FAQ

List of 23 frequently asked questions.

• Do I need to submit a completed application before I request a visit to the School?

  To request a tour-only visit (offered at select times each year), please complete this form so that we may best assist you. If you are interested in a visit that includes a tour and interview (for Upper School applicants) or a parent interview or applicant screening (for Primary and Lower School applicants), we do ask that you submit the Family and Student Profile section of the application form (or the equivalent, initial demographics and parent statement sections if you are using a standard application form) before your visit.

• May I visit the School without an appointment? 

  No, we do not allow unaccompanied visitors on our campus at any time; self-guided tours are not allowed. To request a tour-only visit (offered at select times each year), please complete this form so that we may best assist you.

• Do I need to submit a completed application by the deadline, or just the first part?

  Meeting the application deadline means that we have received your entire application by the deadline. Sometimes we may need to schedule a student interview after the deadline, or a current school won't be able to provide a transcript (report card) for the current year by the deadline. In situations like these, as long as everything else has been submitted on time we can usually work with you to complete everything in order for you to receive an admission decision on time. But it is not sufficient to simply submit the first part of an application on or very close to the deadline; in that situation we may not be able to consider your application until the second round.

• We have some or all of another application form (SAO or Gateway) started; should we send that to Fay and then fill out Fay’s own application form?

  Please submit only one application form. We ask that you do not begin one application form and then also submit some or part of another form; doing so may also prompt you to pay the application fee twice. Begin and complete your application to Fay using only one application, and therefore pay only one application fee.

• How many new students do you accept in a certain grade? Do you have quotas?

  Each year, new students join us at nearly every grade level. We are never able to predict the number of openings in a certain grade because current students re-enroll at the same time that new students apply. We do not have quotas for students from any particular countries, although we do work to ensure our school is diverse and boarding students have roommates from other countries or US states than their own.

• How many applications do you receive, and what percentage of applicants are accepted? 

  Because these figures vary each year we are not able to provide detailed information. Admission to Fay is competitive and we receive more applications than we have spaces available, but we encourage interested families to complete the process with us and for students to put their best effort forward. Note that Fay might not be a good fit for a student who has not been successful in school and who does not have passing grades in all subjects.

• May we apply for our child to attend Fay as a day student if they need a visa to study in the US?

  It is not our practice to issue I20s to day students, and our application process for grades Kindergarten through grade 6 (which are all day-student programs only) requires in-person screenings and a local address (parent(s) must  live within 50 miles of Fay School) before we can send an admission decision. Students who require a visa to study in the US should apply to our boarding program (offered from grade 7 to grade 9).

• Our family is in the process of applying for US Permanent Resident Status; may we apply for a day-student space?

  Families who have begun the process for US Permanent Resident Status should wait until that status has been granted before beginning the application process.

• Our family is in the process of applying for US Permanent Resident Status; will you provide an I20 so that our student may attend as a boarder prior to our Permanent Resident Status being granted?

  Families who have begun the process for US Permanent Resident Status should wait until that status has been granted before beginning the application process. We do not recommend that families simultaneously apply for US Permanent Resident Status AND a student visa,, as the two visas directly contradict each other. Families are advised to speak with their immigration attorney for more information.

• We can’t decide if our student should apply as a day student or a boarding student; may they apply as both and take whichever space is available?

  No, it is necessary to decide if your student is applying to be a day student or a boarding student before you submit the application, as there are different considerations and different deadlines. Our admission officers are happy to speak with you to help you decide which option would be best for your student.

• Is it easier to get accepted if you apply to be a day student, or a boarding student?

  Families should carefully consider which program would best suit their student, and may speak with an admission officer for help in determining the fit between our programs and their student. There is not one path that is more likely to result in admission than another, although at some times of the year we may have limited options available and will communicate this to parents.

• We would like to apply for our student to be a boarder at Fay, but plan to move to the area and have our student then become a day student; is that possible?

  No, students who enroll as seven-day boarders must remain enrolled as seven-day boarders throughout their time at Fay.

• We would like to apply for our student to be a day student at Fay, but can we rely on their becoming a boarding student at a later date?

  Re-enrolling day students and five-day boarders who wish to change their status to seven-day boarding must submit a Status Change Request Form, available from the Office of Admission, by January 15 for the following school year. The request will be reviewed and a decision communicated to the family prior to issuing the re-enrollment contract. However, Fay is unable to predict the availability of boarding spaces, so families who absolutely need their student to board are advised to wait and apply when their student is ready for our 7th grade boarding program. Contact the Office of Admission for more information.

