How to Apply

Throughout the fall we will host a series of virtual events and post digital content to the admission pages of our website to help prospective families understand the admission and financial aid processes and hear from our faculty, administrators, parents, and students. We invite you to join any event that is of interest to your family and will help you better understand what we mean when we say Greenwich Country Day School develops ethical, confident learners and leaders with a strong sense of purpose. 

Learn more about our virtual events including our Tiger Tuesday information sessions. 

The application deadline for first-round consideration was December 15. While we are still accepting applications, please understand that your application will be considered in our second-round of admission decisions.  We strongly suggest that you contact the Admission Office prior to submitting an application to discuss the possibility of space availability and the process for second-round applicants. 

In response to the pandemic all parent/guardian and student (Grades 6-12) interviews will be conducted through Zoom.

Depending on space availability, late applicants will be contacted by the Admission Office to schedule the Zoom interview.

Testing and/or student screening remain a required and helpful part of our process.  For the safety of our applicants, testing and screening will be conducted virtually for most grade levels. We remain committed to being responsive to health guidelines and the needs of our applicant families. These requirements may be adjusted as needed.

Nursery-Grade 2
Candidates will have video and or Zoom assessments to evaluate readiness for our academic program. Details will be shared with applicant families in late fall.

Grades 3 and 4:
All applicants for grades 3 and 4 are required to take two sections of the Educational Records Bureau (ERB) CTP 5 test.

• CTP 5 Testing will be offered at GCDS on Saturday, December 5, 2020. Registration will only be open to GCDS applicants.

Grades 5–11
Students applying for grades 5-11 are required to take either the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) or the Secondary School Admissions Test (SSAT).  Families may chose to take either test. In some cases we may accept the results from another standardized test or educational evaluation that a student has completed in the past year.

Note: GCDS will not serve as a test site during the 2020-2021 admission season.  Both the ISEE and SSAT  offer “At Home” test options.

• To register, visit www.iseetest.org or www.ssat.org. 
• Please list GCDS as a score recipient using the following school codes: ISEE 071009 or SSAT 3580. 
• Early registration is encouraged as space is limited at all test sites. 
   

Current Teacher Recommendations help us better understand each child as a learner and as a community member. The appropriate, required recommendation forms can be found within your online application site. From  the online site, parents can email a request for the required recommendation form(s) and school records directly to the appropriate adults and school officials. We strongly suggest that parents do not initiate this request prior to November 1. The deadline to receive Teacher Recommendations and School Records is January 15.  

Note: If the applicant’s current school does not allow teachers or school officials to provide recommendations, please ask one individual who has worked with your child in a setting outside the classroom (eg. a sports coach, a religion teacher, or music instructor) to complete the SAO Personal Recommendation.
 

Students applying to Grades 9-11 should upload a piece of written work submitted during the 2020-21  academic year. The writing sample does not have to be graded by a teacher.

In addition, although not required, we welcome the submission of any creative work that represents the academic or extra-curricular interests of the applicant. Students can upload multimedia submissions through their GCDS SAO application. 

Login to the GCDS Admission Portal (N-PK) or the SAO (K-11) to monitor the status of your application and receipt of supplemental forms. 

GCDS will notify families of admission decisions by March 1. We appreciate the time and attention that your family will devote to this process and your interest in GCDS. Our Admission Team looks forward to working with you and your family as you make this important decision for your child.