Admissions Process

The Cambridge School of Weston welcomes applications from bright, intellectually curious, motivated boarding and day students in grades 9-12. We also offer a one-year immersion program, and a post-graduate (PG) year. We look for creative thinkers and bold learners who will be positive, contributing members of our diverse and close-knit community. This portion of the website will guide you through our application process. 

While we encourage all applicants to apply by our January 15 deadline, applications will be considered after January 15, as space permits.

List of 8 items.

  • Request Information

    Complete our online inquiry form to request our admissions viewbook. You’ll also be added to our mailing list so that you can receive invitations to our admissions events, as well as information and updates throughout the application process.
  • Campus Tour & Interview (by 1/31/23)

    Admissions interviews are required for all applicants. These appointments are offered both in-person and virtually, and must be completed by January 31. Tours and interviews are conducted Monday-Friday, during the school day, while school is in session. Please call the admissions office to check availability and reserve an appointment.

    Before scheduling your admissions interview, we ask that you set up a Ravenna account. If you already have a Ravenna account, please add CSW as one of the schools that you are exploring/applying to. 
  • Open Houses & Events (fall 2023)

    We invite prospective students and their families to learn more about our engaging academics and inclusive community during one of our fall events! CSW will be offering a series of themed virtual information sessions, as well as a virtual Open House, and an in-person Open House, so please check our event schedule for registration information. If you complete our inquiry form, you'll receive information about upcoming events directly to your inbox!

  • Submitting Application Materials (by 1/15/23)

    The first step in the application process is to set up your online account with Ravenna, our web-based application system. Through Ravenna, you’ll be able to work on and save the different pieces of your application—detailed below—as well as email and/or download the transcript request and recommendation forms.

    Please note that we will also accept applications submitted through SAO. Please be aware that there is an additional processing fee incorporated into the SAO application fee, and the SAO application requires additional essays. If you plan to submit your application through SAO, we still ask that you create a Ravenna account before you schedule your interview, as it will allow you to track your application materials and receive your admissions decision online.

    Our online application system, Ravenna, will walk you through:

    Submitting family application materials:
    • Application for Admission
    • Application Fee ($50 for domestic students, $100 for international students)
    • Student Questionnaire, which must be filled out by the student
    • A 2-3 page graded academic paper, such as a research paper written for a history class or a literary analysis written for an English class. This should be a piece of expository writing, and should not be a lab report, group project, or a creative writing assignment. It must be written in English.
    • Parent/Guardian Questionnaire
    • Optional Supplemental Materials, such as writing samples, art portfolios, or additional recommendations
    Requesting teacher recommendations and school records:
    • Current School Official Recommendation, transcript for previous year, and current grades (Applicants to upper grades must submit transcripts for all years of high school.)
    • Current English Teacher Recommendation
    • Current Math Teacher Recommendation
    • Dorm Parent Recommendation (for any applicant who has been a boarding student in the past two years)
    • Optional additional recommendation: We are happy to accept additional recommendations, particularly if you've been learning remotely for this year and feel that one of your teachers from last year may be able to better represent your academic work and engagement.
    Note: CSW will not require an entrance exam such as the SSAT/ISEE this year. If you take one of these tests and would like to submit your scores as part of your application, you may do so, but not submitting them will not have a negative impact on your chances for admission. 

    If you choose to submit scores, they should be sent to CSW directly. CSW’s test code for the SSAT is 2020; for the ISEE it is 222350. Scores from a PSAT, SAT, or ACT exam should be sent to us directly from your current school. Scores should be received by our office before the January 15 application deadline if you'd like them considered as part of your application.

    International applicants for whom English is not their native language are required to submit official TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo English Test scores. Our test code for the TOEFL is 9641.

    Supplemental instructions for homeschooled applicants are available here.
  • Applying for Financial Aid (by 1/15/23)

    Families applying for financial aid are required to submit their online Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) on or before January 15. The PFS should be completed and submitted online to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS) and list CSW as a recipient. Signed copies of your 2021 federal tax documents, including 1040 (or equivalent) and all schedules, W-2s, and 1099s must be uploaded to SSS by January 15. For more information, visit our Tuition and Financial Aid page.
  • Decision Notifications Sent (March 10, 2023)

    We share notification of admission decisions online via each student's Ravenna account, and we also mail acceptance packets and enrollment information to students' homes. Please note that we are unable to provide admission decisions over the phone, and that by submitting your application via Ravenna you will have the earliest possible access to your notification.
  • Revisit Events (March/April 2023)

    Admitted students and their parents or guardians are invited to revisit events in late March and early April. These events are designed to give students a deeper sense of the CSW experience, and to give adults an overview of the program and an opportunity to ask questions of faculty, administrators, and staff. 
  • Enrollment (by April 10, 2023)

    By signing and submitting the electronic enrollment agreement and deposit to CSW, families make their student's enrollment official! Once we receive and process the enrollment, families will receive information about choosing classes and getting ready for the coming school year. 

Admissions Timeline

The Cambridge School of Weston welcome the perspectives of different ethnicities, races, classes, religions and sexual orientations that enhance our mutual understanding. Our respect for the unique gifts of each community member provides a safe environment where all can grow.

The Cambridge School of Weston does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, retaliation, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, disability, mental illness, genetics, choice of health insurance, marital status, age, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited under applicable law.

The Cambridge School of Weston is a progressive high school for day and boarding students in grades 9–12 and PG. CSW's mission is to provide a progressive education that emphasizes deep learning, meaningful relationships, and a dynamic program that inspires students to discover who they are and what their contribution is to their school, their community and the world.