Severn School | Apply to Severn

The Severn Way

At Severn, our values are our compass. Our teachers model the curiosity, respect and intellectual agility that we are instilling in every student - including the idea that it's cool to be smart. We aren't just meeting requirements, we're building community and redefining leadership. Come experience Severn for yourself!

Show Your Support

Donations are what make it possible to provide the innovative, inclusive, and forward-thinking education that defines the Severn experience. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our alums, parents, and friends, every Admiral has the opportunity to discover what matters and reach their full potential.

Douglas, Class of 2024

"Severn has challenged me in and out of class to follow my passions and be a self-advocate. Not only are my teachers approachable and make things like office hours easy, but the upperclassmen since I have been here have done a great job leading by example, helping to energize the student body."

How to Apply

The Severn application process is thoughtfully designed to allow us to get to know you, and to help you get the full Severn experience when you visit. It includes three important steps:

Step 1: Admission Inquiry
Submitting an inquiry allows us to create your family profile, share important information with you that is tailored to your interests, and schedule a campus tour.

Step 2: Apply
The application is completed online and includes a $60 application fee. Transcripts, letters of recommendations and testing are also required as part of the application. Please review the grade-level details below for specific requirements and due dates.

Step 3: Visit (Interview, Class Visit)
An interview is a required part of the application process and will be scheduled once your application has been submitted. Class visits for the Upper School are optional, but if your student would like to participate in a class visit, the visit and interview will be scheduled for the same day. All preschool through 5th grade applicants will participate in a classroom visit of their current grade level.

Severn Entry Points
The major entry points for new students entering Severn School are preschool for the Lower School, sixth grade for the Middle School, and ninth grade for the Upper School. However, if you are interested in other grades as an entry point to Severn, please reach out to us to discuss space availability. It is unusual for students to be accepted as seniors at Severn School. If there are extenuating circumstances surrounding a request for admission to grade 12 that you would like to discuss, please contact the Admission team.

Please see below for important dates related to the 2024-25 school year application process.

Grade-Specific Application Details & Deadlines
Please review the specific application details for the grade that you are applying for.

List of 4 items.

Important Dates for 2024-25 School Year
The important dates for the 2024-25 school year application process are:
- September 2023 - Online Application Opens for the school year starting in the fall of 2024.
- October 4, 2023 - Lower School Open House
- October 19, 2023 - Upper School Open House
- November 1, 2023 - Early Application Deadline (Severn offers an Early Admission option to siblings and alumni children entering grades 6 and 9.)
- November 11, 2023 - ISEE Test Administered at Severn School
- November 17, 2023 - Early Application Recommendations, Testing, and Transcripts Due (only for siblings and alumni children entering grades 6 or 9.)
- January 5, 2024 - Application Deadline
- January 6, 2024 - ISEE Test Administered at Severn School
- January 19, 2024 - Recommendations, Testing and Transcripts Due
- January 31, 2024 - Last day for class visits and interviews for regular admission.
- February 15, 2024 - Enrollment Decisions Released
Pre-school-Grade 1: Admission Process

COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION
Once you are ready to apply, you will complete the Online Application (this includes a $60 application fee). The application deadline for the 2024-25 school year is January 5, 2024.

REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS
For students applying for kindergarten and first grade, records from their current school are required. This is all done electronically. Once you apply online, login and go to the checklist. Click on the Transcript Request button and email the request directly to your child's current school after the first term of the current year. Transcripts must be submitted directly to Severn School.

REQUEST TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS
Preschool-Grade 1: If your child is enrolled now, or has been enrolled in a previous school, or daycare, we request a teacher recommendation for all students applying. Once you apply online, login and go to the admission checklist. Click on the “Teacher Recommendation” button and email the request directly to your child's teacher after the first term of the current year.

CLASSROOM VISITS
All applicants are required to participate in a classroom observation of their current grade level. Ms. Sue Richburg will provide more details.

Please note: All applicants for Preschool and Prekindergarten must be potty trained by the start of school.

CONVERSATION WITH ADMISSION REPRESENTATIVE
So we may learn more about your child/children, a conversation with an Admission Officer is scheduled for all parents. The interview will be conducted during the same time that your child is visiting with us.

TESTING
Applicants entering Preschool through First Grade will complete an assessment that will be administered at the Lower School during their visit with us. Ms. Sue Richburg will provide more details for each grade level.

