St. Paul's School Admission Counselors

A Guide to the St. Paul's Admissions Process

What is St. Paul’s School (SPS) Looking For?

Demonstrated scholarship, evidence of leadership, a love of community, well-roundedness.  St. Paul’s is a place where talented and highly capable students who desire a strong sense of community with options and choices usually only found in larger schools can thrive. SPS looks for smart, multi-talented applicants who will bring diverse experiences and perspective to its tight-knit community.

As one of the few top boarding schools in the country with no day students or post-graduates on campus, SPS seeks applicants of the highest academic standards who would contribute to a residential life experience historically rooted in Episcopalian values.

St. Paul's School Admissions Counselor

What does community mean at St. Paul’s School?

It is not by accident that the entire student body and faculty of the school all fit in its beautiful chapel, built in 1888.  SPS builds a sense of community of the whole that begins in chapel four mornings a week throughout the year.  The student body is deliberately diverse being 41% students of color and representing 40 states and 18 countries. The dominant philosophy of the school, reflected in its current approach to learning called SPS 360, seeks to integrate social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual growth into every part of life in the community.

Smallish School with World Class Opportunities

Although a school of just over 500 students, SPS sits on 2,000 idyllic acres including 25 miles of trails and an extensive pond.  The main campus hosts over 100 buildings including a world class math and science building, library, dance, art and athletic facilities.  Applicants who can demonstrate a passion for trying and mastering different pursuits and whose interest and energies would take advantage of these unique facilities are highly sought. Successful applicants are able to convey their ability to enrich the experiences of everyone in the community.

How can an applicant to St. Paul’s School
stand out from the crowd?

Admission to SPS is most competitive with about 16% of its applicants gaining admission and average SSAT score of 89% percentile. The interview is a very important part of the admissions process.  Given this, applicants should demonstrate:

commitment to and engagement in community activities in service of others
passion for and excellence in sports and/or the arts
deep and knowledgeable interest in multiple academic and extracurricular pursuits

an engaging personality and sense of humor

What are the academic credentials of applicants admitted to St. Paul’s School?

While SPS does not have a specific cutoff for grades or test scores, the admissions committee is continuously search for exemplary and uniquely talented applicants with the potential to excel. Therefore, on average those admitted have:

  • an average grade of “A” in their previous school year
  • SSAT scores in the 89% percentile
  • involvement in multiple extracurricular activities
  • demonstrated high energy and excitement for community involvement
  • very strong letters of recommendation
  • a broad set of interest to be pursued and explored

Examples of applicants with special talents at St. Paul’s School would be:

  • World class talent in dance or the performing arts
  • Exceptional skills and promise in any sport
  • Award winning science or math student
  • Extensive successful experiences in the service of others

For more information about the St. Paul's application process, contact us at one of the following: