FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
When are the 2011-2012 applications due?
Applications for the 2011-2012 school year are due not later than 12 noon on Friday, January 14, 2011.
How do I get an application?
Applications are distributed at the end of our scheduled admissions tours. (Because of the specialized nature of our departmentalized program we do not send out admissions packets until after parents have visited our school and gone on an admissions tour.)
When will I be notified about my child's application status?
We share common notification dates with other CAIS schools in the Bay Area. Letters will be mailed on Thursday, March 17, 2011, with enrollment contracts and tuition deposits due back by 10 a.m. on Thursday, March 24, 2011.
Is there a chance for the children to see the school?
Yes. Applicants to Grades K-1 will either be screened for admission on the MTS campus on a Saturday in January or February, or will screen at another school that shares tests results with MTS, including, but not limited to, Marin Country Day, Hamlin, Katherine Delmar Burke and Saint Mark's. If your child undergoes screening at one of these other schools, we will schedule an observation/group visit on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday in January, February, or early March. Applicants to Grades 2-8 will have the chance to visit our school for a full school day, during which time they will be interviewed and evaluated. Families who attend a scheduled admissions tour will also be invited to all of the school’s winter performances.
How many siblings are predicted to join the Kindergarten class this year?
We can never accurately predict the number of siblings or pseudo-siblings (alumni, faculty, staff children or cousins) in any particular Kindergarten class. Although we do give preference to sibling applicants, believing that we have made a strong commitment to the family, sibling applicants are evaluated using the same process, procedures and criteria as all other applicants.
How many total applicants for each Kindergarten class?
Applicant numbers, of course, vary from year to year, but admission to MTS is extremely competitive.
How many spots are available in Kindergarten each year?
Ideally, we strive to admit not more than 26 - 32 students to Kindergarten each year, with an equal number of boys and girls.
Do you increase the number of children admitted to the middle school classes?
MTS does not officially expand the class size in middle school. We have a very low rate of attrition and our children generally attend from Kindergarten through eighth grade. Kindergarten is our primary entrance level, although there may be openings available in other grades each year. Students in our classes are very close and by the end of their years at Mount Tamalpais School, the children feel very connected to their particular graduating class and to the school -- as evidenced by the consistent and enthusiastic turnout at our Alumni activities.
Do you recommend “holding students back a year” before Kindergarten?
MTS looks at each child individually, with substantial weight given to screenings and other assessments of the child's developmental readiness, learning ability and enthusiasm to attend Kindergarten. MTS does not have a formal cutoff for applicant birthdates beyond the state mandated December 1st date, but it is generally recommended that applicant boys turn 5 by June 1 and applicant girls by July 1.
On average, how many spaces are available to children applying for admission to grades 2-8?
The number of openings for new applicants to the upper grades varies from year to year, although it is usually very low. Frequently, there is no space in a particular class. Families at MTS rarely leave the school and therefore space in upper grades cannot ever be guaranteed. MTS reluctantly considers applicants to the 7th and 8th grade classes only under special circumstances.
When do you schedule screenings?
After receipt of your application we will schedule your child for screening or an observation visit. Kindergarten and First Grade screenings will be held on a select number of Saturdays in January and February. MTS shares test scores with a number of other independent schools including, but not limited to, Marin Country Day School, the Hamlin School, Katherine Delmar Burke School, and Saint Mark’s School. If your child undergoes screening at one of these participating schools, we will then schedule him or her for a visit on a day in January, February or early March. Applicants to Grades 2-8 will be scheduled to spend a full day at MTS after we have received their completed applications.
Do you prefer certain tests for older applicants?
Although ERB test results are preferred, we will accept other standardized test results in consideration of admission. When transcripts are requested from the applicant’s sending school we ask that all relevant grades, reports and testing be released to us.
Can you further describe the admissions process for Kindergarten through 8th grade applicants?
The admissions process begins with the scheduling of an Admissions Tour. Most tours are scheduled on weekday mornings at 8:30 and generally last until 10:30. At the conclusion of the tour Q & A session, applications are handed out to interested families. Once a completed application has been received, your child will be scheduled for a screening, observation or visit to our school.
What are the school's admissions standards?
Mount Tamalpais School seeks to enroll a diverse group of academically capable, socially responsible students who will thrive in a challenging, departmentalized program that requires intellectual curiosity, creativity, problem-solving, initiative, independence and the ability to work well with others in a collaborative manner. Mount Tamalpais School admits students of any cultural, racial, national, ethnic origin or religious background. As a coeducational institution, we strive for gender equity and balance in our classes. Kindergarten is the main entry level to our school. We do give preference to sibling applicants, believing that we have made a commitment to the family, but siblings are evaluated using the same process and set of criteria as all other applicants. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religious
beliefs, age, national origin, disability or sexual orientation in its admissions or hiring practices, in the selection of its trustees, or in any of its operations. MTS strongly encourages multicultural, social, religious and economic diversity.
As an applicant family, how will we know if/when MTS has received our application materials?
The MTS Admissions Office will send you post card notification as we receive the various pieces of your application. If you have not received a postcard confirming receipt of any portion of your application, please phone the admissions office directly after two weeks. (Please note that the school is closed for winter break and the admissions office is not open from December 13, 2010 through January 2, 2011.)
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