Learn More & Apply

After selecting Dexter Southfield in Ravenna as the school you are exploring, you will receive an email with directions to complete the following steps:

1. Book your Parent/Guardian Tour and Interview (required).
2. Book your Lower School Student Observation (required).

Application Checklist

The completed application is due by January 15 and is comprised of the following: 

• Biographical Information 
• Application Fee: $65
• Parent/Guardian Tour and Interview
• Student Observation 
• Parent Statement 
• Recommendations: submitted online by current teachers (Note: School Administrator and Current Classroom Teacher are required; Personal and Special Interest recommendations are optional)
• Transcript (Classes 1–5 only): must include current and prior year grades 

After selecting Dexter Southfield in Ravenna as the school you are exploring, you will receive an email that provides access to our online booking calendar, where you can book your Campus Tour and Student Interview (required).

Application Checklist

The completed application is due by January 15 and is comprised of the following: 

• Biographical Information 
• Application Fee: $65
• Student Interview 
• Standardized Test
  • Applicants to Classes 6–8: Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE)
  • Applicants to Classes 9–12: Secondary School Admissions Test (SSAT) or PSAT/SAT/ACT (Submit directly to the Admissions Office in the form of a PDF).
• Student Essays/Candidate Statement (see more information below)
• Parent Statement 
• Recommendations: submitted online by current teachers (School Administrator, English Teacher, and Math Teacher are required; Personal and Special Interest recommendations are optional.) 
• Transcript: documents must include current and prior year grades 

short-essay questions on the application

We encourage Middle and Upper School applicants to review these topics in advance and be thoughtful in their responses. 

1. Describe either an academic or extracurricular event/activity that has influenced your way of thinking about yourself and/or the world around you. What did you learn from that experience?
2. Each person has unique characteristics that define who they are. Choose three words that best describe you as a person, and explain how they represent you.
3. What is the best piece of advice you have ever received? From whom did you receive the advice, and how did you apply it?
4. Learning to step outside their comfort zone, students at Dexter Southfield learn by doing and develop a willingness to take measured risks. Tell us about a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. How did it affect you? What did you learn from the experience?