Upper School Admission

Submit Step 1: Student Form.

• There is no application fee to apply to CA.
• Once the Student Form is submitted, you may log back into your account and complete the remaining steps of the application process.
• CA does not accept applications for Grade 12.

There are two separate components to the Student Visit for applicants to Grades 9-11:

1) Student Tour with classroom observations
2) Student Interview and Writing Reflection

Please be aware that the two components may be scheduled on the same date, or on separate dates depending on availability and your preference.

Once you’ve completed the application, the Admission Office will contact you to schedule a student tour if we anticipate openings in your grade level of interest.*

*Note: CA can accommodate visits for prospective families visiting from from out of state; please contact Paige Siemers to schedule.

There are two separate components to the Student Visit for applicants to Grades 9-11:

1) Student Tour with classroom observations
2) Student Interview and Writing Reflection

Please be aware that the two components may be scheduled on the same date, or on separate dates depending on availability and your preference. The Admission Office will contact you to schedule a Student Interview and Writing Reflection if we anticipate openings in your grade level of interest.

The Student Video Submission is available once the “Step 1: Student Form” is submitted.

Once the Step 1: Student Form is submitted, you may log back into your account and request Recommendation Forms* and the Transcript Request Form from designated faculty/staff members at the applicant’s school:

• Current English or Social Studies/History Teacher Recommendation
• Current Math Teacher Recommendation
• Current Principal/Advisory/Counselor Recommendation
• Transcripts from Current and Previous School Year (including student testing and attendance records)
• Optional Coach Recommendation
• Optional Visual and/or Performing Arts Recommendation
• Optional Additional Teacher Recommendation from a current or past teacher

*Colorado Academy is among several Denver-area independent schools using Common Recommendation and Transcript Request Forms to reduce the workload for an applicant’s current teachers and school staff. Once you have created an account in the application portal, you will be able to submit requests for recommendations and transcripts using the common forms.

CA is test-type flexible and will accept results from any standardized testing or educational evaluation that a student has completed in the last two years.Testing results are due on or before January 15. 

Examples include the WISC, DAS, CogAT, MAP, ERB, ISEE, SSAT, HSPT, PSAT 8/9, Pre-ACT, and any state-specific standards-based assessments, among others. There is no need for the applicant to take more than one test, and the Admission Committee does not prefer one test over another.

If the applicant has not completed testing within the previous two years, here are some options:

• Register for the ISEE or SSAT.
• Register for testing with an evaluator from the Denver Area Testing Consortium.

Please contact Paige Siemers to request assistance if any test fee is a hardship.

As parents/guardians, your responses on the Parent/Guardian Form will help CA learn more about your child and your family. Once the Step 1: Student Form is submitted, you may log back into your account and complete the Parent/Guardian Form.

Optional Parent/Guardian Tour

• Once you’ve completed the application, the Admission Office will reach out to schedule a student visit and a parent tour if we anticipate an opening in your grade level of interest.*
  
  *Note: CA can accommodate visits for prospective families visiting from from out of state; please contact Paige Siemers to schedule.

Optional Parent/Guardian Zoom Check-In

• A Parent/Guardian Zoom Check-in is available after the student visit. A member of the Admission team shares feedback from the visit and answers any additional questions that families may have about the process. Appointments last approximately 20 minutes.

Financial Aid Application Process

• With over $5.7 million in tuition assistance each year, CA welcomes students and families from all backgrounds and encourages families to consider CA no matter their income.
• The Application for Financial Aid is separate from the Application for Admission, although the timing of both cycles overlaps. Families who wish to apply for tuition assistance should submit an Application for Financial Aid through Clarity Financial.
• We recommend starting the application after January 1 as it is helpful to have end-of-year tax documents available as you are completing the form

START APPLICATION

• Within the Clarity Financial portal, you will be asked to upload copies of your 2023 and 2024 tax returns. You will also be asked for copies of 2023 and 2024 W-2s and K-1 statements, if those apply.
• CA prefers the Clarity Financial application, but, if you’ve already submitted a financial aid application for another school through FACTS, there is no need to fill out an additional application through Clarity Financial. You will only need to add Colorado Academy as a recipient on your FACTS application.
• The deadline for the Financial Aid Application is February 15. We realize that many families have not yet completed their 2024 tax return by this deadline. The Financial Aid Committee will consider an application complete as long as we receive your 2023 tax return and your 2024 W-2 and/or Profit & Loss Statements (if you are self-employed) by February 15. The 2024 tax return should be submitted as soon as it is completed.
• Completing the Financial Aid Application by the deadline allows the Financial Aid Award to be communicated at the same time as the Admission Decision.
• Questions? Contact Financial Aid Manager Lisa Dean at 303-914-2516.

In conjunction with other Denver-area independent schools, Colorado Academy sends Upper School admission decisions (Grades 9-12) by email at 4:00 p.m. MST on Friday, February 21, 2025.