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SILVER PROGRAM

Groton School

J&B Video
J&B Slides
School Location

Groton, Massachusetts

Establishment Year

1884

Platform

Gateway

Website

Link

Acceptance Rate

12%

Deadline

Jan 15 

Overview

Writing Requirements

Candidate Profile (Common)

  • Academic, Athletic and Personal Achievements (1,500 characters)
    • Please note your interests and activities in areas such as music, drama, art, community service, debate, writing, athletics, employment, or hobbies. We understand that some candidates have more opportunities for organized activities than others, but we are interested in how you spend your time outside of the classroom. Please only submit information from the past two years. Please use the “Add More” button below the first two listings if you would like to enter additional activities. If you still need more space, please use the “Additional Information” section. 
    • Academic, Athletic and Personal Achievements-List or briefly describe any academic or personal achievements of which you are especially proud. Use this area to note any academic honors you have received. (1,500 characters)
  • Additional Information/Explanation (6,000 characters)
    • If you would like to provide any additional information that was not specifically requested or did not fit in the spaces provided, you may use the space below or upload a PDF (files must be under 1MB). Please only submit relevant information from the past two years. Do not upload grades, official test scores or transcripts in this section. If you have a document in a format other than PDF, you can download an official add-in for the latest versions of Microsoft Word that can convert Word documents to PDF. View the Gateway Knowledge Base article at https://www.gatewaytoprepschools.com/articles/6-creating-and-reducing-size-of-pdf-files for more information on creating PDFs. Please do not add pictures or scan printed documents. Doing so will potentially cause your file to be too large to upload.
  • Multimedia Description 1&2 (1,500 characters)
    • Please check with the school to see if they have other ways of accepting multimedia.
    • Students who have a very strong interest in a particular area are invited to submit up to two links to multimedia content. Examples of multimedia content that students have provided in the past include YouTube videos, music files, and art portfolios. Be sure to provide a description of the content in the space provided. Many schools no longer accept CDs, DVDs, videotapes or portfolios. Links are the simplest and most commonly accepted way to send multimedia to schools. NOTE: If you have more than two links you may add them to the “Additional Information” section above along with a description. Please limit additional link submissions in the “Additional Information” section to no more than three multimedia links. If your multimedia will not be available until later, do not delay in submitting your Candidate Profile now. Each school participating in the Gateway system has alternative means of accepting multimedia later in the application process. Consult each school for directions.


Candidate Statement: Part A – Short Answers 

Your own perspective on your life is important to us. Below you will find five questions. Please answer FOUR of them with no more than 750 characters (approximately 150 words). Answer the other question as an essay not to exceed 3,000 characters (approximately 500 words) in “Part B – Essay.”

Answer FOUR questions in no more than 750 characters. (*)

  • What have you done– or what do you do– to make your life better? (750 characters)  
  • How has your community played a role in shaping you into the person you are today? (750 characters) 
  • What is something you are proud of creating or repairing? (750 characters) 
  • Pick a concept you have studied in one of your classes and explain how it can be applied to life beyond school. (750 characters) 
  • Flash forward: It’s the spring of your senior year. What particular features of Groton have you explored? (750 characters) 


Candidate Statement: Part B – Essay

Please indicate which of the questions you will answer with an essay not to exceed 3,000 characters (approximately 500 words) (3,000 characters) (*)

  • What have you done– or what do you do– to make your life better?
  • How has your community played a role in shaping you into the person you are today?
  • What is something you are proud of creating or repairing?
  • Pick a concept you have studied in one of your classes and explain how it can be applied to life beyond school.
  • Flash forward: It’s the spring of your senior year. What particular features of Groton have you explored?


Candidate Additional Information

If you have anything to add to the list of extracurricular activities listed on your Candidate Profile, you may do so here. This is the place to provide links to video or images that display your abilities in such fields as athletics, music, artwork or any other activities. (6,000 characters)


Parent Statement

We are pleased that your child is applying for admission to Groton School. We strive to work closely with parents. Please answer the following questions with insights that will help us get to know your child well. (1,500 characters) (*)

  • What qualities of your child’s character and mind most delight you? (1,500 characters) 
  • Please share impressions of how your child works with a variety of different people–peers, mentors, and even new acquaintances. (1,500 characters) 
  • What has led your family to submit an application to Groton? (1,500 characters) 
  • Is there anything about the sequence of your child’s schooling that we should know? Did your child ever skip or repeat a year? Was your child ever asked to withdraw from a school, suspended or put on probation? Please explain. (1,500 characters) 


Parent Additional Information

Please use this space to provide any additional information. (6,000 characters)


Graded Writing Sample

Your graded writing sample should be an assignment, written in English, from this academic year (preferably from English class). View the Gateway Knowledge Base article at Link for more information on creating PDFs.

