Longtime Tribecan Anita Haber has put out her own shingle as a private school consultant after nearly 30 years of working at the city’s independent schools. She will work with families looking for entry for kindergarten up to high school. What she knows best how to do after all these years, she says, is help families find a match.

“There are no consultants who can guarantee an admission, and they shouldn’t. It’s not ethical,” Anita said. “The important job of the consultant is to get a serious sense of who the parents are, what their hopes and wishes are, and to try to make the match. That’s what it’s all about.”

She also helps parents understand the independent school landscape, and see that every school is slightly different in its approach and philosophy. She charges by levels (see more of that on her website), from a $200 one-on-one 45-minute session to curate a list of schools, up to full-service coaching for the student and parent interview. She also has a free intro session for 15 minutes. Parents have to start the process a year in advance of entry (!) so this is a good time for fall 2024, she said.

Anita worked first as director of community relations, then as director of development, and finally as director of admissions — all at local independent schools. Early in her career she was a communications director for a non-profit that pushed the MTA to make subway stations and buses accessible. So she’s always been an advocate.

“The key is to understand the school philosophy and also what you want as a parent — the schools here are on a continuum going from very progressive to very traditional,” she said. “And it’s not about deep pockets. The child and the family are accepted on their own merits. Admissions directors want to accept families who will ultimately be happy in their school.”

Haber School Consultant
anita@haberschoolconsultant.com