The Most Sought-After Schools of 2024
Test Innovators has helped countless students prepare for the SSAT and the ISEE and gain admission to the best independent and private schools. Every year we review our data from thousands of test takers to determine the most popular schools.
Below are the 50 most sought-after independent schools of 2024, based on the number of students who stated their intention to apply this year. Please keep in mind that there are many wonderful schools not included on this list that may be perfect for you.
Cary Academy
Established date: 1996
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12
Total enrollment: 787
Annual tuition: $28,495
Financial aid allotment: over $2 million
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Cary Academy.
Boston College High
Established date: 1863
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 7-12
Total enrollment: 1,397
Annual tuition: $29,455
Financial aid allotment: $11 million; 41% of students receive aid
Houston Christian High School
Established date: 1998
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 525
Annual tuition: $28,963
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Houston Christian High School.
Head-Royce School
Established date: 1887
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12
Total enrollment: 906
Annual tuition: $39,300-$56,130
Financial aid allotment: $7.4 million
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Head-Royce.
The College Preparatory School
Established date: 1960
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 370
Annual tuition: $57,600
Financial aid allotment: $3.7 million; 25% of students receive aid
Miami Country Day School
Established date: 1938
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PK3-12
Total enrollment: 1,269
Annual tuition: $40,100-$52,900
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Miami Country Day School.
Belmont Hill
Established date: 1923
Type of school: Day/5-Day Boarding
Grade levels: 7-12
Total enrollment: 470
Annual tuition: $64,800-$73,800
Financial aid allotment: $7 million; 30% of students receive aid
Eastside Preparatory School
Established date: 2002
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 5-12
Total enrollment: 500
Annual tuition: $40,400
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target SSAT scores for Eastside Preparatory School.
Kent Denver School
Established date: 1974
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12
Total enrollment: 740
Annual tuition: $24,480 – $30,250
Financial aid allotment: $4.9 million; 23% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE/SSAT scores for Kent Denver School.
Hawken
Established date: 1915
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Preschool-12
Total enrollment: 1,500
Annual tuition: $23,300 – $37,950
Financial aid allotment: $12.3 million; 45% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Hawken.
The Episcopal Academy
Established date: 1785
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,200
Annual tuition: $25,600 – $43,100
Average financial aid allotment: $28,884; 24% of students receive aid
Francis Parker School
Established date: 1912
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Junior Kindergarten-12
Total enrollment: 1,300
Annual tuition: $24,080-$38,920
Financial aid allotment: $7.25 million; 25% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Francis Parker School.
The Pingry School
Established date: 1861
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Kindergarten-12
Total enrollment: 1,200
Annual tuition: $44,635- $52,561
Financial aid allotment: $8.3 million; 18% of students receive aid
Ursuline Academy
Established date: 1874
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 860
Annual tuition: $25,900
Financial aid allotment: $1.6 million; 24% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Ursuline Academy of Dallas.
Roxbury Latin
Established date: 1645
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 7-12
Total enrollment: 300
Annual tuition: $40,600
Avergae financial aid allotment: $1,000 to $40,400
The Overlake School
Established date: 1967
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 5-12
Total enrollment: 530
Annual tuition: $39,962
Financial aid allotment: $1.5 million; 8% of students receive aid
Learn more about target SSAT scores for Overlake School.
The Rivers Schools
Established date: 1915
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12
Total enrollment: 534
Annual tuition: $63,290
Financial aid allotment: $6.8 million; 27% of students receive aid
McDonogh School
Established date: 1873
Type of school: Day/5-Day Boarding
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,460
Annual tuition: $23,550-$41,050
Financial aid allotment: $7.1 million
Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas (Jesuit Dallas)
Established date: 1942
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 1,100
Annual tuition: $22,650 – $23,176
Financial aid allotment: $2.6 million
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Jesuit Dallas.
The Hockaday School
Established date: 1913
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,115
Annual tuition: $29,890 – $35,465
Financial aid allotment: over $3 million; 14% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for The Hockaday School.
Lakeside School
Established date: 1919
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 5-12
Total enrollment: 876
Annual tuition: $40,080
Financial aid allotment: 32% of students receive aid
Check out target SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Lakeside School.
The Hotchkiss School
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12
Annual tuition: $66,940 (Boarding); $56,910 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $12.5 million; 37% of students receive aid
Gulliver Prep
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Annual tuition: $26,300
Financial aid allotment: $6.3 million
Buckingham Browne and Nichols
Established date: 1883
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,032
Annual tuition: $40,150 – $57,200
Financial aid allotment: $10.4 million; 25% of student receive aid
Check out target ISEE/SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Buckingham Browne & Nichols.
Ransom Everglades School
Established date: 1903
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12
Total enrollment: 1,208
Annual tuition: $$51,960
Financial aid allotment: $8.6 million; 20% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE and SSAT scores for Ransom Everglades.
