Apply to Gill St. Bernard's | Preschool to High School in Gladstone, NJ

We are now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 school year. Our application deadline is February 1, 2020. Please contact our office manager, Donna Orr, at 908-234-1611, ext. 245 or dorr@gsbschool.org with any questions.

Important Application Dates: 2019-2020

September 1: Families may begin their applications.

October 2: Student visits and parent interviews begin.

November 1: Application fee may be waived for families who apply before this date by contacting our office for a waiver code.

February 1: Application deadline for first round admission decisions. By this date applicants should have completed admission testing and requested the necessary information be sent to the GSB Admission Office from their current schools.

February 15: Financial Aid application deadline.

Lower School admission decisions are released mid-February. Middle and Upper School admission decisions are released early March.

Application Instructions

GSB welcomes applications from students who demonstrate academic potential and who are deemed likely to benefit from and contribute to the GSB community. To be considered for admission, applicants must submit a complete application, which varies by grade level, and includes components such as transcripts, exam results, teacher recommendations, writing samples, and a campus visit. For information on how to complete the process, please refer to the appropriate grade-level instructions.

Gill St. Bernard's School application deadline is February 1. If you have any questions about the application process please contact Donna Orr, Office Manager, at 908-234-1611, ext. 245, or email at dorr@gsbschool.org.

List of 3 items.

Lower School (Preschool - Grade 4)
- Arrange a parent/guardian interview with an Admission Officer. Please call the Admission Office at 908-234-1611, ext. 245 to schedule an appointment.
- Submit a completed application with the $75 application fee. We accept the Standard Application Online (SAO).
- Schedule a student visit. Upon receipt of the application, the Admission Office will contact you to arrange a student visit during a regular school day.
- Submit an official school transcript and all standardized testing (when applicable). Items should be sent directly from the student’s current school after the completion of the first marking period..
- Provide a recommendation from a current teacher (when applicable). Item should be sent directly from the teacher or the student’s current school after the completion of the first marking period.
- Complete admission testing. Children will be evaluated for admission during their school day visit with the following assessments:
• ISEE: Applicants to Gill St. Bernard's Lower School for grades 3 and 4 are required to take The Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE) admission test. The test consists of three sections. Each section is designed to tap into the unique aspects of a student's development and preparation for academic work. The test lasts between 45-60 minutes, is administered online during the student's school visit and will be supervised by school personnel. Results may be shared with select participating schools. More information is available to parents through the ISEE website at isee.erblearn.org.

Students entering grades one and two will be tested with an in-house assessment for reading and math along with the MEFS assessment.

• Minnesota Executive Function Skills (MEFS)/School Readiness Test (SRT): In a continued effort to support our applicants to Kindergarten through fourth grade as they demonstrate their individual strengths, we collaborate with expert researchers in the field of Early Childhood Assessment. We administer the School Readiness Test (SRT) developed by researchers at Reflection Sciences, Inc. The SRT is a brief (5-min) iPad-based assessment is administered to applicants during their admission visit. The SRT assesses general thinking skills rather than knowledge, so there is no need for advance preparation.
Reflection Sciences retains the results of the SRT and will share these results with other participating independent schools to which your child is applying (confidentially), to insure that each applicant will take the SRT only once during the independent school application process. Given that this is only one aspect of a comprehensive admission process, applicants’ results will not be shared with parents. Please note that applicant families must complete a consent/registration form only once. Reflection Sciences may retain and use de-identified (names permanently deleted) SRT scores in subsequent research, in a manner consistent with all Federal and State regulations concerning data privacy.

The following independent schools are administering the MEFS/SRT:

New Jersey Schools
• Gill St. Bernard's School
• The Pingry School

New York Schools
• Berkeley Carroll School
• Buckley School
• The Chapin School
• Marymount School of New York
• Poly Prep Day School
• Saint David's School
Middle School (Grades 5 - 8)
- Submit a completed application with the $75 application fee. We accept the Standard Application Online (SAO).
- Schedule a student visit. Upon receipt of the initial application components and the application fee, the Admission Office will contact you to arrange a student visit during a regular school day. Only the Student Profile must be received to schedule a student visit.
- Arrange a parent/guardian interview with an Admission Officer. Interviews are usually scheduled on the student’s visit date.
- Submit an official school transcript and all standardized testing. This includes the two most recent completed year transcripts and the current academic year. Items should be sent directly from the student’s current school after the completion of the first marking period.
- Provide recommendations from two current teachers, one mathematics and one English/language arts. An additional recommendation from a person of your choice is optional. Items should be sent directly from the teachers or the student’s current school after the completion of the first marking period.
- Submit a graded writing assignment from the applicant’s current grade and school.
- Complete admission testing. Applicants take the SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) or the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam).
- Complete the Character Skills Snapshot (applicants to grades 6-8). More information about this online assessment can be found at ssat.org/snapshot.
Upper School (Grades 9 - 12)
- Submit a completed application with the $75 application fee. We accept the Standard Application Online (SAO).
- Schedule a student visit. Upon receipt of the initial application components and the application fee, the Admission Office will contact you to arrange a student visit during a regular school day. Only the Student Profile must be received to schedule a student visit.
- Arrange a parent/guardian interview with an Admission Officer. Interviews are usually scheduled on the student’s visit date.
- Submit an official school transcript and all standardized testing. This includes the two most recent completed year transcripts and the current academic year. Items should be sent directly from the student’s current school after the completion of the first marking period.
- Provide recommendations from two current teachers, one mathematics and one English/language arts. An additional recommendation from a person of your choice is optional. Items should be sent directly from the teachers or the student’s current school after the completion of the first marking period.
- Submit a graded writing assignment from the applicant’s current grade and school.
- Complete admission testing. Applicants take the SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) or the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam).
- Complete the Character Skills Snapshot. More information about this online assessment can be found at ssat.org/snapshot.

Standard Application Online

As a convenience to our families, Gill St. Bernard's accepts the Standard Application Online (SAO).

Character Skills Snapshot

We care about your children and how they grow - not just their cognitive skills such as writing and math, but also growing into good citizens with integrity, resilience, and curiosity – those skills that carry them forward into a successful life. Character and personal growth are an integral part of a Gill St. Bernard’s School education. Certainly a reason you’re seeking to enroll your child with us is because you’re interested in an environment that focuses on instilling character values, as well as exceptional academics, unique life experiences, and outstanding opportunities. That’s why we’re asking applicants to grades 6 through 12 to take The Character Skills Snapshot as part of their application. It will provide us with richer information about your child, and show us areas where our community can help your child grow, thrive, and shine.