Admission Process

In order to maintain the health and safety of our community and to ensure that you have an informative and inspiring introduction to PBS, we are reimagining our admission process for the 2020-21 admission season. We want to be sure that your family receives the same highly personalized attention that we have always prioritized for our applicant families. We ask for your understanding while we take on this challenging endeavor.

Before You Begin

Requirements by September 1

Preschool – 3 years old
Pre-Kindergarten – 4 years old
Kindergarten – 5 years old
Children must be potty-trained

Application Checklist Put this on your fridge!

Step 1: Inquire and Schedule an Open House Tour

1	Inquire and schedule a virtual Open House tour. This will create your Application Portal login credentials but is not a commitment to apply.

This step is essential to get you started, but it is not a commitment to apply to PBS.

Complete and submit an online inquiry. This will create an account for you in our Application Portal (operated by Ravenna Solutions), through which you can schedule tours and playgroups, complete and submit all other application documents, and check the status of your application.

Once you’ve submitted your inquiry, schedule an Open House tour. Tours run just about every week, but they fill up quickly. We like to start the application process with a tour so that you’ll be well acquainted with the school when you come in for your interview.

Step 2: Start the Application

2	Complete the application. There are forms for parents, teachers, and school administrators to complete.

A complete application will include

the Preliminary Application form and the $100 application fee (contact us if a fee waiver is needed)
the Parent/Guardian Statement
Teacher Recommendations
complete transcripts (as applicable)
report cards and standardized testing results (as applicable)
a financial aid application through the FAST system (as applicable)

Step 3: Set up a Parent Interview

3	Set up a virtual parent interview. This exchange of information is a vital part of the application process.

This is an opportunity for the Admission team to learn more about your family and for you to learn more about PBS and get your questions answered.

We strongly recommend that you submit your preliminary application and parent/guardian statement and complete a campus tour before your scheduled visit.

To set up a visit, please contact Meeta Gaitonde in the Admission Office at 650-854-4545 x137 or email us any time at admission@phillipsbrooks.org.

Step 4: Set up Applicant Visits

Our campus visits have been temporarily suspended due to current community health concerns. Be on the lookout as we roll out a virtual campus tour beginning in August.

4	Set up applicant visits. Depending on the age of the applicant, a shadow day or one-on-one visit and playgroup may be required. This has been temporarily suspended due to current community health concerns.

Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten Applicants

The Preliminary Application must be completed online prior to your sign-up for the following.

Schedule a one-on-one child visit by contacting Meeta Gaitonde in the Admission Office at 650-854-4545 x137 or email us any time at admission@phillipsbrooks.org. The student will meet with the Admission team for some fun exploratory activities (in the spirit of our actual classroom instruction) and have the opportunity to visit the classroom space and current students.
Sign up online for one of our playgroup sessions. The students will gather for a faculty-guided playgroup experience in the ELC or Kindergarten classroom. Playgroups are offered for sibling applicants on October 19 (K) and 26 (ELC) and for all other applicants on January 11 and February 1.

1st- through 5th-grade Applicants

The Preliminary Application must be completed online prior to your sign-up for the following.

Schedule a classroom visit for your child by contacting Meeta Gaitonde in the Admission Office at 650-854-4545 x137 or email us any time at admission@phillipsbrooks.org . They will spend a full day in their current grade-level class with current PBS students and faculty and will meet with a member of the Admission team for an informal assessment.

Step 5: Learn About Financial Aid

5	Learn about financial aid. We offer need-based aid to families who qualify – up to 100% of tuition.

If you are applying for financial aid, complete the online financial aid application and submit it to FAST (Financial Aid for School Tuition) by January 29, 2021. Resources: FAST Family Manual and FAST Worksheet.
Your completed tax forms for the 2020 tax year are due to FAST by February 15, 2021.
You may contact the FAST customer service call center directly any time by calling 877-326-FAST (3278) if you have any questions about your application.
If you have questions about financial aid at PBS, check the Affording PBS page or contact Director of Finance Kim Normington at knormington@phillipsbrooks.org.

Dates and Deadlines 2020-2021

December 4
Sibling Applications Due

December 10
A Guided Look into the PBS Curriculum (virtual)

January 8
Application Deadline

January 28
Sibling Decisions Sent
Financial Aid Applications and Teacher Recommendations Due

January 29
PBS Information Night (virtual)

February 2
Financial Aid Applications and Teacher Recommendations Due

February 14
Financial Aid Tax Documentation Due

March 18
Decision Emails Sent

March 25
Enrollment Contracts Due

April 3
New Family Welcome Reception