Lakeside Admissions Consulting for Upper School
Expert guidance for families applying to grades 9–11 at the top-ranked college preparatory day school in Washington.
Cardinal Education is an independent educational consulting company. We are not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with any private or public school, including Lakeside School.
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About the School
About Lakeside Upper School
Lakeside Upper School is the grades 9–12 division of Lakeside School, an independent, coeducational day school founded in Seattle in 1919 by Frank G. Moran. It occupies its own campus at 14050 1st Avenue NE and enrolls 595 of the school’s 891 students. Ninth grade is the largest entry point in the school, with roughly 80 to 85 places opening each year. Lakeside offers no Advanced Placement courses, building its own advanced curriculum instead, and requires every graduate to complete an Outdoor Program trip and 80 hours of service learning. Niche ranks it the top college preparatory private high school in Washington.
Lakeside Upper School Fast Facts
Location
14050 1st Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98125 (Upper School campus)
School Type
Private, independent, coeducational, nonsectarian day school
Grades Served
9–12 in the Upper School; Lakeside spans grades 5–12
School-Wide Enrollment
891 students
Upper School Enrollment
595 students
Openings
Approximately 80 to 85 places in grade 9, the school’s largest entry point
Application Opens
September 2026 for 2027–2028 entry
Preliminary Application & PSIS Forms Due
January 14, 2027
Completed Application Due
January 28, 2027
Decisions Released
February 19, 2027 at 4:00 p.m. in Aryval
Enrollment Deadline
February 26, 2027 by 12:00 p.m.
Advanced Placement
Not offered; Lakeside runs its own advanced and honors curriculum
Athletics
15 sports across 26 varsity teams, competing in the WIAA 3A Metro League
Accreditation
Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS)
Memberships
NAIS, Global Online Academy, School Year Abroad, WIAA
College Outcomes
99% of graduates enroll in college
Lakeside Upper School Academic Snapshot
Average Class Size
17 students
Student-Teacher Ratio
9:1
Faculty Holding Advanced Degrees
83% to 85%
Advanced & Honors Courses
3 advanced, 8 honors
Advanced Placement Courses
None offered
Graduation Requirements Beyond Coursework
Outdoor Program trip and 80 hours of service learning
College Counseling Team
Seven staff, including a director, associate directors, and essay specialists
Graduates Enrolling in College
99%
Where Lakeside Ranks
Rankings are one input among many, and the picture is more specific than a single headline number. Niche’s 2026 rankings place Lakeside as follows.
Best College Prep Private High Schools in Washington
#1 of 72
Best College Prep Private High Schools in America
#15 of 4,143
Best High Schools for STEM in Washington
#2 of 170
Best Private High Schools in Washington
#3 of 81
Best Private High Schools in America
#51 of 4,917
Most Diverse Private High Schools in Washington
#6 of 103
Student Demographics
Asian American
32%
European American / White
28%
Multiracial
19%
African American, African, or Black
11%
Declined to Answer
5%
Latino / Hispanic American
4%
Middle Eastern American
1%
Academics, Athletics, and Activities
Departments
English, Mathematics and Computer Science, Science, History and Social Sciences, Languages, Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Arts, Physical Education, Human Development and Health, Global Online Academy, and academic electives
Sports
Baseball, basketball, crew, cross country, flag football, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swim and dive, tennis, track and field, ultimate, volleyball, and wrestling
Publications and Activities
The Tatler newspaper, Imago literary magazine, the Numidian yearbook, Student Government, the Judicial Committee, Chess Team, Amnesty International, Model United Nations, Ethics Bowl, Science Bowl, Science Olympiad, VEX Robotics, and the Bellas a cappella group
Transportation
Bus service and carpooling
For a fuller account of Lakeside’s culture, curriculum, and alumni, see our complete Lakeside School admissions guide.
Lakeside Admissions Timeline and Events for 2027–2028
Upper School decisions land about a month before Middle School decisions, and the enrollment window is short. Lakeside does not accept mid-year transfers or one-year exchange students.
Application Opens
September 2026 (in Aryval)
Preliminary Application & PSIS Forms Due
January 14, 2027
All Remaining Materials Due
January 28, 2027 (test scores included, by midnight)
Upper School Decisions Released
February 19, 2027 at 4:00 p.m. (grades 9–11)
Enrollment Decision Due
February 26, 2027 by 12:00 p.m.
All-School Open House
October 25, 2026 (For families interested in grades 6–11; classrooms, art studios, and athletic facilities are open)
Upper School Tours
October through January (Student-led small-group tours, 50–60 minutes; adults must bring photo ID; registration opens in October)
Admission at Lakeside Webinar
Monthly, October through February (Parents and guardians only; the enrollment office explains how applications are reviewed)
Upper School Interview
After the preliminary application is submitted (Required, with a member of Lakeside faculty; virtual or in person)
Affinity-Based Outreach Events
Posted by October (Community events for prospective families; dates appear in Aryval)
What Makes Lakeside Admissions Unique?
