High School Admissions Support

Our coaches are experts at managing students' attention spans, moods, needs—and sense of cool.

Interested in learning more? Get in touch

Process

Ready for your middle schooler to become a high schooler?

This is a major application process for your child - our team can support your family during this very challenging yet rewarding time of academic and personal growth.

1

Take academics seriously

Your child’s academic transcript is a critical component of their application. Encourage your child to do their best in their schoolwork.

Request an academic tutor
2

Submit an inquiry form and/or join the school’s mailing list

Many schools have an inquiry form or mailing list where you can get updates on the admissions process and information about recruiting events. Getting connected is a great way to access a wealth of information and to find out about networking opportunities.

3

Make a standardized test preparation plan

The testing process varies school to school. While some schools have made standardized testing optional (or not required at all), other schools still require applicants to sit for the SSAT, ISEE, or their own assessment. Be sure you’re aware of the situation for each school your child is applying to. 

Learn more about our SSAT tutoring
4

Tackle the application and essay

Each school operates a unique application portal to capture student and family information. Most applications also include space for two personal statements: one from the parents and one from the student applicant. This essay can be a memorable opportunity for your child to dream about who they are and where they are going.

5

Request letters of recommendation and academic transcripts early

Typically, schools want letters of recommendation from your child’s math and English teachers. Some schools also require a letter from an administrative official or guidance counselor. Reach out to your child’s recommenders early to give them plenty of time before submission deadlines. You will have to submit your child’s transcript requests through the application portal; once notified, your child’s middle school will send transcripts electronically to the appropriate schools. 

6

Prepare for the interviews

The interview is as much an opportunity for your child to learn about the school as it is for the school to learn about your child. Some of these interviews are one-on-one, and others are open to parent participation. 

7

Determine if your child must submit an additional writing assessment

Some schools have an additional writing assessment to help them understand where your child is academically; other schools request to see a previously graded essay to gain that understanding.

8

Stay in touch

You can expect your Student Support Manager to reach out to you right after your child’s first session and throughout your relationship to make sure everything is on track. But we love hearing from clients anytime!

Meet our Student Support team

Coach spotlight

We are a cooperative of professional writers, historians, and mathematicians who provide exceptional one-on-one coaching and mentorship to our students.

Meet everyone

We are a cooperative of professional writers, historians, and mathematicians who provide exceptional one-on-one coaching and mentorship to our students.

Colleen

Colleen earned a PhD and MA from Harvard University in History, an MA in Modern European History from St Andrews, and a BA in History and Art History from University of Notre Dame. Currently, she is a researcher at Johns Hopkins.

Graham V.

Graham holds an MD (Vanderbilt University Medical School) and MBA (Harvard Business School). He earned his BS from MIT in Materials Science & Engineering. Currently, he is an Emergency Medicine Resident at Vanderbilt Medical Center.

Julia P.

Julia holds a BA from Princeton University in English Literature, with certificates in Theater and Music Theater. Her thesis won the Alan Downer prize for research in English and drama. Currently, she works in theatrical costuming.

Charlotte

Charlotte holds an MA in Hispanic Studies from Brown University and a BA in English and Spanish from Oxford University. She is a recipient of the Kossoff Prize for Leadership in Language Teaching.

Troy

Troy graduated from Yale with a BA in Ethics, Politics, and Economics. After serving in Teach for America, he attended Harvard Law. Currently, Troy works for an education technology startup focused on preparing students for college.

Ash

Ash earned a BA in Social Studies (Harvard), an MPhil in Intellectual History and Political Thought (University of Cambridge), and a JD (Yale). He is currently a PhD candidate in Political Science at Columbia University.

Daniel Be.

Daniel is a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine and author of 5 books of literary nonfiction. He holds an MFA in Fiction (Columbia University), and has taught at Saint Ann's School, Columbia University, and elsewhere.

Sarah Y.

Sarah graduated from Brown with a BA in History & International Relations. She holds a PhD in History from the University of Hong Kong and the University of Pennsylvania.

Mariam R.

Mariam Rahmani is a writer and translator. Rahmani holds a PhD in Comparative Literature from UCLA and an MFA in Fiction from Columbia University, as well as degrees from Princeton and Oxford. She currently serves on the faculty of Bennington College and is a postdoctoral Fellow with the American Council for Learned Societies in 2023-24.

Morgan B.

Morgan holds Masters' degrees in Maritime Archaeology (University of Southampton) and European History (University College London). She is a member of the Oceangate Titanic Expedition scientific team.

Adrienne

Adrienne received her English PhD from Harvard University, her MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and her BA from Princeton University. She is a nonfiction writer and poet, and teaches in the Writing Program at Princeton University.

