Prep schools look for students with something to contribute towards making their school a better place. It’s that simple.

The admissions decision will be based almost entirely on the following factors.

• Academic achievement. This should be obvious. These are academic institutions.
• Ability to pay. Given the price of prep schools, this might seem obvious. Don’t let it scare you off, though. Go to the tab titled “The Financial Part” for an in-depth understanding.
• Minority status. Good minorities are tough to find, and are often a notable divider between the different levels of schools.
• Diversity of all types – geographic, financial, cultural, athletic etc.
• Leadership and personal characteristics. All organizations of any type look for these. In the case of prep schools they are perhaps more important. Remember, these are places where hundreds of young students are living away from home. Having students who can provide leadership and who have good character and personal qualities is critical to attracting other good students. It’s also critical to keeping the place from becoming a zoo.
• Athletic ability – This is important for a number of reasons. Go to the tab titled “Sports” to learn more.

There are many other things prep schools look for, but those are the basics.