This school year starts in less than a month, but it's already time to begin planning for next year if you're applying to a private school.

For many of the region's most competitive programs — mostly in secondary schools — the requirements can include tests, interviews, school tours, student essays and mountains of paperwork. The application process can start as early as Halloween, with some of the earliest deadlines falling before Christmas.

In part, this is because private education is popular in the Puget Sound area — and especially in Seattle, where a U.S. Census survey reports nearly a third of first- through 12th-graders attend private schools.

This city-only rate is the country's highest, according to the 2000 survey.

Even in this region's suburbs, "we have seen a lot of growth in private schools," says Washington Federation of Independent Schools executive director Judy Jennings.

The surge started in the mid 1990s, when an average of 21 new private schools — triple the number new schools in that early decade — registered each year the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

That means many parents are shelling out an average of $5,200 to $8,250 in annual tuition for private schools (as high as $19,000-plus some, including The Bush School in Seattle and The Overlake School in Redmond) — and often their kids face stiff competition just to get in.

If you're considering applying to a private school, here are some questions to ask:

What can I do to increase my child's chance of admission?

Meet application deadlines; be ready with all forms, which may include: required entry-exam scores; parent questionnaire; parent and student interview; student essay; fee; letters from previous teachers and letter from personal reference.

Who gets in?

Calculate your odds.

At The Overlake School in Redmond, one in three applicants is admitted. At Lakeside School, 31 percent of applicants were accepted schoolwide; grade-level entries varied from 18 percent to 42 percent.

That's why it's important to find out whether any admissions preferences will affect your child's chances.

Lakeside evaluates candidates' "apparent ability to make positive academic and co-curricular contributions to the school community'' based on "the current composition of a class and the choices that best enhance that group of students."

However, "some weight" is included in the admissions' formula for "siblings, children of alums and children of faculty and staff." This means these their acceptance rate "is generally somewhat higher than for others."

At Seattle's all-male O'Dea High School, "special consideration" goes to "Catholic students, to students from Catholic schools, to grandsons, sons and brothers of O'Dea graduates, to brothers of current students and to applicants whose presence would foster the diversity of the student body."

Seattle Prep, meanwhile, "tries to accept some students from each of the Catholic elementary schools whose students apply," but "about 24 percent of Seattle Prep's student body is not of the Catholic faith" to foster "a lively exchange of ideas and appreciation of the role of faith in the educational environment." Ask if the school you're considering has an admissions formula based on such factors as:

• Church membership

• Religious preference

• Past athletic or academic performance

• Cultural, religious, gender or economic diversity.

What's it going to cost? It varies widely, but according to the Washington Federation of Independent Schools 2004 survey, the average annual private-school tuition runs about: • $5,095 for first- through fourth-grade students; • $6,109 for fifth- through eighth-graders; • $8,249 for ninth- through 12th-graders. These are statewide averages. Figures are higher in Western Washington; three of out four private schools in Washington are on the state's west side. Tuition at least three Puget Sound area schools tops $19,000.

What about other costs?

It doesn't stop with tuition. Transportation and fund-raising tap your wallet, too.

Most private schools do not offer busing; if they do, it's not cheap. Expect to pay expect to pay between $800 and $1,400 a year.

All private schools rely on contributions and volunteer work, and these are pushed, if not required, at many.

At Seattle's award-winning Holy Names Academy, for example, here, families of about 612 ninth- through 12th- grade girls supported last year's $465,000 annual giving plan through fund-raisers to support students' financial aid, staff and coaching-salary enhancements and building and school projects.

Extra student activities can add hundreds more to your tab.

What about financial aid or scholarships?

Most schools offer some sort of financial aid — either through tuition breaks or scholarships. Typically, the smaller the school, the fewer the available scholarships. At larger schools, it costs about $20 to apply for financial aid. Priorities for those who receive financial aid vary from school to school.

At Lakeside, scholarships are "based on a family's financial need rather than on a student's academic ability, interests or talents." At The Bush School in Seattle — where this year's high-school tuition is $20,175 — advisers work with families to find low-interest educational loans.

While still eligible, parents must re-apply each year because family or income changes can affect the size of awards.

Is there anything I can do if my child's initial application is rejected?

Determine if there is a wait or "alternate" list. Most schools have them — but many rarely need to tap into them. Even so, it's worth it to have your child's name added to that list. Top names on that list occasionally are admitted when students who apply to, and are accepted by multiple schools choose another program.

At "entry" grades, the likelihood of getting in from a wait list is higher. These students often get word by late spring, after those who were originally accepted turn down their offer or fail to pay their first deposit for the next school year.

Some schools, including Seattle Preparatory, accept letters of appeal from students — but make no promises about whether this works. (See accompanying story.)

If my child is wait-listed and denied application, do we need to go through this process again next year?

Yes. If you want to be considered, a new round of testing, new teacher recommendations, essays, fees and paperwork is required.

More Resources:

Private School Review: Free profiles of private schools and their surrounding communities.

Washington Federation of Independent Schools: Organization representing about 500 state-approved independent and religious schools in the state.

Council for American Private School Education: Coalition of national organizations and state affiliates serving 80 percent of the nation's 29,000 private elementary and secondary schools, representing 6 million students.

National Parent Teacher Organization: The 75 percent of parent groups that is independent of PTA. These groups often are found at private schools, where they are free to write their own bylaws, are not required to charge dues and may keep any or all dues charged within their school.