U.S. boarding schools
Residential schools where students live and learn on campus, usually from grade 9.
- New England boarding schools
- Schools across the U.S.
- Coeducational and single-sex schools
PRIVATE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
Choose a school where you can grow.
We help you and your family find boarding and day schools that fit, prepare your applications and feel ready for interviews. If you’re not applying yet, we can help you explore what you enjoy and build good habits first.
Arrange your free introduction45 minutes with your proposed mentor. A personalized plan by email afterward.
Explore how we can help
Academy Building, Phillips Exeter Academy · Transmarinus / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and cropped.
OUR STUDENTS’ SCHOOL OFFERS
Our students have received offers from leading boarding schools.
SCHOOLS WE HELP WITH
Boarding and day schools in the U.S. and the UK.
Families come to us from many countries. We help you understand how each type of school works and when a move makes sense for your child.
U.S. day schools
Independent schools for families who want a new school without moving away from home.
- Middle-school entry
- High-school entry
- Schools with day and boarding students
UK boarding schools
For families considering schools in England and Scotland.
- 11+ entry
- 13+ entry
- Sixth form entry at 16
- UKiset preparation
Entry points
When a student joins shapes the application and the transition.
- Grade 9 (most common)
- Grade 10
- Grade 11
- Postgraduate year at some schools
HELP FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
A good school fits your everyday life, not only your ambitions.
You might be starting to explore schools or already preparing for interviews. We’ll help you see what matters now and build from there.
SCHOOL CHOICE
Find schools where you would enjoy an ordinary week.
We look at classes, boarding life, activities, support and cost together, so your list reflects daily life at each school, not only a famous name.
What we work on together
A balanced list of schools, with a clear reason for each one.
YOUR APPLICATION
Show who you are in your own words.
School applications ask about your interests, your character and how you learn. We help you choose real examples and give you honest feedback on each draft.
What we work on together
Short answers and essays that sound like you, and a plan for every part of each application.
TESTS & DEADLINES
Keep tests, visits and deadlines in one plan.
Deadlines, testing rules and interview windows differ between schools. We build one calendar for your family and plan any SSAT or ISEE preparation you need.
What we work on together
One family calendar with test dates, interviews and deadlines for each school.
INTERVIEWS & DECISIONS
Feel ready to talk about yourself.
An interview is a conversation, not a test. We practice turning short answers into real examples. When offers arrive, we help your family compare daily life, support and the real cost.
What we work on together
Practice conversations with feedback, then a clear side-by-side look at your offers.
TRY THIS WITH YOUR FAMILY
Ask what an ordinary school day would feel like.
Use these questions when you visit or speak with a school. The answers help turn a list of names into a real comparison.
| Where to look | A question to ask the school |
|---|---|
| In the classroom | How do teachers help a quieter student join a discussion? |
| Outside lessons | Who would you turn to if you felt homesick or needed help? |
| On weekends | What do students usually do on a Saturday, and which adults are around? |
| For your family | After aid, what would fees, travel and everyday costs add up to? |
A few school application details are worth checking early.
Deadlines differ between schools.
For fall 2027 entry, Phillips Exeter’s deadline is January 15, with decisions on March 10. Andover’s deadline is February 1, 2027. Check each school’s own dates before you plan.
Testing rules differ too.
Exeter and Andover require a test score, such as the Upper Level SSAT or ISEE, depending on the grade you apply for. Choate makes test scores optional. All three use the Gateway to Prep Schools application.
Financial aid can make a school possible.
Exeter and Andover decide admission without regard to financial need and meet full demonstrated need with grants. At Exeter, families earning less than $150,000 pay no tuition. Aid applications are due with the admission application.
HOW A YEAR CAN LOOK
A calm timeline leaves room for visits, tests and schoolwork.
This is a common shape for students applying to U.S. boarding schools for fall entry. UK schools follow their own calendars, which we plan separately.
About 18 months before entry
Start exploring schools.
Look at what makes each school different, from classes and boarding life to support and cost.
Spring and summer before applying
Plan testing and tours.
Take a practice SSAT or ISEE, decide which tests your schools need, and visit or tour schools online.
September to December
Interviews, visits and applications.
