Getting Into Pinewood School: A Comprehensive Guide to Admission

Pinewood School Overview

Established in 1952, the Pinewood School in Fremont, Los Altos, serves students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. With the school’s mission and through its dedication, the school earned a reputation as a school with students who are kind, thoughtful, curious, and confident, and have a developed sense of love of learning. With 3 campuses in Los Altos, the school is able to accommodate different sets of grade levels on each campus – one for Kindergarten to 2nd, 3rd to 6th, and then 7th to 12th grade. By doing so, the school can have a maximum class size of only 18 and a student-to-teacher ratio of 7:1, which enables it to really give an individualized approach to each of its students so that they are given just the right attention, structure, and support for their academic and personal development as they become people with the ability to contribute meaningfully to the school and the world beyond. In Pinewood, there is truly something for everyone –  whether it’s a place where students can challenge themselves, a place to make strong relationships and lifelong friends, or a place to be guided by dedicated and experienced educators, every student has the chance to grow as a student and individual.

How hard is it to get into Pinewood School?

Just like any parents, we know that you want a school for your child that will not only deliver rigorous education but also a school that will develop them holistically and a school that will prepare them not only to thrive in their studies but also to prepare them for success in their life beyond and we know how Pinewood can deliver those. Pinewood School is a well-regarded college preparatory school, it is expected to be competitive not only in the educational aspect but also in getting into it. With only a few spots opening up per year, the competition for admissions is quite competitive and selective. Only those who were able to demonstrate academic dominance, positive character, and had proved themselves as a valuable addition to their community were the ones successful in the tough admissions process.

To belong to those successful families, your best shot at really being able to pull the odds in your favor is working with the best there is. Our grade A private school admissions consultants are the best there is. With proven knowledge and practice and extensive experience of 20 years, they can guide you throughout the admissions process and assist you in making sure that your child stands out amongst the other applicants.

The Pinewood School Admissions Process

You can start your application to Pinewood via their online application portal. This is where you will be submitting every application requirement and keeping track of your application status. Here are the following steps that should be followed.

1. Submit the application
2. Complete the parent statement
3. Delegate the teacher’s recommendations
4. Sign up for the Proctored Essay
5. Sign up for the Assessments and Interviews
6. Request your transcript

The Pinewood School Admission Requirements

Pinewood Parent Questionnaire: Sharing Your Insights

In applying to Pinewood, parents are required to answer a parent questionnaire. In this, the questions will be about your child, their personality, accomplishments, and successes. This is the part where you will need to show that not only is your family a good fit for the school, but that the school is also a good fit for the family.

Pinewood Parent Questionnaire: Sharing Your Insights

The parent questionnaire is one of the essential parts of the application. This will give the admission officers an insight into your child’s background and personality, and see if they can perform and thrive in Pinewood. It will be important to be authentic while still highlighting your child’s strengths, characteristics, achievements, and positive attitude. It will be really important to remain positive throughout the essay and be inspiring when talking about weaknesses and shortcomings. Personal anecdotes are also recommended to be input in the essay to support and truly build the case that your child is the best fit student for Pinewood. To learn more, you can click here.

Recommendation Letters

Along with the application requirements, the applicant will need 3 recommendation letters from the English teacher, the Math teacher, and either the principal or counselor. The request will be done through the school’s online application. These will be submitted directly to the admissions.

How to Get Strong Teacher Recommendations for Pinewood

Recommendation letters are an important part of the application since they give an adult, objective, and more in-depth insights into your child’s personality, behavior, and academic performance. They will be the ones to affirm about your child’s accomplishments, attitude, and success at school by providing their professional opinion; thus, building good relationships with teachers is a must. The applicant must make the teachers, principal, and counselor feel that they are part of their academic journey and show them that your child and the family have contributed greatly and positively to the school. With our private school admissions consultants, you will be provided guidance on how to thread these relations in the best possible way to ensure great recommendation letters worthy of admissions.

Transcripts for Pinewood Admission: What You Need to Submit

Applicants must provide transcripts from both the current semester and last year. These will be uploaded using the school’s online application portal. The release and confidentiality forms are available at the school’s online application site and will be forwarded to your current school.

Improving Grades for Pinewood Admission 

The transcripts will show your child’s academic performance and will be a way for admissions officers to see if your child will not only survive but will thrive within the school’s rigorous academic program. The transcript will be the avenue for your child to really showcase their academic dominance. Well, what if the grades are not yet at that point? That’s no problem, for when you start your private school admissions consulting, our first-rate tutors and academic coaches will definitely bring the best out of your child’s academic performance to not only achieve those high scores but also teach various executive functioning skills that are useful life skills not just for school but also beyond through our academic coaching. We provide both online and in-person tutoring for a number of courses you may need help with. We also have diagnostic testing to help you identify the gaps and strengths that we will need to work on.

