Admission

Application Process & Checklist

**The February 1 application deadline has passed.  If you are interested in learning more about Norwood or applying your child for the 2013-2014 school year, please contact the admission office as late applications are considered on a case by case basis.  Spring small group tours for families interested in 2014-2015 enrollment are enthusiastically welcomed.  Call the office to schedule a tour.

Applications for admission are accepted beginning in September for the following academic year. The checklist below outlines the various steps in the admission process. Please contact the admission office if you have any questions about the application process. We look forward to getting to know your child and introducing you to Norwood!

Deadlines to Note

Applications and all supporting documentation are due by February 1, 2013. (Kindergarten sibling applications are due November 9, 2012.)  Late applications will be considered on a case by case basis. Please contact the Admission Office for further information, 301-841-2130.

Financial Aid Applications are due by February 1, 2013.  Supporting documents are due by February 15, 2013.  Late applications cannot be considered.

Please note: Kindergarten applicants must be 5 years old by September 1, 2013.

Checklist

INQUIRY (optional but highly recommended)

Click here to request a Norwood Viewbook and be placed on our mailing list for all admission season communications.

OPEN HOUSE (optional)

No RSVP necessary
- Thursday, November 29, 2012 7:00-8:30pm
- Saturday, January 12, 2013 1-3pm

PARENT TOUR AND Q & A (optional but highly recommended)

Call Admission Office at 301-841-2130 to set up an appointment.
- Lower School: On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings at 9 am.
- Middle School: Individually scheduled.

APPLICATION FORM AND FEE

Due no later than February 1, 2013 (Kindergarten sibling applications are due November 9, 2012.) Late applications will be considered on a case by case basis. Please contact the Admission Office for further information, 301-841-2130.
Norwood encourages families to apply online ($60 non-refundable fee).

PARENT INTERVIEW

Upon receipt of the application form, someone from the Admission Office will call to schedule an appointment. Appointments last around 45 minutes and do not include the student applicant.

STUDENT VISIT

After your application is received, someone from the Admission Office will call to schedule an appointment.

Playdates for children applying to grades K & 1 occur on various Wednesday, Thursday or Friday afternoons in January and February. Playdates last approximately 75-minutes. We ask that you arrive a few minutes early so your child has time to get comfortable before the playdate begins.You will begin the playdate with your child in the Lower School Library. After everyone has arrived and had a chance to settle in, your child will separate from you and walk down to the Kindergarten and 1st Grade classrooms. We ask that you stay in the library during the playdate. Feel free to work or make phone calls. Coffee and reading materials are also available. You are welcome to bring along younger or older siblings. Snack is not served during the Kindergarten or 1st Grade playdates.

Child visits for children applying for grades 2-8 occur most Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays beginning in October. Second and third grade applicants spend a morning at Norwood and fourth through eighth grade applicants shadow a host student for the full-school day. Children should wear comfortable school clothes (no jeans or t-shirts, please) for their visit. In addition, applicants may have a chance to go to PE class or play on the playground during their visit so appropriate attire (including sneakers and a jacket) is suggested.

TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS

Due February 1, 2013 (Supporting documents for Kindergarten sibling applicants are due December 7, 2012.)
All recommendations are confidential.

• Applicants for Grades K & 1 should submit one teacher recommendation sent directly from the current homeroom teacher.
Click here to download the K-1 Recommendation Form - PDF

• Applicants for Grades 2-5 should submit two teacher recommendations; one from the current homeroom teacher and one from an additional current teacher.
Click here to download the Grades 2-5 Recommendation Form - PDF

• Applicants for Grades 6-8 should submit two teacher recommendations; one sent directly from the current English teacher and one sent directly from the current math teacher. Applicants may also submit a third recommendation from an additional current teacher.
Click here to download the Grades 6-8 Recommendation Form - PDF

TRANSCRIPT

Due February 1, 2013 (Transcripts for Kindergarten siblings are due December 7, 2012)

Please forward the Transcript Release Form to the registrar of the applicant’s current school. They will need to submit a current report card and any standardized test scores (if applicable). Click here to download the form.

TESTING

Due February 1, 2013. Suggested Testing Months: November, December, January

• Applicants for Grades K-4 are required to take the WPPSI III or IV or WISC IV. Test results should be sent directly from the diagnostic center to Norwood School. An applicant should only take one standardized IQ test in a 12-month period. A list of recommended testers is provided here.

• Applicants for Grade 5 are required to take the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam).
You can register for the ISEE online at http://www.iseetest.org/ ensure that Norwood School directly receives official results from the testing agency, Norwood must be listed as a score recipient (Norwood School Code #211166).

