Admissions Policy for High School Students

 

Students who wish to enroll in the 9th through 12th grades at The New School mid-year need to go through the following procedures. Because of the community nature of the upper school, new students need to pass through a series of interviews with the Headmaster, teachers, and students in order to insure that their presence at the school is in the best interest of both themselves and the school community. Admissions for the following school year need not follow this procedure, though an abbreviated process may be employed.

The transition from public to private school is sometimes a difficult one. At The New School, where the educational emphasis rests on the student's ability to make wise choices about the best use of their time and energy, this change can be demanding. The admissions procedures are designed to help ease this difficult adjustment period.

• At the beginning of every year students elect a Chairperson of Admissions. The Chair then forms an Admissions Committee of interested students. The Committee meets to discuss admissions procedures and protocol. They review the types of questions that are acceptable and the types that are not. Personal likes and dislikes should not be used by students or staff to help them arrive at a decision about a new student. The best interest of the community and the educational environment should be the sole criteria of whether or not a new student attends The New School.
• Interested new students and their parents meet with John Potter. If it is felt that the school is a good fit for the student and vice-versa, and John Potter believes the student will enhance the school community, the parents may submit an application. After the school has reviewed all the application documents (including an original essay that explains why the student wishes to attend The New School) and the application seems promising, the student will visit the school for two to three days. During this visit the student acts as if he or she is a full-time student at the school, doing all work assigned in classes, including homework assignments.
• At the end of the first day of the visit the incoming student is interviewed, first by a group of students from the Admissions Committee consisting of the Chair and two members. Two staff members then interview the potential new student. The committee members read a copy of the incoming student's essay.
• After these interviews, John and the staff and student members of the Admissions Committee discuss the new student and his or her potential contributions to the school.
• After these discussions, if there are questions or concerns that need to be addressed before a decision can be made, then the combined group talks to the potential new student.
• The Headmaster, the two staff members, and the three students vote on whether or not the new student should be accepted or rejected.
• The committee takes their decision to the whole upper school for discussion. The student's essay is read to the entire meeting.
• After the discussion, the upper school votes on whether or not they accept the decision of the committee. If they do, the decision of the combined committees is final. If they don't, the committee reconvenes to discuss the new input given to them by the entire New School. During this discussion the group either accepts or rejects the determination of the majority of the upper school. If they go against the majority, they need to justify that decision carefully and with cause.
• This decision of the committee is final.

  We assume that new students understand the expectations of The New School and have conveyed a clear and reasonable picture of themselves as students and community members. In the event that a new student's behavior is significantly at variance with school standards, the Headmaster may exercise his right to reconsider the student's admission to the school.