A completed applicant file includes the application, visit/play date, teacher recommendation, testing/screening and transcript (grades 1-5). For all appointments, please call the Junior School admissions office at 412-473-4437.

Application Deadlines

• Grades PK/K: Wednesday, Jan. 1
• Grades 1-5: Friday, Jan. 17

Recommended Steps

1. Schedule a Campus Tour

Schedule an appointment to meet with Maggie Marquette, director of admission, and to tour the campus.

2. Attend an Admissions Open House

3. Attend our "Parent to Parent" Event

Junior School parents want to share "How we knew SSA was the right school".  Join them to learn more about the SSA experience and ask questions on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 6:30 p.m.

Please register online through Ravenna.

4. Complete the Online Application

Please complete the online application form (submitted by the parent(s)) through Ravenna by Monday, Dec. 16. If you inquire after this date, submit your application as soon as possible. The application fee is $50.

4. Request a Teacher Recommendation

After Nov. 14, request a teacher recommendation through Ravenna. You can "delegate" a recommendation form by entering the teacher’s email address. Ravenna will email the teacher instructions to complete and submit the recommendation form online. You will receive a real-time update in your Ravenna account when the form has been submitted.

5. Request Transcripts (Grades 1-5 only)

After Nov. 14, download the Transcript Request Form from Ravenna and submit it to your child's school to request they send your child's transcript to SSA.

6. Schedule a Visit Day and Register for the Readiness Evaluation/Admissions Testing

Junior Pre-Kindergarten, Senior Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten

• Schedule your child's readiness evaluation. The evaluation can occur on the same day your family tours the school, or on a separate day. Parents wait in the reception area during the evaluation.
• Group play dates will be held from Jan. 10-18; families will register online through Ravenna beginning November 1.

Grades 1-5

• Student visit days can be scheduled beginning in October.
• Applicants for grades 1-2 will be evaluated on the visit day.
• Applicants for grades 3-4 will take the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) on Saturday, Feb. 1, at SSA's Junior School. Register online at www.iseetest.org or call 800-989-3721 ext. 312. The Junior School code is 393903.
• Applicants for grade 5 will take the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) on either Saturday, Dec. 14, or Saturday, Feb. 1, at SSA's Middle School. Register online at www.iseetest.org or call 800-989-3721 ext. 312. The Junior School code is 393903.

 

 

 

 

A completed applicant file includes the application, interview and visit, two teacher recommendations (English and math), admissions testing, transcript and student questionnaire.

For all appointments, please call the Middle School admissions office at 412-968-3164.

Application Deadline

Monday, Feb. 3

Recommended Steps

1. Schedule a Campus Tour and Interview

Schedule a personal interview and a campus tour with Jeff Gross, director of admission.  You can also arrange for your child to spend a day in classes with a current student.

2. Attend an Admissions Open House

3. Complete the Online Application

Please complete the online application form (submitted by the parent(s)) through Ravenna by Monday, Dec. 16. If you inquire after this date, submit your application as soon as possible. The application fee is $50.

4. Register for Admission Testing

All applicants must take the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) on Saturday, Dec. 14, or Saturday, Feb. 1 at the Middle School. Check-in begins at 8:15 a.m. Register online at www.iseetest.org or call 800-989-3721 ext. 312. The Middle School's code is 393902.

5. Request Teacher Recommendations

After Nov. 14, request teacher recommendations through Ravenna. You can "delegate" recommendation forms by entering your child's English and math teachers' email addresses. Ravenna will email the teachers instructions to complete and submit the recommendation forms online. You will receive a real-time update in your Ravenna account when the forms have been submitted.

We recommend initiating this step after the second quarter, which is usually early January, or after the first trimester, which is usually late November so that your child's teacher has worked with them a few months prior to providing us feedback.

6. Request Transcripts

After Nov. 14, download the Transcript Request Form from Ravenna and submit it to your child's school to request they send your child's transcript to SSA. The official school transcript must include previous year’s transcript as well as the current year.

Please submit this form to your child's school after the completion of their school's first term or semester.

7. Complete the Student Questionnaire

Student applicants must complete the online student questionnaire in Ravenna. This can be submitted any time prior to the Feb. 3 application deadline.

 

For day and domestic boarding applicants:

A completed applicant file includes the application, interview and campus tour, two teacher recommendations (English and math), admissions testing, transcript and student questionnaire. For all appointments, please call the Senior School admissions office at 412-968-3180.

Application Deadline

Monday, Feb. 3

Recommended Steps

1. Schedule a Campus Tour and Interview

Schedule a personal interview and a campus tour. You can also arrange for your child to spend a day in classes with a current student.

2. Attend an Admissions Open House

For applicants outside of our region, a limited number of interview slots will be available the day of our open houses.

3. Complete the Online Application

Please complete the online application form (submitted by the parent(s)) through Ravenna by Monday, Dec. 16. If you inquire after this date, submit your application as soon as possible. The application fee is $50.

4. Option for boarding applicants

Shady Side Academy also accepts the Standard Application Online (SAO) and our school code is 7307. To learn more about using the SAO and begin your application, click here. For students using this option, steps 6 – 9 below will be completed through the SAO.

