Montclair Kimberley Academy

Please note that MKA is no longer accepting applications to the following grades for entry in September 2008:

Pre-Kindergarten
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 5
Grade 8
Grade 9

Applications to all other grades will continue to be accepted.
Please call the Admissions Office with any questions.

The admissions season for the 2009-10 school year will begin on October 1, 2008. If you would like to receive more information about MKA, including the school's prospectus, clicking here will take you to a form where you can submit your request. The packet will be mailed to you right away.
You can also apply online  for the 2008-2009 school year and after October 1, 2008 for the 2009-2010 school year.

The MKA Admissions Committee selects students who are likely to find success in our challenging, college-preparatory curriculum.  We consider each candidate separately from all others and look for individual strengths and learning styles.
In addition to the paramount criteria of academic achievement and personal integrity, the Admissions Committee reviews objective and subjective data gathered from the student's current school and from the admissions process.  We look favorably upon an applicant's involvement in the arts, athletics and community service.  MKA welcomes candidates of all ethnic, religious and racial origins and, in compliance with law, does not discriminate in any of its practices.
The admissions process varies slightly from grade to grade.  The table below offers a quick view.

	Parent Questionnaire	Applicant Questionnaire	Testing	Recommendations	Interview	Transcript	Visit
PK - 1	Yes	No	at MKA	Classroom teacher	No	only 1st	See below
Grades 2-3	Yes	No	at MKA	Classroom teacher	No	Yes	Full day
Grades 4-5	Yes	Yes	at MKA	English, math, guidance counselor	4: No 5: Yes	Yes	Full day
Grades 6-12	Yes	Yes	ISEE or SSAT	English, math, choice teacher, guidance counselor	Yes	Yes	Full day

Note on visits:  First grade applicants visit for a full day; Pre-K and Kindergarten applicants have a group observation.

To begin the admissions process, send the application and a non-refundable check for $50, payable to MKA, to the Admissions Office.  We begin accepting applications for September, 2009 on October 1, 2008.  Links are available on MKA's website to either download an application or to apply online paperlessly.
MKA accepts the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools Common Application.

Grades 6-12:
Applications must be received by January 14, 2009 and completed by January 30, 2009.
An application is considered complete when all supporting documents, such as recommendations, transcripts, et al., are on file in the Admissions Office.
Applications submitted after the end of January may be accepted depending on availability of spaces.

Grades pre-k – 5:
Applications should be submitted by the end of January.  First-round admissions decisions are communicated to families by the end of February.  Applications are considered on a rolling basis thereafter for the waitpool.

The best way to learn about MKA is to attend one of our Open Houses for parents of prospective students and, for older children, the prospective students themselves.  At each Open House, the Headmaster, Head of Campus, faculty, students and parents join the Admissions Office in presenting an overview of the school and campus.  We hope one of the dates listed below proves convenient.  Please call the Admissions Office if you would like to attend at 973/509-7930.

PRIMARY SCHOOL  (PRE-K - 3)
The program starts promptly at 9:00 a.m. in the Brookside auditorium at 224 Orange Road in Montclair.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008 focusing on Pre-K and K
Wednesday, December 10, 2008

MIDDLE SCHOOL  (4 - 8)
The Middle School will host an Open House in the Presidents' Room, 201 Valley Road, Montclair, on the following days:

Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 1 p.m.
Sunday, December 14, 2008 at 1 p.m.

The Admissions Office sponsors student-led tours of campus at 8:15 a.m. on selected mornings.  Please call the office for availability.
       
UPPER SCHOOL  (9 - 12)
The Upper School will host an Open House in the Weiss Auditorium, 6 Lloyd Road, Montclair on:

Sunday, November 2, 2008 at 1 p.m.

The Admissions Office sponsors student-led tours of campus at 8:15 a.m.  Please call for availability.

Pre-K and Kindergarten applicants are screened for school readiness on an individual basis. Pre-K applicants visit a Pre-K classroom for approximately an hour during a school day. Kindergarten applicants visit the Primary School on a Saturday morning in January for ninety minutes of typical activities with the Kindergarten teachers. All candidates for grades 1-12 spend a day attending classes with their peers. Candidates for grades 5-12 spend time talking about themselves with an interviewer. Parents are strongly encouraged to schedule a meeting with the Director or Associate Director of Admissions to discuss their child in detail. Call us at 973/509-7930 to arrange a time.

