The Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Connecticut, runs its fall 2027 admission cycle on four fixed dates: the application deadline on January 15, 2027, the financial aid deadline on January 31, 2027, decisions on March 10, 2027, and a reply deadline on April 10, 2027. This guide walks through each step in the order families meet them, with what the school asks for and what it leaves optional.
Who can apply
Loomis Chaffee takes applicants for grades 9 and 10, and for grade 11 through a postgraduate year. The school is a boarding and day school, and families choose one or the other on the application. The school says it has about 750 students, and about 70 percent of them live on campus. If you are weighing the two, the day student experience is described on the school's own pages, and day families should know that the school does not provide daily transportation to or from campus. The online school directory helps families find carpools nearby.
Step 1: choose an application platform
Families apply through either the Gateway to Prep Schools application or the Standard Application Online (SAO) from the SSAT. You use one, not both. The application fee is $75 for students living in the United States, Canada or Mexico, and $160 for students living in a country outside North America. Fee waivers require direct contact with the school, so ask early if cost is a concern.
Step 2: gather the required parts
The application has a few parts that depend on other people, so start with those.
- Three recommendations. Loomis requires the current English teacher, the current math teacher and the current principal or guidance counselor. Tell all three early, and give each a clear date.
- Parent or guardian statement. The school requires one for every candidate. Treat it as a short, honest portrait of your child, written by you.
- Grades and transcripts. Current and recent school records go in with the application.
- Test Optional Form. Even if you send no scores, the school asks for this form so the application is complete.
If your child is not sending test scores, the school strongly encourages a third academic recommendation. That is one extra teacher who knows your child well in a core subject.
Step 3: decide about testing
Testing is optional at Loomis Chaffee. Students who choose not to submit scores are not penalized, and the school does not admit or deny a student based only on testing. About one-third of applicants, admitted students and enrolled students have submitted scores since the policy began in 2020.
For applicants entering grades 9 and 10, the school prefers the SSAT or ISEE. The Loomis SSAT code is 4672. If you send scores, ask the testing agency to send them so they are received by February 1. Students whose first language is not English can show English proficiency with the TOEFL, the IELTS or the Duolingo English Test.
Step 4: schedule an interview
Interviews are strongly encouraged but not required. Each student has one interview, which can be held on campus, off campus or online. Campus visits take about 90 minutes and run through mid-January. After December 1, only students who have submitted the Candidate Profile and the application fee can schedule an interview.
Online interviews run about 30 minutes with the student, followed by about 15 minutes with parents or guardians. The school accepts both InitialView and Vericant online interviews.
Dates at a glance
| Step | Date | | --- | --- | | Interview scheduling opens to Candidate Profile and fee holders | After December 1 | | Application deadline | January 15, 2027 | | Financial aid application deadline | January 31, 2027 | | Test scores received by | February 1, 2027 | | Admission decisions and aid awards | March 10, 2027 | | Candidate reply deadline | April 10, 2027 |
Notice that the aid deadline falls two weeks after the application deadline. Families who need aid should plan to submit both close together rather than treating the second date as a cushion.
What the school has not published
Loomis Chaffee does not publish an admit rate, the number of applicants and seats, or average SSAT and ISEE scores on the pages we reviewed. The essay prompts for the fall 2027 application are shown inside the application platform rather than on the public site, and the pages do not say when the application opens. Check the admission portal or ask the admission office for those details.
A simple way to work backward
Count back from January 15. Ask the three recommenders by early November, so they have the holidays and a school break to write. Draft the parent statement by Thanksgiving. Book testing, if you plan to send scores, with enough room that a retake is possible before February 1. Book the interview before December 1 if you can, since that is the simplest path. Then use the weeks before the deadline to proofread and submit a few days early rather than on the last afternoon.
For a deeper look, see the full timeline, the application steps and the FAQ.
If you want help organizing a plan for several schools at once, Explore EduAvenues high school admissions or contact us.
Sources
LoomisPrep by EduAvenues is an independent service, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The Loomis Chaffee School.