Chua wrote that she would never allow her daughters to watch TV, play computer games or be in a school play.

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Mr Schafer hopes that he will one day be able to sit in a rural school and watch a hologram of the New York Philharmonic play the music he loves.

ECONOMIST: Can the rules be bent just enough to keep them alive?

Athletes in high school and younger who sustain a concussion should be managed more conservatively regarding a return to play, the AAN warns, since they take longer to recover than college-age athletes.

WSJ: Tougher Rules Advised for Athletes After Concussion

In most cases, parents themselves might play a role on a new school's governing body but would not be involved in teaching or the running of a school.

BBC: Teachers are half of free school inquiries

That insight helps students determine which traits to play up or minimize in their applications, or even what kind of school might be a good fit, says Mr. Shrum.

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