Houston’s Best Private and Public Schools
You’re fortunate if you you have the ability to choose a school for your child. Either you can afford upwards of $25,000 a year for private school or you have the ability to move into a certain neighborhood or apply to a desirable public school. Either way, you’re right to want the best for your child. But what does it mean to be the best? What should you be looking for in a new school?
At General Academic, we don’t believe in a singular definition of, “best.” We don’t think that schools can simply be ranked on a single list that will work for every family, for every child, at every single stage of their life.
Instead, we have analyzed the available data in areas that you might find important. But this quantitative analysis—these numbers and percentages—should just be a starting point in your search. Ultimately it’s the qualitative aspects—the warm and fuzzy feelings—that will likely make your decision for you.
Houston’s Top Schools Lists
How to Choose a New School
Systematically evaluating and comparing the many school options in Houston is a daunting task, especially when each child and family emphasizes different criteria. In this section, we introduce the categories that we used in researching the schools profiled here. Please remember that the most [...]
All About the Houston Magnet School Lottery
From a parent’s perspective, the HISD magnet application process can be quite daunting, and even a little scary. However you can navigate the process with ease if you know what to expect. In this section, we provide guidance on every aspect of the magnet and Vanguard magnet [...]
High School Placement Test (HSPT) Overview
Scholastic Testing Service’s HSPT is an admissions test for entry into Catholic high schools. The HSPT contains five multiple-choice sections: Verbal Quantitative Skills Reading Mathematics Language Skills Depending on the school, the HSPT might also feature an optional section covering Science, Mechanical Aptitude or Catholic Religion. The optional [...]
Private School Application Process Overview
In this article, we provide advice for starting the private school application process. In general, start the process early, keep your child’s happiness in mind, and talk with as many people as possible. The Application Form Most of the private schools in Houston post application forms to [...]
Lessons Learned from Experienced Parents
General Academic interviewed the parents of both private and public school students to more completely understand the applications gauntlet from those who had already been through the process. These parents were our clients at the time and represent a broad range of backgrounds. For [...]
Introduction to Homeschooling
Not every child will be successful or happy in a traditional classroom environment. For these students, alternative education curriculums such as Montessori, individualized, and home schooling may be better options. Although Montessori school techniques can vary widely from school to school, this teaching method [...]
Choosing a Preschool, What to Consider
Some of you have only recently embarked upon the interesting adventure that is parenthood. Others among you already have children in the school system, but still have younger ones barely out of diapers. Whether you’re a first-time parent or a veteran, though, choosing a [...]
Balancing Extracurricular Activities with Academics
Many of us structure our days by prioritizing so that we create a healthy balance among work, school, friends, family, exercise, sleep, etc. As adults, we have had a few more years of practice balancing our lives. Kids, however, have not quite learned how [...]
Understanding Your Child’s Psychological Development
Maintaining effective communication with their child is a common struggle for parents. The way adults tend to talk about their daily lives and the problems they’re dealing with doesn’t seem to translate well to a conversation with a 3rd grader. Parents naturally want to [...]