Application Process

The application deadline for the 2020-2021 year is Tuesday, January 7, 2020. A separate application should be submitted for each child applying. Please contact the Admission Office for a paper copy of the application if you would like to submit the application via mail. If you have any questions please contact the Admission Office at admission@pikeschool.org.

Call the Admission Office (978.475.1197) to schedule a parent/guardian interview and optional tour. Tours and interviews begin in early October and may be completed prior to the submission of the application for admission. Interviews and tours for late applicants will only be offered if space is available.

During evaluation sessions, children interact with teachers and engage in age-appropriate activities individually and in small groups. An application must be received prior to evaluations. 

Applicants must attend both individual and group assessments.

Individual assessments are offered on the following dates:

• Tuesday, December 3, 2019
• Monday, December 9, 2019
• Thursday, January 9, 2020
• Wednesday, January 15, 2020* (visits will be scheduled between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.)
• Thursday, January 16, 2020
• Tuesday, January 21, 2020

If you have a strong preference for a particular date, please send us an email.

Appointments are approximately one hour, and the date and time of your child's appointment will be confirmed via email. Individual visits are scheduled between 8:00 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.

Our group assessment for Pre-K - Grade 5 applicants is on Friday, January 17, 2020. More details about your child's appointment time will be sent to you after the application deadline of January 7, 2020.   
 
Please contact us at any time if you have questions about your child's admission application. 
 

Teacher recommendation forms should be given to the student's current teacher in December. This form should be completed by the student's teacher and submitted directly to Pike. Teacher Evaluation Forms can be downloaded for applicants to Grades Pre-K to Grade 1, or Grades 2-5. The teacher evaluation forms can be submitted directly to Pike via email, fax or U.S. mail.
*All teacher recommendations are due by February 1, 2020.

Give this form to the student's current school in December. It should be completed by the school registrar and submitted directly to Pike. Accompanying transcripts should include the student's reports for the 2018-19 academic year and 2019-20 first term report. *All materials are due to Pike by February 1, 2020.

Admission decisions for The Pike School will be mailed on March 6, 2020. We look forward to working with you and your family as you make this important decision for your student.

The application deadline for the 2020-2021 year is Tuesday, January 7, 2020. A separate application should be submitted for each child applying. Please contact the Admission Office for a paper copy of the application if you would like to submit the application via mail. If you have any questions please contact the Admission Office at admission@pikeschool.org.

The interviews will be scheduled for the same date and time, though accommodations can be made. Interview dates and times are available in October, November, and December. After submitting the admission application, please call the Admission Office at (978.475.1197) to schedule an applicant interview and evaluation.

All applicants to Grades 6-9 are required to take the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT). The SSAT scores are due to The Pike School (code #5776) by February 1, 2020. The SSAT is a standardized test which measures a student’s basic verbal, math, and reading skills. The SSAT score is just one part of a complete application and while it is important, it is not the only criterion used in admission decisions. Registration is available on the SSAT website.

Give these forms to the candidate's English and math teachers. These forms should be completed by the teachers who teach these subjects and submitted directly to Pike. *All teacher recommendations are due by February 1, 2020.

Give this form to the student's current school in December. It should be completed by the school registrar and submitted directly to Pike. This information is due February 1, 2020 and should include complete 2018-2019 school reports and 2019-2020 reports to date.

Applicants for Grades 8 and 9 are requested to spend a full morning at Pike. During this visit, applicants will attend classes and complete a writing assessment. Please call the Admission Office to schedule this half-day visit.

Admission decisions for The Pike School will be mailed on March 6, 2020. We look forward to working with you and your family as you make this important decision for your student.

We seek students who are:

• curious
• hard working
• interested in a variety of areas
• willing to take risks in the learning process
• eager to participate in a community
• able to cooperate with students and adults

Our traditional points of entry are at Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Sixth Grade where we enroll 18 to 20 children. From time to time, openings become available at other grade levels.

Candidates for Pre-Kindergarten must be four years old by September 1 of the year of entry. Candidates for Kindergarten must be five years old by September 1 of the year of entry.

The admission process is designed to gather as much information as possible about each child to determine whether Pike will be a good match for his or her style and personality. Throughout the admission process, we learn about the candidate through the parent interview, the teacher recommendation, school reports, standardized testing and/or on-campus evaluations and assessments.

There are separate admission committees for each division that include faculty, the division head, and members of the Admission Office. The goal of the committees is to identify the candidates who best demonstrate developmental/academic readiness and social competency.

In keeping with common admission deadlines of independent schools in the area, our decisions letters are mailed by March 6, 2020.

Any member of the Admission staff is able to answer general questions about the financial aid program. For answers to more detailed questions, please email our Financial Aid Office at financialaidoffice@pikeschool.org.

Yes, there are current Pike students in every grade level who receive financial aid. Each year, the Financial Aid Committee must determine where financial aid is most needed for new families.

Applying for Financial Aid is completed through School and Student Services (SSS) by NAIS. The Parent Portal for SSS opens on October 2, 2019.

Please note the following requirements and important deadlines:

• The Parents Financial Statement (PFS) must be submitted to School and Student Services (SSS) no later than January 14, 2020.
• The 2018 1040 with all schedules, and 2019 end-of-year paystub or 2019 W2 earning statement must be uploaded to SSS by January 14, 2020.
• The 2019 1040 with all schedules must be uploaded to SSS by February 14, 2020.

Yes, assuming your family still demonstrates financial need. All families who receive financial aid must file a new PFS with SSS by January 14 each year. Pike attempts to keep a family’s award at a similar level each year as long as no major changes have occurred in a family’s financial situation during the previous year.

The calculation of need is based on a formula including income and family expenses, assets and liabilities, family size, parents’ ages, cost of living, and the number of children for whom a family must pay tuition. Pike’s Financial Aid Committee reviews the information received from SSS, combines it with tax and any explanatory material provided, and formulates an individual calculation of funds that a family can contribute toward tuition. The amount of a financial aid grant is designed to bridge the gap between a family’s contribution and Pike’s tuition.

It is an expectation that both parents will finance their children’s education to the extent that they are able. Both parents are required to complete financial aid applications and submit federal tax returns. The income and assets of both parents are taken into consideration in establishing a financial aid grant.

Financial aid decisions are mailed with the acceptance letters by March 6, 2020.

Pike has a comprehensive secondary school placement program that begins in Grade 7. Click here for more information.