If you have done research about possible elementary schools for your child, it is possible that you can already come to the conclusion that private schools have many benefits. A few of the benefits of private schools include smaller class sizes, more instructor attention, better test taking preparation, high quality of athletic programs, and an abundance of extra curricular activities. Now that you have decided to enroll your child into private elementary schools to take advantage of these many benefits or private schools, how do you choose the right school? It is likely that there are a couple different local options, and the one you choose can make all the difference in the world.

Enrollment numbers and acceptance numbers

Private elementary schools tend to be more selective. They boast smaller class sizes, which helps improve academic success. Before choosing the perfect private elementary program, you will want to establish just how selective the school is. Does your child have a chance of being accepted? What is required for acceptance? What are the actual enrollment numbers and how many children are in one classroom, under the instruction of one teacher? Private schools with fewer students are likely to have higher success rates, because the students receive more individualized attention.

College acceptance rates

One of the biggest advantages of enrolling your child into private elementary schools is that it better prepares them for middle schools programs, high school, and then college. You can often estimate the quality of a private school by looking at their acceptance rates into the next level programs. How many of the children are accepted into a private middle school program? How many continue onto a private high school program? Finally, how many are accepted into the college of their choice? Of the 305,842 private high school graduates in 2010 to 2011, some 64% attended 4 year colleges by the fall of 2011. Request information about the specific college attendance rates of the private school that you are interested in.

Specific school restrictions

Private schools tend to have different rules and regulations than public schools do. One of the most common regulations is that of gender. A small percentage of private schools separate students by gender. They believe that is contributes to greater academic success. Although most parents find this separation acceptable, some may not. Approximately 96% of all private schools in 2011 to 2012 were coeducational, while 2% enrolled all girls and 2% enrolled all boys. If gender separation is important to you in a private educational program, you may choose one of these programs.

Individual teacher qualifications

Smaller class sizes are extremely important to a child?s academic success. In addition to the increased attention from the teacher, the teacher?s specific qualifications also matter. Different schools have different teacher hiring rules. Typically, 60 to 80% of private school teachers will have an advanced degree. If this is an important characteristic of private elementary schools to you, you might want to request more information about specific teacher?s qualifications.

Religious following

You will also find that many private schools are founded on a religious background. You do not necessarily have to be strongly involved in a specific religion to enroll your child in a private school, but it is very likely that they will be regularly exposed to that religion. In fact, some private schools make church attendance and church activities a part of the school day. However, different private programs have different degrees of religion. If religion is important to you, choosing a private school program that fits with your religious beliefs may be beneficial.

Private schools provide many benefits to both children and their parents. Overall, they tend to prepare them better both academically and career wise. Once you decide that enrolling your child into a private school program is the right choice, you have the make the decision of which private school you will send them to. Each private school is different, set up with its own regulations, teacher requirements, and religious backgrounds. Do your research and choose one that fits with you and your family.