LAGUNA BLANCA - Applying to Laguna

Applying to Laguna

For All Applicants
Admission Calendar
Steps for Submitting an Application
Decisions
Application Deadlines and Check List
Forms

FOR ALL APPLICANTS
Laguna Blanca’s admission process strives to achieve a “good match” between the prospective student, the family, and the School. Our admission officers work closely with students and parents from the point of initial inquiry to matriculation. It is very important for you to get to know us and for us to get to know you, so we encourage you to visit the school on several occasions.

A student’s success at Laguna depends upon a wide range of factors, and many elements are taken into consideration during the application process. Our staff becomes acquainted with each applicant through conversation, teacher recommendations, student transcripts, evaluations or standardized testing, and for certain grades, a student writing sample and personal interview. Throughout this process, students and parents have the advantage of becoming fully informed about the Laguna community and its unique qualities.

Laguna Blanca’s application period begins one year in advance of a child’s anticipated entry. In order to ensure a good match between the candidate and the School, we encourage all students and their families to attend one of our Open House events as well as visit and tour the campuses. In addition, students applying to grades 6-12 are required to spend a day on campus attending classes as well as schedule a personal interview.

For priority consideration, applications must be submitted between September and the application deadline of February 1. Each application should be accompanied by a $100 fee, which covers application administration, evaluation, and at some grade levels, testing. Once the application is complete, the admission committee carefully reviews all candidate information. Admission decisions are mailed on March 6 for candidates whose completed applications are received by the priority deadline of February 1. Candidates who are offered admission are asked to inform the School of their enrollment decisions by March 20.

Ongoing from September 1

Request a current year application from the admission office, available after September 1, or complete the online inquiry form and we will mail you the appropriate materials.

October

Admission tours and class visits begin

November, December,
& January

1) Make a reservation for one of our Open Houses.

2) Register to take the Independent School Entrance Exam (grades 5-12)

January & February

Kindergarten Evaluations and Playgroups; Grades 1-4 Testing and Class Visits

January 31

ISEE given at Laguna Blanca School

February 1*

Priority deadline for applications to

Laguna Blanca School

February 1

Parent Financial Statement due to SSS for those applying for financial aid

February 10

Current year transcripts and teacher recommendations due to Laguna Blanca School

March 1 (applicant)

March 15 (returning)

1) Applicant families current and previous years’ Federal Tax Returns with all schedules and W-2s attached are due to the Admission and Financial Aid Office

2) Returning families current year Federal Tax Returns with all schedules and W-2s attached are due to the Admission and Financial Aid Office

March 6

Admission decision notification letters mailed to those meeting the February 1 priority application deadline

March 20

Enrollment contract and deposit due

*We are happy to consider applications received after the priority deadline on a space available, rolling basis.

Note: If any of the due dates fall on a weekend or holiday, the deadline is extended to the next business day following the weekend or holiday.

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STEPS FOR SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

For All Applicants
Step One: Complete a current application form. New forms are available in the admission office each September or you may download an application. To comply with the priority deadline, the application must arrive at the admission office no later than February 1 of the current year or be postmarked by that date.

Step Two: Fill out and sign the “Release of Records” form and submit directly to your child’s current school along with the Laguna Blanca pre-addressed envelope. Fall semester transcripts are required, so please ensure that these are sent when made available following the completion of the grading period. Applicants to kindergarten need to complete this step only if the child has attended another kindergarten program or the child’s preschool provides a narrative report of the student’s progress.

Step Three: Fill out and sign the required “Confidential Teacher Recommendation/Evaluation” form(s) and submit directly to the teacher(s) along with the Laguna Blanca pre-addressed envelope(s). Teachers should complete these forms in January so they have a semester to get to know the student well. Optional letters of recommendation are at the discretion of the applicant and should come from someone who knows the student outside of the academic setting, e.g. music teacher, coach, youth group leader, employer, family friend.

We understand that not all schools operate on the same semester systems; therefore, we will accept supporting documentation—transcripts and teacher recommendations—as they are made available. It is the family’s responsibility to ensure that the current school or teacher sends these documents as close to the priority deadline as possible.

Step Four: Appropriate to the grade level of the applicant, schedule the required evaluation, testing, class visit, and interview.

Step Five: As the application process differs slightly for various grades, please consult each applicable section below for additional requirements as well as the Application Deadlines and Check List. All required forms for the application process can be downloaded from our forms section.
Lower School (grades K-4)
Middle School (grades 5-8)
Upper School (grades 9-12)

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DECISIONS
It is the goal of the School to always consider the best interests of the student as primary and to determine whether Laguna Blanca School is a good match for the student and his or her family. Admission decisions are mailed on March 6 for candidates whose completed applications are received by the priority deadline of February 1.

Grades K-4
The admission committee carefully reviews each child’s profile to ascertain the developmental readiness for Laguna’s traditional program of academic studies; the social, emotional, and physical maturity as appropriate to the child’s age; and the ability of the child to contribute to a diverse and well-rounded class. It is important that each child who enters the program be appropriately placed with a strong likelihood for success. The School also strives to achieve a gender balance in the school community and, therefore, maintaining that balance may be a factor in admission decisions.

Grades 5-12
Once a student’s application is complete, the admission committee reviews each aspect of a student’s profile to ascertain whether, in our estimation, the applicant has a strong potential for success both academically and socially at Laguna Blanca School. We value strong character, initiative, motivation, an eagerness to learn, and readiness for college preparatory courses. We look carefully at the applicant’s previous record as a student and citizen, letters of recommendation, test scores, extracurricular activities, and personal interviews in assessing the promise of each individual applicant and in determining which students will gain the most from and contribute to all that Laguna has to offer. Laguna actively seeks a student body that offers a variation in gifts and talents as well as ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic diversity. The School also strives for gender balance in the student community.