Pinewood Admission Interviews: Making a Connection

Applicants will be invited for an interview with an admissions officer. These interviews typically run 15 to 30 minutes, but they may continue longer if the interview goes extremely well. You would also be able to ask a few questions during the interview.

Preparing for Your Pinewood Admission Interview

In answering admissions interviews, it’s not always about giving the answers perfectly but also about forming a connection with the interviewer and really showcasing why the applicant is the best choice for the school to admit in the school. The interviewers not only assess your answers but also your behavior and attitude during the interview, which they will use to determine if the family would be a good fit in the school community they have built. With extensive experience in the industry and a formidable track record of success, we know exactly what Pinewood is looking for and how one should behave during the interview. Our admissions consultants will put you through interview preparation where you will be guided to common interview questions and how to answer them with genuineness while connecting them to the school’s values and goals.

The Pinewood Proctored Writing Sample: Tips for Success

The Proctored Writing Sample or the PWS is a test proctored by Test Innovators wherein the applicants will be asked to write an essay on an impromptu prompt. The students usually just get around 30 minutes to write up and finish their essay. Due to this, a common issue applicants get is the difficulty of properly organizing their thoughts and putting them into words cohesively and understandably to produce a great PWS essay

Pinewood Online Essay Tips

In order to provide assistance and really tackle every aspect of the application, we offer Proctored Writing Sample (PWS) preparation. With our extensive experience, we have built a data bank of common PWS essay prompts that you can use to practice and get used to writing quick yet impactful essays perfect for the PWS.

If you want your child’s writing skills to get to the next level, enroll now in our  Program in Writing and Reading (PWR). With the help of our top-notch writing tutors and their expertise, your child’s literacy skills will develop to ultimately transform them into great writers and readers.

Assessments for Pinewood Admission: Math & English

The applicants will be required to take a Math and English assessment. This is to test your child’s Math and English proficiency. This will be used by the school as a point of comparison of your child’s basic academic skills with other applicants and can also be used as a placement test.

Visiting Pinewood School: Tours & Events

Even though the assessment tests are just used to assess general knowledge in Math and English, you can never go wrong in preparing for every single aspect of the application. With our tutoring program, we can refine those Math and English skills to ensure that these assessments will be a breeze to go through and won’t be a problem later on. Even though it is relatively easier compared to the other requirements, you can never be too sure, and it would just be better to be safe than sorry. 

Campus Tours and Open Houses

Pinewood offers various in-person events such as information sessions and open houses. Going to these events greatly helps in getting a feel of the school as well as initiating introductions in Pinewood. Here’s how you can make the most out of these events.

• Getting Dates: It is important to make sure that you are updated when it comes to the dates of these events, for slots may be limited and they could fill up quickly. Always check the available dates through the school’s website and plan accordingly and ahead.

• Prepare Questions: Before going to these events, prepare a few questions that will help you learn more about the school and start engagement with the school’s staff. This will help you to initially build a connection with the school as well as assess if the school truly is the right fit for your child.

• Be Involved in the Event: During the event, you can be involved by asking your prepared questions or even coming up with questions on the spot to the school staff. Make sure to also take note of the various information being shared, as well as any features of the school that stand out, such as its culture. 

• Follow Up: After the event, make sure to follow up with additional questions to the school staff whom you met. Aside from questions, also show appreciation and thanks for the time they gave for that event.

Virtual Visits: Online Events & Tours for Pinewood

• Have A Comfortable Environment: Make sure you are in a quiet space so that you can avoid unexpected disturbances to you and possibly the other people involved in the event. This also ensures that you will be able to completely focus on the event itself and engage yourself fully into it.

• Stay Positive: The most important rule in any event is being positive. This would allow you to build good relationships and connections with people in the school. This will be favorable since these people could advocate for your family during admissions to increase your chances.

• Take Notes: During these events, it will be important to take notes of your observations and possibly questions to ask and other things you find interesting. These notes can help start engagements and can also be used as anecdotes for the essays and interviews.
• Asking Smart Questions: Asking smart questions during these events will show how much you have researched the school beforehand, thus demonstrating the interest you have in the school.

