The Application Process

While you can research schools at any time, you’ll want to narrow your list by early fall of the year preceding your child's start date. Use ISAAGNY's tools, map, and/or directory to search for schools based on your pedagogical, geographic, gender, and other criteria. Visit the schools' websites, consult their social media accounts, and attend our workshops to further hone your opinions. 

Each school releases its application independently, and they can do so as early as August 1st. Some schools accept applications based on a numerical limit (total number of received applications), while others do so based on a chronological deadline (fixed end date). Special education schools accept applications on an ongoing basis. 

NOTE: Most ISAAGNY schools make the financial aid application available after the submission of the general admissions application, and the corresponding deadline varies by school. While some schools run their financial aid process independently, others use vendors like Clarity or SSS. 

Each school coordinates its admissions events (tours, open houses, information sessions, and more) independently, and they can do so as early as the spring of the year preceding the start date; all schools will run events throughout the fall. ISAAGNY's Admissions Events page provides an overview of these opportunities, though it may not be comprehensive; schools without calendar entries may not have finalized their schedules yet, or they may prefer to host events exclusively for families who have already submitted applications. 

Event attendance is a crucial step of the timeline. Visiting a school not only gives a glimpse of the people and culture that drive each community, but it also signals your interest to the admissions team. 

ISAAGNY schools may opt into Early Notification, a process by which qualifying applicants* apply - and receive enrollment decisions - prior to the general applicant pool. Please click here for relevant dates. 

*Qualifying applicants for Early Notification are siblings of current or former students, legacy (a parent or guardian has matriculated at the school), children of current faculty or staff, active congregants of an affiliated religious institution, or children of current students, faculty, or staff of an affiliated academic institution. ISAAGNY member schools may choose to narrow these qualifiers, but may not expand on them. 

All applications to ISAAGNY schools must be completed by a universally observed date in January. 

Streamlined parent notification and reply deadlines are a crucial component of an organized and equitable admissions process. The established windows allow time for families to consider all of their options, and for some ISAAGNY programs, revisit the schools in person. Please click here for ISAAGNY's universally observed dates. 

Each school's application asks for basic identifying information, as well as program preferences. The parents of younger students may be asked to share written statements about their children, while older applicants may be asked to write their own responses to essay prompts. 

NOTE: Many ISAAGNY schools host their applications on an admissions platform, such as Finalsite or Ravenna. Setting up an account and submitting an application will provide you with more information about the process. 

See our Financial Aid page to learn more. 

Most ISAAGNY schools host admissions events (tours, open houses, information sessions, and more) to introduce applicants to their unique mission, values, pedagogy, and culture. ISAAGNY's Admissions Events page provides an overview of these opportunities, though it may not be comprehensive; schools without calendar entries may not have finalized their schedules yet, or they may prefer to host events exclusively for families who have already submitted applications. 

Event attendance is a crucial step of the process. Visiting a school not only gives a glimpse of the people and culture that drive each community, but it also signals your interest to the admissions team. 

Most schools meet directly with applicants during the admissions process. These visits provide an opportunity for applicants and their families to learn more about a school, and for admissions professionals - all of whom have an extensive knowledge of child development *and* what readiness means at their school - to learn more about each candidate. 

Schools may also require a parent interview or meeting, which will provide the admissions team with an opportunity to learn more about your family. 

An official record or transcript - or its equivalent - is a fundamental part of all admissions files.

ISAAGNY schools also share the same recommendation forms; this collaboration enables teachers at sending schools to fill in a single form and submit it to multiple ISAAGNY schools. The parents of applying students are responsible for designating the appropriate teacher to complete the form, and the submission must be completed by the file completion deadline. 

Some ISAAGNY schools use standardized tests as a measure to help distinguish applicants; use our School Finder tool to determine which ones do so. While younger students do not necessarily need to prepare for the tests, they benefit from advance notice about what to expect. Older students, on the other hand, are more likely to actively prepare; their assessments are designed to be more academically challenging.