5. Register for Admission Testing

All students must take an entrance exam. The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) is offered at the Senior School on either Saturday, Dec. 14, or Saturday, Feb. 1. Check-in begins at 8:15 a.m. Register online at www.iseetest.org or call 800-989-3721 ext. 312. The Senior School's code is 393901. Alternately, students may sit for the SSAT, which is offered at the Senior School on Saturday, Nov. 16. Register online at www.ssat.org. The Shady Side Academy testing code for the SSAT is 7307.

6. Request Teacher Recommendations

After Nov. 14, request teacher recommendations through Ravenna. You can "delegate" recommendation forms by entering your child's English and math teachers' email addresses. Ravenna will email the teachers instructions to complete and submit the recommendation forms online. You will receive a real-time update in your Ravenna account when the forms have been submitted.

We recommend initiating this step after the second quarter,which is usually early January, or after the first trimester, which is usually late November so that your child's teacher has worked with them a few months prior to providing us feedback.

7. Request Transcripts

After Nov. 14, download the Transcript Request Form from Ravenna and submit it to your child's school to request they send your child's transcript to SSA. The official school transcript must include previous year’s transcript as well as the current year.

Please submit this form to your child's school after the completion of their school's first term or semester.

8. Complete the Student Questionnaire

Student applicants must complete the online student questionnaire in Ravenna. This can be submitted any time prior to the Feb. 3 application deadline.

9. Submit a Student Writing Sample (Grades 11-12 Only)

For applicants to grades 11-12 only, an additional graded analytical writing sample is required from an English or history class this current academic year.

For international boarding applicants:

Shady Side Academy welcomes interest from international families. Our rigorous academic program and seven-day residential option attracts talented students from around the world. For all appointments, please call the Senior School admissions office at 412-968-3180.

Application Deadline

Monday, Feb. 3

Applicants From China

Shady Side Academy has an exclusive agreement with the China-US Leading Schools Association (CULSA). All applicants from China who require an F1 Visa must contact CULSA to begin the application process for Shady Side Academy. Please email CULSA or visit CULSA’s website at www.aligneducation.com.

All Other International Applicants

1. Submit the Applicant's TOEFL Score

The Senior School Admissions Office MUST receive an applicant's TOEFL score to begin the application process. A score of 100 or above (or equivalent performance on the iELTS) must be submitted before any other step in the admissions process is initiated for any student for whom English is a second language. Scores must come directly from ETS. Our school code is 7706. Upon receipt, SSA will contact the family to discuss the scores and whether the applicant should proceed with the process below.

2. Complete the Online Application

Please submit the online application form (submitted by the parent(s)) through Ravenna by Monday, Dec. 16. If you inquire after this date, submit your application as soon as possible. The application fee is $100.

Shady Side Academy also accepts the Standard Application Online (SAO) and our school code is 7307. To learn more about using the SAO and begin your application, click here. For students using this option, steps 6 - 9 below will be completed through the SAO.

3. Schedule a Personal Interview and Tour

We would like to get to meet applicants in person and we hope applicants will get to know our community during the visit. If travel to campus is not possible prior to the application deadline, we may be able to arrange a Skype interview. Skype interviews will be limited to students who meet TOEFL requirements and have submitted a complete application.

4.  Attend an Admissions Open House (optional)

For international applicants, a limited number of interview slots will be available the day of our open houses.

5.  Complete Admissions Testing

In addition to an English proficiency test, applicants are required to take either the SSAT or ISEE. Shady Side Academy must receive the test scores directly from SSAT or ISEE (including the essay). The Shady Side Academy testing code for the SSAT is 7307 and for the ISEE is 393901.

6. Request Teacher Recommendations

After Nov. 14, request teacher recommendations through Ravenna. You can "delegate" recommendation forms by entering your child's English and math teachers' email addresses. Ravenna will email the teachers instructions to complete and submit the recommendation forms online. You will receive a real-time update in your Ravenna account when the forms have been submitted.

We recommend initiating this step after the second quarter, which is usually early January, or after the first trimester, which is usually late November so that your child's teacher has worked with them a few months prior to providing us feedback.

7. Request Transcripts

Download the Transcript Request Form from Ravenna and submit it to your child's school to request they send your child's transcript to SSA. The official school transcript must include previous year’s transcript as well as the current year.

Please submit this form to your child's school after the completion of their school's first term or semester.

8. Complete the Student Questionnaire

Student applicants must complete the online student questionnaire in Ravenna. This can be submitted any time prior to the Feb. 3 application deadline.

9. Submit a Student Writing Sample (Grades 11-12 Only)

For applicants to grades 11-12 only, an additional graded analytical writing sample is required from an English or history class this current academic year.

10. Other Application Requirements

Prior to completion of the application process, international applicants must show proof of a valid passport, credit card and mobile phone.

International applicants also must show evidence of sufficient funds to cover all tuition, fees, books and living expenses. Therefore, Shady Side Academy requires completion of a Certification of Finances form and collects all personal and business taxes from the parents or legal guardians of international applicants.

11. After Enrollment

The I-20 will be submitted for the F1 Visa by Shady Side Academy’s admissions office after the applicant has been accepted, the signed enrollment contract has been returned and the tuition deposit has been paid.

PIAA athletic eligibility paperwork and previous school head’s sign-off must be completed and submitted to SSA by the student’s parents over the spring and summer before the student arrives in the U.S.

SSA requires all students to have health insurance. All newly admitted international students will be enrolled in an Academy sponsored health insurance plan offering coverage in the United States.  Enrolling international students must show proof of immunizations as directed by the summer Family Information Update process, which has a deadline of Aug. 1.