  • Briefly describe the assignment (500 characters) (*)


Recommendation

  • Current Principal/Counselor Recommendation (*)
  • Current English Teacher Recommendation (*)
  • Current Mathematics Teacher Recommendation (*)
  • Personal Recommendation 
  • Special Interest Recommendation

Optional Materials

Multimedia and Additional Documents (voluntary) 

You may provide links to athletic or musical performances, artwork, or any other supplemental information through your Application Portal. We do not accept original artwork, CDs, or DVDs. Do not delay the submission of your Candidate Profile because you are waiting for multimedia to be prepared. In the Additional Information section, please indicate that a link will be provided later. You may also upload other documents here. Please note that we strongly prefer to receive grade reports directly from schools. Please do not email multimedia and additional documents to members of the admission team.

Standardized Testing & English Testing

Standardized testing

  • Groton School requires applicants to submit standardized test results.
  • Students applying for Second Form (8th grade) may take the middle or upper level SSAT.
  • Students applying for Third Form (9th grade) may take the upper level SSAT.
  • Students applying for Fourth Form (10th grade) or Fifth Form (11th grade) may submit test results from the PSAT, SAT, ACT, or upper level SSAT.
  • All grade levels may take the ISEE test. 


English testing

  • If English is not your native language, and you have not been studying in a school where English is the primary language of instruction for the past two years, you should also take an English language proficiency test.
  • We accept results from Duolingo test, TOEFL iBT, and IELTS.
  • International students admitted to Groton tend to score above: 5 on the TOEFL iBT, 7.5 on the IELTS, and 125 on the Duolingo English Test.

Interview

How to Request an Admission Interview

Complete Gateway Part 1 Candidate Profile , School Portal


School Instructions:

  • To schedule an interview, prospective students should first complete the Candidate Profile. Within 24 hours of submitting your Candidate Profile you will receive an email that provides you with a link to your application portal and your login information. In the portal, you can schedule a tour and interview and send additional documents. An individualized student-led tour immediately precedes the interview.
  • Summer Interviews : To interview this summer, either in person or remotely via Zoom, simply call our office (978 448 7510). We prefer to reserve summer interviews for people from locations beyond the Northeast. Interviewing via Zoom in the summer is a good choice for people from farther afield who are fairly certain they will not be able to travel to Groton for an interview. We do offer Zoom interviews later in the admission season, but spaces are limited.
  • Remote Interviews : The remote interview is conducted via video chat. Remote interviews are offered because Groton recognizes that there are various reasons why candidates for admission may not be able to travel to our campus.  If you are certain that you will not be visiting campus during the year ahead, we strongly encourage you to interview remotely during the summer.  

About Groton School

About Groton School

  • Groton School is an independent, coeducational boarding and day school for students in grades 8–12, located in Groton, Massachusetts. 
  • Founded in 1884, the school is committed to educating students in a close-knit residential community often referred to as “the Circle.” 
  • Groton’s mission is “to inspire lives of character, scholarship, leadership, and service within a diverse, inclusive, and close-knit community.”
  • The school emphasizes that its small size creates a highly personal educational experience where students are known and supported by faculty and peers. 
  • Faculty are deeply involved in student life, including residential life, advising, teaching, and extracurricular activities. 
  • Groton combines rigorous academics with a strong residential and community-centered educational model. 

 

School Is Known For 

  • A highly rigorous academic program supported by small class sizes and close student-faculty relationships. 
  • The concept of “The Circle,” a close-knit campus community where everyone knows and is known by one another. 
  • A strong emphasis on character, scholarship, leadership, and service as equal pillars of education. 
  • A deeply residential learning environment where nearly all faculty participate in student life beyond the classroom. 
  • Encouraging students to engage intellectually, ethically, and socially within a tightly connected community. 
  • Strong traditions rooted in its Episcopal heritage, while welcoming students from diverse backgrounds and beliefs. 
  • A focus on preparing students not only for college, but for “the active work of life.” 
  • A balance of scholarship, athletics, arts, and service within a unified community experience. 
  • A culture of close mentorship where faculty build long-term relationships with students. 

 

Culture 

  • Groton describes its community as close-knit and intentionally small, fostering strong relationships and mutual responsibility. 
  • The school emphasizes inclusion and belonging as central to life on “the Circle.” 
  • The culture is built around the idea that students grow through both academic challenge and deep personal relationships. 
  • Faculty and students live and work closely together, creating a strong sense of shared responsibility and trust. 
  • Intellectual curiosity, character development, and leadership are continuously reinforced through daily school life. 
  • The school values diversity across social, geographic, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. 
  • Students are encouraged to care for one another and actively contribute to the community’s well-being.
  • The motto “Cui servire est regnare” (To serve is to rule) reflects the school’s emphasis on service and leadership. 
  • The residential experience is intentionally immersive, with learning extending beyond the classroom into daily life. 
  • Tradition and continuity are important, but they are balanced with inclusion and evolving community values. 
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