Admission Process

Attend an Open House or Schedule a Private Tour

Come see the WES campus in action.

It is important to see if WES is the right fit for your child and your family. Open Houses and private tours are among the many great ways to visit WES! On these occasions, you will see the campus, meet the faculty and students, and experience a typical day at WES. It will also give you the opportunity to ask the questions that are most important to your family.

Click to schedule a visit or to RSVP for an Open House today!

Tell us about your child and family.

A parent interview is required and is most often conducted in conjunction with a private tour of WES. The interview gives the WES admissions team the chance to learn more about your child and your family. You can schedule a tour and parent interview online.

This is the time to share with the admissions team your child’s learning style, personality, interests, hobbies, and educational background. The best way to prepare for the parent interview is to bring a list of your aspirations for your child’s education and any information about your child’s learning or medical needs.

At the end of the interview, both you and the Office of Admission should have a good idea if WES a potential fit for your child.

Not sure what to ask during the Parent Interview? Read a list of private school parent interview questions to help you dig a little deeper and get the information that will truly help you compare one school to another.

Begin your Washington Episcopal School admission application.

Please submit the application with a photo of your child and the application fee. The application takes about 10 minutes to complete, and you may start and save the application as needed before submitting it.

Families with financial needs may request, in writing, a reduction of the application fee.

Once you finish the general online application, you will be prompted to complete the additional requirements as appropriate (i.e. transcripts, recommendations, and testing). Please give yourself a week to two weeks to complete the additional steps.

Required: Must be age 3 by September 30 and potty trained.

Recommendation: Give the Independent School Confidential Recommendation form to your child’s current teacher. Please select the form for Applicants to Nursery-Grade 1.

Visit: Participate in a playgroup with other applicants. Playgroups are scheduled throughout January and involve social and academic assessments.

Teacher Recommendation Form (if applicable)

See our printable admissions checklist for nursery and Pre-K.

Recommendation: Give the Independent School Confidential Recommendation form to your child’s current teacher. Please select the form for Applicants to Nursery – Grade 1.

Testing (OPTIONAL): The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV). Scores are valid and usable for 18 months. Please let us know if you would like to have testing done at WES or if you need assistance finding a tester.

Visit: Spend a morning with the current Pre-Kindergarten class. The visit will be arranged once you have submitted an application.

Teacher Recommendation Form (if applicable)

See our printable admissions checklist for Kindergarten.

Recommendation: Give the Independent School Confidential Recommendation form to your child’s current teacher. Please select the form for Applicants to Nursery-Grade 1.

Testing (OPTIONAL): The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-IV) is optional for all applicants to Grade 1. Scores are valid and usable for 18 months. Please let us know if you would like to have testing done at WES or if you need assistance finding a tester.

Visit: Applicants to Grade 1 are required to spend a day visiting with their peers in Kindergarten. The visit will be arranged once you have submitted an application.

Teacher Recommendation Form

See our printable admissions checklist for Grade 1.

Recommendation: Give the Independent School Confidential Recommendation form to your child’s current teacher. Please select the form for Applicants to Grades 2 – 8.

Testing: The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V) is OPTIONAL for all applicants applying to Grades 2 – 3. Applicants applying to Grades 4-5 are required to take The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V). Applicants to Grades 6-8 must take either the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) or the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT). Scores are valid and usable for 18 months.

• To register for the ISEE, please visit www.iseetest.org and enter 090329 to ensure that WES receives your child’s scores.
• To register for the SSAT, please visit www.ssat.org and enter 8035 to ensure that WES receives your child’s scores.

Transcript: Please submit this form to your child’s current school to request a transcript.

Visit: Applicants to Grades 2-8 are required to spend a day visiting with their peers in their current grade. The visit will be arranged once you have submitted an application.

Recommendation Form

Transcript Release Form

See our printable admissions checklist for Grades 2-8.

Click HERE to learn more about tuition and the financial assistance available, as well as how to apply.

Select the checklist that reflects the grade your child is applying for (not currently in)—it is a one-pager that has all the application information you need to know in an easy-to-print format.

• Nursery & Pre-Kindergarten Application Checklist
• Kindergarten Application Checklist
• Grade 1 Application Checklist
• Grade 2-8 Application Checklist

Do

• Be yourself.
• We want to get to know the real you. WES has a diverse and inclusive community that welcomes and embraces a range of students and families.
• Ask questions.
• Talk with our admissions team, administrators, faculty, students, and families. They will give you the confidence that you have the full picture of WES.
• Visit, visit, visit!
• Join us for an Open House, take a private tour, attend a Chapel, see a game, view a play, and more. Our doors are always open.
• Read: Finding the Best Fit School for Your Child

Don’t

• Give a partial portrait of your child.
• If your child has special needs please let the Office of Admission know. WES has a support team comprised of the school nurse, counselors, learning specialists, and chaplain who can help assess if WES can meet those needs. WES is always happy to make referrals if there is a school that would be a better fit.
• Get stressed.
• The Office of Admissions is here to help you. Freely email or call with questions or concerns.
• Wait to invest in your child’s education
• Thirty percent of WES families receive financial aid. The online financial aid application takes about 30 minutes to complete and can make a huge difference in WES’s affordability. Grants range from a few thousand dollars to nearly full aid.

Washington Episcopal School seeks qualified students who can contribute to and benefit from our educational program. All students applying to the school are screened to assess their readiness for the program. Students are selected for admission on the basis of multiple factors and the school’s enrollment at time of application. In all cases, the school retains the right to determine, at its sole discretion, whether or not to select a student for admission or to re-enroll a student.

When there are more qualified candidates than openings available, the school establishes an unranked waiting list. If any openings occur, the admissions committee decides which candidate(s) to offer a position based on the overall profile of the class and the match between the needs and qualifications of the student and the needs of the school.

Siblings of current WES students may apply early and opt to receive early admission decisions which are generally sent in early January.

Washington Episcopal School is committed to having a diverse student population. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, ancestry, family composition, economic status, or disability. All persons are encouraged to apply.