• I just found out about Fay and I want to apply but it is after the application deadline. Do I have to wait until next year?

  We encourage you to contact the Office of Admission at admission@fayschool.org to find out which grades are still accepting applications; the application deadline for day students is January 15.
  
  The priority deadline for international boarding students is December 15, and it is very important to submit your completed application by this deadline in order to receive first consideration.
  
  Domestic boarding applicants submit applications on a rolling basis, which means we accept applications throughout the year until all of the spaces have been filled.

• How do I pay the application fee?

  Please submit the application before paying the application fee; if you are not paying by credit card, you may indicate that you are “paying by check,” and then choose one of these payment options:

  • Use our fee-free transfer account. Log on to flywire.com/pay/fayschool and create an account. The entire process will take less than 5 minutes.
  • Send a wire transfer. Please contact the Business Office at dbyrne@fayschool.org or 508-490-8213 for our account number.
  • Write a check payable to Fay School and send it to Fay School Office of Admission, 48 Main Street, Southborough, MA 01772

• Two days after my child submitted the application to Fay, he won an award. Can I call the Admission Office to add it to the file, or is it too late?

  If you have any new information you would like to include with your child’s application, please email the details to the admission officer who interviewed your child. We will be happy to add supplemental materials to his or her file.

• I was accepted to Fay but can't attend. May I defer my admission to next year?

  Because many considerations go into each admission decision, including the number of spaces available and the strength of the applicant pool for a particular grade level, we are not able to defer offers of admission to the following school year. However, we do welcome students to re-apply to Fay. As a re-applicant, you do not need to fill out the application again unless you are applying for a different division (i.e. last year you were an applicant to grade two in Primary School, and this year you will be an applicant to grade three in Lower School). Nor do you need to re-take any standardized tests if you submitted a current test last year. However, we do ask for updated school reports, including transcripts and teacher recommendations. Applicants to grades four and higher may submit a one-page written statement from the student updating us on the past year since he or she applied, both academically and personally. Please note we may also require another campus visit for an updated assessment, screening, or interview (depending on grade level.) If you have questions about what else you may submit to support your re-application, please contact the Office of Admission at admission@fayschool.org.

• I have already applied to Fay once. May I re-apply?

  Because many considerations go into each admission decision, including the number of spaces available and the strength of the applicant pool for a particular grade level, we welcome students to re-apply to Fay. You do not need to fill out the application again unless you are applying for a different division (i.e. last year you were an applicant to grade two in Primary School, and this year you will be an applicant to grade three in Lower School). However, we do ask for updated school reports, including transcripts and teacher recommendations. Applicants to grades four and higher may submit a one-page written statement from the student updating us on the past year since he or she applied, both academically and personally. We may also require another campus visit for an updated assessment, screening, or interview (depending on grade level.) If you have questions about what else you may submit to support your re-application, please contact the Office of Admission at admission@fayschool.org.

• My child is a good student, but I have heard that there are many benefits to repeating a grade when starting at an independent school. How do I decide which grade my child should apply for?

  Many families apply for their preferred grade and include a letter with their application saying that they would be willing to receive an acceptance for the other grade if the Admission Committee feels it is the best fit. We encourage you to discuss your child’s particular situation with your Admission Officer. Please know that admission to Fay School is selective, and students who wish to repeat because of very poor scholastic achievement in the past year are not strong candidates.

• I live far away. May I interview virtually?

  We do offer Zoom interviews (for Upper School applicants only); you may arrange one through the Office of Admission at admission@fayschool.org. Alternatively, you may opt for an in-person interview near your home if we have an admission officer traveling to your area. We change our travel schedule every year in order to reach many places in the United States and around the world. Please check the Admission Events page of our website for the latest information on our travel plans. All Primary and Lower School applicants (for Kindergarten through grade 6) are required to attend in-person screening events.

• In my country, the school year runs from January to November. Can I apply to begin 7th grade at Fay in September if I haven’t fully completed 6th grade in my country?

  No. We require all students to successfully complete the previous grade level before entering Fay.

• I study at an international school. Do I still need to submit a TOEFL or TOEFL Jr. test score?

  Yes, we require all students whose native language is not English to submit a TOEFL or TOEFL Jr., test score regardless of where they attend school.

• I’ve heard the TOEFL, Jr. is an easier test than the TOEFL, but it’s not offered in my country. Will getting a low score on the TOEFL hurt my chances of getting accepted?

  We understand that the TOEFL, Jr. is a test written for middle school students, and the TOEFL is a test written for applicants to college, and we take this into consideration when we review a student’s test scores. Applicants from Mainland China should carefully review our instructions regarding these tests.