How to Get Into Buckley School: Admission Tips

Overview of The Buckley School

Founded in 1933, The Buckley School is the oldest K-12 independent co-educational day school in Los Angeles. Nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood, its state-of-the-art facilities blend with nature. It has a total population of around 830 students and 111 faculty. With an average student-teacher ratio of 9:1, students enjoy small class sizes of around 14-17. For over 90 years, The Buckley School’s guiding philosophy, the Four-Fold Plan, has been the driving force for its focus on academics, arts, athletics, and moral education. As founder Dr. Isabelle Buckley used to tell parents, “Believe in your child,” the school continues to act with an ethos that sets students up for success by seeing them as individuals with the potential to create and lead with empathy.    

How hard is it to get into Buckley School? 

Because of its ideal location, which mixes nature with the fast-paced California lifestyle, many parents aspire to have their children attend The Buckley School. However this results in a competitive admissions process that makes it hard to get into Buckley. Its major points of entry are kindergarten, grade 6, grade 7, and grade 9. They admit approximately 44 students to kindergarten, 20 new students into grade 6, and 25-30 new students into grades 7 and 9. Admissions into other grade levels are based on the availability of slots and admissions into grade 12 is extremely rare.

If the competitive admissions process intimidates you, we suggest the help of experienced private school admissions consultants to help you. Their complete understanding and strategies can make your child stand out.  

The Buckley School Application 

The Buckley School application process begins by making an account through their internal application portal. There, applicants may submit the required documents and also see the status of their application. Here are the steps that you should follow when applying to Buckley: 

1. Apply online.
2. Schedule a student group interview for middle and upper school applicants.
3. Schedule a Parent/Guardian interview.
4. Delegate teacher recommendations
5. Request transcripts.
6. Take the Character Skills Snapshot.

The Buckley School Admissions Requirements

Teacher Recommendations/Recommendation Letters

Applicants are required to submit letters of recommendation from their current English and math teachers as well as from an administrator. The forms are available on The Buckley School website. Applicants should provide their recommender with the address to which the form will be submitted.

These recommendations are a crucial part of an application as they give admissions officers a look into a child’s character, personality, and academic aptitude. The unbiased and professional observations can give insight into your child’s potential for academic success and how they may fit into the Buckley community. The key to a strong recommendation letter is building a good relationship with your child’s current school.  

Transcript

Regardless of grade level, applicants are required to submit their academic records of the previous two school years as well as whatever records are available of the current ones. The forms may be found on Buckley’s website. 

Using these transcripts, admissions officers will gauge your child’s readiness to deal with Buckley’s tough curriculum. However, if you feel that your child’s grades may not meet the Buckley School’s standards, we suggest that you start private school admissions consulting as soon as possible. We have a team of skilled academic consultants, tutors, and academic coaches who will work with your child to help them improve their grades. With both online and in-person tutoring, as well as academic coaching, we teach in a way that boosts GPA while developing executive function skills. 

Admissions Interview

Upon receipt of a completed admissions application, potential students may schedule their admissions interviews. Interviews are required of both the applicant and their parents/guardians. In-person and virtual interviews are available. 

The interview process serves as an avenue for Buckley’s admissions officers to ascertain whether your child and your family will fit into the community. They will be assessing things such as personality and how your child carries themselves. If you feel ill-prepared for the process, we suggest interview preparation to build up confidence. We have nearly two decades of providing advice on common interview questions and how to best answer them. 

The Buckley School Alumni

1. Matthew Perry – an American and Canadian actor famous for his portrayal of Chandler Bing on the hit television sitcom Friends. 
2. Paris Hilton – an American socialite and media personality. 
3. Kim Kardashian – an American media personality and businesswoman known for appearing in the TV series Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
4. Paris Jackson – an American model, actress, and singer. She is most known as being the daughter of music legend, Michael Jackson. 
5. Nicole Richie – an American media personality best known for her friendship with Paris Hilton and appearing in the reality show The Simple Life. 
6. Albert Hammond Jr. – a musician known for being a member and lead guitarist of the rock band The Strokes. 
7. Abigail Disney – the granddaughter of Roy Disney and grandniece of Walt Disney.
8. Laura Dern – an award-winning actress known for her roles in iconic films such as Jurassic Park, Marriage Story, Big Little Lies, and Little Women.
9. Rashida Jones – an actress known for her roles on The Office, Parks and Recreation, and for co-directing Quincy, a documentary on her father Quincy Jones which won a Grammy for Best Music Film. 
10. Bret Easton Ellis – an American author and screenwriter known for his novel American Psycho. 

Student Life at Buckley

Students at Buckley are afforded a variety of opportunities to pursue their interests and passions. From athletics, arts, clubs, and more, students can develop their skills outside of the classroom. On weekends, students are encouraged to connect with their local community by reaching out through volunteering!    

The Buckley School Academics

With a dynamic approach to education, students are privy to a rich curriculum coordinated across all grade levels. Students learn through traditional methods while also developing their curiosity and drive to learn. Through respect, engagement, and friendship, students grow as a family and as future leaders ready to contribute to positive change. Students mix and match interests and passions to chart their own course. Teachers form structures that encourage students to speak up for themselves and others. 

The Buckley School Athletics

Represented by the legendary Griffin, the Buckley School regards athletics as an integral part of a comprehensive education. Students who play under their athletic program develop not just their skills but also qualities such as sportsmanship and humility. Buckley offers Swimming, Track & Field, Tennis, Baseball, Golf, Equestrian, Basketball, Soccer, Cross Country, Volleyball

The Buckley School Arts

Buckley’s arts program goes above and beyond. Integrating both visual and performing arts into its curriculum, students are encouraged to pursue their artistic passions through the variety of disciplines offered. The visual arts program offers classes such as drawing and painting, ceramics, metal, graphic design, sculpture, photography, and more. The performing arts program offers drama, dance, and music courses. Students also get to take advantage of the rich artistic resources that dot the Los Angeles landscape through performances, exhibitions, competitions, assemblies, field trips, and collaborations.   

Activities at Buckley

To develop passions and connect with peers, Buckley offers a variety of affinity groups and clubs. An assortment of programs is also available to students, encouraging learning beyond the classroom. Taking full advantage of its location, Buckley emphasizes Outdoor Education. Students will experience numerous field trips to places such as science centers, observatories, museums, and more. These trips are designed to teach students and develop their teamwork and leadership skills. Likewise, during the summer, Buckley and non-Buckley families can experience Summer Camp and Summer School to ensure continued learning during the break.