Applying

List of 9 items.

• Step 1: Submit Online Inquiry

  Completing an online inquiry generates an email, giving you a username and the ability to create a password for your personalized admission portal, from which you can access and check the status of your online application. It also allows us to share additional information about Westminster and upcoming events with you.
  
  

  When filling out the form, please include distinct email addresses for each individual. Inquiries cannot be processed unless the email addresses for each individual listed are unique.

  
  
  

• Step 2: Learn More About Westminster

  There are lots of ways to learn more about Westminster! For more information regarding arranging a visit, please click here. You can also peruse the wealth of information about Westminster’s programs available on the website. For updates and a peek into daily life, don’t forget to follow Westminster on Instagram and Facebook.

• Step 3: Schedule Your Tour & Interview

  The tour and interview are important opportunities for us to get to know you! We typically conduct interviews from mid-September through mid-January. Click here for additional information about scheduling. 

• Step 4: Sign Up for Testing (Optional)

  While rarely determinative in our holistic application review process, standardized testing is informative and typically a prerequisite for admission. Westminster, however, remains test optional for the 2024-2025 application cycle, and welcomes discussion of individual circumstances with a member of our admissions team.

  
  TESTING GUIDELINES
  

   

  Applicants for Third and Fourth Form (Ninth and 10th grades)

  • Secondary School Admissions Test (SSAT)
  • Applicants are encouraged to take the Character Skills Snapshot (CSS)
  • If English is not first language: TOEFL

   

  Applicants for Fifth and Sixth Form (11th & 12th grades) and Postgraduate Year 

  • PSAT, SAT, ACT, or SSAT
  • Applicants are encouraged to take the Character Skills Snapshot
  • If English is not first language: TOEFL

                                                                                          

  TESTING INFORMATION & RESOURCES

   

  Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT): www.ssat.org 

  • The SSAT is currently being offered at home (throughout the fall, every Saturday and one Sunday a month starting in August), at Prometric Test Centers, and in the traditional paper-based format on a limited basis (Flex and Standard Paper Test Dates). Please be sure to register early to obtain the desired testing format, location and date. All testing should be completed by January 15.
  • Westminster’s SSAT code is 8134. 

   

  College Board Testing (PSAT and SAT):  www.collegeboard.com 

  • The PSAT will be offered in October. The SATs will be offered throughout the fall starting in August. Please be sure to register early to obtain the desired testing format, location and date. All testing should be completed by January 15. 

   

  ACT: www.act.org

  • The ACTs will be offered in throughout the fall. Please be sure to register early to obtain the desired testing format, location and date. All testing should be completed by January 15. 

   

  Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): www.ets.org/TOEFL 

  • October, November, December and January are the preferred test dates for the TOEFL.
  • Westminster’s TOEFL code is 8486.  

   

• Step 5: Review Westminster Essay Questions

  All applicants are asked to complete the following questions (fill in the blanks, suggested length 1-2 sentences):
  

  • • • If given a free plane ticket to travel anywhere in the world, I would go to: 
      • I am fascinated by:
      • If I had the opportunity to learn something new, I would:
      • The person (from the past or present) that I would most like to spend a day with is:
      • My greatest strength is:
      • For me, belonging to a community means:
      • Something surprising about me is:
      • My family always shares the story about the time when I:

  
  Elaborate on one of your answers above (suggested length 400 words).
  
  Applicants applying using the Gateway Application will be asked to answer the following question:

  • Ideally, applying to schools is a process that prompts self-reflection and generates excitement for future opportunities. We would love to hear why you think Westminster would be a good fit for you, how you see yourself contributing to the Westminster community and learn a bit more about you (suggested length 300 words).

  
  Applicants applying using the Standard Application Online will be asked to answer several additional essay questions in furtherance of applications to all schools.
  
  

• Step 6: Complete Applications Online

  Candidates for admission to Westminster should apply online using the Standard Application Online or Gateway to Prep Schools application. The choice of platform has no bearing on admission decisions. The completed application is due by January 15 to ensure a March 10 decision and is comprised of the following:

  • Biographic Information
  • Application Fee - ($75 Domestic, $150 International)
  • Standardized Tests (See Step 3 above for more information)
  • Student Essays/Candidate Statement
  • Parent Statement
  • Recommendations – submitted online by current teachers (Required: School Administrator, English Teacher, and Math Teacher. Optional: Personal and Special Interest.)
  • Transcript – submitted directly by school (including current Fall term or semester grades)
  • Graded Writing Sample – Please provide a graded writing assignment completed for one of your classes this year. We are eager to read what you have written, and see your teacher’s comments and corrections. We understand that writing is a process that when done best, is a conversation between student and teacher that involves drafting, comments, and revisions. For our purposes, we would prefer to see where that conversation begins, as opposed to a piece that has been polished to perfection. Please be sure your name is on the paper.

  
  
           

         

• Accessing Your Admissions Portal

  1. Click the “Portal Login” button located in the upper right hand corner of this page.

  2. Enter your username and password received upon inquiry.

   

  Forgot your username and/or password? Click the “Forgot Your Login?” link and the system will send you an email with your username and instructions on how to reset your password.
  
  

  Please note that students and parents have their own accounts. If you use the same email address for both student and parents on your application, parents will likely have difficulty accessing their accounts. Please call us at your convenience and we would be happy to assist.  

• Important Dates & Deadlines

  • Application for Admission and Financial Aid Due: January 15
  • Admission Decision Notification: March 10
    
  • Candidate Reply Deadline: April 10

• Affording Westminster

  Applicants seeking financial aid must complete the financial aid application by Jan. 15. Please see our Affording Westminster page for more information.