Secondary School Process

DSC_0688Graduates from The Sage School move on to a variety of schools for ninth grade: Public and private, boarding and day, co-ed and single sex, urban and suburban. Our secondary school placement process is designed to help students and their families make thoughtful and deliberate choices regarding their next school experience. Sage’s placement process aims to help students and parents move smoothly through the initial brainstorming to a final decision.

Living in the greater Boston area, we have the benefit of being surrounded by a multitude of independent, public, and parochial school options – some of the most competitive in the country. Some families hear this and may already begin to feel overwhelmed or daunted. However, at Sage, we encourage students and families to maintain their perspective, looking instead at the numerous opportunities and options for their child. We believe the key is in the right “fit.” It’s not only about the amenities, or the college acceptance rates at certain schools, or status. While these things rightfully have their place, and will inevitably have some degree of influence, at its core, the process and choice are about fit. All schools have a unique environment. Finding the environment that “clicks” for your family is the key to finding the school that will bring out the best in your son or daughter. That, balanced with factors such as appropriate academic rigor, structure, or extracurriculars, leads to happy students.

Beginning in the seventh grade, our Secondary School Placement Coordinator assists students and families with this process. Here, you will find some details about the timeline, as well as some frequently asked questions, and a list of secondary schools to which Sage graduates have been accepted.

School Placement Timeline

Fall of the 7th grade

  • Sage hosts a School Panel, at which representatives from various area secondary schools come to Sage to address topics of interest. (This panel is open to all Junior and Middle School students and their families.)

Spring of the 7th grade

  • Parent meeting with School Placement Coordinator for an overview of the process
  • Individual parent meetings with Secondary School Placement Coordinator to discuss academic, extracurricular, and social preferences or expectations
  • Secondary School Placement Coordinator assists families in creating an initial list of schools to consider

Fall of the 8th grade

  • Secondary School Placement Coordinator meets with families to provide a more detailed “to do” list
  • Sage hosts a School Panel, at which representatives from various area secondary schools come to Sage to address topics of interest. (This panel is open to all Middle School students and their families.)
  • Families schedule visits and tours of prospective schools
  • Secondary School Placement Coordinator helps students practice their interviewing skills
  • Students take the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT)
  • Students receive assistance in managing the paperwork involved in the application process

Spring of the 8th grade

  • Secondary School Placement Coordinator assists students/families in making a decision, if they would like to discuss options after receiving admission decisions
  • Students are encouraged to attend re-visit days, and visit their local public school
  • Secondary School Placement Coordinator works with schools and families to facilitate a smooth transition