Awty International School
Established date: 1956
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,700
Annual tuition: $25,550 – $32,230
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for the Awty International School.
Bishop Lynch
Established date: 1963
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 1,150
Annual tuition: $20,650
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Bishop Lynch.
Deerfield Academy
Established date: 1797
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 650
Annual tuition: $67,520 (Boarding); $48,850 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $13 million
Learn more about target SSAT scores for Deerfield Academy.
The Bishop’s School
Established date: 1909
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12
Total enrollment: 800
Annual tuition: $41,040
Financial aid allotment: $4.1 million; 20% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for The Bishop’s School.
St. Agnes Academy
Established date: 1905
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 930
Annual tuition: $24,000
Financial aid allotment: $2 million; 18% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for St. Agnes Academy.
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Established date: 1906
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 1-12
Total enrollment: 911
Annual tuition: $28,648 – $35,821
Financial aid allotment: $2.5 million; 13.5% of students receive aid
Learn more on the St. Mark’s School of Texas website.
The Dalton School
Established date: 1919
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12
Total enrollment: 1,300
Annual tuition: $57,970
Financial aid allotment: $12 million; 21% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE/SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Dalton.
Episcopal High School
Established date: 1839
Type of school: Boarding
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 440
Annual tuition: $66,360
Financial aid allotment: $8.4 million; 35% of students receive aid
Check out target SSAT scores and our guide for How to Get Into Episcopal High School.
Trinity School
Established date: 1709
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12
Total enrollment: 1,040
Annual tuition: $58,385 – $58,495
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Check out target ISEE scores and our guide on How to Get Into Trinity School.
Newark Academy
Established date: 1774
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 6-12
Total enrollment: 674
Annual tuition: $47,120
Financial aid allotment: over $3 million
Learn more about target ISEE/SSAT scores for Newark Academy.
Windward School
Established date: September 1971
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 7-12
Total enrollment: 1,348
Annual tuition: $51,233
Financial aid allotment: $4.1 million
Check out target ISEE scores for Windward School.
Greenhill School
Established date: 1950
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Pre-K-12
Total enrollment: 1,348
Annual tuition: $29,030 – $36,240
Financial aid allotment: $5.9 million; 20% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE scores and our guide on How to Get Into Greenhill School.
Choate Rosemary Hall
Established date: 1890
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 850
Annual tuition: $65,820 (Boarding); $50,910 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $13.5 million; 32% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE/SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Choate Rosemary Hall.
Milton Academy
Established date: 1798
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: K-8 (Day), 9-12 (Boarding)
Total enrollment: 1,022
Annual tuition: $65,950 (Boarding); $57,800 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $13.1 million ; 35% of students receive aid
Check out target SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Milton Academy.
Strake Jesuit
Established date: 1960
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 1,300
Annual tuition: $24,465
Financial aid allotment: $4.8 million; 20% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE scores for Strake Jesuit.
Horace Mann School
Established date: 1887
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Nursery-12
Total enrollment: 1,793
Annual tuition: $42,940 – $58,800
Financial aid allotment: $12 million; 14% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE scores and our guide on How to Get Into Horace Mann.
The Kinkaid School
Established date: 1906
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,466
Annual tuition: $26,420-$32,050
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Check out target ISEE scores and our guide on How to Get Into The Kinkaid School.
Noble and Greenough School
Established date: 1866
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 7-12
Total enrollment: 630
Annual tuition: $63,650 (5-Day Boarding); $57,650 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: over $7 million
Check out target ISEE/SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get into Noble and Greenough School.
The Harker School
Established date: 1893
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12
Total enrollment: 1,975
Annual tuition: $39,225 – $56,650
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Check out target ISEE/SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into The Harker School.
Riverdale Country School
Established date: 1907
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,260
Annual tuition: $61,305
Financial aid allotment: $10.5 million; 20% of students receive aid
Check out target SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Riverdale Country School.
St. John’s School
Established date: 1946
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12
Total enrollment: 1,422
Annual tuition: $27,140 – $32,540
Financial aid allotment: $4.215 million; 14% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE scores and our guide on How to Get Into St. John’s School.
Phillips Academy Andover
Established date: 1778
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 1,149
Annual tuition: $66,290 (Boarding); $51,380 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: 46% of students receive financial aid; 12% of students receive full scholarships
Check out target SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Andover.
Phillips Exeter Academy
Established date: 1781
Type of school: Boarding/day
Grade levels: 9-12
Total enrollment: 1,077
Annual tuition: $61,121 (Boarding); $47,739 (Day)
Financial aid allotment: $25 million; 45% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE/SSAT scores and our guide on How to Get Into Exeter.
Harvard-Westlake School
Established date: 1900
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 7-12
Total enrollment: 1,620
Annual tuition: $44,500
Financial aid allotment: $14 million; 20% of students receive aid
Check out target ISEE scores and our guide on How to Get Into Harvard-Westlake.
Please click here to see the Most Sought-After Schools from previous years.
