Frequently Asked Questions

Q
Who should apply to Stevenson?

Children in Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade are alert; they’re curious, they’re secure, and they’re happy. If you have a motivated, inquisitive, happy child who wants to be here to learn and to do well in school, then you should apply for admission to Stevenson. Children applying to Pre-Kindergarten must turn 4 years old by September 10 of their enrollment year and Kindergarten children must turn 5 years old by September 10 of their enrollment year.

Q
How do I apply?

There are three options for you to apply to Stevenson:

Fill out our online inquiry form, and we will send your family an application packet, in addition to our viewbook.
Download the application forms from our website and send it to the Carmel Campus office. Families who send us a downloaded application should print all materials from the application download page, and mail completed forms to the Carmel Campus at our post office box address.
Contact the Carmel Campus if you would like an application packet mailed to you.

Q
When do I apply?

Applications completed by February 1 will receive priority consideration. If you mail your child's application by February 1, your child's application will be considered in our first round of decisions. If you've missed the February 1 date, you can still go ahead and apply; we continue to accept applications until our classes fill, and cancellations sometimes create openings as late as July and August.

Q
Why should I visit the Carmel Campus?

There are a handful of reasons to come visit. First, you need to view our campus, meet our faculty and administration, and see our classes in session; second, your child needs to visit our campus as part of the application process and to see if our program is a fit for him or her, and also so you and your family can ask questions about Stevenson's programs and curriculum.

To make an appointment, call the Carmel Campus at 831-626-5207. We schedule visits for Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., so try to have several dates in mind before you call.

Q
What is a completed application?

The Admission Committee considers an application complete when we have received the following:

The Formal Application, application fee, Parent Statement, and Student Health History Form.
Teacher recommendations from your child's current teacher. Applicants to Grades 7 and 8 are required to submit two recommendation forms: one from his/her language arts/English teacher, and the other from his/her math teacher.
An official transcript and school records-sent by your child's current school-that has your child's first-semester grades from the current year, your child's grades from at least one year previous, and any standardized test scores. Pre-Kindergarten-Kindergarten Applicants submit our Progress Report Form instead of the Transcript Release Form.
A parent visit and tour of the Carmel Campus (individually or during one of our Open Houses).
A student visit to the Carmel Campus. Applicants to Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten are invited to a small group visit session after the formal application has been received. Grade 1 - Grade 4 applicants visit from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m; Grade 5 - Grade 8 applicants visit from 8:15 a.m to 1:20 p.m. All Grade 1 - Grade 8 student visitors need to bring a morning snack and lunch, unless a hot lunch order is requested.
The score results from the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT). The SSAT is the required test for Grade 6-8 applicants.

Q
What is the SSAT?

The SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) is widely used by independent schools to assess a candidate's academic potential. Students applying to grades 6-12 are required to take the test to complete their application. If you are applying to several schools that require the SSAT, you can have the test results sent to those schools by choosing each school's name and code when signing up online to take the test (please visit the link above). Stevenson's school code is 6082. The test is administered in the US and Canada 8 times per year and at locations all over the world 5 times each year. You should look for a test center close to your home. If you would like to receive priority consideration for admission to Stevenson, you should take the SSAT in December or January.

Q
What if I am an international student?

Because PK-8 is day-only program, all current students and their families reside on the Monterey Peninsula and in the surrounding areas. We do not offer a boarding program for K-8 students; however, the Pebble Beach Campus does offer boarding to 9th-12th grade students. Stevenson also doesn't offer an English as a Second Language program. All international students must be able to demonstrate proficiency in English. Therefore, if you are applying for grades 6, 7, or 8, you must submit the SSAT before a visit to our campus can be scheduled. If you need a student visa, we will issue you an I-20 form only after you have accepted enrollment and have returned your enrollment agreement and the enrollment fee.

Q
When will I know if I am accepted to Stevenson?

The Carmel Campus mails the first decision letters on March 10; after March 10, decision letters are mailed as applications are completed and have been reviewed by the Admission Committee.

If you're admitted to Stevenson, we assume that you will successfully complete your current school year.