• Applicants for Grades 6-8 are required to take either the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Examination) or the SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test). You can register for the ISEE online at http://www.iseetest.org/or the SSAT at http://www.ssat.org/. To ensure that Norwood School directly receives official results from the testing agency, Norwood must be listed as a score recipient (Norwood ISEE Code #211166, Norwood SSAT Code #5425).

FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION (optional)

Due February 1, 2013 Norwood School offers need-based financial aid. Financial aid forms are available upon request from the Admission Office oronline. Our SSS school code is #5425.Click here for more information on the financial aid process.

Parent Notification

In accordance with the guidelines established by the Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington (AISGW), parents are notified of the Admission Committee's decision no earlier than March 1. Admission to Norwood School is based on merit. Norwood School has an open admission policy and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin, religion or creed, gender, sexual orientation, family composition, economic status, age, learning styles, or disability.

To reserve space on a tour, to request materials, and for all other questions, please contact the Admission Office at 301-841-2130 or email admission@norwoodschool.org.

Admission FAQs

These are frequently asked questions about the admission process at Norwood. For more information about Norwood policies and programs, please refer to either Norwood at a Glance or the Norwood Handbook.

What does a typical day look like for a Norwood student? Click here to see

What opportunities are there for families of students of color?
Click here to see

Q.

Are there any feeder schools to Norwood?

A.

No. We receive applications from children who attend over 100 schools from the DC, MD, and VA area. A Kindergarten class is typically made up of children from more than 30 different programs.

Q.

Typically how many students are new to each grade each year?

A.

Kindergarten: 48
1st Grade: 8-10
Second Grade: 3-5
Third Grade: 5-10
Fourth Grade: 3-5
Fifth Grade: 3-5
Sixth Grade: 5-8
Seventh Grade: 3-5
Eighth Grade: 0

Q.

How will I know that my application is complete?

A.

We will mail you a postcard when your application is complete. If your application is incomplete in late January, we will send you a postcard indicating which pieces are outstanding.

You can always check the status of your file by doing the following.

1.Go to www.norwoodschool.org, click ‘Admissions’, then click ‘Apply Now’ from the left side navigation

2.Click on the ‘Click here to Apply Online’ link on the main page

3.Click on ‘Log in to start’

4.Log in using the same information used when filling out the application (can click Forgotten Password to retrieve both User ID and/or Password)

5.Click ‘View status’ in lower right side

6.You will see screen with items still pending/missing.

.

Q.

How does Norwood make admission decisions?

A.

All aspects of a student's file (school transcript, teacher recommendation(s), parent interview, performance on required testing, Norwood visit, and parent interview notes) are reviewed carefully by the appropriate Admission Committee. Admission Committees include admission officers, teachers, learning specialists, and Principals. Admission decisions balance the Admission Committee's assessment of a child's preparation for the grade to which she/he is applying and its effort to enroll a well-balanced class. 

Q.

What are the possible admission decisions?

A.

Qualified applicants receive either a letter of acceptance or one offering a place on the wait pool. Those who are accepted receive an enrollment contract which must be completed and returned to the school with a deposit by March 22, 2013. A wait pool letter signifies that the applicant met all admission requirements but has applied to a grade where not enough spaces are available to accommodate the number of qualified applicants. If the Admission Committee finds that Norwood is not a good match for an applicant at the time of application, the applicant receives a letter of denial.

Q.

Does applying for financial aid influence the admission decision?

A.

No. Norwood School accepts students based on academic merit, test scores, references, and personal qualities. Financial aid files are reviewed and awards made only after a student is admitted. However, financial aid requests must be made by the February 1, 2013 deadline in order for an award to be considered.

Q.

How can parents get involved with the life of the school?

A.

Many volunteer opportunities are available from Parent Association sponsored events to grade specific celebrations. Norwood believes strongly that parents should find a way to get involved. The School and Parents Association has worked hard to create opportunities that work for all families. Visit the Our Volunteer page under the Support tab to learn about many of the volunteer opportunities. Norwood would not be Norwood without our parent volunteers!

Q.

Where do Norwood graduates go to high school?

A.

Eight or more Norwood
graduates currently attend the following schools:

B-CC , Bullis, Churchill, Georgetown Day, Georgetown Prep, Georgetown Visitation, Gonzaga, Holton-Arms, Landon, Maret, National Cathedral, Potomac, Sidwell Friends, St. Albans, St. Andrew’s, Whitman

For more information about our K-8 program and next school placement information, visit the "Why Choose K-8" page under the Admission tab.