Dear Parents,

The idea for these private school guides began as what seemed like a simple project practiced by parents every year - the quest for the ‘right school' for my child.

Like many parents, I was armed with numerous private school directories and brochures and LOTS of opinions from parents who all told me which were the most ‘popular schools', but I wanted to make my own informed decisions. So I took the parent tours, went on classroom visits, reviewed the literature provided by each school, ét voila –
THE LOS ANGELES PRIVATE SCHOOL GUIDE 5th Edition and
THE LOS ANGELES PRESCHOOL GUIDE 2nd Edition were born.

The more research I did, the more I understood the variety of reasons for parents' private school choices (financial, educational, geographical, religious, etc.) and that all private schools are not created equally. Some of our kids need the challenge of a rigorous, college preparatory curriculum which will admit them into the Ivy League colleges, while others will do just as well in a less-structured, creative environment, which will prepare them for a smaller, artistic school or an Ivy League college as well.

When all is said and done, every child should be in the environment where their talents and strengths can be nurtured. As parents, we know this all too well.

I wrote the guides in the hope that it would help you focus in on the school which will be the best fit for both you and your child. I have given you an idea of each school's physical setting and philosophy, as well as a more in-depth understanding of its teaching methods and programs, more, I hope, than reading the schools' brochures. I have also included a simple worksheet which you can use to jot down your thoughts about each school to help narrow down which schools you want to visit and observe.

Although no two parents will end up with the same short list of schools*, I do believe that this guide will save you:

Time –	It will help you narrow down the number of places that you visit
Money –	By compiling your own short list, you won't need to apply to eight or more schools at up to a $100 per application, and most important...
Frustration –	Just about everything you've ever wanted to ask someone about a school...all in a single book!

Remember, do not feel pressured into selecting the school that others say will ‘guarantee' admission to that prestigious university or college. No school can guarantee that. Also, don't be too concerned about getting your child into the most ‘popular' school or even the school that is the ‘most difficult' one to get into (these can change from year to year). Keep an open mind and select the school that best fits your child's needs.

Last year I thought it important to include information in The Los Angeles Private School Guide about a very interesting type of public school that we are going to be hearing a lot more about – the charter schools. I wanted to share some of my findings with you because perhaps, like me, there are parents reading this book who cannot afford to send all their children to tuition-charging ones. I hope this is helpful.

We welcome any comments, suggestions, or information that you feel would make these guides more useful for you as parents. Please drop me an email, I would love to hear from you.