Sarge

John has been a professional writer, editor, and teacher for almost 40 years, working with everyone from students to corporate executives to help them get their good ideas down on paper in a clear and comprehensible way. He has taught at St. Luke’s School in New Canaan, CT., and at Moses Brown School, in Providence, RI.

Nadja

Nadja graduated from The Dalton School early, moving on to earn her BA in Psychology at Yale University, cum laude. Nadja was recently selected as a Fulbright Scholar and will serve in Kenya as an English teacher for high school and university students.

Liz P.

Liz has been a professor at Harvard College (English) and Bates College (Theater and Dance). She holds a PhD and MA in English from Harvard University and a BA in English and Dramatic Art from UNC (summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa).

Joshua

Joshua graduated cum laude from Middlebury College with a BA in Political Science. He worked for two years as a Research Associate at Mathematica Policy Research. He then worked at Kate Farms as a Market Access Associate Manager. Currently, Joshua is a dual degree master’s candidate in Comparative Urban Planning and International Governance at UCLA and SciencesPo.

Molly P.

Molly received her BA from Harvard, graduating with Highest Honors in English and Theater, Dance & Media. During her time as an undergrad, she was named a Le Baron Russell Briggs Traveling Fellow, an Artist Development Fellow, and a John Harvard Scholar, and spent a summer studying Shakespeare at the University of Cambridge in England.

Akhil

Akhil holds a BA and MA in Political Science from Yale University. He is currently pursuing his MS in Comparative Social Policy from the University of Oxford as a Marshall Scholar. Following his time in Oxford, he will begin studying for his JD at Yale Law School.

Anna Tw.

Anna holds an MFA in Acting from the Shakespeare Theatre Company/George Washington University and an MA in Acting from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Previously, she earned her BA in Creative Writing from Stanford University.

Michael T.

Michael is a current JD Candidate at Harvard Law School. He previously graduated from Brown University with BA degrees in Economics and International Relations (magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa).

Emily G.

Emily holds a BA in Chemistry from Wesleyan University. She has taught chemistry and physics at several independent schools, including The Hill School, Loomis Chaffee, and, most recently, The Field School in Washington, DC.

Linda L.

Linda has 36 years of classroom experience. She taught English at Cambridge Rindge and Latin School; started a small school, the Social Justice Academy, in Boston; taught Composition and Research to college students in Missouri (Stephens) and Massachusetts (Bentley); and helped lead the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science to its number 5 state-wide ranking.

Kiran

Kiran holds a PhD from the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. She also holds a Master’s in Latin American Studies from the University of Oxford, and a BA in Political Science from Barnard College.

Chris B.

Chris received his AB from Princeton, where he studied History and American Studies. After earning his Ed.M. at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, he’s been teaching in Boston for the past decade.

Monica K.

Monica is a practicing corporate attorney specializing in private equity mergers and acquisitions. She graduated from Harvard Law School and the University of Pennsylvania, summa cum laude. While attending Harvard Law School, Monica interned at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement.

Hannah L.

Hannah earned her BA from Yale University, where her undergrad poetry thesis won her Yale’s Frederick Mortimer Clapp Fellowship. Hannah got her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in 2015 and is currently an English PhD candidate at the University of Virginia.

Olivia M.

Olivia is a 2016 graduate of Harvard University (cum laude) in English and Mind/Brain/Behavior. She also holds a Master of Studies in English (1900-present) from St. Catherine's College, University of Oxford (2017). Olivia works as both a professional tutor and theatre director in the UK.

Alexa Z.

Alexa graduated cum laude from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies and a secondary degree in Psychology. She earned high departmental honors in Social Studies, and her thesis on political myths, critical theory, and female social mobility received magna distinction.

Morgan

Morgan holds a JD from Vanderbilt University Law School and a BA in American Studies from Wesleyan University. She is a former lawyer admitted to practice in the State of New York (having worked in both government and BigLaw), and most recently was the Script Coordinator on a Netflix TV show.

Erica S.

Erica attended Stanford University, where she majored in International Relations and double minored in Economics and Modern Languages (French and Arabic). As a Marshall Scholar, she completed an MA in Middle Eastern Studies at SOAS University of London and an MA in Conflict Resolution at King’s College London.

Sydney D.

Sydney holds a degree in Political Science from Yale College and is pursuing a JD from Yale Law School. Post-grad, Sydney will be clerking on the Eastern District of New York and the Second Circuit before working for a DC law firm.

Colin M.

Colin attended New York University, where he earned a BA in French (magna cum laude) and an MA in French Studies (cum laude). He then went on to study at Brooklyn College, where he received an MSEd (Special Education - summa cum laude). He is a former middle school special education teacher and department head in the New York City school system.

