Apply to SAAS - Seattle Academy

Apply to SAAS - Seattle Academy
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Apply to SAAS
At Seattle Academy, we believe the admissions process should reflect our mission and student-centered values. That’s why, beginning in Fall 2025, we’ve adopted a new timeline for releasing admission decisions. Our goal is to bring greater clarity to the process, improve the overall application experience, and reduce stress.
Read our Admissions FAQs below to learn more about the SAAS process and timeline for admission.
Applications for the 2026–27 school year open on September 2, 2025.
This includes both admissions and financial aid applications.
SAAS uses
Ravenna
for online applications. If you have questions, or if the application fee is a barrier, please contact us at
admissions@seattleacademy.org
or 206-324-7227.
Application Guides & Timelines
Middle School (Grades 6-8)
September 2, 2025
Applications Open
January 15, 2026
Application & Financial Aid Deadline
March 6, 2026
Decision Notification
March 25, 2026
Enrollment Response Due
Upper School (Grades 9-12)
September 2, 2025
Applications Open
January 15, 2026
Application & Financial Aid Deadline
February 6, 2026
Decision Notification
February 25, 2026
Enrollment Response Due
Early Sibling/Employee Application Guide (6th & 9th)
September 2, 2025
Applications Open
October 31, 2025
Application & Financial Aid Deadline
November 14, 2025
Decision Notification
November 21, 2025
Enrollment Response Due
*SAAS families with current 4th and 7th graders have the opportunity to apply in an Early Spring Process for Fall 2027 admission. This application will open
April 1, 2026
.
How do I submit an application?
How do I apply for financial aid?
Is there a fee waiver available?
When does SAAS release decisions?
Why does SAAS release decisions earlier than other independent schools?
What are the benefits of an earlier decision date for families?
With a more streamlined process and decisions coming two weeks earlier, how does SAAS ensure it still takes the time to truly get to know each student?
How does SAAS evaluate an applicant’s written work?
How does SAAS consider standardized tests in an application, and how are the test scores used?
Are specific test formats required or preferred?
I hear that siblings applying to the Middle and Upper School will receive decisions at the same time. Is this correct?
What if I don’t want my Middle School applicant to receive a decision with their older sibling on the Upper School February 6 timeline?
Can I still apply after January 15?
Do you accept international applicants?
All applications are submitted through
Ravenna
. If you’re applying in the Standard Round, be sure all materials are submitted by
January 15, 2026
for timely review.
We use
School and Student Services (SSS)
for our need-based financial aid application. SAAS is proud to support nearly 23% of families with assistance that can cover tuition and other school-related costs. Learn more on our
Financial Aid
page.
Yes! If you’re applying for financial aid—or if the application fee is a barrier—use the code
SAAS2026
to waive the fee.
For families applying on the standard timeline (the majority of applicants):
Upper School applicants will receive their admission decisions on
February 6, 2026
.
Middle School applicants will receive their admission decisions on
March 6, 2026
.
At SAAS, we’re committed to shortening the duration between applying to SAAS and receiving a decision from SAAS. We believe a protracted process is unnecessary and unproductive.
Many schools in the area already release decisions weeks ahead of the timeline that Puget Sound Independent Schools (PSIS) requires member schools to adhere to. By joining those schools in notifying families of decisions sooner, SAAS shortens the process and the accompanying stress on applicant families, reduces uncertainty, and provides families with a longer period of time to consider their options before responding to SAAS, as well as to consider SAAS in relation to schools with both earlier and later decision dates.
Getting to know kids and families remains at the heart of our approach to admissions at SAAS. We’ve kept what matters most in our process by continuing to offer meaningful opportunities to get to know each applicant, including:
Visit Day
: All applicants spend a half day on campus, engaging in classes, small groups, and larger settings. This gives us a well-rounded sense of each student’s strengths and personality, while also letting applicants experience life at SAAS.
Parent/Guardian Interview
: Families meet one-on-one with an Admissions representative for a 30-minute conversation to share their student’s story from their perspective.
Application Materials: We carefully review teacher evaluations, standardized test results, progress reports, and transcripts, in alignment with other schools’ application requirements.
The recommendations and transcripts provided by the applicant’s current school provide ample context. Additionally, applicants complete a writing activity during their required Visit Day, making another written essay redundant. Student work during the Visit Day allows us to see a student’s unique communication and writing skills in a classroom setting rather than through an essay prepared at home.
Test results are one part of our holistic review and help us better understand each student’s academic profile. They are a single data point among many and don’t play a prominent role in our admissions decisions. We accept any test results students have already taken at their current schools, as well as those required by other schools to which they are applying.
No. SAAS, like many schools, suspended testing requirements during the pandemic. In recent years, we’ve noted that students are invariably taking standardized tests in some form, so it’s not a burden to ask for results that already exist. There aren’t specific tests that we require, or even prefer. Families may choose which test to provide. We also encourage families to let us know if they’d like us to consider other tests to meet this requirement.
Examples of accepted tests include:
Smarter Balanced (SBA)
MAP
CTP (ERB)
STAR Assessments
Iowa Assessments
WIAT-IV
ISEE
SSAT
Families can choose to submit ISEE or SSAT scores instead of standardized testing results.
SAAS codes: 481154 (ISEE) and 7240 (SSAT).
*Families can request alternate forms of testing in lieu of those listed above. Please contact our Admissions Office at
admissions@seattleacademy.org
for more information.
Yes! New this year, families with children applying to both our Middle School and Upper School will receive a full family decision on February 6, the Upper School release date. This approach reflects our commitment to keeping families together when possible and allows them to make a fully informed choice. Families who receive both Middle School and Upper School decisions on
February 6
will follow the Upper School response deadline of
February 25
.
Families may choose to wait for the Middle School decision release on
March 6
instead. To request this, please email
admissions@seattleacademy.org
to let our team know you would like to opt out of the early decision option for your Middle School applicant.
Yes—we welcome Second Round applications after the January 15 deadline. These applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and accepted students will be placed in our wait pool as space allows.
Note:
Financial aid is typically not available for Second Round applicants, as awards are distributed during the Standard Round.
Yes—but please note that we do not offer boarding, homestay, or visa sponsorship (I-20). If English is not your student’s first language and they’ve been enrolled in a non-English school for the past three years, we require an English proficiency score. We also offer virtual interviews for families applying from abroad—just reach out to our team after submitting your application.
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SAAS In Focus, Vol. 7 (2025)
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