Moving to the USA on Long term - Request some guidance

Hi krish,

The academic years in most of the US schools is from Aug/Sep to June. So if your daughter is currently in Grade 5 this year , when you come for admission in Mar 2016, she will be taken for Grade 5 ONLY.She will going to Grade 6 in Aug/Sep 2016.

Also one important point to be noted is, your daughter should fall in to the min age criteria for Grade 5 (in India , especially the Sep-Dec born kids are somehow squeezed to the next grade as their parents dont want their kids to miss an academic year by missing the cutoff by few days.However that is not the case in US. They re very strict about age criteria.

 

Hi,

If your are moving to Chicago.. you can find some good communities in wheeling and shcumburg which falls under good school zone. some communities here have lot of indian families dominantly. Since you got a girl, its better you move back to india in her adolescence.. But another problem arises here.. child who get used to US life doesnt move back to india. But still everything is in the hands of the parents.. the way we bring them up as good humans.. anyways.. all the best

 

Hello krish,

My answers in blue -

​That said, the best approach would be to inquire from some of your colleagues about good school districts. Then you can visit the school district website to gather general information. You may also feel free to write to the contact asking the information you need. Most schools are quite receptive and will answer you. Many people pick their residences based on the district they want to their kids to go to. That should be your first step. If you are relocating in March, you have ample time to reach out to school.

Best wishes.

 

Please check greatschool.org website to know more about the school. Some of the school districts mebbe really good and due to that the neighborhood can also be expensive for renting. Even though you belong to a neighborhood which has a assigned Elementary/Middle/High school , there are chances that there is a waiting list in the school. In that case the school district will assign you to an alternate school (in the same school district) temp and move you back to the assigned school once you find a spot.

 

Op,
you have 2 options or types of schooling in US -- private school and public school. Your entire strategy will depend on which one you go for.

private school --hold open houses, tours, admission tests etc like in India where they assess the child and admit based on that. There is a yearly school fee. School year here starts in Aug/Sept but admission process for new school year the previous Dec/Jan and goes till May. You fill out application form, tour facility then they will call for interview etc. It is a slow process over several months -- not like the frantic frenzy you may be used to. If you decide to go this route you can start the process of application while in India via email and do the interviews once you arrive.

public school-- your child is automatically guaranteed admission to the local public school, ie., the public school serving the area you decide to move to. All you will need to provide is proof of residence and some utility bill -- check the requirements on the school website -- to get her admission. There is no yearly fee -- it comes out of your property taxes which is why proof of residence is key. Though admission is guaranteed, it would be nice of you to notify them ahead of time esp since she is coming in mid year.

Public vs private is a big debate. Some private schools are v good, others just take money and dont do much, some public schools are very good, others just admit the kid and dont do much so there is a big variation. You will have to do research on the school rankings and talk to people. Generally areas with good school districts are in great demand for families.

To start, Use the school rankings and your new office location to zero in on some potential areas where you would like to live. Then fine tune by researching the schools in those communities. All this info is on the web so get started. After you zero in on some target communities/schools, you can contact them directly to clarify any specific concerns.

 

Hi Krish,
Came across your postings. I am in the same situation as you were. We are moving to Chicago in August. My daughters are in grade 2 and 5 and we will be moving from Hyderabad. Would like to know your decisions and the schools/residence you have opted for in Chicago. It will greatly help me in deciding and knowing the options. Thanks in advance.