School Prep Guides
How to Write the Overlake School Admissions Essay: Tips for the 200-Word Personal Statement (2026–27)
The Overlake School admissions essay is just 200 words — and every single one counts. This guide gives 9th–11th grade applicants a concrete writing framework for the Ravenna personal statement, explains how the SSAT writing sample is different, and decodes Overlake's holistic values so your essay feels authentic, not performative.