Admissions Procedures and Financial Aid

At The Dalton School, the primary concern is for each child to feel successful in the school environment. Therefore, Dalton seeks to enroll students of sound character and educational promise who bring diversity in talent, background, and experience. The school seeks students with strong academic potential who will benefit from the Dalton Plan, learn to work independently, and be able to contribute their imagination, curiosity, and special interests to the Dalton community.

Admission decisions are based on the following: First Program Applicants

(Kindergarten–3rd grade) Kindergarten (and Grade 1 when it is open): • Child’s small group interview.

All applicants are interviewed at Dalton. • Confidential ISAAGNY school report. • Individual parent meeting. Dalton does not require or accept results of any standardized testing for kindergarten and first grade applicants. Grades 2 and 3 (when they are open): • Child’s individual interview. All applicants are interviewed at Dalton. • Confidential ISAAGNY school report. • Individual parent meeting. • Please contact the First Program

Admissions Office for any testing requirements. Upon receipt of the application, the Admissions Office will schedule all visits along with a tour of the First Program facility. A cut-off date for receiving applications is listed on Dalton’s website. Middle and High School Applicants (Grades 4th–12th)

A personal interview, writing samples, school records, teacher recommendations, and the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) or the Secondary School Admissions Test (SSAT) are required. The Admissions staff and faculty conduct individual interviews of Middle and High School applicants and also meet with their parents. Personal interviews of applicants begin in October. Upon submission of the application, families may self-schedule a visit, including a tour, interview, and information session

First Program, Middle and High School Applicants

For those whose files are complete by mid January, Dalton subscribes to the timetable of the Independent Schools Admissions Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY) for a decision notification. As these dates vary from year to year, the current notification dates can be found at isaagny.org or on Dalton’s website.

Tours

Tours are offered for parents and applicants (Middle School and High School), and for parents only (kindergarten and first grade) on the day the applicant is interviewed at Dalton. Incomplete Admissions Files

Dalton reviews the status of all applications on a regular basis. If a file is incomplete, the Admissions Office will inform the parents of applicants in January indicating the information needed to complete the admissions process. Applicant families can monitor the status of their application online by logging into their Ravenna account.

Financial Aid

The Dalton School is committed to a tuition aid program designed to ensure that its educational offerings are open to all candidates. Over $10,000,000 in grants is awarded to approximately 20% of the student body, kindergarten through twelfth grade. Awards range from partial to almost full tuition assistance. Families seeking financial aid must apply at the time of submission of their child’s application to Dalton. Requests for financial aid made at a later date will only be considered if there are significant changes in the family’s circumstances.

All financial aid decisions are made on the basis of need. A financial aid application will not prejudice an application for admission. Applicants for tuition aid must file a Parent Financial Statement (PFS) with the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS). Required documentation for verification of family income includes the family’s most recent federal tax return and any business tax filings if a parent is an owner or partner of a corporation.

At Dalton, it is our aim to make the admissions process as personal as possible. We welcome your inquiries and offer you the following answers to questions most commonly asked by applicant parents. Should you desire additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Do you offer open houses? Yes, for First Program parents as well as for Middle and High School applicants and parents. Open Houses are held in the fall to provide an opportunity to meet faculty members, students, and school administrators and to hear about Dalton’s educational offerings. Is there a birthday cutoff date for kindergarten applicants? Yes. Admission is based on the qualifications of each individual candidate; however, the child should be five years old by September 1st of the year he or she would be entering kindergarten. Kindergarten classes are comprised of children who range from five years old to those who are turning six years old in the fall. Are any applicants given special consideration? Yes. Siblings of current students, children of alumni, and children of faculty and staff, are given special consideration and the percentage of community applicants admitted to Dalton is higher than that of other applicants. However, we are able to enroll many qualified non-community students.

Do you enroll an equal number of boys and girls? As a coed school that seeks equity in its learning environment, we try to enroll an equal number of girls and boys. Do students come from a limited number of schools? No. We receive applicants from a wide array of schools in many locations throughout the city and neighboring suburbs, as well as from out of state and international schools. However, Dalton is a day school and has no facilities for boarding students. Do you require letters of recommendation? Dalton does not require personal recommendations although letters of recommendation are welcome, especially from those who know the candidate and the family well. Two letters are sufficient. We ask that you request them to be submitted directly to the appropriate Admissions Office through Ravenna. Does Dalton have a wait list? Yes. At the conclusion of the admissions process, some students will be offered wait list status. These applicants are eligible for acceptance if additional openings occur due to withdrawals.

The Dalton School is actively committed to having a diverse community. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, ethnic origin, age, physical disability, or sexual orientation in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid programs, athletic, and other school administered programs.