Choosing a School: Comparing Schools

This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

At some point in the process of choosing schools for your child, you will have to engage in the exercise of comparing certain criteria. As much as private schools can be compared, for they really can't be compared, you still need to keep track of basic information that matters to you and your consultant.

Basics like tuition costs, acceptance rate, and dress code, which matter to you, should be part of the spreadsheet you set up to compare schools. We are using three schools for the purposes of this illustration. But you probably will want to have as many as 10-15 schools in your first group. Once that is done, you can begin eliminating the schools that don't suit your requirements as you begin to develop a short list of schools to visit and examine more closely.

For families beginning their search in 2026, the same approach remains useful. You can also consult Boarding School Review's guide to building a boarding school shortlist when deciding which schools deserve closer consideration.

Where do you get the data?

It's very easy to find on this site. On the splash page near the top is a drop-down menu titled Comparisons. Choose any criterion you like. Then click on schools that interest you. All the data you need is listed for you in each school's profile.

In 2026, families should also check the schools' official websites to confirm that the information remains current. Tuition, admissions deadlines, financial aid policies, and enrollment figures can change from one academic year to the next. School profiles are useful starting points, but the admissions office should confirm any information that will influence your final decision.

For example, Phillips Exeter Academy publishes its current tuition and cost information for families comparing boarding school expenses.

Example Spreadsheet

Here's an example of what your spreadsheet could look like. We have chosen basic data, but you can list whatever criteria matter to you in the first column of the spreadsheet.

The original figures below have been preserved as a historical illustration. They should not be interpreted as verified 2026 statistics. Families should replace them with current figures before comparing schools or making admissions decisions.

As one example of how significantly historical figures can differ from current costs, Exeter lists boarding tuition of $71,797 for the 2026–2027 academic year.

For comparison, Phillips Academy Andover lists boarding tuition of $79,800 for 2026–2027, while The Hotchkiss School lists boarding tuition of $79,350, excluding its additional required fees. These figures illustrate why families should verify the academic year associated with every tuition amount.

Families can use Boarding School Review's admissions checklist to identify additional information worth tracking, including application requirements, testing policies, and financial aid deadlines.

The other thing which you will begin to appreciate as you create your spreadsheet is that these are just facts. Numbers. Statistics. They are meaningless unless you visit the schools and get a feel for what they are like.

Nonetheless, this part of the search process is very important because it forces you to make some choices. Much as you'd like to, you simply cannot visit every school on your large, initial list. By the time your consultant looks at it and shakes her head at some of your choices, you will realize that there is much more to choosing the right school than just looking at the websites and glossy catalogs.

In 2026, virtual tours and online admissions events can help families narrow their choices before traveling. However, campus visits remain valuable because they allow parents and students to observe classrooms, residential facilities, and the school community firsthand. Boarding School Review's campus visit checklist provides additional guidance for planning these visits.

Final Word of Advice

One final word of advice: start your search no later than the spring 16-18 months before admission. This is a huge project. You don't want to leave it to the last minute.

For families planning admission in 2027 or 2028, this early preparation remains sensible. Confirm each school's current application deadlines, admissions testing requirements, interview arrangements, and financial aid dates before finalizing your schedule.