How many independent schools would you try?

[mommyg]

What is a safe no for some of the good independent schools? I'm just scared if all of them will come back with a NO !

DS has passed one grammar and is short of another one by 5 marks only. So, I consider him to be above average atleast.

[Bestichka]

We'll be trying 3 x indies - for the same fear of having a NO from all! My heart goes out to all kids who (narrow)missed state selectives and are now subjected to the second round of this exam ****

[first time mum]

We are trying 2. There are 4 in the area, but feel its too much.
Our DS qualified for one Grammar, but its 1.5 hrs to get there each way. Feel this is too much. He missed the next one by 2 points.

We are still putting the one we missed down as you never know what will happen. We are lucky that all the schools in our area are excellend and we have a choice of 6 locally. Our DS was scoring higher in the test papers and admitted it was all too much on the day. He missed one page out completely. My heart goes out to him........

We all want whats best. Fingers crossed it all turns out ok. Good Luck!!

[Kingfisher]

We only tried for one new independent; there was always the option that DD could stay at her school as it went up to Year 13. But most people tried for three or so in my experience, with one of them being a top school and a limited chance of success.

The cost was somewhat prohibitive for many at £50 to £100 a time.

One poor girl applied for eight and was rejected by every single one. She is still devastated and completely demoralised. I know the mother and she is beside herself, wishing she had never started the process.

[Sue123]

I think that 3-4 is about right. You need to allow for at least one exam and one interview that may not go according to plan. I think that more than 4 is too much unless you are applying to the North London consortium in which case you can put as many in one group as you like provided you can afford each entrance fee.

I think that the really important thing is to apply to a range of schools. For example (the North London consortium again, sorry, but that is all I really know about), you would have to be pretty confident about your daughter to put City Girls, North London Collegiate and South Hampstead High and perhaps St. Paul's Girls down as your only choices as these are all highly academic and extremely competitive schools. So I would add some less academic schools as insurance choices as well.

[lefol]

Will definitely say apply for 3 or 4 local indie schools. You can always promise a treat once the exams are over . They soon forget all about the stress of the exams .

[harrow123]

apply for one or two schools where admission is kind of guaranteed, just in case

[capsulemum]

Hi Sue123,

I really like your idea regarding applying to a range of schools. I'm considering to apply about 4 schools for my daughter; however, we currently have 6 schools in our list. They are

Extremely competitive schools:
- St Paul's Girls
- Lady Eleanor Holles
- JAGS

Competitive schools:
- Wimbledon High
- Sutton High
- Croydon High

We like all of them. My daughter does not mind to have all exams but to me, I think it is too much. I asked her to cut two out of the list but she could not make up her mind. What do you think about this list? Your comment would be appreciated.

Thank you very much.
Capsulemum

[Jess]

Hi Capsulemum

Those schools are rather spread out geographically so there must be some that are easier for your daughter to get to than others? I would use that as your criteria to cut down the list if I was you.

That said, my DD (who is now in Y10 at JAGS) sat for 5 schools when she did 11+ and coped well with that number of exams.

My DS will be doing 11+ in January and we are going for 4 schools.

[harrow123]

my dd is doing 4 grammar and 4 indie schools, she is still happy