Choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions you can make. The process can be challenging, but with a little research and initiative, you'll find a school that's a great match for your child.

"Private school" is a term used to describe all nonpublic schools. "Independent schools" are a type of private school with unique missions. They are called "indepen

dent" because they have independent boards of trustees who govern the school, and they're independently financed, primarily through tuition, charitable contributions and endowment income. There are independent schools in almost every part of the country and they can be day schools or boarding schools, coed, all-girls or all-boys. Some independent schools are small, with only a few dozen students, while others have several thousand students.

The first step in choosing an independent school is to think about the ideal school for your child.

+Is the school large or small?

+Does it offer specific classes or extracurricular programs?

+Is it traditional or progressive?

+Coeducational or singlesex?

+A day school or a boarding school?

+Is it competitive or more nurturing?

The next step is to find out about the different schools available to you. Start looking at schools in the early autumn of the year before you want your child to attend an independent school. Look at different schools' websites, and request admission materials from the schools you think might work for you.

Visit a number of schools so you can get a better sense of the character of each school. This will help you narrow down the number of schools you want to apply to.

Applications are usually due in the winter. Most schools will ask you to submit a completed application form, the most recent academic transcript with grades, standardized testing results and teacher recommendations, but requirements and deadlines vary from school to school.

It's also important to consider various financing options as you're learning about different schools. Many schools have financial aid programs, and often the application deadline for aid is before the standard application.

For tips about admission and financial aid and to search for a list of independent schools, please visit www.nais.org/admission.

If you do some homework first, you'll find a school that's a good match for your child.