Overview - Lakeside School

Welcome!

Our admissions team is here to help
you learn about Lakeside and assist you
throughout the application process.

Welcome to Lakeside! Our 5th-12th grade program offers students a dynamic experience designed to support their educational growth and social-emotional needs. Academic excellence is a foundational part of what we do here, and also just the beginning. Alongside a committed and talented faculty, our students grow as people, always refining and developing their own beliefs and values. We encourage exploration. We teach students how to apply a critical lens to the world around them. We affirm that Lakeside is a place where every student can bring their full self. And we know the strength in this community is found in the friendships that extend far beyond this campus.

We invite you to learn more.

Lakeside students have a demonstrated joy for learning and a record of academic success within the context of their own experience; a willingness to be open-minded and positively engaged in a diverse community; and the skills, potential, and desire to progress within our program.

Students and families interested in Lakeside begin the admission process by first creating an account in Ravenna, our online application management system. There you will be able to submit an application, register for required and optional events, and track your application status. We look forward to discovering the ways in which you will contribute to Lakeside.

Click here to create a Ravenna account.

Learn about applying

Please check your student’s Ravenna account first before calling to inquire if any items are missing. Ravenna shows the exact information the admissions office would share. Our office individually reviews every document that we receive, so please allow time for this process.

Important dates

September 1, 2021 - Application for the 2022-2023 school year is available in Ravenna.

October 2021 - Financial Aid application opens in SSS.

December 16, 2021 - International applicant completed application deadline.

January 13, 2022 - Deadline to submit Preliminary Application form and all family-completed PSIS forms.

January 31, 2022 - Completed application deadline for both Middle and Upper School applicants. All application items, including receipt of SSAT or ISEE results, must be received by 4pm (Ravenna may not immediately reflect as completed as we review each items received). Applications completed after this deadline will be considered late and we cannot guarantee an on-time decision.

February 3, 2022 - Financial Aid deadline

February 25, 2022 - Upper School (grades 9-12) decisions released online in Ravenna at 4 p.m.

March 14 - Enrollment deadline for Upper School

March 18, 2022 - Middle School (grades 5-8) decisions released online in Ravenna at 4 p.m.

March 28, 2022 - Enrollment deadline for Middle School

Application process

The dropdown sections below outline our application process for families looking at the 2022-2023 school year for grades 5-12. Click the + symbol below to learn more.

International applicants have different deadlines, click here to learn more.

Admissions process

September - January

Between Sept. 1, 2021 and Jan. 13, 2022:

Create your Ravenna account to begin the application process.
Within Ravenna, register to attend admissions events such as tours, information sessions with the director, and open houses. For the 2021-2022 season we plan to host both in-person and virtual events. Details for each event will be available fall 2021.
Submit a Preliminary Application along with the $25 application fee. If this presents a hardship email financialaid@lakesideschool.org.
Complete the required Upper School interview or Middle School activity.
Register and complete either the SSAT or ISEE. See the Important Dates tab above for detailed deadlines about testing.

Due January 13, 2022

Preliminary application and fee

This form is used to gather general information about an applicant and their family. Upon completion of the online form, payment of the non-refundable application fee $25 is due. Lakeside will provide fee waivers to qualifying families (domestic only), which can be obtained by contacting the financial aid team at financialaid@lakesideschool.org.

Admissions Activity (Middle School)

The student-only admissions visit is required for all Middle School applicants. During the visit, applicants will complete a group activity and have the opportunity to ask questions about life at Lakeside Middle School. Examples of frequently asked questions are geared toward lunch, sports, clubs, friends, classes and homework.

The admissions visit lasts approximately 45 minutes. We encourage applicants to register early. To schedule an interview, first submit the Preliminary Application and application fee in Ravenna.

Interview (Upper School)

A student interview is required for all Upper School applicants to Lakeside School. We highly recommend scheduling it as soon as you know you will be applying to the Upper School. Applicants do not need to attend a campus tour or open house prior to the interview.

Upper School interviews are a relaxed one-on-one conversation with a faculty or staff member. Our goal is to get to know the applicant beyond what is included in the application. Topics discussed are based on students’ interests, and have included: black holes; favorite books or school projects; babysitting; bird watching; playing video games; sports wins and losses; baking cupcakes; community service, and more. Applicants will have the opportunity to ask any questions they may have about Lakeside School. Lakeside’s Upper School Interviews typically last 20-30 minutes.

