The Process

Our goal is to help Columbia families explore early child care and educational options for their children in preschool, K–8, middle- and high-school placements in a public, independent, parochial, boarding or special education school. We also offer advice to families looking at the college application process, although we always work in consultation with the student's high-school counselor, and we consider the School and Child Care Search Service to be a supplement to the school counselor.

Whether you are looking at early child care, preschools, elementary schools, or secondary schools, the process is similar:

1. Complete the online inquiry form to provide us with some basic information on your child.
2. Review the online information on this Web site and the sites to which we link. Consider purchasing or borrowing from your public library some of the print materials listed in the "Resources" section of this site.
3. Schedule a consultation with our staff.
4. With our help, forge an action plan for exploring early child care/ schools of interest to you.
5. Implement the action plan.
6. Hold a focusing consultation after you have done your research so that you can narrow down your choices from the list of early child care/schools initially identified.
7. Apply to the early child care centers/ schools of interest. At this stage, we will be advocates for your child as well as advisers to you. For this reason we may ask to meet with your child so that our advocacy can be based on personal knowledge rather than simply a paper record.
8. Receive offers from all child care centers/ schools and make one more visit to select a center/school.
9. Celebrate!
10. If you are currently researching early child care centers/schools, you can also help your colleagues by filling out the form, Child Care/ School Visit Feedback, which is also password protected and asks your reactions to school publications, tours, open houses, etc.
11. If you need help or would like to comment on this Web site or other aspects of the School and Child Care Search Service, please contact us or complete the School and Child Care Search Service Feedback form.

Of course, we know you have heard all the horror stories about gaining admission for your child into the right school in New York City, and the process is indeed daunting. Furthermore, step eight is a fervent desire, not a binding contract! However, the bright side of having so many schools to consider is that there really is no better place in the world to educate your child. This is so not only because of the many great schools to consider but also because of the many museums, enrichment programs for children in all areas, and cultural opportunities that make New York City such an exciting place to live and raise a family. We look forward to helping you in this adventure.