The Most Sought-After Schools of 2023
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 2023, 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.
Gilmour Academy
Type of school: Day, Boarding
Grade levels: PreK-12
Annual tuition: $23,090 – $58,780
Financial aid allotment: $11.3 million
Groton School
Type of school: Day, Boarding
Grade levels: 8-12
Annual tuition: $46,720 – $59,995
Financial aid allotment: $6.79 million; 40% of students receive aid
Ensworth
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12
Annual tuition: $26,990 – $35,990
Financial aid allotment: $3.9 million
Parish Episcopal
Established date: 1972
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,100
Annual tuition: $19,875 – $34,510
Financial aid allotment: $3.8 million; 91% of students receive aid
Charlotte Latin
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Transitional Kindergarten-12
Annual tuition: $21,200 – $29,350
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
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.
Lake Highland Preparatory School
Established date: 1970
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 2,050
Annual tuition: $17,000 – $25,900
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Lake Highland Preparatory School.
Fort Bend Christian Academy
Established date: 1987
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 860
Annual tuition: $15,840 – $22,680
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Fort Bend Christian Academy.
Taipei American School
Established date: 1949
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: KA-12
Total enrollment: 2,400
Annual tuition: NT$870,860 – NT$960,365 (NT$ = New Taiwan dollars)
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Taipei American School.
The John Cooper School
Established date: 1988
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: PreK-12
Total enrollment: 1,316
Annual tuition: $24,480 – $30,250
Financial aid allotment: $2.1 million; 12% of students receive aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for The John Cooper 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.
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.
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.
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
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Prestwood Christian Academy.
St. Thomas High School
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: 9-12
Annual tuition: $21,900
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial 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.
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.
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.
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.
La Jolla Country Day School
Established date: 1926
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Age 3 – Grade 12
Total enrollment: 1,125
Annual tuition: $21,920 – $39,330
Financial aid allotment: $5.2 million
Learn more about target ISEE scores for La Jolla Country Day School.
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.
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
University School of Nashville
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: K-12
Annual tuition: $24,938 – $30,948
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for University School of Nashville.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Providence Day
Established date: 1970
Type of school: Day
Grade levels: Transitional Kindergarten-12
Total enrollment: 1,861
Annual tuition: $20,800 – $29,620
Financial aid allotment: Reach out to the school for information about financial aid
Learn more about target ISEE scores for Providence Day.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Please click here to see the Most Sought-After Schools from previous years.
