Admission Process

Getting Started

Through the admission process, the school seeks to learn about your child and how we can best partner with you to serve his or her needs. To that end, our admission process starts with one or both parents meeting with a member of the Admission Office to share information about your child, and tour our school. Please call the Admission Office to schedule a parent visit at 336.288.8590.

Applying

The admission application includes:

• A completed ONLINE application and fee
• Parent visit with a member of the Admission Office
• Transcripts of the current and previous two school years
• Teacher information/ recommendation form(s) completed by the child's current teacher(s)
• Admission screening or testing
• School visit
  • Full school day visit by the child (applicants to Grades 1-12)
  • Preschool visit by GDS admission personnel (applicants to TK - K)

Download a printable Admission Checklist here.

Admission Decisions

Decisions from the Admission Committee generally fall into three categories: (1) acceptance to enroll; (2) acceptance, invited to a place in the waiting pool; (3) not accepted at this time. All families are invited to meet with a member of the Admission Office to review the results of the Admission Committee's decision.

When a space is offered, the family normally has two weeks to respond. Enrollment requires a completed enrollment agreement and a $750 deposit, which is applicable to tuition.

A family applying for financial aid who has completed the aid application in a timely manner does not pay an enrollment deposit until the Financial Aid Committee has completed its aid assessment. Until that time space is reserved by signing a letter of intent. If a financial aid grant is awarded, the recipient family pays a pro rata enrollment deposit.

About Screening and Testing

In Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Kindergarten applicants are screened to evaluate developmental level. Applicants to TK are typically children of kindergarten age, turning five in the summer or early fall of the year of entry. We normally expect Kindergarten applicants to be at least five years old by the start of the school year. TK and Kindergarten screenings are arranged on an individual basis. Once you have made application, we will contact you to schedule a screening.

Testing for Grades 1-12 includes both aptitude and achievement measures and varies in length of time. At some levels students also produce a writing sample and have a personal interview. Several testing dates are offered every year. For a listing of upcoming screening and testing dates, visit the Admission section of the GDS Web site.

The school discourages the practice of "prepping" applicants for the admission screening or test. Special coaching for the screening or test merely creates anxiety for students and can only contribute to an admission decision that is not in the student's best interest.