Taft School admissions require a standardized test, and the school tells you where admitted students land: the median score last year was the 87th percentile. The application is due January 15, 2027. I've seen families read "median" as "minimum" and either panic or stop preparing.
Taft School Admissions at a Glance
- Test: the SSAT or the ISEE for 9th and 10th grade, required of all applicants. SSAT code: 7600.
- SSAT dates: October 10, November 14, December 12 and January 9, plus the at-home option.
- Median score for admitted students last year: the 87th percentile.
- Application deadline: January 15. Financial aid deadline: February 1.
- Decisions emailed: March 10. Reply date for admitted students: April 10.
- Recommendations: opened after November 15, due January 15.
Taft School Admissions Steps From Inquiry to Decision
Taft lays out nine steps. Several have their own date.
- Connect with Taft through the inquiry form, which opens your admissions account.
- Register for a standardized test and schedule a visit.
- Apply with the Standard Application Online or the Gateway application.
- Apply for financial aid, ask teachers for recommendations and submit optional portfolios.
- Track your status and watch for the March 10 decision.
Students must turn 14 during their 9th grade year at Taft, and the school prefers entry into the 9th, 10th or 11th grade.
The Taft SSAT or ISEE and the 87th Percentile Median
Applicants to the 9th and 10th grade register for either the SSAT or the ISEE. Both are available to take at home. Taft recommends testing early, so there is time to retake.
The school says the median score for admitted students last year was the 87th percentile. It is a figure about the group, not a rule for any single student, and Taft does not publish a minimum.
In my experience, a median can discourage a student who is a few points under it. Read it as a target to aim at, then use the extra sittings on October to January to improve the section that is weakest.
A percentile target is a number that moves with pacing, and an untimed practice session hides the pacing problem that moves it. Start the STEM Critical Thinking plan for timed test simulations with progress tracking.
Applications, Essays and Recommendations at Taft
Taft requires either the Standard Application Online, run by the Enrollment Management Association, or the Gateway to Prep Schools application. It has no preference. Both include biographical data and essay questions.
After November 15, you give your principal or counselor and your English and math teachers access to their forms. They should submit them by January 15. Teachers write many recommendations that month, so ask early.
The essay questions are inside the application. The page does not publish them, so you read them when you start. A weak answer repeats the question back. A strong answer picks one example and develops it.
Taft Financial Aid and Costs
Taft says it supports 34% of its students through a $10.5 million financial aid budget. Awards are based on demonstrated need, not merit. The aid application is due February 1, and tax returns are due by March 1.
If the SSAT fee or the application fee is beyond your means, Taft provides waiver request forms in the admission portal.
Taft Dates: January 15, March 10 and April 10
The application is due January 15. Taft emails decisions on March 10, and admitted students reply by April 10. Admitted student revisit days are still to be announced.
I've worked with students who planned to test in January and discovered that the last SSAT date left no time for a retake. Book a fall date first, and keep January as the backup.
Taft School Admissions FAQ
Q: When can my child take the SSAT for Taft?
A: Taft lists paper-based dates on October 10, November 14 and December 12, 2026, and January 9, 2027. The SSAT is also available online at home, and the at-home ISEE is available from any country.
Q: What is the Taft SSAT code?
A: The code is 7600. Register for the SSAT, then add Taft as a score recipient so results come directly from the testing organization.
Q: What does the 87th percentile mean?
A: Taft says that last year the median score for admitted students was the 87th percentile. That is a median, so half of admitted students scored higher and half lower, and the page does not set a cutoff.
Q: Which application should my family use?
A: Taft has no preference between the Standard Application Online and the Gateway to Prep Schools application. Both include biographical data and essay questions. Choose one and do not submit both.
Q: When do teachers submit recommendations?
A: After November 15, you give your principal or counselor and your English and math teachers online access to their forms through the SAO or Gateway. Teachers should submit them to Taft by January 15.
Q: How does financial aid work?
A: Taft supports 34% of its students through a $10.5 million financial aid budget. Awards are based on demonstrated need, not merit. The aid application is due February 1, and tax returns are due by March 1.
Q: Are portfolios required?
A: No. Art or other portfolios are optional, and the applications include fields for links to YouTube, Vimeo or other web presentations of your work or talents.
Scored Practice for the Taft SSAT or ISEE
Taft names a median percentile and requires essays in its application. 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.
