The insider’s guide to the private school open house

What to look for, what to ask and how to decide if you’ve found the right fit

Martha Johnson did PLEntY oF rEsEarCh

when choosing a private school for her 13-year-old daughter. But it was her open house visits that helped her decide. Last October, the Toronto mother of three saw two schools, but liked the atmosphere and academics at Havergal College. “It just felt right,” she says.

While Johnson was able to go online to check out how different schools and academics stack up, being able to actually meet the teachers and students allowed her to get a sense of the culture and feel of each institution— something you can’t get online.

As open house season approaches—most private schools open their doors in October and November— it’s important for parents to know what they should be looking for and what questions to ask. Here’s how to make the most of those visits:

Prepare in advance

Find out as much as you can about the schools before you get there. Exploring websites is important, but so is talking to people who have actually been there, says Tom Stevens, director of admissions at Royal St. George’s College. “Talk to kids in your neighbourhood who are going to the schools on your list and see how they feel about it,” Stevens suggests.

It’s also a good idea to put down in writing what you’re looking for in a school. Think about things like what extra curricular activities your child wants, class sizes, whether an International Baccalaureate program is offered, and other areas of importance to you and your child.

Find the right fit

While open houses give parents and potential students an opportunity to dig deeper into academics and activities, the most important thing to take away is whether the school is a good fit. A lot goes into making that determination, including some hard-to-quantify things like culture.

Maggie Houston-White, executive director of enrollment management at Havergal College, suggests paying attention to how people react to you during the visit. Do students make eye contact? Is the faculty actively engaging with visiting families? “You want to get the sense that people want to get to know your child,” she says.

Pay attention to how the school looks. What’s on the walls? Is the entrance welcoming? How are the classrooms decorated? “Listen to your gut,” says Houston-White. “There’s a feeling you get when you can walk into a school and can picture your child there. That’s the difference between a good school and the right school.”

Bring your child

As much as you might like a school, it has to be right for your child. It’s important for them to be part of the decision-making. Praveen Muruganandan, director of strategic enrollment management at The York School, recommends bringing your child to the open house. “What works for parents may not always work for the child,” he says. “You don’t know what the child is looking for until they visit the school.”

On Johnsons’ open house visits her daughter asked questions that mattered to her—what can you get in the cafeteria? What was daily life like? Then the family decided together. “We’re feeling great about our decision,” says Johnson. “We’re excited for the school year.”