The Upper School interview is not a credentials review. Lakeside describes it as a chance for a student to talk about how they navigate the experiences and challenges they meet at school, and it tells applicants there is nothing to prepare. That framing is worth taking seriously. The school also refuses supplementary materials outright, caps recommendations at what it asks for, accepts a single set of test scores, and declines private meetings with families. For applicants used to competing on volume, the constraint is real. What is left is the quality of a student’s thinking and the honesty with which they can describe their own setbacks.
Top Tips for Applying
- Apply in ninth grade if the timing works. It is by far the widest entry point at 80 to 85 places.
- Register to test by December 2026 so results reach Lakeside before January 28.
- Sit one exam once. Only a single score set per applicant is accepted.
- Book the interview as soon as the preliminary application clears, before slots thin out.
- Prepare for the interview by thinking, not rehearsing. Coached answers are visible.
- Send nothing beyond the required list. Extra material is not reviewed.
Best Practices for Families
- Attend the October open house, then take a student-led tour for a different vantage point.
- Talk with your child about how they handle difficulty; the interview goes straight there.
- Be candid in the parent statement about where your child is still developing.
- Ask teachers for evaluations in early autumn rather than during December crunch.
- Build a school list with genuine alternatives rather than a single reach.
What the Lakeside Upper School Application Requires
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01Standardized Testing
Grade 9 applicants for 2027–2028 may submit either the SSAT or the ISEE. Applicants to grades 10 and 11 have a wider choice and may send SSAT, ISEE, ACT, PSAT, or SAT scores. In every case Lakeside accepts one set of scores per applicant, taken between September 1, 2026 and January 28, 2027, and publishes no minimum. Use SSAT code 4462 or ISEE code 481120. Our private school test preparation covers both formats, with dedicated SSAT and ISEE tracks depending on which exam suits your child.
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02Student Essays and Activities Form
Due January 14, these PSIS common forms ask students to respond to a choice of prompts within a word limit and to account for how they spend time outside class. Lakeside asks students to complete them without help from parents or teachers. Because the same forms go to every PSIS school a family applies to through Aryval, they cannot be written for Lakeside alone. Our personal statement work is about helping a student write recognizably as themselves under those constraints.
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03Parent and Guardian Statement
Parents describe the applicant’s strengths and growth areas within a word limit, submitted by January 14. The most common mistake is a statement with no growth in it. Our parent statement guidance covers how to be honest without undercutting your child.
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04Teacher Evaluations and Personal Reference
Two teacher evaluations are required by January 28, one from a humanities teacher in English, history, or social studies, and one from a math or science teacher, with at least one from a current teacher. Where a single teacher covers all three areas, submit a current-year math evaluation and a prior-year humanities one. A personal reference form must come from a teacher, administrator, or coach who has observed your child in a group setting within the past two years. Lakeside will not accept extras.
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05Transcripts and Attendance Record
Requested through Aryval and sent directly by your child’s school by January 28, Lakeside needs the first complete report card of 2026–2027 and the full-year transcript for 2025–2026. A school administrator completes the PSIS attendance form. Where a school issues current-year grades after the deadline, the application is not treated as late for that reason.
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06The Upper School Interview
Every Upper School applicant interviews with a Lakeside faculty member once the preliminary application is complete. Students may choose a virtual or in-person slot. The conversation centres on how the student handles the demands and setbacks of school life, and there is time for the student to ask their own questions. Lakeside states plainly that no advance preparation is needed. That does not mean thinking about it is wasted; our interview preparation focuses on helping students speak reflectively rather than deliver rehearsed lines.
How Cardinal Education Helps
For twenty years we have worked with families on private school admissions, and the honest work is usually done long before an application form opens. At Lakeside the useful preparation is unglamorous: picking the right exam, getting a student comfortable talking about difficulty, and making a school list that has real options in it. Our Seattle consultants know how Lakeside compares to schools like The Overlake School. Families of Asian American applicants may also find our companion page useful, which covers the same process with community-specific detail.
“The admissions consultant who worked with my child was very efficient. He helped us with every detail of our application to Lakeside.”— Lakeside Parent, Cardinal Education Client
Lakeside Admissions FAQ
What is Lakeside’s acceptance rate?
Does Lakeside offer AP classes?
Which tests does Lakeside accept for grades 9 through 11?
When does Lakeside release Upper School decisions?
How big is the Asian American population at Lakeside?
Is it harder to transfer into grade 10 or 11?
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