Free tool · Private and boarding school admissions

Private School Admissions Planner: Fall 2027

By Jeremy M. Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep · Requirements verified October 31, 2026

What should your family do next, and by when? Choose your child’s entry grade and the schools on your list. The planner pulls each school’s published deadline, testing policy, interview rule and financial aid date, then builds a dated calendar with the SSAT and ISEE dates that still fit.

Key facts for fall 2027 (verified October 31, 2026)

Remaining paper SSAT dates: November 14 and December 12, 2026 for all levels, then January 9, January 30 and March 13, 2027 for Middle and Upper Level.
The ISEE can be taken once per testing season: fall (August to November), winter (December to March) and spring and summer (April to July).
Some New York and New Jersey day schools close first: Riverdale’s preliminary application is due November 16, Horace Mann’s application form November 18, Delbarton’s application November 30 and Rye Country Day’s December 15, 2026.
Most New England boarding schools in the planner set January 15 deadlines; Andover’s is February 1, 2027.

SSAT and ISEE Dates for the 2026-27 Cycle

Standard paper SSAT dates remaining this cycle. Registration closes the Wednesday before each test; a late fee starts three weeks before and a rush fee two weeks before.

SSAT test date	Levels	Last day to register
Nov 14, 2026	Elementary, Middle, Upper	Nov 11, 2026
Dec 12, 2026	Elementary, Middle, Upper	Dec 9, 2026
Jan 9, 2027	Middle, Upper	Jan 6, 2027
Jan 30, 2027	Middle, Upper	Jan 27, 2027
Mar 13, 2027	Middle, Upper	Mar 10, 2027

The ISEE runs in three seasons: fall (August to November), winter (December to March) and spring and summer (April to July). Students may test once per season. Online scores usually arrive in three to five days; paper scores in five to ten. Levels follow the grade your child is applying to: Lower (grades 5 to 6), Middle (7 to 8) and Upper (9 to 12).

Sources: admission.org (E3n, which now runs both the SSAT and the ISEE; ssat.org and erblearn.org redirect there), checked October 31, 2026. Compare the two tests in our SSAT vs ISEE guide.

How the Planner Works

Every school in the planner was checked against its own admissions pages on October 31, 2026. When a page does not state the year, the planner says so. It sorts your schools by deadline, works out which test covers your list, keeps only the SSAT dates whose scores can arrive before your first deadline, and lists the interviews and financial aid dates you need to book. For schools outside this list, use our requirements database or boarding school deadlines.

Common Questions

When should my child take the SSAT or ISEE for fall 2027 entry?

Plan the first attempt so scores arrive before your earliest deadline. For the 2026-27 cycle, the remaining paper SSAT dates are November 14 and December 12, 2026 for all levels, then January 9, January 30 and March 13, 2027 for Middle and Upper Level. The ISEE can be taken once in each testing season: fall (August to November), winter (December to March) and spring and summer (April to July).

Do these schools require the SSAT or ISEE?

It varies. Of the schools in this planner, Exeter, Andover, Deerfield, Hotchkiss, Taft, Lawrenceville, Hopkins, Greenwich Academy, King, Hackley, Rye Country Day, Horace Mann and Riverdale list testing as required for most applicants, Choate, Loomis Chaffee, Kent and Miss Porter’s are test optional, Westminster accepts a graded writing sample instead, and Delbarton gives its own entrance test.

Which deadlines come first?

Several New York and New Jersey day schools close in November and December. Horace Mann’s application form is due November 18, 2026, Riverdale’s preliminary application November 16, 2026, Delbarton’s application November 30, 2026, and Rye Country Day’s December 15, 2026. Most New England boarding schools set January 15 deadlines, and Andover’s is February 1, 2027.

Does the planner tell us our chances?

No. It lays out published requirements and dates for the schools you pick. It does not predict admission decisions or financial aid.

Private and boarding school advising

Our advisors build an advisor reviewed readiness plan for each family: school fit, SSAT or ISEE strategy, interview preparation and essays, with every deadline tracked. ConnectPrep students have been admitted to Exeter, Andover, Deerfield, Choate, Hotchkiss, Lawrenceville, Taft and Loomis Chaffee.

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Related ConnectPrep Resources

This is a ConnectPrep page. It is researched and published by ConnectPrep, an independent tutoring, test prep and admissions advising company based in Westport, Connecticut. ConnectPrep is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the schools listed or E3n, which administers the SSAT and ISEE. Information is checked against official sources as of the date shown, but policies change, so always confirm details directly before you apply or register.

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