FAQs About Blair Admission

Blair is interested in students who seek the satisfaction of personal achievement through an experience that is both broad and challenging. We are looking for motivated students with strong character who are determined to make the most of their secondary-school years and are looking to prepare for college and beyond by being active participants in an engaging environment.

You can view a copy of the viewbook online.

Yes. All applicants are required to visit Blair Academy for a personal interview and tour of the campus. Seeing the School and meeting some of its people are the best ways for you to discover what Blair is really like. A personal interview is most helpful to the Admission Committee as it attempts to make a decision that is truly in the applicant’s best interest. When significant travel makes a campus visit impossible, please contact the office to schedule a telephone or Skype interview. For more information about scheduling an interview, read "Step 2" on the "application process" page.

Financial aid at Blair Academy is awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need. Families interested in applying for assistance should visit the financial aid section of our website for detailed information regarding the application process and associated deadlines.

No. All of our financial-aid awards are based solely on the demonstrated financial need of the family.

All candidates for 9th and 10th grade are required to take the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT).

Please note: For domestic applicants, the Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) will now be accepted as an alternative to the SSAT. All candidates for 11th grade and the postgraduate year are required to provide results of the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT), the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing Program (ACT).

Applicants from countries other than the United States are also expected to take one of the above-mentioned examinations in addition to an appropriate test of their ability to communicate in English. These test options include the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Duolingo English Test in addition to one of the appropriate above-mentioned tests. If the applicant attends an international school or a junior boarding school in the United States, the TOEFL, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS or Duolingo English Test may be waived.

While standardized test scores do give us some important information about a candidate, they do not tell the whole story. We pride ourselves in looking thoroughly at all aspects of the application.

Blair does not offer any ESL support and all students are required to be fluent in the English language.

Because our interview schedule fills up very quickly (especially Saturday appointments), we encourage families to schedule their interviews and campus visits during the fall months. We start accepting applications for the following school year on July 1.

The completed-application deadline is January 15. A completed application includes the following: the written application, admission interview, student questionnaire, official school transcript, test results, teacher recommendations (English and mathematics), and the special-interest/talent form (optional). We will notify students of the admission decision on March 10.  

We accept rolling applications after January 15.