Thank you for your interest in The Evergreen School.
Applications for the 2024-2025 school year are now closed.

Have a Question?

Our FAQ page covers many common queries, but if you still have a question, our Admission Team would love to hear from you!

Chat with a Family

Connect with a current Evergreen School parent or guardian to learn more about our community.

If you are interested in exploring for the 2025-2026 school year, applications and tour sign-ups will become available on September 1 through the Ravenna online application system. 


FAQ

Choosing Evergreen

 

Why might Evergreen be a good fit for my child?

Children who show early academic aptitude, creative thinking and intellectual curiosity do well at Evergreen. Usually referred to as gifted or highly capable, these children may excel in a broad range of areas, such as early acquisition of language, strong sense of spatial relationships, advanced comprehension and the ability to process information quickly or in complex ways. Characteristics of highly capable children include:

  • Rapid learner
  • Unusually large vocabulary
  • Enjoys problem solving
  • Asks probing questions, thinks critically
  • Highly developed curiosity
  • Imagination
  • Interest in experimenting and doing things differently
  • Enthusiasm
  • Deep, intense feelings
  • Highly sensitive
  • Longer attention span
  • Displays intense concentration
  • Persistence
  • Idealism and sense of justice at an early age

Because analytic intelligence is one measure that we consider, we require that all children applying to kindergarten through 7th grade take an IQ test.
 

Application Process

What are the main entry points?

Evergreen's largest entry points are preschool, prekindergarten, kindergarten and 6th grade. For grades 1 through 5 and 7, space is based on the departure of current students, also known as attrition. We encourage families who believe their child would be successful at Evergreen to apply for these non-entry grades as the attrition rate is unpredictable from year to year. We do not conduct admission for 8th grade. 

When should we apply?

Families need to apply a year in advance of when they would like their child to begin at Evergreen. Admission applications are made available in early September. Evergreen is a member of the Puget Sound Independent Schools (PSIS) consortium. As a result, our application deadlines are selected in conjunction with other PSIS schools. See this year's dates at right.

What is the best age to start? How old does my child need to be?

Our main entry points are preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten. Children must meet the following minimum age requirements by August 31:

Preschool: Three years old*
Prekindergarten: Four years old
Kindergarten: Five years old

*Please note that preschool students must be toilet trained prior to beginning school in the fall.

Do you consider of out-of-state and/or international applicants?

We do consider applicants whose families reside out of state or abroad, provided the applicant can travel to Seattle to participate in a visit day. Evergreen does not grant the I-20 student visa, so any applicant who is not a U.S. citizen must be covered by a parent/guardian’s work visa. We require all of our enrolled students to live with parents or legal guardians.

How do I obtain IQ testing for my child? Is there a cut-off score?

Our Testing Information page is a great resource for these questions and more that you might have about the IQ evaluation requirement.

On that page, you will also find a list of psychologists in the greater Seattle area who conduct IQ tests. (The Evergreen School does not administer tests.) Psychologists do book up in advance of school application deadlines, so it's best to schedule an appointment as early as possible in the fall.

Do you have an early admission policy?

To honor current families' commitment to Evergreen, children of current families, as well as children of faculty and staff, may apply before the general applicant pool. This involves an accelerated timeline for application completion and an earlier admission decision than our external applicants receive. We recommend that all applicant families, including those in our community, consider several school options for their child, as admission into Evergreen is not guaranteed for anyone.

Is financial aid available?

Evergreen is dedicated to providing a need-based financial aid program that covers tuition as well as non-tuition aid, depending on the level of need a family displays. Families of students in prekindergarten through 8th grade are eligible to apply for financial aid.

Please visit the Affording Evergreen page for more information.  

Why does Evergreen require IQ testing?

Evergreen’s mission is to serve highly capable students. As such, we want to ensure we have as comprehensive a sense of an applicant’s learning profile as is possible; an IQ test is one tool we use for that purpose. While it is certainly not the only factor we consider in our admission decision process, it is a contributing factor. We find that students scoring in the 95th percentile and higher are successful in our program.

Can I submit additional materials to supplement my application beyond what is required?

In the interest of maintaining an equitable application process, the Office of Enrollment Management is not able to accept additional teacher evaluations, personal reference letters, gifts, or any other materials beyond what is outlined in our admission process. Additionally, please do not ask others to submit personal letters of recommendation on your behalf as they will not be accepted.

Is continuation into kindergarten guaranteed if we are admitted in preschool or prekindergarten?

While we do not require our enrolled prekindergarten families to reapply for kindergarten at Evergreen, moving into our kindergarten program will be contingent on several factors including the results of an IQ test prekindergarten students will need to take during the fall of their prekindergarten year.  

How do you support 8th grade families in navigating their high school selection process?

Evergreen offers a highly individualized approach to the high school search process that allows 8th grade students to find the school that is going to be the best match for them. Although the majority of our 8th grade students will apply to independent high schools in Seattle and the Greater Seattle area, some will apply to independent boarding schools, and many will consider public schools. As a result, the school aims to showcase to 8th grade families the wide-range of school options through a series of programming that will take place in the fall of the 8th grade year. In addition, 8th grade students will have workshops throughout the fall that will help them navigate the many facets of the high school search experience. 

 

Office of Enrollment Management

Johnpaul McLean
Director of Enrollment Management
Emma Goldner-de Beer
Emma Goldner-de Beer
Associate Director of Enrollment Management
Ryan Kerrick
Ryan Kerrick
Enrollment Management Operations Assistant

Contact Us

[email protected]
206-957-1523

Se ofrece servicio de interpretación en español. Si requiere asistencia en español, no dude en contactar a Ryan Kerrick: [email protected]

Key Dates 2023-2024

September 1: Applications Open
October 21: Open House
(advance registration required)
January 11
: Application Deadline
February 1: Financial Aid Deadline
March 22: Decisions Released
March 29: Contract and Deposit Due
 

Office Hours

Monday to Friday,
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

School Program

Can parents/guardians volunteer in the classroom?

Yes! Parents/guardians are welcomed as classroom volunteers up through grade 3, and outside of the classroom in a variety of ways as well. From grade 4 and above, parents/guardians chaperone field trips and special events.

Is childcare available before and after school?

Yes. Evergreen offers a wide range of extended day options, including athletics and enrichment classes, for an additional fee. Visit our After School Opportunities page for all the details.

What high schools do your graduates attend?

Our graduates attend a wide variety of excellent boarding, independent, Catholic, and public high schools—and colleges after that. Check out the schools our recent alumni are attending.