Application process

Holderness School uses a common admission application called the Standard Application Online (SAO), offered through ssat.org. 

The application includes the following components:

• Applicant Information
• Student Essay Questions
• Parent Statement
• Current and prior two years of transcripts (it is recommended to have your transcripts sent after the first marking period of the current academic year)
• Writing Sample
• Recommendations (standardized forms can be sent directly to the teacher, principal, or guidance counselor via the SAO)
  • Current Math Teacher recommendation
  • Current English Teacher recommendation
  • Current Principal or Guidance Counselor recommendation
• Standardized Test results, if applicable

Submitting standardized testing scores is optional with one exception. International students are required to submit an English Proficiency Test score, such as the TOEFL.

• The Secondary School Admission Test is optional for all applicants. 
• Eleventh, twelfth, and post-graduate applicants have the option of submitting the PSAT, SAT, or ACT scores.
• If there is a WISC–V or WISC-IV, taken within the past two years, it should be submitted as part of the application.  

Step 1
Request Information by filling out the Inquiry Form

Step 2
Visit and Interview

Step 3
Get your documentation in order and Apply!

Tuition for the 2026–27 academic year will be finalized in January. Tuition typically increases by 3–5% each year; families can use that range as a planning guide. Tuition for the 2025-2026 school year can be found on our Tuition and Financial Aid page.

Approximately 30% of our enrolled families tell us they identified Holderness as their top choice early in their search and only applied to Holderness.

Early Decision offers these students a chance to secure their place sooner, reducing stress and uncertainty while strengthening our shared commitment to fit and mission alignment.

Yes. The interview is an essential part of every Holderness application. It’s a conversation and opportunity for us to get to know each student fully and for you to discover what makes our community distinctive.

Schedule your visit and interview.

• Application Deadline: December 5, 2025
  Admission application, Financial Aid application, and supporting documentation is due for Fall 2026 enrollment. Please find the link to the FA application here: Clarity
   
• Decision Notification: December 19, 2025
  Admission decisions for all Early Decision applicants will be released on this date.
   
• Enrollment Deposit Due: January 9, 2026
  Families must notify Holderness School of their intent to enroll by signing the enrollment agreement and providing a deposit (30 percent of tuition).

No. Early Decision is simply an option for families who have already decided Holderness is their top choice and wish to conclude their search earlier. Our Admissions Committee evaluates all applicants—Early and Regular Decision—by the same standards of character, curiosity, and potential for growth.

Absolutely. Students seeking Financial Aid should submit all materials by December 5, 2025. Families will receive their Financial Aid decision alongside their admissions decision on December 19, 2025. Meeting this deadline ensures we can provide a complete financial aid package.

There are three possible outcomes:

1. The student is admitted to Holderness.
2. The student is deferred by Holderness to the Regular Decision round for further consideration (Final decisions released March 10).
3. The student is not admitted to Holderness.