The Following Six Items Should Be Sent by Applicant or Applicant’s Family
1. The completed application form. We recommend the Boarding School Common Application.
2. The application fee of $100 by international money order.
3. Two recent photographs, one portrait and one full length.
4. The following two essays, each approximately two pages long, in English. These must be handwritten by the applicant with no help from anyone else.
Topic A: Write about yourself, your family, home, school, personality, interests, travel experience, and plans for college and career.
Topic B: Describe one interesting experience you have had during the past twelve months.
5. An official copy of scores from either a TOEFL or SLEP test. The test must have been administered within the past six months.
6. Assuming the applicant is not a U.S. citizen, the family must also send a statement accepting financial responsibility for all of the student’s tuition personal expenses and vacation costs. The family should also attach an official document from the family’s bank or financial institution indicating that the funds are available. For the 2009 – 2010 school year, the amount is likely to be between $40,500 and $45,000, depending on the student’s personal needs and vacation expenses.
The Following Two Items Should Be Sent by Applicant’s School
7. The applicant’s school transcript of the past two years, together with an English translation and a clear explanation of what the grades mean: what is failing? what is average? what is good or outstanding? It is helpful if the transcript includes the student’s rank in class.
8. Two letters of recommendation from teachers or administrators who know the student well, preferably from the applicant’s math and English teachers. These letters should discuss the student’s character, ability, rank in his or her class, and chances of success in a difficult academic program conducted in English. The most helpful letter is one that tells us candidly about the student, including both strengths and weaknesses. Letters in English are preferred, but other acceptable languages are French, Italian, German, and Spanish.
Important Note: The transcript and recommendation must be sent to us directly from the applicant’s school, not mailed or otherwise delivered by the family.
Click here to learn about deadlines for the submission of application materials.
Thomas Jefferson School admits students of any race, color, religion, sex, or national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, financial-aid programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.