Hattie

Hawthorne graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in 2021, where she majored in English and Political Science. She next received her Master’s from Cambridge University in Politics and International Studies.

Kyra

Kyra is currently pursuing an LLM in International Law at SOAS, University of London as a Marshall Scholar. She graduated from Stanford University with a BA in History, Phi Beta Kappa with honors, and a minor in Human Rights.

Julia M.

Julia holds a BA in Economics (summa cum laude) from Harvard College. She is currently pursuing an MSc in Statistical Science at Oxford University.

Judy

Judy pursued her bachelor’s degree in History of Science at Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She subsequently earned her master of science degree in History of Science, Medicine and Technology from the University of Oxford.

Jt

JT graduated magna cum laude from Yale with distinction in his major of Ethics, Politics, and Economics, alongside a certificate in Statistics and Data Science. Currently, he is a Master’s student at the University of Oxford studying Criminology and Criminal Justice on a Rhodes Scholarship.
Meet everyone

Testimonials

“Tess is an amazing tutor. She created goals and milestones, and worked with our daughter on interview techniques and applications. Our daughter has a special confidence having worked with Tess that we have seen carry through to her classes and other interactions. In addition to the diligence and care with which she approaches her role as a tutor, she is a fantastic role model for a young person. We highly recommend her for essay writing, interview techniques and application prep!”

Jessica

FAQs

  • What is the timeline for applying to private high schools?

    Most private high school applications have deadlines ranging from mid to late January, though it differs from school to school. Be sure to check the websites or call the admissions offices for your schools of interest to confirm any submission deadlines!

  • What are the requirements for admission to a private high school?

    Applying to a private high school is similar in many ways to applying to a college. The high school admissions process typically includes the application form, recommendation letters, a transcript, a tour of the school, an interview, a day of classes, and a standardized test. Most private high school applications have three main components. The first is a student profile, which includes basic biographical, personal, and academic information, a graded essay, and recommendations from teachers and mentors. The second is an essay/short answer supplement that is unique to each school. And third, most schools require a personal interview (conducted onsite or via Zoom). 

  • Does my child need to take a standardized test for admission?

    Mostly likely, yes! The SSAT and ISEE are standardized exams designed to test readiness for private schools, and are almost always required elements of the application. There are multiple tiers of these exams depending on grade level. These exams assess critical thinking and problem-solving capacities by measuring verbal reasoning skills, reading comprehension, and mathematical ability.

  • How do I decide between the SSAT and ISEE?

    While there is considerable overlap in content between the two tests, some schools will state an explicit preference for one over the other. Check the “Admissions” section of your target schools’ websites to get an idea of which test your schools prefer. If a given school requires one of the two exams, then you don’t have a choice, take that one! If you do have a choice, have your child take a practice SSAT and a practice ISEE exam. You can find practice tests at the back of most standard SSAT/ISEE prep books. Compare your child's scores and think about which exam they felt played more to their strengths, or simply, which felt more accessible to them. Most students perform similarly on the two exams, but if you are scoring much higher on one of them, it is better to focus on preparing for that one.

Plans

We've created a structured, yet flexible plans that offer everything you need to succeed throughout the admissions process.

tips_and_updates Tips for choosing a plan

Choose a Tutor Tier

Hourly Rate

1 Hour

All of our coaching is available on an hourly basis. If you're not sure how much coaching you'll need, you can enroll in our "pay as you go" option.

$ 140

$ 180

$ 260

$ 340

$ 550

First Time Package

3 Hours

This initial package is a good way to get the ball rolling and evaluate the amount of coaching that your process will require. Allows for parents and student to get to know their coach, align on expectations, and determine a basic action plan.

$ 420

$ 540

$ 780

$ 1020

$ 1650

Comprehensive Package

25 Hours 5% OFF

Comprehensive assistance including long term positioning, school selection, coaching on your personal essay and management of the process from start to finish. It generally allows for regular meetings throughout the process, as well as remote feedback and editing on application materials by your coach. Represents our best estimate; students may need more or less time with their coach.

$ 3325 You save $175

$ 4275 You save $225

$ 6175 You save $325

$ 8075 You save $425

$ 13063 You save $687

Package pricing for the Leader tier available upon request.

Tutor Tiers

We have 4 tiers of coaches. The coach’s tier is based on the experience level of the coach with our team. All coaches begin working with Cambridge Coaching at the Standard tier.

  • Standard

    0-150 hours
    $140/hour

  • Senior

    150-200 hours
    $180/hour

  • Guru

    250-300 hours
    $260/hour

  • Master

    350+- hours
    $340/hour

  • Leader


    Price upon request

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