Hide All

How do you make admission decisions? Hide

The most important issue we are trying to assess in the admission process is the potential success of the candidate at LCDS. This is not an easy task, especially with very young children. Previous and current school records, teacher and guidance counselor/principal recommendations, our experience with the applicant, information from parents, and standardized test scores provide the Admission Committee with a well-rounded perspective on the child, giving us a sense of potential academic, social, emotional, and extracurricular success of the applicant in our school.

Who participates in the admission decision-making process? Hide

An Admission Committee consisting of the Division Head, two or three teachers from the division, and the Director and Assistant Director of Admission, makes all admission decisions. Each member of this team becomes familiar with the documents in the admission folder before discussing the candidate and making the final decision.

If my child is found to be a ‘match’ for LCDS, will she automatically be offered a place in the class? Hide

Being considered a good fit for the school is the first step toward enrollment, but we must also make sure we have space. Some of the reasons families are drawn to Country Day are its low teacher student ratio, its small classes, and its close-knit community. The only way to maintain these characteristics is to limit our overall and individual class enrollments. The unfortunate result is that we sometimes do not have a space to offer a qualified candidate. That’s where the Wait Pool comes in.

How does the Wait Pool work? Hide

A student who is not admitted in the first round of admission decision-making, but who is a strong candidate for the School will be offered Wait Pool status. Every year, we eventually admit many Wait Pool candidates. The situation may be resolved within two weeks, or may take much longer. When a space becomes available, we assess at that time which Wait Pool candidate would be the most appropriate to fill the spot. We understand that waiting for our decision can present a difficult situation at home because parents often wonder what to tell their child. We find that most children respond well to the truth: that Country Day would love to have them, but they just don’t have space. We encourage Wait Pool candidates and their families not to lose hope!

If my child isn’t admitted from the Wait Pool this year, may we reapply for next year? Hide

Most definitely – we encourage you to! Wait Pool candidates are encouraged to reapply. We do not require another application form, or an additional application fee. However, updated school records and recommendations, another classroom visit, and retesting are required.

What if my child is not found to be a match for Country Day? Hide

Sometimes the Admission Committee does not feel that LCDS is a good fit for a child at this time. It could be that the child’s skills are not developed to the degree that would predict a successful experience here. During the child’s visit, the classroom teacher may sense that the child would struggle in this setting. Occasionally our testing, in combination with other factors, may indicate that the child may not thrive here. When these kinds of situations arise, the Admission Committee notifies the family that the child is, at this time, denied admission. These families may try us again in the future. Sometimes the Committee may recommend further psycho-educational testing, thinking that it will shed further light on our findings. It can be difficult for parents to receive our news in any of these circumstances. Please know that our committee takes most seriously the child’s best interest in all decisions.

Does our ability or inability to pay the tuition at Country Day have an impact on your decision to accept my child? Hide

No, admission and financial aid decisions are made separately. The Admission Committee does not have any information regarding a family’s financial status when making decisions.

Do siblings and legacies have preference in the admission decisions? Hide

Yes and no. This is an issue that is extensively discussed by all independent schools. We realize that many parents and alumni have very positive feelings for our school and wish to have all of their children share the same educational experience. But, at the same time, what is best for one child is not necessarily the right choice for another. Most important in our decision is whether a child would thrive in this learning environment. All things being equal, we will usually give preference to a sibling or legacy over another child. But a sibling or legacy child will not be offered a place unless the Committee is confident that he/she has the potential to succeed in this setting.

What if we’re applying after mid-spring? Hide

While we encourage families to apply early, we welcome applications throughout the year. In grades where there are plenty of available spaces, applying late may not hurt a candidate’s chances of being admitted. In fact, in some grades, we are still processing applications throughout the summer! When space is tight, however, classes may fill early.

What about financial aid deadlines? Hide

It is extremely important to meet the financial aid deadlines. While the financial aid budget is quite generous, it is limited. Typically, the entire budgeted amount is spent on families who apply for aid on time.