Offer of Admission
Candidates who are offered admission are asked to inform the School of their enrollment decisions by March 20.

In the late spring and summer months following the admission and enrollment processes, admitted candidates will receive a steady stream of mail from Laguna Blanca School that is pertinent to classes beginning in the fall. Information on the purchase of uniforms (Lower School) and books (Middle/Upper Schools) as well as other important details will be included in these mailings.

Important Note: When an offer of admission is extended, Laguna Blanca School sincerely hopes that your family will join our family as members of the Laguna community. Laguna Blanca respects and has confidence in your ability to make the best decision for your child and family without undue influence from the admission office or other members of the School community. You are welcome to call the admission office or revisit the school to gain clarity in making this important decision, but the initiation of this contact must come from you during the window of March 6-20, the time between the mailling of notification letters and the enrollment contract due date. We believe this philosophy is in accordance with “best practices” for admission officers.

Qualified Wait Pool
If the admission committee has determined that the applicant is qualified for admission but there is not a space available to offer, the candidate is placed among a small group of students selected to be in our Qualified Wait Pool. Openings can occur at any time, and each time a place is released, the applicant will be considered along with others who have met the admission qualifications. Invitations are offered on the basis of comparative readiness for success in our program rather than on the length of time a candidate has remained in the wait pool.
If a place cannot be assigned before the start of the school year, we will contact you about moving the application forward to candidacy for the next school year. Although a new application fee will not be needed, continuation in the Qualified Wait Pool from one year to the next does require a new admission decision from the admission committee. Detailed information will be sent in the fall to those in the Qualified Wait Pool.

Unfavorable Admission Decision
If the admission committee was unable to extend an offer of admission to your child this year, the admission office will make every effort to identify the skills the applicant needs to acquire to be considered for placement in future years.

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APPLICATION DEADLINES AND CHECK LIST
Please Note: A copy of a certified birth certificate and 2" x 2" photograph of the applicant are due with the application.

Applying for Kindergarten (Deadline: February 1)
• Application form and nonrefundable $100 fee.
DUE: As soon as possible after September 1

• Complete, sign, and return the Preschool/Kindergarten Visit Release form.
DUE: With the application

• The admission office will schedule the evaluation and playgroup after the application has been received and processed.
DUE: January and February

• Complete and sign the Confidential Teacher Recommendation form for kindergarten and give to the child’s current teacher with the envelope to be mailed directly to Laguna Blanca School.
DUE: Between January 1 and February 10

• If the applicant has attended kindergarten before, please provide the current school’s registrar with a completed and signed Release of Records form along with the return envelope.
DUE: Between January 1 and February 10

• Submit the Parent Questionnaire.
DUE: February 1

Applying for Grades 1-4 (Deadline: February 1)
• Application form and nonrefundable $100 fee.
DUE: As soon as possible after September 1

• The admission office will schedule the evaluation and class visit after the application has been received and processed.
TEST DATES: January 31 and February 21, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

• Provide the current school’s registrar with a completed and signed Release of Records form along with the return envelope.
DUE: Between January 1 and February 10

• Complete and sign the Confidential Teacher Recommendation form and give to the teacher with the envelope to be mailed directly to Laguna Blanca School.
DUE: Between January 1 and February 10

• Submit the Parent Questionnaire.
DUE: February 1

Applying for Grades 5-8 (Deadline: February 1)
• Application form and nonrefundable $100 fee.
DUE: As soon as possible after September 1

• Call the admission office to arrange for the required class visit. Interviews are scheduled after the application has been received and processed; please contact the admission office to make an appointment.
DUE: As soon as possible, with class visits beginning mid-October

• Contact ISEE to register for the entrance examination.
DUE: Consult the ISEE guide for registration deadlines

• Provide the current school’s registrar with a completed and signed Release of Records form along with the return envelope.
DUE: Between January 1 and February 10

• Complete and sign the Confidential Teacher Recommendation form (grades 5-7) or the Confidential English and Math Teacher Evaluation forms (grade 8) and give to the teacher(s) with the envelope(s) to be mailed directly to Laguna Blanca School.
DUE: Between January 1 and February 10

• Submit the Parent Questionnaire.
DUE: February 1

• Submit the Applicant’s Questionnaire (grades 7 and 8 only).
DUE: February 1

• Submit a previously graded essay of your choice as returned to you by your teacher during the current school year
(grades 7 and 8 only).
DUE: February 1

Applying for Grades 9-12 (Deadline: February 1)
• Application form and nonrefundable $100 fee.
DUE: As soon as possible after September 1

• Call the admission office to arrange for the required class visit. Interviews are scheduled after the application has been received and processed; please contact the admission office to make an appointment.
DUE: As soon as possible, with class visits beginning mid-October

• Contact ISEE to register for the entrance examination.
DUE: Consult the ISEE guide for registration deadlines

• Provide the current school’s registrar with a completed and signed Release of Records form along with the return envelope.
DUE: Between January 1 and February 10

• Complete and sign the Confidential English and Math Teacher Evaluation forms and give to the appropriate teachers with the envelopes to be mailed directly to Laguna Blanca School.
DUE: Between January 1 and February 10

• Submit the Parent Questionnaire.
DUE: February 1

• Submit the Applicant’s Questionnaire.
DUE: February 1

• Submit a previously graded essay of your choice as returned to you by your teacher during the current school year.
DUE: February 1

Download PDF version of Application Deadlines & Checklist

Forms
All admission and application forms can be downloaded from our forms page.

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For All Applicants
Lower School (Grades K-4)
Middle School (Grades 5-8)
Upper School (Grades 9-12)
Admission Home Page