Ten Schools Admission Organization
| Abbreviation | TSAO |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1952 |
| Type | Educational consortium |
| Purpose | Admission outreach and collaboration |
Region served | Northeastern United States |
| Membership | 10 boarding schools |
| Website | www |
| Remarks | Founding schools: Andover, Choate, Deerfield, Exeter, Hill, Hotchkiss, Lawrenceville, Loomis Chaffee, St. Paul's, and Taft. |
The Ten Schools Admission Organization (TSAO), established in 1952, is a collaborative consortium of ten highly selective college-preparatory boarding schools located primarily in the Northeastern United States.[1] The organization coordinates collective outreach and domestic and international recruitment efforts, while maintaining shared admissions standards, such as a uniform enrollment decision deadline of April 10.[1]
Sociologists have identified the member institutions as part of a "select" tier of American secondary schools that play a significant role in the socialization of the American elite and the maintenance of class cohesion through rigorous academic and social "crucibles."[2] As a group, the member institutions are characterized by their substantial financial endowments and their historical status as "feeder schools" for the Ivy League and other highly selective universities.[3] Collectively, the schools award over $125 million in financial aid annually to support a diverse student body.[4]
Overview
Member institutions cooperate in their outreach to prospective students, sharing resources at domestic and international admission fairs.[5][6]
Although several TSAO schools no longer publish their endowment figures, in 2016 the TSAO contained ten of the twenty wealthiest traditional college-preparatory boarding schools in the United States, as measured by total size of endowment.[7] Seven TSAO members are also members of the Eight Schools Association, another group of large college-preparatory boarding schools.
At times, TSAO schools adopt common policies with respect to applicants and admitted students, such as a uniform deadline to accept or reject offers of admission.[8] The TSAO does not have a uniform policy with respect to standardized testing, and two of its member schools remain test-optional as of the 2024–25 application cycle.[9][10]
With one exception, every TSAO member educates both boarding and day students, and offers a postgraduate year. St. Paul's School educates only boarders, and admits neither post-graduates nor incoming seniors.[11]
Member schools
| School | Location | Established | Enrollment (2021–22) |
Campus type (NCES) |
PG year (approx. students) |
Standardized test required? |
Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choate Rosemary Hall | Wallingford, CT | 1890 | 868 | Suburban | Yes (15–25) | No | [12][9] |
| Deerfield Academy | Deerfield, MA | 1797 | 666 | Rural | <!--number not published--> | Yes | [13][14] |
| The Hill School | Pottstown, PA | 1851 | 520 | Suburban | Yes (14–20) | Yes | [15][16][17] |
| Hotchkiss School | Lakeville, CT | 1891 | 622 | Rural | Yes<!--number not published--> | Yes | [18][19][20] |
| Lawrenceville School | Lawrenceville, NJ | 1810 | 818 | Suburban | Yes<!--number not published--> | Yes | [21][22] |
| Loomis Chaffee School | Windsor, CT | 1914 | 736 | Suburban | Yes (20–25) | No | [23][24][10] |
| Phillips Academy | Andover, MA | 1778 | 1,187 | Suburban | Yes (~20) | Yes | [25][26][27] |
| Phillips Exeter Academy | Exeter, NH | 1781 | 1,064 | Suburban | Yes (~24) | Yes | [28][29][30] |
| St. Paul's School | Concord, NH | 1856 | 542 | Town | No | Yes | [31][11][32] |
| Taft School | Watertown, CT | 1890 | 601 | Suburban | Yes<!--number not published--> | Yes | [33][34] |
See also
References
- ^ a b "About Us". Ten Schools Admission Organization. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ Cookson, Peter W.; Persell, Caroline Hodges (1985). Preparing for Power: America's Elite Boarding Schools. Basic Books. ISBN 978-0-465-06269-0.
- ^ Shi, Ying (2020). "Who Benefits from Selective Education? Evidence from Elite Boarding Schools". Economics of Education Review. 74 101947. doi:10.1016/j.econedurev.2019.101947.
- ^ "Home". Ten Schools Admission Organization. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ "Houston, TX | October 6 | 1:00 p.m." Ten Schools Admission Organization. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ Hurst, Mitch (2023-09-02). "Above Board". The North Shore Weekend. Retrieved 2024-08-25 – via Issuu.
- ^ Martin, Emmie; Loudenback, Tanza (2016-02-21). "The 20 richest boarding schools in America". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 2023-05-07. Retrieved 2024-02-25.
- ^ "Ten Schools Admission Organization Post-Admission Contact Agreement" (PDF). Phillips Academy. January 2021. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
- ^ a b "Frequently Asked Questions". Choate Rosemary Hall. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ a b "Testing Policy". The Loomis Chaffee School. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ a b "St. Paul's School". Gateway to Prep Schools. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "School Detail for CHOATE ROSEMARY HALL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "Enrollment Data (2021-22) - Deerfield Academy (00740805)". Massachusetts Department of Education. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "Admission". Deerfield Academy. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "School Detail for THE HILL SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "Postgraduate Program". The Hill School. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "How to Apply". The Hill School. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "School Detail for THE HOTCHKISS SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "About Our Connecticut Private School". The Hotchkiss School. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "Hotchkiss Will Require Standardized Testing Beginning in 2024-25 Admission Cycle". Hotchkiss School. 2024-05-07. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "School Detail for THE LAWRENCEVILLE SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "Application Process". The Lawrenceville School. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "About". The Loomis Chaffee School. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "Post-Graduate Applicants". The Loomis Chaffee School. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "School Detail for PHILLIPS ACADEMY". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "2022-2023 Profile for College Admissions Offices" (PDF). Phillips Academy. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "How to Apply". Phillips Academy. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "School Detail for PHILLIPS EXETER ACADEMY". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "Postgraduates". Phillips Exeter Academy. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "How to Apply". Phillips Exeter Academy. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "School Detail for ST PAUL'S SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "Application Process". St. Paul's School. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "Taft by the Numbers". Taft School. Archived from the original on 2022-02-15. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "Apply to Taft". Taft School. Retrieved 2024-09-02.