Borland Educational

Research

National Association of Independent Schools
NAIS oversees state, regional, national, and international accrediting bodies that certify more than 1800 independent schools in the U.S. and abroad.

Private School Review
This site helps parents "learn about boarding schools, find schools, get admissions tips and financial aid help." See also Boarding School Review.

College Confidential: Prep School Admissions Forum
Pages and threads too numerous to count covering myriad aspects of admission to prep schools and boarding academies. Inside scoop on schools, testing, applying, more.

The Association of Boarding Schools
International organization serving college prep boarding schools and championing "the compelling benefits of living and learning in an academic community."

SSAT School Search
Use the search functions of the SSAT School Search Page to find basic information about independent schools.

Rankings

Niche: Private K-12 School Rankings
Rankings and in-depth profiles of K-12 schools and communities, by location. Cool resource for families planning a move and for parents comparing private schools.

Best Schools: Best Private Elementary Schools
The Best Schools ranking of independent primary schools provides parents and others a place to start when beginning research into private school options.

Business insider: Best Private High Schools
Short and sweet one-trick pony. Takes the Niche rankings and lists the category in which each school got its lowest grade.

Admission

Parent's Guide to Independent Schools
Jump onto the admissions learning curve. Discover what an independent school education has to offer, how to find and apply to the right school, and what it takes to get in.

Private School Admissions
Comprehensive article on the complex independent school admissions process, including: types of schools, curriculum, testing, ratings, applying, financial aid, more.

How to Navigate Private School Admissions
Mom.me offers its perspective on the best way to find a seat for your child at a good independent school. An excellent piece, with links to related articles.

Getting Into Private School
A quick look at various factors involved in applying to private schools, by experts and the Private School Review.

What Do AdComs Look For?
It's the big question. To address it, ThoughtCo.com provides a look inside the minds of admission committee members.

Consultants

Independent Education Consultants Association
The IECA, founded in 1976, is a professional organization devoted to the field and practice of educational consulting. Search for a private school consultant here.

Professional Referrals Resources Page
Trustworthy personal recommendations are always best. My favorite consultants in the SF Bay Area will likely be able to help your family, or refer you to someone who can.

Other

Admissions to Private Schools is a Stress Test
... but you already knew that. Could it be as bad or worse than the notorious college admissions process? Yes, it could. Steel yourself, and buckle up.

Choosing a School
U.S. News outlines how to select the right high school. How do teachers in the UK pick a school for their own children?

Reviews

“Standardized tests are a necessary step in applying to colleges, and, with his support, I was able to achieve the scores I needed to be competitive. I am currently finishing a degree in physics at the University of Chicago and am immensely grateful for his help four years ago. His test taking strategies have also been very useful on the GRE while applying to graduate school physics programs. Thank you again, Chris!”

Ben F. (Student: 2013)

"[Chris’s] methods are extremely effective and he is one of the kindest, most supportive men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.

"Working with him has been one of my best academic experiences and I congratulate Chris on his hard work and dedication to the success of his pupils."

Harrison M. (Student: 2017)

“His competence, compassion and ethics as a tutor are exemplary.

"Chris is a wonderfully friendly, sincere and caring human being. His personality is delightful, making the sessions enjoyable.”

Judy S. (Client: 2006)

"The students benefited from [Chris's] assistance, and we found him very personable, helpful and eager to learn new teaching techniques and philosophies.

I feel he would be an excellent addition to any tutoring staff."

Linda N. (Employer: 1980)

"I enjoyed working with Chris because he could explain things I did not understand and make them clear to me. Chris was very patient when it took me a while to understand things."

Martha S. (Student: 1993)

“Chris is a phenomenal math, PSAT, and SAT tutor. I studied with him for over three years and am so grateful for all of his invaluable knowledge and the confidence that he instilled in me as a math student.

"Now, years later, the same standardized test-taking skills that he taught me for the PSAT and SAT are helping me immensely in my LSAT prep.

"Chris is patient and efficient in his teaching. I would highly recommend him to everyone!”

Gary C. (Client: 2016)

"Chris Borland tutored my son and did an excellent job. He obviously is a very well qualified teacher and I recommend him without reservation."

David C. (Client: 1980)

Chris is also incredibly supportive, and recognizes when confidence is lagging. He holds his students accountable by giving them specific work and challenges and also rewards their gains, and is able to pivot his teaching style if a certain way of explaining things isn't working.

"I highly recommend Chris to any student who is studying for a standardized test ..."

A.S.M. (Client: 2021)

Most importantly, you taught Joey to understand that hard work does reap its own rewards. Joey did well enough in school and on the SATs to gain acceptance to a number of UC Schools, of which he chose UC Davis to attend. Thanks Chris for you effort and diligent tutoring of Joey the last three years, we really appreciate all that you did for him.

Larry L. (Client: 2005)

"Chris tutored my son for the SSAT test and … it was worth every penny. My son responded very well to him and developed learning strategies that [he's] using to this day."

Michal V. (Client: 2014)

"[Chris] has a keen sense of the orderly nature of learning, and did a particularly good job of helping students with the organizational work needed to excel at math ... one of the best young teachers I've seen."

Bruce S. (Administrator: 1985)

"[Chris] is patient, understanding, enthusiastic and always guides Andrew in the learning process with a very positive attitude. If Andrew gets distracted, Chris is able to guide him back to the subject at hand by being assertive, yet respectful. His focus on Andrew's progress has resulted in a very noticeable improvement in Andrew's skill level in Algebra, his attention to detail, his neatness, and his self-esteem..."

Karen C. (Client: 1999)

"Chris Borland has provided test prep tutoring for two of our three children, one for the SSAT and then the ACT, and the other for the SSAT. They both dramatically improved their scores as a result of his tutoring and were accepted to their first-choice schools.

Jennifer C. (Client: 2020)

"Fantastic tutor. We set a goal for my SAT score, and with Chris's help I got there. Has years of experience and knows the test inside and out. Cannot recommend more highly."

Jack R. (Client: 2014)

Chris is patient, knowledgeable and was helpful in identifying my weaknesses and addressing them. My work with Chris on test prep also helped me in the classroom resulting in improved grades both my junior and senior years. He is easy to work with and never made me feel stupid. I highly recommend Chris Borland for test prep and math tutoring.”

T J (student: 2018)

"Chris Borland tutored my l4 year old twins for several weeks before they took the SSAT test for entrance into private schools. He has a very good rapport with kids and makes the sessions fun and interesting.

Chris's strategies about standardized test taking proved to be excellent. Both boys improved their scores significantly and openly attributed their success to their work with Chris..."

Anne C. (Client: 2003)

“Worth every penny!

"As the high school application process in SF is already stressful and time consuming, I was looking for an efficient strategy for my B/G twins to prepare for the SSAT. Chris has deep experience with test prep and presented a very clear, efficient, and effective strategy for the twins to follow. His approach resulted in a huge increase in test results.

"We would highly recommend him to anyone for standardized test prep!”

Irene L. (client: 2018)

Knowledge is Power