder about as their middle school years draw to a close is, “What will high school actually be like?” Many of them have some expectations based on things they have heard from family friends or seen in movies. 

“Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you…….”. It’s the phrase every senior wants to read when they hear back from the schools to which they applied. Many of our students have already received good news based on early decision and early action results. But many Tabor students, and certainly the majority of high school students throughout the US, are not under binding decisions. For them, they wait. And once they get their acceptances, they decide. Ask them in June what was harder, waiting or deciding, and you might be surprised by the answer. But now it is real. Students are in the driver’s seat, about to make a decision that has been hyped as the most important of their lives to date. Many have bought into a myth of the idealized college experience only to be attained at the perfectly matched school. With the stakes ratcheted up so high, it’s no wonder they fear a misstep.   

3 Ways to Make Waiting for Admission Decisions Easier

The essays have been polished and submitted. Transcripts have been uploaded. You have taken the Snapshot. You have scoured websites and read up on all of your schools of interest. You visited campuses and took tours and attended virtual events.  You rocked your interview. You have put in so much hard work and we are very appreciative. Now, there is one month to go until you will learn if you get accepted at your top private schools. 

Colleges and universities are ecosystems, and it takes time to get a feel for what makes each institution special and unique. Therefore, good research is a critical component of a student’s college search, especially the college visit. Juniors need to learn for themselves if a college or university’s vibe is right for them, and visiting campuses is the most effective (and fun!) way to figure that out.

To gain some insight about college visits, I reached out to several college admissions colleagues.

Opening Our Doors, Virtually and In-Person! 

Tabor Admissions has pivoted creatively to offer expanded in-person opportunities for our prospective families this year, and we have loved every minute of it! From outdoor fairs to hosting interviews in our festively decorated tent, we are happy to be back in action. 

Ever wondered what all the acronyms in the college application process stand for? We're here to help. 

There’s something about August that incites the back-to-school jitters in me.  I clean and organize my desk, buy school supplies, and dig deeper into writing and meeting planning.

Private school admissions interview preparation should give you a chance to reflect on your strengths and areas for improvement and what you hope your high school experience will be like. Admissions interview questions are designed to help the interviewer get to know you. Admissions interviewers are looking for qualities you could contribute to the school and, equally as important, how the school could help you on your educational journey. 

A campus tour is a great way to get an initial sense of whether or not you can picture your family as part of the school community. Here are four tips for maximizing your on-campus, in-person boarding school tour experience including questions to ask and suggested ways to approach your tour.