Free Tool
Private School Application Planner
Seven quick questions. See whether you are on track for this admissions season, what to do next and how many days you have until the deadline.
Also in the full plan
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Every step dated from now through reply day, a testing plan for your score and schools, guidance on balancing your list, the complete application checklist and the financial aid timeline.
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How the admissions season runs
Most private day and boarding schools follow the same rhythm. Families research and visit in the fall, test and interview from October through December, and submit in January for entry the following September.
- September to November
- Build the list, tour schools and attend open houses, and register for the SSAT or ISEE.
- October to January
- Test, interview, ask teachers for recommendations and write the essays and parent statement.
- Mid-January
- Most applications are due, often on January 15. Financial aid paperwork usually follows within a few weeks.
- March 10 to April 10
- Many schools release decisions on March 10 and ask families to reply by April 10.
The planner places your family on that calendar from today’s date and what you have already done.
Applying to private school this year?
EduAvenues guides families through boarding and day school admissions: building the list, preparing for the SSAT or ISEE, essays, interviews and the parent statement.
See Private School AdmissionsCommon Questions
When do private school applications open and close?
Most schools open applications in late summer or early fall and close in mid-January, often January 15, for entry the following September. Many release decisions on March 10 and ask families to reply by April 10. Some schools set their own dates, so confirm each one on the school’s admissions page.
Should we take the SSAT or the ISEE?
Check what each school on your list accepts. Many boarding schools prefer the SSAT, many day schools use the ISEE, and plenty accept either. If both are accepted, a practice test of each shows which format suits your student.
Is the planner accurate for every school?
It uses the dates most schools share. That makes it a strong plan for the season, but each school sets its own deadlines, interview windows and aid rules, so treat every date as typical and confirm it with the school.
What happens to my answers?
They are used on our server to build the plan and are not stored. We only keep your email address if you choose to unlock the full plan.