Apply
We’re looking for students — and families! — who are always asking: Why? Students who ask: How can I help? Students who stand up for themselves — and for others. Students who instinctively appreciate the connection between mind and heart and body. Students with wit, in every sense of the word.
We look forward to getting to know your family and hope to make the process as easy as possible. The application process is a personalized one and your child is at the heart of this work. Talking with a member of the admission team will allow you to learn more about our school.
For your convenience, we have outlined the application steps. Some families choose to complete these steps in an order that is more convenient. Please submit all materials by January 17, 2020. If you have any questions about the SAO application, you can call the Family Hotline at 609-683-4440.
Follow These Steps to Apply to GFA
- Schedule Interview
- Apply
- Forms to Be Submitted
- Testing and Assessment
- Class Visits (Grades 5-11)
- Financial Aid
Schedule Interview
We are looking forward to welcoming you to campus. Your family is important to us and we want to get to know you better through the interview process. You do not need to have applied before coming for an interview.
Families applying to the Lower School do not bring their child for the initial interview and tour. We will meet your child at a later date. Families applying to the Middle and Upper school should plan to bring their child and at least one parent. Typically the interview and tour lasts for 90 minutes. For Middle School applicants, the interview should be completed before coming for a Class Visit Day. Please note that due to our enhanced security, adults must bring a photo ID with them.
To schedule an interview and tour, please select your child's appropriate division for the 2020-2021 school year.
Schedule an Interview:
If you have any difficulty, or wish to speak with someone in the admission office, please email admission@gfacademy.org or call 203.256.7514.
Apply
GFA uses SSAT's Standard Application Online (SAO) for its application. Many of our peer schools also use SAO which means you need only complete one application for several area schools.
The process is quite straightforward, but if you have technical difficulties with the SAO application, you may contact the SAO Family Hotline at 609.683.4440. To get started, please follow these steps:
1. Click on APPLY NOW to open the SAO homepage.
2. Create a sign-in for SAO.
3. Complete the Student Profile (simple biographical information) and submit right away. If you are applying for financial aid, please request from the GFA Admission Office an application fee waiver for the $75 application fee.
4. Return to your SAO log-in to send recommendation requests (after Nov 1) to your child’s school and complete the parent and student statement.
PreK applicants must be four years old by September 1 of the year they would enroll. Kindergarten applicants must be five years old by September 1 of the year they would enroll.
Forms to Be Submitted
Lower School
Teacher recommendations and transcript release forms can be accessed through SAO and emailed through SAO to your student’s teachers after November 1. If your school does not provide teacher recommendations, you may submit a Personal Recommendation from a coach, music instructor or another adult who knows your child. The Lower School Checklist will be available beginning August 23.
Middle School
Teacher recommendations and transcript release forms can be accessed through SAO and can be emailed to schools through SAO after November 1. If you wish, or if your school does not provide teacher recommendations, you may submit a Personal Recommendation from a coach, music instructor or another adult who knows your child well. Applicants for Grade Five and Six may have the same teacher for both Math and English. This teacher should complete both forms.
Candidates for Grades 5–8 must upload to SAO an English or History writing sample from the current school year (the writing sample does not need to be graded).
The Middle School Checklist will be available beginning August 23.
Upper School
Teacher recommendations and transcript release forms can be accessed through SAO and can be emailed to schools through SAO after November 1. If you wish, or if your school does not provide teacher recommendations, you may submit a Personal Recommendation form from a coach, music instructor or another adult who knows your child well.
Candidates for Grades 9-12 must upload to SAO an English or History writing sample from the current school year (the writing sample does not need to be graded).
The Upper School Checklist will be available beginning August 23.
Testing and Assessment
For PreK and Kindergarten applicants, a developmental readiness assessment called the Gesell is administered one-on-one during the several school day morning hours from mid-November – January 10. Your child will meet with a faculty member for approximately 45 minutes while you are welcome to wait in the Admission Reception Room. In order to schedule the Gesell, you must submit Part 1 of the online Application. You will be able to schedule a testing time beginning Monday, September 23.
If your child is an applicant to PreK, your child will be invited to one of the following dates for a PreK Play Day Screening from 10:30-11:30AM:
- Tuesday, January 7
- Wednesday, January 8
- Thursday, January 9
- Friday, January 10- snow date
Your child will visit in the PreK classroom with several teachers and a small group of candidates. Parents are invited to stay for coffee. The Admission office will send an email communicating the visit date that has been assigned to your child several weeks before the observation screening.
If your child is an applicant to Kindergarten, applicants will be assigned a time to attend the Kindergarten Play Day Screening, which are one hour sessions that run throughout the morning on Saturday, February 1 (snow date of Saturday, February 8). Your child will visit in a classroom with several teachers and a small group of candidates. Parents are invited to stay for coffee. The Admission office will send an email communicating the visit time that has been assigned to your child several weeks before the observation screening.
All students applying for grades 1–4 are required to attend the Grades 1–4 Assessment Morning on Saturday, January 11 (with a snow date of Saturday, January 25). The morning will run from 9:30–11:30AM and will consist of a classroom visit and assessment. The applicants will be in the classroom with other candidates applying to their grade level and will be working with our classroom teachers. The applicants will also take part in a morning meeting and group activities before beginning their assessment work in language arts and mathematical concepts.
MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL
GFA accepts ISEE and SSAT testing scores for students entering grades 5-12. GFA offers the ISEE test on Saturday, December 14 and January 11, as well as the SSAT test on Saturday, November 9. Contact ISEE or SSAT for test registration. For scores to be submitted to GFA, use the GFA school codes below.
ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) or SSAT testing must be completed and submitted by January 17, 2020.
Inclement Weather
Refer to the GFA website for school delay/closing information.
Class Visits (Grades 5-11)
Middle and Upper School
In addition to the interview and tour, students are invited to attend a class visit day. For applicants to the Middle School, this visit is required. Class visits are optional for Upper School applicants. Dates will be posted in the fall, and are scheduled for December and early January.
Financial Aid
For families applying for financial aid (Grades K-12 only), the financial aid application will be available November 1, 2019 and must be submitted by January 17, 2020. You may begin use the link below to create your account. The school code for your financial aid application is 3556. If you need assistance, please contact the admission office at financialaid@gfacademy.org or call 203-256-7514.