To schedule an interview, first submit the Preliminary Application and application fee in Ravenna.

PSIS Student Essay and Short Answers

This is your opportunity to share more about who you are and what makes you unique. Please complete the forms within Ravenna without help from anyone (parents, guardians, teachers, etc.).

PSIS Interests and Activities

We are interested in learning more about you and how you spend your time outside the classroom. Share your extracurricular activities, interests, and/or responsibilities on the form within Ravenna.

PSIS Parent/Guardian Statement

We are interested in hearing about the applicant's strengths and challenges from the parent/guardian perspective.

Due January 31, 2022

SSAT or ISEE Testing

For the 2021-2022 admission season, Lakeside will accept either the SSAT or ISEE.

Admissions testing is required. We will only accept and consider one set of admission test scores per applicant. We strongly prefer applicants to submit current year ISEE/SSAT scores. However, if this is not possible for a student, we will accept ISEE or SSAT scores from the 2020-2021 admissions season. Please consider this as a last resort. Additionally, we will not accept an old score in lieu of a current score that has already been submitted.

SSAT: For more information or to register, you can visit their website https://www.ssat.org

ISEE: For more information or to register, you can visit their website https://www.erblearn.org/parents/isee-overview

Applicants to grades 10 through 12 may submit results from the SSAT, ISEE, ACT, PSAT, or SAT test.

We need to receive the SSAT or ISEE result by January 31, 2022, for applications to all grade levels to be considered on time. We recommend applicants take their SSAT or ISEE test by mid-January 2022.

The Character Skills Snapshot is no longer an application requirement and will not be reviewed if received.

Teacher Evaluations

Two teacher evaluations are required. One evaluation must be from a humanities teacher (English, history/social studies) and one from a math or science teacher.

At least one evaluation must be from a current teacher. It is recommended to request the current teacher evaluation after Nov. 1, 2021 to ensure sufficient time in the classroom. An evaluation from a prior teacher (within one year) can be requested at any time.

For 5th or 6th grade applicants, it is understood that some teacher evaluations may not be subject specific.

Personal Reference

The required Personal Reference form will help us understand your student more holistically as Lakeside is committed to fostering personal and intellectual growth in our students. Delegate this form to one person of your choice who knows your student in a group-oriented setting. Any teacher, school administrator, coach, or any adult (not a relative) who observed them in a classroom, team, or group-oriented setting is an appropriate choice.

PSIS School Administrator Form

This form is delegated, within Ravenna, to a school administrator (e.g. registrar, principal, division head) at the applicant's current school.

It is highly encouraged to delegate all forms prior to January to ensure the recipients have ample time to complete it.

Transcripts

We request that all records come directly from your student's school using the form in Ravenna to submit the records request to your school/s.

First complete report card from the current 2021-2022 academic year (first quarter or first semester grades).
Entire year transcripts from previous 2020-2021 academic year.

Please allow our office time to process incoming materials. Due to high volume, transcripts and teacher evaluations received in January may not be reflected as received for up to two weeks. Your student’s application will not be considered late due to this processing time.

Due February 3, 2022

Lakeside uses the Parents' Financial Statement (PFS) financial aid application through School & Student Services (SSS). The following steps outline the application process, required documents, and timeline.

Financial Aid application deadline

Learn more about applying for financial aid here.

Starting early October 2021, go to www.solutionsbysss.com/parents.
Follow the "Complete your Parents' Financial Statement (PFS)" link and begin your application.
Submit and pay for the PFS. Fee waivers are automatically granted to families who qualify based on SSS guidelines.
Upload copies of the required documents (listed below) to your SSS account OR email, mail, or hand deliver to Lakeside’s office of admissions and financial aid.

Additional required documents:

2021 income statements. This includes W2s, unemployment statements, and Social Security income statements.
2021 IRS Form 1040 and relevant schedules. We also ask that business owners and those in partnerships include a Schedule C, Schedule E, Form 1120, and or K-1.
Additional documents may be requested.

Lakeside School