The Most Sought-After Schools of 2021

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The Most Sought-After Schools of 2021

Over the past nine years, Test Innovators has helped more than 150,000 students prepare for the SSAT and the ISEE—the admissions tests required by the most competitive independent schools in the country. Every year we review our data from thousands of test takers to determine the most popular schools.

In 2021, the pandemic continued to disrupt where and how we live, work, and learn. Because of this, some interesting changes emerged on this year’s most sought-after schools list. While we usually see a bit of variation from year to year, 42% of the schools on this year’s list were not on the 2020 list. This is a notable increase in comparison to the 2019 to 2020 variation in which only 26% of schools on the 2020 were not on the 2019 list. Speaking of new schools on this year’s list, we saw a surge in Texas independent schools. This year, 14 of the top 50 schools are in Texas, a significant increase from last year, where only 6 schools from Texas appeared on the list.

Below are the 50 most sought-after independent schools of 2021, based on the number of students who stated their intention to apply this year. Keep in mind that there are many wonderful schools not included on this list that may be perfect for you.

We’ve also put together an interactive visualization of these top 50 at the bottom of the list.

Polytechnic School

Established date: 1907
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12

Total enrollment: 870
Annual tuition: $31,200 – $40,400
Financial aid allotment: $4.9 million; 23% of students receive aid

Learn more on the Polytechnic School website.

Charlotte Country Day

Established date: 1907
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12

Total enrollment: 870
Annual tuition: $31,200 – $40,400
Financial aid allotment: $4.9 million; 23% of students receive aid

Parish Episcopal


Established date: 1972
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12


Total enrollment: 1,100
Annual tuition: $19,140 – $33,050
Financial aid allotment: $3.6 million; 97% of applicants received some level of aid
 

Learn more on the Parish Episcopal website.

Bishop Lynch


Established date: 1963
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12

Total enrollment: 1,150
Annual tuition: $19,700
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

Learn more on the Bishop Lynch website.

Ravenscroft School


Established date: 1862
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12

Total enrollment: 1,205
Annual tuition: $19,740 – $27,245
Financial aid allotment: Over $3 million
 

Learn more on the Ravenscroft School website.

Flintridge Preparatory School


Established date: 1933
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 7-12

Total enrollment: 500
Annual tuition: $39,000 – $40,600
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

Crystal Springs Uplands


Established date: 1952
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12

Total enrollment: 572
Annual tuition: $54,445
Financial aid allotment: Over $5 million; 20% of students receive aid

Ursuline Academy


Established date: 1874
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12

Total enrollment: 850
Annual tuition: $24,900
Financial aid allotment: $1.4 million; 23% of students receive aid

St. Agnes Academy


Established date: 1905
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12

Total enrollment: 930
Annual tuition: $22,760
Financial aid allotment: $2 million; 18% of students receive aid

Learn more on the St. Agnes Academy website.

Taipei American School


Established date: 1949
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: KA-12

Total enrollment: 2,400
Annual tuition: NT$802,720 – NT$890,245 (NT$ = New Taiwan dollars)
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

Deerfield Academy


Established date: 1797
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12

Total enrollment: 667
Annual tuition: $66,100 (Boarding); $47,830 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $12.6 million; 37% of students receive aid

Learn more on the Deerfield Academy website.

Menlo School


Established date: 1915
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12

Total enrollment: 795
Annual tuition: $53,430
Financial aid allotment: $7.3 million; 21% of students receive aid

Learn more on the Menlo School website.

Roxbury Latin


Established date: 1645
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 7-12

Total enrollment: 312
Annual tuition: $36,900
Financial aid allotment: 36% of students receive aid

Prestonwood Christian Academy


Established date: 1997
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12

Total enrollment: 1,600
Annual tuition: $13,622 – $23,376
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

Coram Deo Academy


Established date: 1998
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12

Total enrollment: 1,500
Annual tuition: $6,480 – $10,205 (Signature Program); $23,650 – $29,220 (Five Day Program)
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

Learn more on the Coram Deo Academy website.

The John Cooper School


Established date: 1988
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12

Total enrollment: 1,294
Annual tuition: $23,650 – $29,220
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

Learn more on the John Cooper School website.

Eastside Catholic


Established date: 1980
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12

Total enrollment: 861
Annual tuition: $26,300
Financial aid allotment: 29% of students receive aid

Episcopal High School


Established date: 1839
Type of school: Boarding
Grade levels: 9-12

Total enrollment: 440
Annual tuition: $64,900
Financial aid allotment: $7.8 million; 39% of students receive aid

The Hotchkiss School

 

Established date: 1891
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12

Total enrollment: 600
Annual tuition: $64,970 (Boarding); $55,240 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $12.9 million; 37% of students receive aid

 

Learn more on the Hotchkiss School website.

Providence Day


Established date: 1970
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Transitional Kindergarten-12

Total enrollment: 1,624
Annual tuition: $19,900 – $28,250
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

Choate Rosemary Hall


Established date: 1890
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12

Total enrollment: 850
Annual tuition: $63,960 (Boarding); $49,480 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $14.1 million; 33% of students receive aid

 

Learn more on the Choate Rosemary Hall Website.

American School in London


Established date: 1951
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12

Total enrollment: 1,400
Annual tuition: £28,200 – £32,650
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

Ensworth


Established date: 1958
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12

Total enrollment: 1,189
Annual tuition: $25,500 – $34,930
Financial aid allotment: $3.6 million

 

Learn more on the Ensworth School website.

Hawken


Established date: 1915
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Preschool-12

Total enrollment: 1,400
Annual tuition: $22,050 – $36,820
Financial aid allotment: $10.3 million

 

Learn more on the Hawken School website.

