How to Apply

We encourage you to learn about Carey’s unique culture and curriculum by exploring our website and downloading our viewbook.

and reading the current edition of The Carey School magazine, Carey Connection.

To apply for preschool and kindergarten at The Carey School, children must be three years old, four years old and five years old, respectively, before September 1 of the year they will begin school. Applicants for all other grades are age-assessed on an individual basis.

We require families to register for an adult-only virtual information session and a main campus school tour. We look forward to sharing with you how we put our education philosophy into practice and welcoming you to our campus. 

Preschool applicant families are required to attend the virtual information session and a main campus school tour. The preschool campus tour is optional. 

We use Ravenna, a web-based application system used by many Bay Area independent schools.  Once your account has been created, you can find our profile page by searching The Carey School in the school directory on the left-hand side of the screen. You will be able to register for one of our many tours offered during the fall and winter months. 

Carey hosts informal admission events that help prospective parents and guardians learn more about our curriculum, meet our teachers, and interact with current families. We hope you can attend!

Please join us for these informative admission events. You can register through your Ravenna account. 

• Preschool Open House & Main Campus Open House (Feather's Frolic): Families are invited to hear from our current parents and teachers about our programs.  
• Carey Admission Event - A look at DEI work with students and teachers: Join us for an evening to learn more about Carey's diversity, equity, and inclusion curriculum.  This event is an adult-only event.
• Prospective Parent Reception: Once you have submitted your application, you can register for this fun facilitated mixer connecting prospective and current parents.

Please submit your application through your Ravenna account.  Each step in your application checklist will be marked as complete by our office as your documents are received and processed.

Once you've submitted your application, please schedule a playgroup experience or screening session appropriate for your child's age, as well as a parent/guardian interview. These take place in January and February.

• During the preschool and kindergarten playgroup experience, children participate in large-group play and small-group skills stations with our teachers.
• Screening for first through fifth grade applicants includes skill-based assessment and teacher-assigned materials.
• The parent/guardian interview allows our admission team to learn more about your child, to discuss your family’s educational goals, and to answer your questions. These will be done virtually and can be scheduled after you submit your application.

Using your Ravenna account, delegate a student evaluation form to your child's current teacher through your Ravenna account.

Applicants to grades first through fifth: Transcripts should be requested from your school's registrar.  Official transcripts must come directly from your current school via online submission, email or mail in sealed envelopes.  You may print a copy of the request form through your Ravenna account. 

We invite applicants for grades 1-5 who have completed their application and screening to visit for The Carey School to experience a full day in early February. During the visit, applicants sit in on classes, meet our teachers and students, and get a feel for life at Carey. Please register for this event through your Ravenna account when it becomes available.

The Carey School is committed to developing and sustaining a socioeconomically diverse student body, and we don't want a family's finances to be a barrier to attending our school. We allocate more than $1,000,000 in financial assistance to approximately 12% of our families. If financial aid would help bring a Carey education within reach for your family, we encourage you to explore our Financial Aid Program. You can rest assured that admission decisions are always independent of financial need. Please see our Tuition & Financial Aid page for more information. 

The Carey School admits students of any race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.