How to Get Into Dwight School: Your Guide to Admission

Why Families Choose Dwight School: An IB World School in New York

Dwight School, a New York institution since 1872, has been sending students soaring for over 150 years! Imagine a place that started with the goal of getting kids into the best colleges and then, under the steady hand of Chancellor Stephen Spahn since 1967, decided the world was its classroom. He’s been at the helm longer than anyone in charge of a similar school in the US.

This isn’t a school stuck in the past, though. Dwight embraced the International Baccalaureate program early on, becoming the first in the Americas to offer all three levels. That shows they’re serious about giving students a truly global perspective.

What really makes Dwight unique is this belief in finding that special something in every student or that “spark of genius,” as they call it. They don’t believe in universal learning. Instead, they tailor learning to what excites each kid. You can just picture teachers working closely with students, helping them chase their passions and become innovative thinkers and leaders.

And even with all that history, Dwight isn’t afraid of the future. They launched Dwight Global Online School in 2014, proving they can blend their long-standing traditions with the latest in digital learning. It’s no wonder they’re considered one of the best online high schools around. So, in a nutshell, Dwight feels like a vibrant, forward-thinking place that’s deeply committed to helping each student shine on their own unique path.

How hard is it to get into Dwight School?

Gaining admission to The Dwight School is highly competitive, a reflection of the institution’s strong academic reputation and global appeal. The school maintains an average class size of around 15 students and a student-to-teacher ratio of approximately 7:1, creating a personalized and supportive learning environment. 

Dwight accepts new students primarily at key entry points: Kindergarten, Grade 6, and Grade 9. Applications for other grades are considered based on space availability. In some cases, the school may review applications on a rolling basis if openings arise, although financial assistance may not be available at that stage.

Standardized testing is required for applicants entering Grades 6 through 12, with results from the SSAT or ISEE accepted. However, Dwight uses a holistic admissions process where test scores are just one piece of the puzzle. Greater emphasis is placed on elements such as student and parent/guardian interviews, academic performance, and teacher recommendations. Optional campus tours and open house events offer additional opportunities for families to get to know the school community.

Given the competitiveness of the process, families may benefit from working with private school admissions consultants who understand the ins and outs of the Dwight School admissions process. Consultants can provide valuable guidance in presenting a compelling application and ensuring prospective students stand out in a highly selective pool of candidates.

Dwight School Admissions Process

Creating an account on Ravenna is the first step in the Dwight application process. You may apply, register for Dwight admission events, receive notifications from Dwight, and monitor your application progress all through your Ravenna account. The admission steps you should take are as follows:

1. Create an Account on Ravenna Hub
2. Submit an Inquiry Form
3. Attend Admissions Events (Optional but Recommended)
4. Submit Required Documents and Complete the Application
5. Schedule and Complete an Interview
6. Submit Supplemental Materials
7. Enrollment Confirmation

For more details and to begin your application, visit The Dwight School Admissions.

The Dwight School Admission Requirements

Dwight Parent Statement

Parents or guardians of middle and upper school applicants are required to answer a parent/guardian questionnaire that is found on Ravenna. You will be asked to talk about your child and share information about their personality, achievements, and other personal information.

Writing a Strong Parent Statement for Dwight

The parent statement is an integral part of the application process as it will help admissions officers better understand your child’s background and potential to become successful at Dwight School. It will also demonstrate your family’s commitment to your child’s education. When choosing what to write about, remember that you have to be honest and authentic. Focus on your child’s strengths and unique characteristics, and provide anecdotes to support your statements. For some tips on how to write a powerful parent statement from experienced educational consultants, click here. 

Dwight Teacher Recommendations

Applicants must submit recommendation letters from current math and English teachers and the principal or counselor. The forms can be found on Ravenna and must be submitted online via the same platform.

Securing Powerful Teacher Recommendations for Dwight

Teacher recommendations are crucial for admission since they give a more thorough evaluation of your child’s character, personality, and academic aptitude. Because they deal with your child on a daily basis and can confirm your child’s academic success, they can make professional and unbiased observations. Building strong relationships with teachers is crucial if you want them to be able to provide strong recommendations that support other application materials when the time comes for them to do so.

Dwight Transcript Requirement

Applicants must submit transcripts from both the previous academic year and the first semester of the current one. Once submitted, the school will handle the process directly.

Improving Grades for Dwight Admission 

The transcript will demonstrate your child’s readiness to handle Dwight School’s rigorous curriculum. But what if your child’s grades aren’t all that outstanding? Start private school admissions consulting early! Our tutors and academic coaches will work with your child to improve grades and achieve scores that meet the requirements. We provide online or in-person tutoring for a variety of courses as well as diagnostic testing. However, because we are aware that boosting GPA won’t guarantee success, we provide academic coaching that teaches executive function skills as a more holistic strategy. 