All candidates sit for screening or a standardized test as part of their application to MKA. 

Grades Pre-K-3:  We will contact applicants to arrange individual screening appointments at the Brookside campus with an early childhood specialist.

Grades 4-5:  Candidates take the admissions tests at MKA's Middle School.  Call the Admissions Office to register for one of the following Saturday mornings:
January 10, 2009
January 24, 2009
April 18, 2009

Grades 6-12:  Candidates should take the Independent School Entrance Examination, or ISEE.  Refer to the ISEE Student Guide for the dates on which the ISEE is offered in northern New Jersey and for instructions on registering, or visit their web site.  ISEE dates for all New Jersey schools are also available for download here.
The SSAT is also accepted; click here for the website.

One of the best predictors of future academic success is a student's record of past achievement. Candidates for grades 1-12 should give the Transcript Request Form to the principal's office of the current school, which authorizes the release of grades and standardized test scores. This form is mailed to applicants in mid-November to ensure that the first quarter's marks for the current year are included.

For candidates for grades 9-12, it is required that a copy of a paper or report written for school be submitted. The copy should show the grade received and any teacher's comments.

Candidates for Pre-K & Kindergarten may include school reports or their equivalent if their current school issues them.

Recommendations are vital to the work of the Admissions Committee and are held in the strictest confidence. The forms are mailed to applicants in mid-November to allow applicants' current teachers time to evaluate their students' strengths and weaknesses.

Recommendations for candidates in Pre-K-3 should be filled out by the classroom or lead teacher.
Candidates to grades 4-12 should have their current English and mathematics teachers and another current teacher of their choice fill out recommendations. In cases where two or more subjects are taught by the same teacher, only one recommendation need be submitted per teacher.
Students with a serious commitment to an artistic or athletic activity may ask their teacher or coach to fill out the appropriate optional recommendation form.

Pre-K-5 Applicants can be informed of a decision as early as February. From February until our classes are filled, the Admissions Committee may decide to accept, defer or deny a candidate. It is not until after the reenrollment deadline in early April that we can determine the exact number of openings in each grade. Once a class is filled, the Academy will maintain a waitpool of candidates for spaces that may become available in the spring or summer.

Grades 6-12 Candidates whose applications are complete by January 30, 2009 will be notified of the Admissions Committee's decision beginning March 6, 2009, with family decisions due April 8, 2009. These dates are common for several of the area's independent schools so that prospective families truly have the opportunity to consider all school choices.

Late Applications Applicants whose files are completed after January 30, 2009 will be notified of decisions in April and on a rolling basis thereafter. All accepted applicants, regardless of when the file was reviewed by the Admissions Committee, will be considered for any openings that become available at the conclusion of the school's reenrollment in April. Once a class is filled, the school maintains a waiting pool of candidates for any positions that become available through spring or summer.

The Montclair Kimberley Academy values a richly diverse school community. The financial aid program helps us achieve this goal by awarding tuition assistance grants to students and families with established financial need. MKA does not provide any merit scholarships to students.
Financial aid forms are mailed in December to all applicant families who request them. To request forms, please call the Admissions Office or check the box on the application. Requests for financial aid are confidential and are not considered by the Admissions Committee. The Financial Aid Committee considers a request for aid after the student has been recommended for admission by the Admissions Committee. Generally, MKA offers financial aid to students applying to grades 6-12.
Families seeking financial aid must fill out a confidential financial statement each year. When parents are separated or divorced, MKA will consider the financial situation of both natural parents and any step-parents. Frequently there are complex issues involved, and the Financial Aid Committee will consider individual cases carefully and confidentially.

The pamphlet Affording MKA is available from the Admissions Office or can be downloaded from the school's web site. It contains information on policies, deadlines and statistics. If you are interested in applying for financial aid, you are strongly encouraged to read the pamphlet carefully. The Admissions Office also has information on tuition loan programs. Please call for a copy.

If you have questions about the financial aid process, please call John Zurcher the Director of Admissions & Financial Aid or Lauren Lambert, the Associate Director of Admissions & Financial Aid, at 973/509-7930.