Lower School Admissions

Application

The Calvert admissions office accepts applications for admission at any time. There is no application fee, but there is a one-time testing fee. Children are evaluated individually and in group testing situations (depending on age). We encourage parents to submit an application form to Calvert as early as possible to ensure the child's place on the list for testing. A child's birth date determines the class for which he or she is eligible. Calvert's birth cycle runs from June 1 to May 31; therefore, children eligible for Pilot Class (the five-year-old class) would have their fifth birthday the summer before or during the school year they would begin Pilot Class. Children eligible for Sixth Age would turn six the summer before, or during the school year, they would begin Sixth Age. Testing for Pilot Class and Sixth Age occurs during the fall and winter prior to the year the child would start school and concludes in January. Admissions for Seventh through Tenth Age applicants (roughly corresponding to first through fourth grade) occurs as openings become available. Testing for those levels is administered each year on the last Saturday in January. Parents interested in placing their children at these ages should request an application form as early as possible.

Tours

We believe that you will get the most out of a visit to the school by seeing us "in action," while classes are in session. Therefore, we invite families to have a personal tour of the school when their child visits for admissions testing. Tours and testing sessions are generally scheduled for weekday mornings. If you would like to visit the school before scheduling a testing session, please contact the admissions office to arrange an appointment.

Testing and Visiting

We conduct individualized testing sessions with each child applying for Pilot Class or Sixth Age, and the results are discussed with the parents immediately after the session. Calvert admissions testing is designed for in-house use only and is not intended to be used for other purposes, but we will informally share results with other schools at the parents' request. The testing session lasts approximately 45 minutes. We try to make the session as pleasant and comfortable for the child as possible. We often describe the session to the children as "playing games," and we encourage parents to use the same approach when talking with their child about an upcoming session. Applicants for Seventh through Tenth Age (roughly corresponding to first through fourth grade) are tested in a group on Saturday, January 27, 2007 at 9:30 A.M.. If the test results indicate that Calvert may be a good choice for the applicant, a second testing session is scheduled which is an individual session. For older applicants, a school visit is recommended. The goal of Calvert's evaluation process is to determine whether Calvert is the right school for your child. We want to be as certain as we can be that your child and Calvert is "a good match."

Notification

Notification of admission to Calvert occurs in the first week of March. Parents must reply by the end of March.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available. In fact, 22% of our students receive some financial assistance. Awards are based on need as determined by a nationally used School Scholarship Service parents' financial disclosure statement. Parents need not submit financial aid forms until the admission process is completed.