Lakeside School Admissions: How to Get Into Lakeside School in Seattle

Overview

Lakeside School in Seattle is considered to be one of the most prestigious private schools in the country that offers quality education for grades 5-12. It was founded in 1910 and has a long history of academic excellence. It is known for its beautiful campus, dedicated faculty, and commitment to social justice. Its alumni include many successful people in business, government, and the arts.  

Along with its demanding academic program, Lakeside also provides a wide selection of extracurricular activities, such as athletics and arts programs, that help students develop their many talents and skills while keeping them active and fostering their leadership potential. For families seeking a distinguished private school with a solid academic reputation and a dedication to character development, Lakeside is a fantastic choice.  

Lakeside Admissions 

The following are the steps to Lakeside admissions: 

1. Create a Ravenna Account and provide all the necessary information.
2. Submit the preliminary application
3. Attend the interview
4. Submit the student essay and parent statement
5. Delegate letters of recommendation
   1. Teacher evaluations
   2. Personal reference form
6. Request school records/transcripts, including the PSIS administrator form
7. Submit test scores

Lakeside Application

Student Essay

Applicants must submit a student essay, short answers, as well as an interests and activities sheet, which can be found on Ravenna. There are several prompts to choose from, and will require a response of 100–250 words. The student interests and activities form will reflect a student’s hobbies, interests, and accomplishments. 

The questions may seem easy to answer, but given the limited word count, your child might have difficulty expressing ideas, especially if writing skills are not well developed. The Program in Writing and Reading is an exclusive offering that has helped countless students write powerful essays that got them admitted into their dream schools. Professional writing tutors teach different styles and techniques of writing that are suitable for each student. 

Parent Statement

Parents or guardians of applicants are required to complete a parent statement in response to several prompts. Responses are limited to only 150 words for each question and must be submitted through Ravenna. 

Parent statements will show your child’s personality from your perspective as a parent. It is important to be honest and give authentic responses that will not compromise your chances of admission. Remember that admissions officers will be looking into how good of a fit you will be for the school community. Our admissions consultants can help you identify what to write and how to write it. 

Transcripts

Lakeside requires copies of grades and report cards from the previous and current school years to be submitted via Ravenna. The PSIS administrator form should also be provided. This form provides an applicant’s attendance record and is completed by an administrator like the registrar, principal, or division head.  

These grades will give admissions officers an idea of your child’s academic performance, which can determine the ability to cope and succeed in the rigorous Lakeside curriculum. If your child’s grades are not that great, get experienced tutors and academic coaches to help boost grades, GPA, and current test scores. Because it takes time to improve grades, early preparation will be very advantageous and can greatly reduce the stress on your child.

Letters of Recommendation

All applicants are required to submit two teacher evaluations and a personal reference form. The teacher evaluations must come from a current humanities teacher, and from a math or science teacher. The personal reference form should be completed by someone who regularly works with the applicant in a group setting like a teacher, a school administrator, or a coach. 

Recommendation letters are an important part of the admissions process because they provide a unique perspective of your child from an authority who knows your child well. Character and personality are the things that admissions officers will be looking into, especially your child’s ability to work well within a group.  Cardinal Education has developed strategies on how to secure strong recommendation letters including building relationships with teachers and choosing the right people to delegate these to. 

Standardized Testing

Lakeside accepts the most recent SSAT scores for applicants to grades 5-9. Students applying to grades 10 and 11 may submit SSAT, ACT, PSAT, or SAT scores. 

Standardized test scores show academic proficiency which allows admissions officers to determine if your child can handle the challenging Lakeside curriculum. Our private school test prep is known to be one of the best because we not only teach concepts but also focus on test-taking techniques and strategies to make your child confident in taking the tests. We offer SAT, ACT, ISEE, and SSAT practice tests.   

Admissions Interview

Upon completion and submission of the preliminary application, upper school applicants should register and attend the interview virtually or in person. Middle school applicants, on the other hand, will participate in a group admissions activity to assess their ability to collaborate with other team members.

Interviews are the perfect opportunity for you to express your excitement about attending Lakeside School and the contributions you can make to the school. Our consultants can provide interview preparation sessions, and help walk you through the interview process so you will not be able to answer questions confidently and say the right things.

Famous Lakeside Alumni

• Bill Gates- Founder of Microsoft, business magnate, author, investor, and philanthropist
• Paul Allen- Former Chairman of Seattle Seahawks, business magnate, computer programmer, researcher, investor, and philanthropist
• Adam West- American actor most known for his 1960’s role as Batman
• Freddie Wong- American filmmaker, internet celebrity, VFX artist, podcater, and competitive gamer
• Seth Gordon- film director, producer, screenwriter, and film editor
• E. Lockhart- author of children’s picture books, young-adult novels, and adult fiction
• Marjorie Liu- American New York Times best-selling author and comic book writer

Student Life at Lakeside

Life at Lakeside School is vibrant, challenging, and rewarding as students are engaged in a community that values curiosity, and teamwor while maintaining their uniqueness. With small class sizes, students  develop meaningful connections with teachers who promote creative thinking and critical analysis.  Beyond academics, Lakeside offers a diverse range  of extracurricular activities, from athletics to the arts, allowing students to pursue their interests and discover new skills. The inclusive environment cultivates lasting and equips students for future success. Lakeside emphasizes innovation, diversity, and holistic growth, ensuring that every student excels academically and personally. Being at Lakeside is a truly transformative experience. 

Lakeside Academics

Arts, English, history, language, math, physical education, and science are all required for graduation, along with completion of an Outdoor Program trip and 80 hours of service learning. 131 on-campus courses, over 35 online classes through the Global Online Academy, and independent study in everything from computer science to literature are available to students. Lakeside does not offer AP classes. Graduates matriculate to top-tier colleges and universities around the world.  

Lakeside Athletics

Lakeside School offers 15 different sports including baseball, basketball, crew, cross country, diving, football, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, and wrestling. Additionally, for those that are not interested in playing a school sport but want to play a game with their peers, Lakeside offers Dodgeball Club.

Lakeside Activities

There are over 24 clubs and extracurricular activities to choose from including Amnesty International, Assembly Committee, Black Student Union, Chess Team, Energy Team, Information Technology Projects (ITP), Knowledge Bowl, Math Club, MIxEd–Diversity Affinity Group, Numidian (The Yearbook Production Class), Science Olympiad, Student Government, Student Health Advocacy Committee, Student/Faculty Judiciary Committee, and Tatler Student Newspaper.

Lakeside Arts

The Arts Department of Lakeside offers extensive programs and courses for students to choose from in drama, music, and visual arts. The music departments in particular have the Bellas, a female a capella group, and Fellas, a male a capella group, who regularly perform for events and families.