Lawrenceville School admissions have one deadline, January 15, and a file with two personal statements: one from the student and one from a parent or guardian. The New Jersey school also requires a Second Form SSAT or ISEE taken on or after June. I've seen families send the test early and discover the date was too early to count.
Lawrenceville School Admissions at a Glance
- Application deadline: January 15. Decisions announced: March 10. Enrollment confirmed by April 10.
- Test for 9th grade: the SSAT or the ISEE, taken on or after June. Codes: SSAT 4564, ISEE 310680.
- Written work: a student personal statement and a parent or guardian personal statement.
- Recommendations: principal or counselor, English teacher and math teacher.
- Application fee: $50 domestic, $100 international, with hardship waivers.
- Applications go through Gateway to Prep Schools.
Lawrenceville School Admissions: The Three Parts of the Gateway Application
Lawrenceville uses the Gateway to Prep Schools application. It has three parts.
- Part 1: the Candidate Profile, which signals your interest and unlocks tour and interview scheduling.
- Part 2: the parent or guardian personal statement and the student personal statement.
- Part 3: grades, recommendations and test scores.
After you submit Part 1, you can schedule a campus tour and an admission interview when they are available. You can finish the other parts at your own pace before the deadline.
The Lawrenceville SSAT or ISEE for Second Form
Candidates for the Second Form, which is 9th grade, submit SSAT or ISEE results from a test taken on or after June. The school's codes are 4564 for the SSAT and 310680 for the ISEE.
The date rule matters. A score from a sitting before June will not meet the requirement. Check your test date before you register.
In my experience, the families who test in the fall have the calmest winter. They leave a second sitting available if one section goes badly, and they spend December on essays.
The Lawrenceville Personal Statements
The student personal statement asks you to think, reflect and write, and the page says to give yourself real time. The parent or guardian statement shows the school your child through your eyes. The page says there are no right or wrong answers.
The essay prompts sit inside the Gateway application, so the public page does not print them. The common weak answer reads like a list of accomplishments. The stronger answer chooses one experience and shows what the student learned from it.
Students read a draft and see what they meant. A reader sees what is on the page, and that gap is hard to close alone.
A personal statement and a timed test section are both hard to judge on your own, because a familiar reader hides the gaps and an untimed attempt hides the pace. Start the combo plan for timed STEM Critical Thinking test simulations and detailed Essay Writing feedback.
Grades and Recommendations for Lawrenceville
Request your grade reports after the first marking period of the current school year. A 9th grade applicant sends 6th and 7th grade reports plus the first marking period of 8th grade.
The school asks for a principal or counselor, a current English teacher and a current math teacher. It accepts history, social studies or social sciences teachers in place of English, and science or engineering teachers in place of math.
Because the recommenders also write for other schools, ask them early and tell them the January 15 date.
Lawrenceville Dates, Fees and Spring Visits
The application fee is $50 for domestic applicants and $100 for international applicants. Domestic families who face hardship can ask the Admission Office for a waiver.
Decisions come out on March 10, and families confirm by April 10. Accepted families are invited back for Discovery Days in the spring.
I've worked with students who finished the test in November and then stalled on the statements in December. Block two weekends in December for the statements and keep January for checking what is missing.
Lawrenceville School Admissions FAQ
Q: What are the Lawrenceville test codes?
A: The SSAT code is 4564 and the ISEE code is 310680. Ask the testing organization to send official results directly. IELTS reports are not accepted from students, and the page says no institution code is needed for IELTS.
Q: Which test results count for Second Form applicants?
A: Second Form, or 9th grade, candidates must submit the results of their SSAT or ISEE taken on or after June. Third Form candidates can also submit the PSAT, SAT or ACT.
Q: Which teachers write the recommendations?
A: The current English teacher and the current math teacher, plus a principal or counselor. The school accepts a history, social studies or social sciences teacher in place of English, and a science or engineering teacher in place of math.
Q: Which grade reports does Lawrenceville want?
A: Current grades and the past two years. For a 9th grade applicant, that means 6th and 7th grade reports plus the first marking period of 8th grade. Request the current report at the end of the first marking period.
Q: What does the application cost?
A: The fee is $50 for domestic applicants and $100 for international applicants. Domestic families who face hardship can email the Admission Office to request a fee waiver.
Q: When do admitted families confirm?
A: Admission decisions are announced March 10, and families confirm enrollment by April 10. Accepted families are invited to Discovery Days in the spring for a closer look at campus.
Q: What is the parent or guardian personal statement?
A: It gives the school your view of your child's character, interests, experiences and the qualities they would bring to the community. The page says there are no right or wrong answers.
Scored Practice for the Lawrenceville Test and Statements
Lawrenceville reads test scores and two personal statements. Use STEM Critical Thinking Practice Tests for timed test simulations with progress tracking and Essay Writing Practice Tests for practice essay prompts with detailed grading and feedback. The combo plan covers both, or compare all plans and pricing first.
