Don't forget that 7th is also an entry year for almost all of the PK-12 schools. So if you don't get in at 6th, it's worth trying again at 7th.

Did not try 6th grade admissions -- my DD was at a PK-8 and was happy. But just reiterating that 9th grade admissions can be tough, depending on what schools your kid is targeting and where they are coming from. The upside of 9th grade is that your kid has opinions and is more involved in the process -- not as intensively as college applications, where the student needs to own the whole process, but demonstrably more than if they were a 5th grader applying for a 6th grade slot.

Don’t forget: if the parents are wealthy, well-known, Ivy legacy and/or if there is a sibling at the school, odds are much, much better. Sixth is easier because the schools are mostly looking at the family. For ninth, student merit counts more than for sixth.

From our own experience with 9th grade admissions : The kids who get into the Big 5 schools in 9th all have some sort of a hook and are exceptional in one extra curricular AND are good students ( though maybe not exceptional students ) as well.
These schools are also looking for kids who can bolster their college matriculation stats and these are the type of kids who get into top colleges as well.
To get into 9th at these competitive schools, your child has to be exceptional and stand out in one area: stellar athlete with recruitment potential, debate champion, math/ science Olympiad champion, … if your child has that, then all the school cares about is if they can handle the academic rigor of the school or not. So, of course they’d have to be a good student, but that only matters up to a certain point.
If your child is just a “run-of-the-mill” good student with straight A’s and good standardized test scores, and you are considering the Big 5 schools, then don’t wait till 9th and apply in 6th or 7th, whenever the big entry year for middle school is.

Anonymous wrote:If you’re applying to schools like Potomac, GDS, & Maret, can you get shut out for 9th grade admissions? Assuming full pay, smart but not genius, potential varsity athlete but not recruited level, & no real hooks. Trying to decide if it makes sense to apply 6th/7th grade, but would prefer to wait till 9th grade.

Of course you can. You can also get shut out on 6th/7th. These are very competitive schools. Are these schools "reaches" for your child in terms of their grades? Is your child going to have stellar teacher recommendations or will they be good, but not great? Will they really stand out in a positive way when they visit/interview (some kids are just really naturally personable) or will they be run of the mill fine?

If you’re applying to schools like Potomac, GDS, & Maret, can you get shut out for 9th grade admissions? Assuming full pay, smart but not genius, potential varsity athlete but not recruited level, & no real hooks. Trying to decide if it makes sense to apply 6th/7th grade, but would prefer to wait till 9th grade.

Many k-12 schools also expand at 7th, so you can try then if kid doesn’t get in at 6th.

You should apply for 6th and then for 9th if needed. My child didn't get a 6th grade spot but applied again for 9th and was accepted.

This was a Big3 school and there were others like us. It's not uncommon for unhooked kids (top grades, test scores and recs but not siblings, legacies, recruited athletes, URM, etc) to have to apply twice.

Anonymous wrote:6th

+1. Fewer families apply for 6th.

For the all girls schools - 9th grade admit is also hard socially. There is a POV that although the schools promote that they are expanding and there is a place for all - the reality is that there are established social groups that your child needs to integrate into.
Reality is that the social aspect is hard.

Since it's a school, I'd hope they admit the ones with the weakest brains that need the most intervention.

6th no question.

Getting in at 9th at the 4 top schools is reserved for the kids with something special.

Sometimes it’s the ability to throw a ball around and then chase the ball around. Ideally it’s about their superior brains, since we’re talking about an academic institution and not the NBA.

But either way ninth grade is a very difficult admit

Definitely 6th. We're going through 9th grade admissions now and We're sorry we didn't do it in 6th grade. More spots for regular kids.

6th

The question is in the title! For schools that have expansion years in sixth and ninth, my assumption is it’s easier to get in for sixth because id think there are more applicants in ninth grade, even if there are slightly more spots opening for ninth grade than in sixth. I know this data isn’t public, but do you think that assumption is generally correct?