Dwight Personal Statement

There are questions that an applicant has to answer within a limited character count. The questions delve into your child’s personality, skills, and interests, as well as their expectations of Dwight School. The questions might seem simple and easy to answer, but admissions officers are looking at certain characteristics and values in your child that will determine if they are a good fit at Dwight School. 

Expert Advice for Your Dwight Personal Statement

Our private school admissions consultants can guide your child and give advice on how to best answer the questions truthfully. Our years of experience working with families applying to Dwight School have allowed us to understand what they are looking for in applicants. From your child’s personal circumstances, we can identify what traits and characteristics will interest the admissions team and be considered for admission. Here are some useful tips on how to write a compelling personal statement.

Standardized Tests for Dwight: SSAT/ISEE Requirements

Applications from Grades 6-12 must include ISEE or SSAT results. Admissions personnel can better assess each applicant’s academic preparedness and likelihood of succeeding in the school’s demanding environment using these exams.

Preparing for the SSAT/ISEE for Dwight

We are aware that getting ready for standardized tests can be somewhat stressful, but we can be of assistance. We will help your child through customized test preparation strategies based on our years of expertise working with families applying to Dwight School. Our objective is to alleviate the burden of test preparation and ensure that your child is prepared to present their best self on test day. We offer individualized SSAT practice tests and ISEE practice tests to make sure your child submits impressive scores. 

Dwight Admissions Interviews

Once you submit your online application through Ravenna, you’ll be prompted to schedule and interview. The format varies slightly by division:

• Preschool through Grade 5: Student visits and informal assessments are scheduled, often in small group settings.
• Grades 6–12: A formal student interview is required and typically lasts 30–45 minutes. It may be conducted in-person or virtually, depending on your location and availability.

The interview is an important part of Dwight’s holistic admissions approach, allowing the admissions team to get a sense of the applicant’s personality, interests, communication skills, and potential fit within the school community.

Ace Your Dwight Interview: Preparation Strategies

Your child will be assessed and evaluated based on how they conduct themselves on those occasions. With nearly 20 years of experience in the industry and helping numerous families get into The Dwight School, we know what they are looking for. With informed interview preparation, our admissions consultants will introduce your child to common interview questions and teach them how to answer them truthfully while adhering to their values. 

Visiting Dwight School: Tours, Open Houses & Virtual Options

The Dwight School offers several opportunities for prospective families to get to know the campus and community through Campus Tours, Open Houses, and Virtual Information Sessions. These events are designed to help families explore Dwight’s academic philosophy, programs, and culture before applying.

Dwight School Campus Tours

Dwight offers in-person campus tours during the fall admissions season. These tours are led by members of the admissions team and give families a firsthand look at the classrooms, facilities, and student life.

Open Houses at Dwight School

Dwight hosts Open House events throughout the fall for various grade levels. These events provide a broader overview of the school’s curriculum, meet-and-greets with faculty, student panels, and Q&A sessions with administrators. Open Houses are excellent for families just beginning to explore Dwight or for those looking to engage more deeply before submitting an application.

Dwight School Virtual Information Sessions

For families who are unable to visit the school in person—especially international or out-of-state applicants—Dwight also offers virtual information sessions. These include presentations on the school’s programs, live Q&A opportunities, and sometimes even virtual tours of the campus.

What is Student Life Like at Dwight School?

Dwight School’s student life? Imagine a place buzzing with more energy than a caffeinated international airport, thanks to its International Baccalaureate (IB) World School status. They’re all about helping you find your inner rock star through a wild array of extracurriculars, like, scoring goals on the field, belting out tunes on stage, building robots that might take over the world (in a good way!), debating global issues like a mini-UN diplomat, and even launching businesses before you can legally drive.

Their “Spark of Genius” philosophy makes its students uniquely awesome. With a student body that’s more globally diverse than your average subway car (over 40 nationalities!), get ready for a regular fiesta of cultural events and chances to jet off on international exchanges. 

Also, get ready for House activities that’ll have you decked out in school colors and making friends across all grade levels (think of it as a built-in older sibling network). And if you’ve got leadership ambitions, they’ve got roles galore: student council president? Peer mentor extraordinaire? School ambassador with the winning smile? The world (and Dwight) is your oyster! The Upper School takes “global opportunities” to a whole new level with connections to Dwight campuses in cool places like London, Seoul, Shanghai, Dubai, and Hanoi. So, trust us when we say: get ready for an adventure!

