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by Andrew McCain, Director of Admissions
As you embark on your secondary school search and application process, we at Tabor wanted to offer some advice on navigating the journey from interviewing to application. The most important thing for you to remember is that you are at the center of your own search and you should never lose sight of who you are and what you hope to find in your next school environment. With that in mind, I offer the following:
On Interviewing:
- You are in the driver's seat. Schools want you to like them.
- Be yourself - it is the person you've had the most practice with.
- Prepare questions for the tour guide and the admissions interviewer.
- Decide, maybe with the help of your parents, three or four things you are hoping to learn while visiting, but don't make them things you can figure out from the website or publications.
- No interviewer is going to put you on the spot and ask you a question you can't answer.
- Write down your impressions of each school as you are leaving. Try not to discuss your impressions in the car, however. Wait a little bit, maybe until you get home, so you have a chance to process your thinking before committing to an opinion.
After the Interviews
- Try to sort out what it is you are really looking for. Go beyond the checklist of programs and activities that are important to you. Set goals. Like a ski racer at the top of a downhill run, picture the course and where you want to be at the end. Which school best fits that picture?
- Take the schools for test drives. Get back on campus if you can. Sporting events, theater productions, and concerts are usually open to the public and most schools would love to give you the opportunity to learn more. These events offer an opportunity to see the community in action. There is an awful lot of time between now and March 10th. Keeping it all fresh can be a challenge, but well worth the time and effort.
One Final Note
- We use the SSAT Standard Application Online (SAO) because we feel schools should be respectful of the applicant's time during the school search process. We hope that a number of the schools to which you are applying use the SAO and that as a result you have saved some of your valuable time for being a kid!
For more information about applying to Tabor, visit the FAQ page on our website.
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