Hello, we’re in NY and looking for a private school that considers 7th grade as a major entry point. It’ll be ideal if the lowest grade is 7th in a school division, but otherwise, we can try those that accept 7th grades on a regular basis instead of contingency basis. The main purpose is finding an academically rigorous environment for DD, but long story short, she desperately needs a change of scenery too. We’re also very willing to relocate if there is a good fit at a distance, e.g. to CT or MA. Thank you in advance!
Noble and Greenough in Dedham MA starts at 7th
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Pennington and Hun both start at 6th.
Westtown has a lower school. I’ve known quite a few kids who started at Newtown Friends in middle school and then went to George. (NFS is adjacent.) All the,Quaker schools tend to be really welcoming so I would worry less about starting in 7th and joining an existing class.
Groton starts in 8th.
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Williston northampton has a middle school. don’t know much about it though.
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If DD is okay with all girls, i would consider Dana Hall and Ethel Walker. Another good coed option might be Masters.
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Fay School in Southborough, MA has a great program through 9th grade. It is K-9 but they regularly accept students starting in 7th grade, as that’s when their boarding program starts. Plenty of students go just for that boarding aspect or when making the transition from public to private (as some towns/cities in MA end primary school in 6th grade). Hence, they will be a healthy cohort of students starting out with her. If you are open to letting her do the boarding route, then you would not need to relocate. But, if you were to make the move along with her, Southborough is a great place to live. The cost of living is a little high, though.
Another similar option is Bement School in Deerfield, MA. Somewhat of a remote–yet very charming–area in Western Mass and right down the road/across from Deerfield Academy–a decent number of DA faculty children attend there. They also have a boarding program (starts surprisingly young in grade 3).
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Lots of the MA day schools have 7th grade options that go through to the end of high school. Dana Hall and Nobles have already been mentioned and might be good options. With a simple search you will be able to find another 10+. Key to a 7th grade search, aside from fit, would be identifying schools that take a good number of students in that grade. Another writer mentioned Fay. There are 5+ schools that take a student through the end of middle school and I agree they should be in the mix. Good luck!
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I will 2nd Fay especially if you’re interested in your child boarding. You wouldn’t have to relocate.
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Thank you very much to all who responded. Still not very familiar with how this board works, so I’m replying to the last of the thread.
Honestly, I haven’t heard of these school options, so all these responses really help. I’m still clueless, but based on the comments, I imagine getting admitted to any of them will be competitive. While it is a personal wish that DD gets into the best possible program for her, I’m thinking we should probably throw the net wide. I’d really appreciate if anyone has additional pointers or comments on the names already mentioned. Thanks again!
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Here is a logical approach.
- Go to Niche and do searches - by state, by middle school, by high school (but confirm 7th grade).
- Make a list of the possibilities and read about the schools. Some are more competitive, some have religious affiliations, some are more innovative, some are boarding, some are day.
- Chose the ones that make sense for you and apply.
As mentioned, I would look at schools that use 7th grade as a class building year. You are not looking to apply to a school that receives 100 applicants for 3 spots.
Good luck!
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