DECISIONS
To be considered for regular admissions Transcripts, Recommendation, Conversation, Testing/Assessments, and Classroom Visits must be completed no later than January 19, 2024 for our Admission Committee to review. When reviewing our applicant pool, The Admission Committee gives first consideration to prospective students of siblings, alumni, and faculty. Decisions are made by mid-February.
Grades 2-5: Admission Process

COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION
Once you are ready to apply, you will complete the Online Application (this includes a $60 application fee). The application deadline for the 2024-25 school year is January 5, 2024.

REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS
This is all done electronically. Once you apply online, login and go to the checklist. Click on the Transcript Request button and email the request directly to your child's current school after the first term of the current year. Transcripts must be submitted directly to Severn School.

REQUEST TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS
Grades 2-5: Once you apply online, login and go to the application checklist. Click on the “Teacher Recommendation” button and email the request directly to your child's teacher after the first term of the current year.

CLASSROOM VISITS
All applicants are required to participate in a classroom observation of their current grade level. Ms. Sue Richburg will provide more details.

CONVERSATION WITH ADMISSION REPRESENTATIVE
So we may learn more about your child/children, a conversation with an Admission Officer is scheduled for all parents. The interview will be conducted during the same time that your child is visiting with us.

TESTING
Applicants entering Second through Fourth Grade are required to complete an Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE). The test is conducted at the Lower School during your child’s visit with us. Information on how to register will be provided from the Admission Office before the visit.

Applicants entering Fifth Grade should complete the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) by Friday, January 19, 2024. There are several testing options available, including online, paper-based, and at-home administrations. If you opt to
take the test on a scheduled test date, these tests do not have to be taken at Severn, and may be taken at any school offering the exam. However, you must request on the registration form that the results be forwarded to Severn. Our school code for the ISEE is 21095. In-person testing registration closes three weeks prior to the testing date, and many test sites will fill up so please register early. Walk-ins are accepted, space permitting, although there is an additional fee.

DECISIONS
To be considered for regular admissions Transcripts, Recommendation, Conversation, Testing/Assessments, and Classroom Visits must be completed no later than January 19, 2024 for our Admission Committee to review. When reviewing our applicant pool, The Admission Committee gives first consideration to prospective students of siblings, alumni, and faculty. Decisions are made by mid-February.
Grades 6-12: Admission Process

COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION
Once you are ready to apply, you will complete the Online Application (this includes a $60 application fee). The application deadline for the 2024-25 school year is January 5, 2024.

REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS
For students applying for grades 6-12, records from their current school are required. This is all done electronically. Once you apply online, login and go to the checklist. Click on the Transcript Request button and email the request directly to your child's current school after the first term of the current year. Transcripts must be submitted directly to Severn School. Transcripts must be received no later than January 19, 2024.

REQUEST TEACHER RECOMMENDATION
For students applying for grades 6-12, two teacher recommendations are required - one from your child's current English teacher and one from your child's current Math teacher to be submitted directly to Severn School. This is all done electronically. Once you apply online, login and go to the checklist. Click on the Teacher Recommendation button and email the requests directly to your child's teachers after the first term of the current year. Recommendations must be submitted directly to Severn School online. Recommendations must be received no later than January 19, 2024.

SCHEDULE INTERVIEW
A scheduled interview is required of all applicants. This is a casual conversation that allows time for us to learn more about your family, your child and your expectations.

If your child is joining us for a class visit, the interviews will be scheduled for that day. Once we receive your application, an admission officer will contact you to arrange a date and time. The last day for class visits and interviews is January 31, 2024.

TESTING
Applicants should complete the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) by January 19, 2024. There are several testing options available, including online, paper-based, and at-home administrations. If you opt to take the test on a scheduled test date, these tests do not have to be taken at Severn, and may be taken at any school offering the exam. However, you must request on the registration form that the results be forwarded to Severn. Our school code for the ISEE is 210945. Click here to learn more about testing options and for registration. In-person testing registration closes three weeks prior to the testing date, and many test sites will fill up so please register early. Walk-ins are accepted, space permitting, although there is an additional fee.

The ISEE Test will be administered at Severn School on November 11, 2023 and January 6, 2024.

DECISIONS
To be considered for regular admissions Transcripts, Recommendation, Conversation, Testing/Assessments, and Classroom Visits must be completed no later than January 19, 2024 for our Admission Committee to review. When reviewing our applicant pool The Admission Committee gives first consideration to prospective students of siblings, alumni, and faculty. Decisions are made by mid-February.

12th GRADE
Please note that it is highly unusual for Severn School to consider admission to a student entering 12th grade. If there are extenuating circumstances surrounding a student entering their senior year, we recommend that you contact the Admission Team directly to discuss.
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