Welcome to The Bush School Admissions and Financial Aid Office! We look forward to getting to know you and your family as you explore school options.
Finding the right school is one of the most important gifts you can give your student. Our goal is to make the application process easy and transparent for you, and to help you learn about our school so that you will know whether Bush is the right place for your family.
To learn more about Bush's programs, curriculum, and educational philosophy, explore the Our Programs section of this website. Below are answers to frequently asked questions about the Admissions process at The Bush School. If you would like further information, or have a question that is not answered on our website, please call our office at (206) 326-7736. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Admissions at Bush | Q. | When is your application deadline? | | A. | All application materials must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on our application deadline of January 15, 2013. In the spring and summer, we consider applications on a rolling basis for any grades that have openings. |
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 | Q. | When should I start the application process? | | A. | The application process begins in the fall prior to the year your student would enter Bush (e.g., begin applying in the fall of 2012 for entry in the 2013-2014 school year). While our application deadline is January 15, 2013, we encourage you to complete the application process as soon as possible. |
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| Q. | How many openings does Bush have each year? What are Bush’s major entry years? | | A. | Kindergarten, Sixth Grade, and Ninth Grade are our main entry points. Each year, Bush typically welcomes 30-32 Kindergarteners, 20-25 new Sixth Graders, and 20-25 new Ninth Graders. Openings in other grades vary each year, and depend on the number of returning students, space availability, and the current gender balance of the class. |
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| Q. | Do you have age requirements for Kindergarten applicants? | | A. | Yes, The Bush School asks that all Kindergarten students turn 5 years old by September 1 of their enrollment year. |
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| Q. | What is your sibling policy? | | A. |
The Bush School offers sibling applicants an early admissions process. The early admissions process is for siblings of current Bush students and children of faculty and staff. The early decision process allows families to apply early to Bush and receive early notification of admission. While The Bush School’s program is a good match for the majority of sibling and children of faculty/staff applicants, acceptance is not guaranteed as the admissions process takes into account a complex set of criteria and issues. The early decision timeline allows applicant families time between decision notification from The Bush School and the application deadline to other independent schools, should they need to explore other educational options.
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| Q. | Does Bush have a wait list? | | A. | A student who has completed the application process by the application deadline and has been deemed admissible by the Admissions Committee may be placed in the Alternate Pool if no spaces are available in the grade to which the student has applied. Students in the Alternate Pool are not ranked, and, should a space become available, the school will offer admission based on the current composition of that grade (including gender balance, interests, diversity, and financial aid, among others). Applicants will remain in the Alternate Pool until the start of school in the year they have applied. There is no multi-year waiting list. |
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| Q. | Where do Bush students live? | | A. | Bush students live across the greater Seattle area. While most students live within the Seattle city limits, Mercer Island, or the inner Eastside, students travel to Bush from more than 63 zip codes each year. |
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| Q. | Does Bush provide assistance with transportation? | | A. | The Admissions Office facilitates the creation of carpools by providing lists of families by zip code in early August each year. We provide on-campus parking for faculty, staff, and student carpools. |
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| Q. | Can parents get involved at The Bush School? | | A. | The Bush School Parent Association (PA), an organization made up of all parents and guardians of Bush students, acts as the main communication link between the parent body and the school. The PA provides wonderful opportunities for parents/guardians to get involved in the community, whether they are able to make a long-term commitment or only have a few hours to spare. Volunteering is an integral part of the Bush experience, whether parents/guardians help in the classroom, organize parent education sessions, serve on a variety of committees on campus, or choose from many other volunteer opportunities on campus. Click here to visit the Parent Association website. |
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To learn about our history, mission, and philosophy, click here.
The Bush School does not discriminate in matters of employment, recruitment, admissions, or administration of any of its programs on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation. In addition, The Bush School does not discriminate in matters of employment on the basis of age or marital status. |
| |  Anne SarewitzInterim Director of Admissions and Financial Aid (206) 326-7735 |
 Oriana IsaacsonAdmissions Associate-Outreach and Events, US Coordinator (206) 326-7737 |
| In the 2012-2013 school year, approximately 580 boys and girls attend The Bush School. On average, Bush enrolls 190 students in the Lower School (Kindergarten-Fifth Grade), 155 in the Middle School (Sixth-Eighth Grades), and 235 in the Upper School (Ninth-Twelfth Grades). |
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