Andrew Battaile: Hi, I am Andrew Battaile, the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Gonzaga College High School. Right now, we are going to talk about getting in to a private high school.

Host: What should my child do in Middle School or Junior High to improve their chances of getting accepted?

Andrew Battaile: Middle School and Junior High years are when your child is getting for private high school. These are the very important years to make sure that they are prepared for that environment as well as for the selection process when you are applying. I would say that in the classroom, your child no matter if they are straight A student or not, should be working hard for their teacher. If you work hard for your teacher, they will write your child a good recommendation and will also notice the effort and appreciate that. But also in addition to working hard in the classroom, your child should be involved in efforts in the community, either athletically or in clubs, Boy Scouts, Girl scouts, things like that to show when you apply to a private high school that your child wants to be part of a community and will come and contribute.