How Priory evaluates applicants, and how to prepare for each step
Quick Answer for Busy Parents
Woodside Priory admissions run through Ravenna. Every applicant submits an application, a Parent Supplement, a Student Supplement, teacher recommendations, a transcript release, and STAR testing, then interviews. Day and standard boarding applications are due January 5, 2027, and early boarding applications are due December 11, 2026. Priory reviews applicants holistically, with its five Benedictine values at the center.
What Makes Woodside Priory’s Admissions Process Selective?
Priory uses a holistic process, so students are evaluated as whole people rather than through a single number. Priory doesn’t publish an acceptance rate, though Boarding School Review estimates it at about 30%. Because many applicants are well qualified, the students who stand out tend to show real alignment with Priory’s values of spirituality, hospitality, integrity, individuality, and community.
Understanding the Woodside Priory Admissions Process
Application Process for Day Students (Grades 6–12)
- Create a Ravenna account and complete your biographical information.
- Attend events such as Open Houses, parent tours, and Campus Visit (shadow) Days. Most are optional but require registration.
- Complete the application form and pay the application fee in Ravenna.
- Complete the Parent Supplement and the Student Supplement.
- Email teacher recommendation requests through Ravenna and send a transcript release form to your current school.
- Sign up for and complete STAR testing on campus.
- Interview: a group activity with faculty for middle school applicants, or a one-on-one for high school applicants.
Application Process for Boarding Students (Grades 9–12)
- Create a Ravenna account, even if you apply through the SAO.
- Submit the boarding application through Ravenna or the SAO.
- Submit testing: STAR (virtual) or ISEE/SSAT scores, plus Duolingo, IELTS (Academic), or TOEFL for applicants outside the U.S.
- Interview with residential faculty or the admissions team (Vericant for applicants from mainland China).
- Watch Ravenna for your decision.
Recommendations carry real weight in a school this small. Our guide on requesting teacher recommendations covers who to ask and how.
Key Dates for 2027–2028
| Event | Date | Notes |
| Admission application opens | Tue, Sept 1, 2026 | Create or update your Ravenna account |
| Open House | Sat, Oct 3, 2026 | Middle School 10:00 AM–12:00 PM; Upper School 1:00–3:00 PM |
| Open House | Sat, Dec 5, 2026 | Middle School 10:00 AM–12:00 PM; Upper School 1:00–3:00 PM |
| Parent tours and Campus Visit (shadow) Days | Throughout the fall | Dates and registration posted in Ravenna |
| Early boarding application deadline | Fri, Dec 11, 2026 | Boarding applicants only |
| Application deadline, day and standard boarding | Tue, Jan 5, 2027 | All application pieces due in Ravenna |
| Early boarding decisions released | Fri, Feb 5, 2027 | Commitments due February 19, 2027 |
| Standard boarding decisions released | Fri, Mar 5, 2027 | Through Ravenna |
| Day decisions released | Fri, Mar 12, 2027 | Through Ravenna; boarding wait pool information also shared this day |
| Enrollment agreements and deposits due | Fri, Mar 19, 2027 | All new families except early boarding admits |
Want Help With Your Priory Application?
From STAR prep to the interview, we’ll help your child show who they are.
What Does Woodside Priory Look for in Applicants?
Academic Readiness
Priory’s curriculum includes honors, AP, Advanced Topics, and post-AP courses, so it looks for students ready for real challenge. STAR testing helps the school gauge readiness and spot where a student may need support.
Intellectual Curiosity
Students who explore beyond the assignment, through reading, creative work, or independent projects, stand out.
Character and Community
Hospitality and community are core Benedictine values. Priory pays attention to how applicants treat others, which is one reason middle school applicants interview through a group activity.
Fit With Day or Boarding Life
Boarding applicants should be ready to live in a small residential community and contribute to it, and their families should be prepared with a Bay Area local guardian.
- Register each parent separately in Ravenna so everyone receives updates.
- Write a Parent Supplement grounded in real family moments. Our parent statement guidance can help.
- Let your child write the Student Supplement in their own voice.
- Schedule STAR testing early and practice with the format.
- Prepare for the interview through conversation, not scripts. Strong interview preparation builds that confidence.
- Track every item in Ravenna well before January 5, 2027.
Ready to Take the Next Steps?
Priory looks beyond grades for students who are thoughtful, engaged, and ready to contribute to a values-driven community. If you’d like guidance, our private school admissions consultants can help your family prepare for every step.
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