Admissions Process

List of 7 items.

• Request Information

  Complete our online inquiry form or call our office (1-781-642-8650) to request our information packet. You’ll also be added to our mailing list so that you can receive invitations to campus events and updates throughout the application process.

• Campus Visit & Interview

  Students in their application year are invited to visit campus for a school tour and interview.  Your visit will last approximately 1.5-2 hours and will allow you to tour campus, step into classes, and meet with an admissions counselor to discuss your experiences, interests, and questions. Interviews are conducted Monday-Friday while school is in session.. We ask that you set up a Ravenna account before scheduling your visit.
  
  Interviews are a required part of the application process. Students who are unable to travel to campus for an interview should call or email the office to discuss alternatives.

• Open House (October 20, 2019 or November 9, 2019) or Information Sessions (Dates TBA)

  We invite prospective students and their families to learn more about our engaging academics and inclusive community during one of our fall Open Houses! Along with informational sessions, you will also have an opportunity to speak with faculty, students, and parents. 
  
  If you are unable to make it to one of our Admissions Open Houses, and you are not yet sure if you want to pursue admission to CSW, you may find an Information Session/Tour helpful. This is a family's first introduction to CSW, so is not appropriate for those families who have attended Open House or have scheduled a Campus Visit. It includes a 20-minute introductory information session followed by an abbreviated campus tour. Families who decide to apply to CSW will need to schedule an admissions interview, which will include an extended campus tour that will step into classrooms.
  

• Submitting Application Materials

  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 school and recommendation forms.
  
  Our online application system, Ravenna, will walk you through the steps to:
  
  

  Submit family application materials:
  

  • Application for Admission
  • Application Fee ($50 for domestic students, $100 for international students)
  • Student Questions, 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.
  • Parent/Guardian Questions
  • Optional Supplemental Materials, such as writing samples, art portfolios, or additional recommendations

  Send requests for teacher recommendation and school records to the appropriate people:
  

  • 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)

  Also Required:
  
  

  Standardized Testing
  

  • All applicants must complete one of the following exams: SSAT, ISEE, PSAT, SAT, or ACT. Scores for the SSAT or ISEE must 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 must be sent to us directly from your current school. Scores should be received by our office before the January 15 application deadline.

  • International applicants for whom English is not their native language are required to submit official TOEFL scores, as well. Our test code for the TOEFL is 9641.

  Supplemental instructions for homeschooled applicants are available here.
  
  Supplemental instructions for applicants from mainland China are available here.

• Applying for Financial Aid

  Families applying for financial aid are required to submit their online Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) on or before February 1. 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 2018 federal tax documents, including 1040 (or equivalent) and all schedules, W-2s, and 1099s must be uploaded to SSS by February 15. For more information, visit our Tuition and Financial Aid page.
  
  Please note that if you are applying to CSW after January 15, there may be limited financial aid available. If your family would need financial aid to enroll at CSW, please speak with a member of the Financial Aid Committee before completing the application process.

• Revisit Events

  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 returning the signed 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.