Admissions Process FAQs

Yes. Early Decision is a binding decision for all students that have decided The Frederick Gunn School is their number one choice. Early Decision applicants are required to complete an interview with an Admissions Officer. Early Decision applications are due on December 2, 2024 and decisions will be released on December 16, 2024. If a student is admitted to our school in the Early Decision process, it is then expected that the student will withdraw all applications from other schools. Learn more about our Early Decision process here.

Completed applications are due January 15. Applications submitted subsequent to this deadline are reviewed on a rolling basis if space is available. Gunn accepts applications through the Standard Application Online (SAO).

There is no single factor that we are seeking in our admissions process. Each year, it is our goal to blend together a highly motivated group of students that represent diverse backgrounds and different interests. We strive to identify applicants with strong character who are willing to be active members of our community. We approach these goals by placing an emphasis on our conversations with prospective students, a review of past and current academic performance, and an in-depth understanding of current teacher recommendations.

We require each candidate to have a conversational interview with a member of our admissions team. We encourage students to interview on campus, yet recognize that in some instances this is not possible. In such cases, we will arrange for a virtual interview. The interview process is an opportunity for us to get to know you, to share information about our school, and for you to ask questions.

For the student portion, you will interview with one of our admissions officers. The interview typically lasts 20 minutes and is intended as a casual conversation, allowing us to get to know you a bit better and for you to get a sense of our community. Come ready with some questions, but don’t be nervous about our questions. We simply want to have a fun conversation with you. For parents, the same admissions officer interviewing your child will talk with parents for about 10-15 minutes following each student conversation. Boarding school is very much a partnership between parents and adults on campus, making this a great moment to make a first acquaintance. Plan to use this time as an opportunity to tell us about your child and to ask us any questions you have about our school.

Our admissions team greatly values the interview process. It is an authentic way for us to get to know you, and for you to get to know us. The best advice is to relax and be yourself. Come prepared with some questions so we can better understand your interests.

We encourage you to work closely with your school in determining this, yet our experience suggests that a request should be made by November 1 for those students working towards the January 15 deadline.

If a student opts to submit standardized test scores, we accept the SSAT and ISEE for 9th and 10th grade applicants. For 11th, 12th and PG applicants, Gunn accepts the PSAT, SAT or ACT. Please submit SSAT scores directly via the Standard Application Online. For ISEE, PSAT, SAT or ACT scores, please send a copy of scores to admissions@frederickgunn.org.

English proficiency test (REQUIRED for international students) International applications for whom English is not their first language must take an English proficiency test. We accept TOEFL (school code 8980), IELTS and Duolingo scores.

SSAT: 3628
TOEFL: 8980
ISEE, SAT, PSAT and / or ACT: please send scores directly to admissions@frederickgunn.org.

If submitted standardized tests are considered in the application review because they represent a common assessment tool. That said, we are more focused on a student’s day-to-day experience at their current school, along with the interview experience, teacher recommendations and extracurricular involvement. We absolutely take a holistic approach to the application process working to understand how you can be a contributing member to our community. For the 2025-26 application  process, submission of standardized test scores is optional.

An admissions officer will send you an email when your application is complete. Please recognize this may take a few days beyond the January 15 deadline as we process applications. 

You will be notified of early admissions decisions on December 16, 2024.

You will be notified of regular admissions and financial aid decisions via our Admissions Portal on March 10.

A waitlist outcome is a strong indication that we would like for you to become part of our community, yet we have many qualified applicants that require us to manage a waitlist every year. Typically, our waitlist is related to financial aid. Our financial aid waitlist includes students we would have admitted if our financial aid resources were not restricted. We immediately begin to consider the waitlist on April 10 and would encourage those receiving a waitlist decision to stay in contact with our Admissions Office. We appreciate continued indications of interest in our school during the waitlist period. 

Yes. While we absolutely encourage interested students to apply by our January 15 deadline, we will consider applications on a rolling basis after the January 15 deadline, based on the number of spaces available, if any. For applicants seeking financial aid, it is best to apply for aid by the financial aid application deadline of February 1, rather than waiting until the applicant has been accepted for admission or already enrolled in the school. We are not able to guarantee that financial aid will be available to late applicants.

Tuition for the 2025-26 school year is $54,00 for day students and $76,200 for boarding students. In addition to tuition, there are fees for technology, health services, tuition refund insurance, and a dorm deposit, among other things. Students must also cover the cost of books and clothes appropriate to our dress code. For more specific fee information, please contact the Business Office at (860) 350-0191 and ask for a fee schedule.