26 TERMS DEFINED

Private School Admissions Glossary

Clear definitions for every term you'll encounter during the private school admissions process.

Admission Rate: The percentage of applicants who are offered admission to a school. A lower admission rate generally indicates a more selective school. Admission rates can vary significantly year to year depending on the applicant pool.
AP (Advanced Placement): A program run by the College Board that offers college-level courses and exams to high school students. Many private schools offer AP courses, though some elite independent schools use their own advanced curricula instead.
Boarding School: A school where students live on campus in dormitories during the academic year. Boarding schools provide meals, housing, supervised study halls, and weekend activities. Some schools offer both boarding and day enrollment options.
Day School: A private school where students attend classes during the day and return home each evening. Most private schools in the DMV area are day schools, though several boarding options exist in the broader Mid-Atlantic region.
Demonstrated Interest: The ways in which a family shows genuine interest in a school, such as attending open houses, visiting campus, scheduling shadow days, and engaging thoughtfully in interviews. Some schools track demonstrated interest as part of their admissions evaluation.
EA (Early Action): A non-binding early application option that allows families to apply and receive an admissions decision before the regular deadline. Unlike Early Decision, accepting an EA offer is not mandatory, and families may still consider other schools.
ED (Early Decision): A binding early application option where families commit to enrolling if the student is accepted. Applying ED signals strong interest and commitment, but families should only use this option if the school is their clear first choice.
Endowment: A pool of invested funds maintained by a school, the income from which supports operations, financial aid, facilities, and programs. Schools with larger endowments typically offer more generous financial aid packages.
ERB (Educational Records Bureau): An organization that provides standardized testing and admissions services for independent schools. ERB administers several assessments used in private school admissions, including the ISEE.
FACTS: FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment is a financial aid application platform commonly used by Catholic schools. Families submit financial documents through FACTS, which generates a report that schools use to determine financial aid awards.
Financial Aid: Funding provided by a school to help families afford tuition. Financial aid can be need-based (determined by family income and assets) or merit-based (awarded for academic, athletic, or other achievements). Many DMV private schools offer substantial aid.
HSPT (High School Placement Test): The standardized admissions test required by most Catholic high schools. The HSPT covers Verbal, Quantitative, Reading, Mathematics, and Language sections and is typically administered once in late fall or early winter.
Independent School: A private school that is governed by an independent board of trustees rather than a religious organization or government entity. Independent schools set their own curricula, admissions standards, and tuition. Examples in the DMV include Sidwell Friends, Georgetown Day, and Maret.
ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam): A standardized admissions test accepted by many independent schools as an alternative to the SSAT. The ISEE includes Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement, and an essay section.
Legacy: An applicant who has a family connection to a school, typically a parent, grandparent, or sibling who attended. Some schools give legacy applicants a modest advantage in the admissions process, though policies vary.
Merit Aid: Financial aid awarded based on a student's achievements or talents rather than family financial need. Merit scholarships may be based on academic performance, HSPT/SSAT scores, athletic ability, or other demonstrated strengths.
Need-Based Aid: Financial aid awarded based on a family's demonstrated financial need, as determined by financial aid applications (SSS, FACTS, or Clarity). The goal is to make tuition affordable for families who could not otherwise pay the full cost.
Need-Blind Admission: An admissions policy where a family's financial situation is not considered in the admissions decision. Schools with need-blind admission evaluate applicants solely on merit and then determine financial aid separately after acceptance.
Open House: An event hosted by a school where prospective families can visit campus, hear from administrators and faculty, meet current students, and learn about the school's programs and culture. Open houses are typically held in fall and are an important step in the school research process.
RD (Regular Decision): The standard application deadline and timeline, as opposed to Early Decision or Early Action. Regular Decision applicants typically submit applications in January and receive decisions in March.
Rolling Admissions: An admissions process where applications are reviewed and decisions are made on a continuous basis as they are received, rather than after a single deadline. Schools with rolling admissions may fill spots before all applications are in, so applying early is advantageous.
Shadow Day: A visit where a prospective student spends part or all of a school day attending classes, eating lunch, and experiencing daily life alongside a current student host. Shadow days are one of the best ways to evaluate whether a school is the right fit.
SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test): A standardized admissions test used by most independent and boarding schools. The SSAT includes Verbal, Quantitative (Math), and Reading Comprehension sections and is scored on a percentile basis. It is offered on multiple dates from October through January.
SSS (School and Student Service): The financial aid application platform administered by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). Most independent schools require families to submit the SSS Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) as part of the financial aid process.
Test-Optional: An admissions policy where submitting standardized test scores (SSAT, ISEE, or HSPT) is not required. Some schools adopted test-optional policies in recent years, though most DMV private schools still require or strongly recommend test scores.
Yield: The percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll at a school. A high yield rate indicates that a school is a top choice for the families it admits. Schools consider yield when managing their admissions and waitlist processes.

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