Student life at Pinewood School 

Pinewood School aims to prepare its students to become not only skillful leaders but also happy ones that is prepared to take on anything life may give, therefore, they not only focus on teaching students how to get good grades, but also in educating its students to become confident in handling challenges and making most of opportunities. Aside from their quality, rigorous academics, the school also provides a number of extracurricular activities students can engage in, where they can make an impact, make memories, and make the most of their school life to become leaders who will shape the future.

Pinewood School Curriculum Overview

The Pinewood School is focused on providing an interdisciplinary education and integrating technology into its students’ learning to enhance learning across all subjects. This is to try to challenge each student’s intellect and skills so that they may develop into well-rounded leaders. With the school’s teachers and mentors, students are thoroughly guided through their studies so that they may develop critical thinking, communication skills, and the confidence to make an impact.

Core Academic Programs at Pinewood School

The Pinewood School has its curriculum designed as a college preparatory school, where it is meant to meet and surpass the minimum course requirements for college admissions. With this, the school also provides a variety of academic opportunities to cater to each student’s interests. The school also encourages each student to engage themselves in challenges present in the technologically advanced and globally connected society of the modern world.

In Kindergarten through 6th grade, the school develops each student’s love for learning as their key foundation in their academic journey. The school also provides one teacher for each subject to ensure mastery and that the students will be able to receive a balanced yet high-level learning experience across all disciplines as they start their journey to become well-rounded individuals. Then, from 7th grade through 12th grade, the school fosters a community full of stimulating coursework, deep connections, and a number of extracurricular activities. In doing so, the school makes a step towards its goal of developing individuals who are courteous, self-motivated, perceptive, critical thinkers, and well-rounded people. In all of this, the school seamlessly integrates technology into it to help the curriculum further improve and act as a tool to assist students to thrive. And as for those who are looking for a higher level of challenge, Pinewood also offers AP (Advanced Placement), AT (Advanced Topics), and Honors courses

Athletics at Pinewood School: The Panthers Program

As the home of the Panthers, Pinewood encourages its athletes not only to excel in their games but also in academics, leadership, and in facing and surmounting every challenge they may face. With the school’s strong community and guidance, athletes are encouraged to succeed, try new things, and ultimately become the best version of themselves. During Junior year, the school focuses on providing athletic opportunities for all students who are interested. With the structure the school has, students have the environment to grow and develop as they pursue their passion in a team-oriented environment, as they all together experience success and go through improvements. At High School, Pinewoods’ athletic program enables student-athletes to stay in peak condition while fostering both athletic and personal growth as they continue to improve upon their skills inside the school’s support environment and encouragement.

Pinewood’s extracurricular arts and music activities

The arts are an important part of both the learning experience and personal growth at Pinewood. Ever since Gwen Riches founded the school, she has believed that creative expressions improve all aspects of learning. Which, up to this day, leads the arts program of the school by providing numerous artistic opportunities to enrich the students’ school experience. With these, the students are able to pursue their artistic passions and develop their skills along with friends, and even learn new things from each other. With the school’s art program, Pinewood promotes the development of each student’s confidence and communication skills as they grow so that they will become effective communicators and leaders of the future. Starting from kindergarten with class plays, up until 12th grade with various art courses, the school ensures that there is something for everyone to express themselves and their artistic pursuits.

Clubs and Organizations at Pinewood School: Explore Your Interests

With the belief that learning is not just done inside the classroom, Pinewood offers a number of clubs and extracurricular activities that he students can participate in. This gives the students the capability to work on their interests and skills along with their friends and peers with similar interests, so not only that they learn, but they also build strong relationships and even discover new things with each other to enrich each other’s academic journey. Even with the number of clubs Pinewood already has, students are given the opportunity to start their own to pursue their interests and even take leadership roles within the school. Whether it’s academics, arts, athletics, or just simple hobbies, there is something for everyone to allow them to discover new passions and develop holistically.

Notable Alumni of Pinewood School: Where Graduates Go

• John M. Chu – Film Director; Director of Crazy Rich Asians.

• Sequoia Nagamatsu – American novelist, short story writer, and professor, and the author of the novel How High We Go in the Dark.

• Larisa Oleynik – Actress; Les Misérables

• Jared Schiffman – Creative Technologist and Serial Entrepreneur

• Shannon Hayley  – Music Artist

• Derek F. Amanatullah –  Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Stanford University Medical Center.

• Haley Longbottom – Senior Product Designer at Intuit

• Anjali Raghbeer –  Founder and Consultant at Writers Qi

• Emily Takara – Designer and Researcher of Culture, Art, and Community

• Derek Lee –  Maternal Fetal Medicine Fellow at Albany Medical Center

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