Groton School is a boarding and day school for grades 8 to 12 in Groton, Massachusetts. Its application for students applying by January 15, 2027 runs through the Gateway application system, requires SSAT or ISEE scores, and includes an interview. This guide lists each step in the order families meet it, with what Groton says about each one.
Who can apply
Groton names applicants to four entry grades: Second Form (Grade 8), Third Form (Grade 9), Fourth Form (Grade 10) and Fifth Form (Grade 11). The school does not say, on the pages we reviewed, how many students enter at each grade, so ask the admission office if the numbers matter to your decision.
Step 1: Start the Candidate Profile
The first step is the Candidate Profile, a common biographical form submitted through Gateway. Within 24 hours of submitting it, the family receives an email with a link to the Application Portal and login details. Starting early means you can see everything the portal asks for before you plan the rest of the fall.
The application fee is $50. Groton says families who find the fee difficult to pay can email or call the admission office.
Step 2: Plan the testing
Groton requires standardized test results, and applicants may take either the SSAT or the ISEE. Groton's school code is 3598 for the SSAT and 220930 for the ISEE, and the school can only accept scores sent directly by the testing services.
The level depends on the grade. Second Form applicants may take the middle or upper level SSAT. Third Form applicants take the upper level SSAT. Fourth and Fifth Form applicants may send PSAT, SAT, ACT or upper level SSAT results. Applicants at every grade level may take the ISEE.
On timing, Groton says the November or December test dates are preferable and the January date is acceptable. If English is not your student's first language, Groton also accepts the Duolingo English Test, TOEFL iBT and IELTS. Groton says it reads test scores in light of each applicant's educational background, and as one of many factors.
Step 3: Gather the written pieces
Groton's application includes these parts, according to the admission page:
- A Candidate Statement written by the applicant.
- A Parent Statement.
- A principal or counselor recommendation.
- A current English teacher recommendation and a current math teacher recommendation.
- A personal recommendation and a special interest recommendation.
- A graded writing sample. Groton prefers non-fiction papers written during the current school year.
- Grade reports. No application is complete without a transcript that includes grades from the first marking period of the current school year and grades from the past two school years.
Ask teachers early. Two of the recommendations need a current teacher, and the transcript needs first-marking-period grades, so some of this cannot be finished until the school year is under way.
Step 4: Visit and interview
An interview is part of the process, and a student-led campus tour comes right before it. Groton allows a video introduction of up to five minutes, which it says can serve as an alternative to an interview. Remote interviews are limited during the school year. A family that requests a remote interview after November 15 must submit standardized test results (SSAT, ISEE, PSAT, SAT or ACT) and/or the School Report with the first-term transcript.
Dates at a glance
| Step | Date | | --- | --- | | Application deadline | January 15, 2027 | | Financial aid application deadline (new applicants) | January 15, 2027 | | Admission decisions and aid awards | March 10 |
The tuition page lists the decision date as March 10 without a year, so confirm the year with the admission office. The two January deadlines fall on the same day, which means a family that wants aid should finish both applications together.
What Groton has not published
On the pages we reviewed, Groton does not publish an admit rate, the number of applicants and seats, or average test scores. It does not list a date by which the interview must be finished, or the date families must reply to an offer. The Candidate Statement prompts and the date the application opens are inside the Application Portal.
What life at Groton looks like
The school describes classes taught in ten departments, with an average class size of eleven students. Classes follow a six-day color block schedule, with half days on Wednesday and Saturday. Four mornings a week, the school community gathers in St. John's Chapel for quiet reflection, music and readings. Every student commits to an afternoon activity each term, and students can join and lead more than forty student-run organizations.
For boarding students, a faculty member known as the dorm head lives in each dorm alongside the students. Study hall is structured and supervised for students in the Second, Third and Fourth Forms. Parlor is a casual Thursday-night get-together with students and the Headmaster and his wife, and nearly every weekend offers several excursions off campus. Use these details to build your student's questions for the interview and the campus tour.
Questions worth asking the admission office
- Which entry grade has the most open seats this year?
- When does the Application Portal open, and what are the Candidate Statement prompts?
- By what date must the interview be finished?
- What is the date families must reply to an offer?
- If we plan to apply for aid, is there anything to submit before the January 15 deadline besides the Clarity application?
Asking in writing leaves you with a record of the answer, and the admission office can tell you if a date changes.
What to do this week
Start the Candidate Profile so you can see the portal, then book a test date in November or December and ask your student's teachers for recommendations. See the full timeline, the application steps and the FAQ.
For help thinking through your own student's situation, EduAvenues has a high school admissions page at https://www.eduavenues.com/highschoolprep.
Sources
GrotonPrep by EduAvenues is an independent service, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Groton School.