Schedule interviews, ask teachers for recommendations and work on your application answers.
January and February
Applications and aid forms are due.
For fall 2027 entry, Exeter’s deadline is January 15 and Andover’s is February 1, 2027. Aid applications are due at the same time.
March
Decisions arrive.
Exeter releases decisions on March 10. Compare daily life, support and the real cost of each offer before you decide.
TWO STUDENTS, DIFFERENT CHOICES
The right choice made room for the student and the family.
These anonymized journeys show why interview preparation and school choice belong together.
FINAL CHOICE · CHOATEK.T. · GRADE 10 ENTRY
K.T. chose a school where she could speak up and still be herself.
How we helped
We practiced moving from a short answer to an example and a reflection. Together, we compared classroom discussion, advising and residential life at each school.
- Her offers
- Hotchkiss, Phillips Exeter and Choate
- Her choice
- Choate Rosemary Hall
Choate Rosemary Hall · KyleR0909 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and cropped.
FINAL CHOICE · LAWRENCEVILLEA.R. · GRADE 9 ENTRY
A.R. chose an offer that worked for his whole family.
How we helped
We helped him explain a difficult algebra term and show the judgment his work in the family grocery required. His family compared actual aid, travel and residential support.
- His offers
- Lawrenceville, Groton and Phillips Andover
- His choice
- The Lawrenceville School, with need-based financial aid
Memorial Hall, Lawrenceville School · Bmzuckerman / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0. Resized and cropped.
Our free school guides cover Exeter, Andover, Choate, Deerfield and Lawrenceville. You don’t need to become a client to use them.
IF YOU’RE NOT APPLYING YET
Build the curiosity and habits that make later choices easier.
For middle-school and early high-school students, the goal isn’t a longer résumé. It’s finding what you enjoy, learning how to work well and growing in confidence.
Explore what holds your attention.
We try a few things together, such as a book, a project or a problem, and notice what you want to keep doing.
Get organized in a way that works for you.
Planning, note-taking and asking for help are skills you can learn. We build simple routines that fit your school week.
Try new challenges that suit your age.
We help your family choose a few competitions, projects or summer programs with a clear purpose, rather than filling every weekend.
Have someone to talk things through with.
A steady mentor listens, asks good questions and helps you reflect on what you are learning, without adding pressure.
QUESTIONS FAMILIES ASK
A few practical answers.
If your question isn’t here, bring it to your free introduction.
Which grade is best for applying?
Most students join U.S. boarding schools in grade 9. Some schools also admit students in grades 10 and 11, and a few offer a postgraduate year. We’ll help you compare the options for your family.
Do we need to visit schools in person?
Visiting helps, but it isn’t always possible for families abroad. Many schools offer online tours, events and interviews, and we help you make the most of them.
How important is the SSAT or ISEE?
It is one part of the application. Some schools require a test and others make it optional, so we plan testing around the schools on your list.
Can international families receive financial aid?
Many boarding schools offer need-based aid, and some meet full demonstrated need. Rules for international families differ from school to school, so we check each one with you.
Do you also help with UK boarding schools?
Yes. We help with 11+, 13+ and sixth-form entry, UKiset preparation and interviews, as well as U.S. schools.
RELATED SUPPORT
Other help you might need along the way.
These services often go together with a private-school application.
PEOPLE ON YOUR SIDE
Your mentor is chosen for experience and care.
We carefully select mentors who listen, offer honest feedback and help you feel comfortable asking questions. One lead mentor gets to know you and guides your work.
How we choose and match mentors
_(1).jpg){kind=link}
Our team has guided students of different ages and stages. Their careers span technology, finance, consulting, education and government at leading companies and institutions.
LET’S TALK THINGS THROUGH
Meet your mentor before you decide.
Bring the schools you are curious about, your questions or the part that feels uncertain. Parents are welcome to join the conversation. You don’t need a finished plan.
Arrange your free introductionA free 45-minute conversation.
Meet your proposed mentor and talk about your interests, the schools you are considering and the support that would help.
A personal plan in your inbox.
Afterward, we’ll email recommended next steps and explain how we could work together. Take time to decide what feels right for you.