Dwight School Curriculum Overview

Let’s peek at what makes the Dwight School’s learning plan so globally groovy! Dwight’s one of the cool kids in the US who offer the whole IB shebang: the Primary Years Program (PYP) for the little sprouts (Preschool to Grade 5), the Middle Years Program (MYP) for the tweens and teens (Grades 6–10), and the big leagues, the Diploma Program (DP) for the upperclassmen (Grades 11–12). This means a smooth, “let’s figure things out!” inquiry-based approach to learning that’s all about thinking smart, getting creative, and becoming a world-wise citizen.

Their curriculum is designed to light up your “spark of genius” – that special something that makes you, well, you! They encourage you to dive into your passions while still making sure you’re hitting those academic home runs. You’ll tackle the core subjects with awesome stories (language and literature), brain-bending math, “ooh, science!” moments, figuring out how the world works (individuals and societies), getting your art on, staying active (physical and health education), and building cool stuff (design and technology).

Language buffs, rejoice! They start you off with Spanish and Mandarin practically in kindergarten—your future multilingual self will thank you! Dwight also throws in real-world adventures and projects that mix different subjects together, challenging you to use what you learn outside the classroom walls. Dwight’s curriculum is all about making you a smarty-pants and a well-rounded superstar in a dynamic, international playground.

What Sports does Dwight School offer?

The Dwight School’s athletics program isn’t just about breaking a sweat (though there’s plenty of that!). It’s a breeding ground for teamwork (think synchronized high-fives!), discipline (early morning practices might require extra coffee!), and unleashing that Dwight school spirit (go Lions!).

As proud members of the Athletic Conference of Independent Schools (ACIS) and the Independent Schools Athletic League (ISAL), Dwight Lions get to roar (figuratively, unless they have a mascot costume) and compete in all sorts of interscholastic sports throughout the year. Dwight’s got a team and a whole lot of competitive spirit waiting!

Athletics are available at the middle and upper school levels, with both junior varsity and varsity teams in many sports. In addition to competitive teams, the school promotes physical fitness and wellness through its physical education program and recreational clubs. Student-athletes are supported in balancing academics and sports, and many go on to play at the collegiate level. Dwight’s commitment to both personal development and team achievement makes its athletics program a key part of student life.

Dwight School Arts and Music Programs

The Dwight School offers a dynamic and comprehensive Arts and Music program that plays a central role in its commitment to nurturing creativity and individual expression. From the early years through high school, students are encouraged to explore a wide range of artistic disciplines, including visual arts, theater, digital design, and film. The school’s facilities include dedicated art studios, a black box theater, and digital media labs that allow students to dive into both traditional and contemporary art forms. Interdisciplinary projects and exhibitions are common, giving students real-world platforms to showcase their talents and collaborate with peers.

Music is equally vibrant at Dwight, with opportunities in vocal and instrumental performance, music theory, and composition. Students can join ensembles, choirs, orchestras, and jazz bands, and receive individual instruction through the Dwight Conservatory, an in-house program that offers one-on-one lessons with professional musicians. Performances are a regular part of school life, ranging from informal recitals to full-scale productions. Through the arts and music programs, Dwight fosters creative risk-taking, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for the arts, making it an essential part of the school’s “spark of genius” philosophy.

Clubs and organizations at Dwight School

The Dwight School offers a wide array of clubs and student-led organizations that reflect the diverse interests and passions of its student body. These extracurricular activities play an important role in building leadership skills, fostering community, and encouraging personal growth beyond the classroom. Students are empowered to take initiative, form new clubs, and take on leadership roles that align with their academic and creative pursuits.

Here’s a list of clubs and organizations offered at The Dwight School:

• Model United Nations (MUN)
• Robotics Club
• Debate Team
• Student Government
• Environmental Club
• Investment Club
• Dwight Times (school newspaper)
• Drama Club
• Film Club
• Glee Club
• Yearbook Committee
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council
• Coding Club
• Entrepreneurship Club
• Community Service Club
• Chess Club
• Photography Club
• Science Olympiad
• Art Club
  

Whether participating in a long-standing organization or launching a new initiative, students at Dwight find many ways to engage, lead, and make an impact.

Who are some famous Dwight School Alumni?

The Dwight School has a number of notable alumni who have made their mark in entertainment, business, and public life. Here are some of the most well-known:

• Paris Hilton – Socialite, media personality, and entrepreneur
• Nicole Richie – Television personality and fashion designer
• Michael Mailer – Film producer and director
• Gideon Glick – Tony-nominated Broadway and television actor
• Francis Ford Coppola – Renowned filmmaker (briefly attended in his youth)
• Emory Cohen – Actor known for roles in Brooklyn and The Place Beyond the Pines
• Alexandra Richards – Model and daughter of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards
• Sebastian Arcelus – Actor, best known for House of Cards and Broadway performances
• Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece – Crown Princess of Greece and heiress

These alumni reflect the school’s diverse community and emphasis on cultivating creative, entrepreneurial, and globally minded individuals.

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