Prep school tour before paying registration fee

[goldensophie]

Hi mums!

I wonder if you usually pay and register your kid for admissions test before making a school tour? And is it common that you make your kid take tests at multiple schools before you make a final decision? I got a few emails from some schools today that they have an availability for my kid in Year 4 and they requested that I reigester before the process including school tour happens. Not sure if it is how it goes... or can I ask for a school tour first without formal registration to avoid unnecessary tests for my kid and fees for a bunch of schools that we won't opt for eventually. Any inputs appriciated! :)

Not sure really but I'm not sure we do that. We have loads of kids on tours. I assume they 'register' but we don't take a fee, just contact details etc. The fee comes when you choose us I think.

At our school you would register to attend an open day/tour but it is free to attend.

There would be a separate registration to officially apply for a place and that would have a registration fee.

Thank you ladies, I think I can ask for a tour first before going on to register officially and take it seriously. Thanks!

You should be able to arrange a private tour at any of the schools before you formally register/are asked for a registration fee. Even though you’re not joining at a “natural” entry point and not necessarily an actual open day if there’s not one coming up. I certainly wouldn’t part with any cash unless I was absolutely sure I wanted my child to sit any entrance tests. And yes you can apply to as many as you want but bear in mind how your child would cope with lots of assessment days and tests. I’d trying and keep the number down. Have a favourite and a back up or two.

Definitely tour first. If you like the look of it and want to go to the next step you register then.
Tests depend on the school. I'd think most decent preps do some kind of assessment for Y4 entry, if only to check that children will keep up with the cohort and / or for setting etc.

Most would do tests at taster day stage though and I wouldn't think you'd want to be doing a taster day unless you were pretty much decided on that school. I would also say don't just go for one visit - go a few times to the most likely ones if you can.

Thanks again ladies for the tips! Yes, I should ask for a tour first and then register if we really like it. It will be hard for me to visit multiple times though as we are based overseas for now... but yes, we will get well prepared with all possible questions for our visit of the city and the candidate schools in May :)