Lake Highland Preparatory School


Established date: 1970
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12

Total enrollment: 1,895
Annual tuition: $15,300 – $24,400
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

Charlotte Latin


Established date: 1970
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Transitional Kindergarten-12

Total enrollment: 1,500
Annual tuition: $20,350 – $28,150
Financial aid allotment: $2 million

 

Learn more on the Charlotte Latin School website.

Oaks Christian


Established date: 2000
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 5-12

Total enrollment: 1,400
Annual tuition: $61,830 – $63,030 (Boarding); $36,025 – $37,725 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

 

Learn more on the Oaks Christian School website.

Strake Jesuit


Established date: 1960
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12

Total enrollment: 1,108
Annual tuition: $23,300
Financial aid allotment: $4.2 million; 20% of students receive aid

Learn more on the Strake Jesuit website.

Awty International School


Established date: 1956
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12

Total enrollment: 1,717
Annual tuition: $24,690 – $31,140
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

Newark Academy


Established date: 1774
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12

Total enrollment: 656
Annual tuition: $47,090
Financial aid allotment: over $3 million; 16% of students receive aid

 

Learn more on the Newark Academy website.

The Kinkaid
School


Established date: 1906
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12

Total enrollment: 1,466
Annual tuition: $25,160-$30,530
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

 

Learn more on the Kinkaid School website.

Buckingham Browne and Nichols


Established date: 1883
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12

Total enrollment: 1,013
Annual tuition: $36,400 – $52,300
Financial aid allotment: $8.63 million; 24% of student receive aid

The Hockaday School


Established date: 1913
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12

Total enrollment: 1,115
Annual tuition: $28,950 – $34,350
Financial aid allotment: over $3 million; 14% of students receive aid

 

Learn more on the Hockaday School website.

The Dalton School


Established date: 1919
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12

Total enrollment: 1,300
Annual tuition: $55,210
Financial aid allotment: 21% of students receive aid

 

Learn more on the Dalton School website.

Hong Kong International School (HKIS)


Established date: 1966
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12

Total enrollment: 800
Annual tuition: HK$219,150 – HK$ 249,350 (HK$ = Hong Kong dollars)
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

Riverdale Country School


Established date: 1907
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12

Total enrollment: 1,200
Annual tuition: $59,810
Financial aid allotment: $9.5 million

The Harker School


Established date: 1893
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12

Total enrollment: 2,040
Annual tuition: $41,400 – $53,800
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

 

Learn more on the Harker School website.

The Overlake School


Established date: 1967
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 5-12

Total enrollment: 530
Annual tuition: $38,241
Financial aid allotment: $1.4 million; 12% of students receive aid

 

Learn more on the Overlake School website.

Eastside Preparatory School


Established date: 2002
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 5-12

Total enrollment: 507
Annual tuition: $39,000
Financial aid allotment: 9% of students receive aid

St. John’s School


Established date: 1946
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12

Total enrollment: 1,419
Annual tuition: $26,545 – $31,820
Financial aid allotment: $4.05 million; 15% of students receive aid

 

Learn more on the St. John’s School website.

St. Mark’s School of Texas


Established date: 1906
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 1-12

Total enrollment: 903
Annual tuition: $27,881 – $34,862
Financial aid allotment: $2.5 million; 13% of students receive aid

Milton Academy


Established date: 1798
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: K-8 (Day), 9-12 (Boarding)

Total enrollment: 1,027
Annual tuition: $64,800 (Boarding); $55,560 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $12.5 million ; 35% of students receive aid

 

Learn more on the Milton Academy website.

Noble and Greenough School


Established date: 1866
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 7-12

Total enrollment: 630
Annual tuition: $61,700 (5-Day Boarding); $55,700 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: over $6.5 M

Greenhill School


Established date: 1950
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Pre-K-12

Total enrollment: 1,339
Annual tuition: $27,920 – $34,580
Financial aid allotment: $5.9 million; 21% of students receive aid

 

Learn more on the Greenhill School website.

Trinity School


Established date: 1709
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12

Total enrollment: 1,000
Annual tuition: $58,505 – $59,170
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid

 

Learn more on the Trinity School website.

Horace Mann School


Established date: 1887
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Nursery-12

Total enrollment: 1,786
Annual tuition: $57,200
Financial aid allotment: $10.8 million; 14% of students receive aid

 

Learn more on the Horace Mann School website.

Harvard-Westlake School


Established date: 1900
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 7-12

Total enrollment: 1,620
Annual tuition: $42,600
Financial aid allotment: $13.8 million; 20% of students receive aid

 

Learn more on the Harvard-Westlake School website.

Lakeside School


Established date: 1919
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 5-12

Total enrollment: 875
Annual tuition: $38,160
Financial aid allotment: 33% of students receive aid

 

Learn more on the Lakeside School website.

Phillips Exeter Academy


Established date: 1781
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12

Total enrollment: 1,077
Annual tuition: $58,714 (Boarding); $45,859 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $25 million; 49% of students receive aid

Check out our guide on How to Get Into Exeter.

Phillips Academy Andover


Established date: 1778
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12

Total enrollment: 1,147
Annual tuition: $61,950 (Boarding); $48,020 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $23.2 million; 47% of students receive aid

Check out our guide on How to Get Into Andover.


Methodology: Test Innovators surveyed 16,544 students who were actively using the online Test Innovators practice platform between January 1, 2021 and September 13, 2021 and asked them for the list of schools to which they planned to apply. This data set informed the list above, indicating which schools were most sought-after among students applying for the 202-23 school year.

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