Blake School admissions for grades 9 through 12 close on January 31, 2027 for the first round, and the checklist includes a student writing sample next to student testing. The Minnesota school notifies families on April 2. I've seen families send the parent application on time and leave the student's writing for the last week.
Blake School Admissions at a Glance
- First-round deadline for 2027-28: January 31, 2027, including the parent application and financial assistance applications.
- Application fee: $75, rising to $100 after December 1, 2026.
- Grades 9-12 checklist: school records, math and English teacher recommendations, a visit day, a parent and student conversation, student testing and a student writing sample.
- Decision notification: April 2, 2027. Enrollment response: April 16, 2027.
- The page does not name the test used for student testing.
Blake School Admissions Steps for the 2027-28 Year
The application for 2027-28 opened on September 1, campus tours began October 1, and the fee discount ends December 1. Families create an account through the admissions portal and then work through a checklist.
- Sign up for the admissions portal through the inquiry form.
- Attend an admissions event. The page calls this optional and encouraged.
- Submit the application, with the documents on the checklist.
- Receive the admissions decision.
The documents include the parent or guardian application, official transcripts and academic records, teacher recommendations and a student shadow visit.
The Blake Student Writing Sample for Grades 9 to 12
The checklist for grades 9 through 12 includes a task the younger grades do not have: submit a student writing sample. The page does not give a length, a prompt or a due date other than the application deadline.
The common weak sample is a general statement of ambition. "I want to challenge myself and try new things" could belong to any applicant. The stronger sample describes one moment and what the student did.
In my experience, students write better when the subject is small and specific. A good draft from a family member can feel finished and still read flat to someone outside the family.
A writing sample is hard to judge on your own, because every sentence still sounds like what you meant. Start the Essay Writing plan to get detailed feedback on timed practice.
Student Testing, Recommendations and the Conversation
The checklist for grades 6 through 12 includes scheduling student testing. For 2027-28 the page does not name the test. Ask the admissions team which test your child should take and when scores must arrive.
Blake asks for online recommendations from the current math and English teachers. After you submit the parent application, you send the links yourself. A parent and student conversation with the admissions team, and a visit day, round out the file.
Teachers need time to write careful recommendations, so send the links as soon as the checklist appears.
Blake Dates, Fees and Financial Assistance
The application fee discount expires on December 1, 2026, when the fee rises from $75 to $100. The first-round deadline is January 31, 2027, and the same day is the deadline for financial assistance applications. Decisions arrive on April 2, and enrollment responses are due April 16.
Blake's financial assistance program offers need-based grants to qualified applicants from a wide range of family income levels. The school also offers mid-year admission where space is available, so ask the admissions team about grades and timing.
Planning the Fall and Winter Around Blake
The deadlines leave room to spread the work. Use the fall for the visit day and the recommendation links, and keep the writing sample for a calm weekend in December or early January.
I've worked with students who wrote the sample in one evening and never revised it. Give it two drafts on different days, so the second pass reads like a reader, not a writer.
Blake School Admissions FAQ
Q: Which grades does the writing sample apply to?
A: The checklist for grades 9 through 12 lists a student writing sample. The checklist for grades 6 to 8 lists student testing but no writing sample, so confirm with admissions what applies to your child.
Q: Does the page name the admission test?
A: The current how-to-apply page says to schedule student testing but does not name the test for 2027-28. Ask the admissions team which test your child should take and when it must be finished.
Q: Who writes the teacher recommendations?
A: The checklist asks you to send a link to the online recommendation form to your child's current math and English teachers. You send the links after you submit the parent application.
Q: What is the student shadow or visit day?
A: Applicants schedule a Blake visit day. The page lists it for every grade from 1 through 12. For Pre-K and kindergarten it is a playgroup visit with Blake faculty and other families.
Q: What does the application fee do after December 1?
A: The fee discount expires on December 1, 2026, and the fee rises from $75 to $100. Applying before then keeps the lower fee.
Q: When do families hear back?
A: Applicant families are notified of 2027-28 admissions decisions on April 2, 2027. New student enrollment responses are due April 16, 2027.
Q: Is there a financial assistance deadline?
A: Yes. The 2027-28 financial assistance applications are due January 31, 2027, the same day as the first-round admissions deadline. The school offers need-based grants to qualified applicants from a wide range of family income levels.
Scored Practice for the Blake Writing Sample
Blake asks for a student writing sample in the application file. Use Essay Writing Practice Tests for practice essay prompts with detailed grading and feedback, or compare all plans and pricing first.
