Application Checklist

You’ve defined your ideal learning environment, used the NAIS School Search to find schools that fit your child’s needs, and visited schools to finalize your list. Now it’s time to apply.

If your family is new to independent schools, you may feel a bit overwhelmed by the application process. There are several steps, and some have rigid deadlines. Just remember, the school’s admissions office is always happy to assist you.

Elementary schools often replace the interview with teacher observations of the child, school-administered group tests, or individual diagnostic tests, which provide a more useful measure of a younger child’s readiness, intelligence, and developmental abilities.

Depending on your child’s age and interests, some schools may also ask for:

Parent statements

Student writing samples

Student artwork/portfolios

Do not miss application deadlines

Create a calendar or use a checklist to track the various deadlines for each part of the application process at each school. If you miss a deadline, you will not be considered for admission in that round. (Some schools offer rolling admissions, which means they admit students throughout the year. Others will make you wait until next year.)

Expert Perspectives

“Being denied admission to a highly competitive school is not an indication of any deficiency in the child. Some schools deny a greater percentage of applicants than they accept. You could almost say they run an office of denial, not admission.” ―Georgia Irvin, founder, Georgia K. Irvin & Associates, Chevy Chase, Maryland