Admissions

List of 11 items.

• Who should apply to the Mastery School?

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  Current 8th and 9th-grade students can apply to the Mastery School of Hawken to join in their 9th or 10th-grade years. The Mastery School is a perfect school for curious students who want to develop a sense of agency over their education. If you are excited by the idea of working with a world-renowned expert to solve a problem that is relevant to your community, then the Mastery School is the place for you.

• How much does the Mastery School cost?

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  Tuition for the Mastery School can be found here. Students applying to the Mastery School of Hawken can apply for need-based flexible tuition and can also receive a range of scholarships, including the James A. Hawken Merit Scholarship and the Cleveland Scholarship.

• How do Mastery School students get into college?

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  Mastery School students use the Mastery Transcript to demonstrate their work and skills to colleges. Students have been admitted to more than 350 colleges and universities using the Mastery Transcript, and every college has accepted it as a valid transcript. Last year, the first graduating class of 8 seniors was admitted to more than 35 colleges and Universities and received more than a million dollars in scholarships. 

• Do you require an entrance test?

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  Students applying to either or both of Hawken’s high schools are required to take the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE). Families can register for the ISEE here and can take it at any testing site, including several that Hawken hosts at our University Circle and Gates Mills campuses.

• What is the first step I should take if I am curious about the Mastery School?

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  As a very first step, we suggest watching this video and exploring our website. We also encourage you to call our admissions team at 440.423.8801 to learn more about our innovative program. 

  There are three main events that we recommend that you attend:

  • Parent Visit
    A great opportunity for you to learn about our program. 
  • Student Visit 
    A mandatory part of the application process and a great opportunity to meet Mastery School students and faculty! 
  • Open House 
    A fun day of learning about the Mastery School’s program, the college process, and offerings like athletics, theater, and Outdoor Leadership

• When should I start my application?

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  Applications for the 2024-2025 school year open in early September. We encourage you to schedule your visit day in the fall and to begin working on the parent and student questionnaires. Teacher evaluations can be requested after November 1.

• How do I know if my child will be accepted to the Mastery School?

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  Our applicant pool is competitive, and our spaces are limited. Our committee uses a holistic approach and considers the types of classes the student has taken, teacher evaluations, written submissions, the student’s visit day on campus, test scores, and other factors as they review each student’s application. We are looking for students who are excited to learn and problem-solve, and we work hard to get to know every applicant throughout the process.

• What makes the Mastery School different from other high schools?

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  At the Mastery School, students work in teams to help solve real-world problems that are presented to them by community partners (see a list of the recent companies and nonprofits that we have partnered with). Students also take deep dives into areas that interest them, working on complex projects to demonstrate high levels of skill and content mastery. Students use work from inside and outside of the classroom to build evidence toward a Mastery Transcript to demonstrate their learning.

• Do I have to apply to the Mastery School and Hawken Upper School separately?

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  No, the Mastery School and Upper School share one application. Families can choose if they want to apply to one or both schools at any point in the application process, but we do require that students who are applying to both campuses participate in a separate visit to each campus.

• Can only 9th and 10th graders apply to the Mastery School?

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  Yes, because of the Mastery School’s curriculum and crediting system, we only accept applications for 9th and 10th graders and generally do not consider transfer applications for students up until the end of their 3rd semester (winter break of their 10th-grade year). If you have any questions about eligibility, please contact Masteryadmissions@hawken.edu.

• Can students at the Mastery School participate in Hawken extracurriculars like sports?

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  Yes, they can! At the end of the school day, an inter-campus shuttle brings students to our Gates Mills campus to play on our 22 interscholastic athletic teams, perform with the Hawken Players’ Society, or participate in Speech and Debate and Outdoor Leadership clubs. Having access to two campuses means double the opportunities.