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 process.
• CA does not accept applications for Grade 12.
• Please submit Step 1 anytime prior to December 15.

Please log in to your student's application here to view the required and optional items on your checklist.

Grades 9-11 Required Items:

Student Form

Parent Form

 Current Principal, Advisor, or Counselor Recommendation*

 Current English or Social Studies/History Teacher Recommendation*

 Current Math Teacher Recommendation*

Transcripts from 2024-2025 and 2025-2026* including attendance record, report cards, standardized testing, and disciplinary record

Student Video Submission

Student Visit includes two components which may be scheduled on the same day or different days, depending on an applicant's preference and schedule:

1. Student Tour with classroom observations
2. Student Interview & Writing Reflection

Student Video Submission

 Student Testing: CA is test-type flexible and will accept results from any testing that a student has completed over the last two years.

• Examples include the WISC, DAS, CogAT, MAP, ERB, ISEE, SSAT, HSPT, PSAT 8/9, Pre-ACT, and any state-specific standards-based assessments.
• 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, below are some options:
  • Register for the ISEE or SSAT.
  • Register for testing with an evaluator from the Denver Area Testing Consortium.
  • Contact Paige Siemers to request assistance if any test fee is a hardship:

 

Grades 9-11 Optional Items:

Optional Parent Tour: log in to your account to schedule.

 Optional Parent Zoom Check-In: log in to your account to schedule.

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've created an account in the portal, you will be able to submit requests for recommendations and transcripts using the common forms.

Financial Aid Process

• With over $5.8 million of tuition assistance offered each year, CA welcomes students from all socio-economic 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 each cycle overlaps. Families who wish to apply for tuition assistance should submit an Application for Financial Aid through Clarity.
• We recommend starting the Clarity application after January 1 as it is helpful to have end-of-year tax/financial documents available as you complete the form:

START APPLICATION

• Within the Clarity portal, you can upload copies of your 2024 and 2025 tax returns, as well as W-2s and K-1 statements, if those apply.
• CA prefers the Clarity application, but, if you’ve already submitted a financial aid application for another school through FACTS, please 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 completed their 2025 tax return by this deadline. The Financial Aid Committee will consider an application complete as long as we receive your 2024 tax return and your 2025 W-2 and/or Profit & Loss Statements (if self-employed) by February 15. 
• 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 us at financialaid@coloradoacademy.org or 303-914-2516.

In conjunction with other Denver-area independent schools, Colorado Academy sends Upper School admission decisions (Grades 9-11) by email at 4:00 p.m. MT on Friday, February 20, 2026.