Ten Schools Admission Organization Explained

The Ten Schools Admission Organization (TSAO) is a group of private, college-preparatory boarding schools in the Northeastern United States that cooperate in their outreach to prospective students.

Overview

TSAO was founded in 1952.^[1] Its member institutions cooperate in their outreach to prospective students, sharing resources at domestic and international admission fairs.^{[2] [3]}

Although several TSAO schools no longer publish their endowment figures, in 2016 the TSAO contained ten of the twenty wealthiest traditional college-preparatory boarding schools in the United States, as measured by total size of endowment.^[4] Seven TSAO members are also members of the Eight Schools Association, another group of large college-preparatory boarding schools.

At times, TSAO schools adopt common policies with respect to applicants and admitted students, such as a uniform deadline to accept or reject offers of admission.^[5] The TSAO does not have a uniform policy with respect to standardized testing, and two of its member schools remain test-optional as of the 2024-25 application cycle.

With one exception, every TSAO member educates both boarding and day students, and offers a post-graduate year. St. Paul's School educates only boarders, and admits neither post-graduates nor incoming seniors.^[6]

Member schools

!School!Location!Established!Enrollment
(2021-22)!Campus type
(NCES if available)!PGs?!Standardized
test required?!Source(s)

Choate Rosemary Hall (Choate)	Wallingford, CT	1890	868	Suburban	Yes (15-25)	No	[7] [8]
Deerfield Academy	Deerfield, MA	1797	666	Rural	Yes	Yes	[9] [10]
The Hill School	Pottstown, PA	1851	520	Suburban	Yes (14-20)	Yes	[11] [12] [13]
Hotchkiss School	Lakeville, CT	1891	622	Rural	Yes	Yes	[14] [15] [16]
Lawrenceville School	Lawrenceville, NJ	1810	818	Suburban	Yes	Yes	[17] [18]
Loomis Chaffee School	Windsor, CT	1914	736	Suburban	Yes (20-25)	No	[19] [20] [21]
Phillips Academy (Andover)	Andover, MA	1778	1,187	Suburban	Yes (~20)	Yes	[22] [23] [24]
Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter)	Exeter, NH	1781	1,064	Suburban	Yes (~24)	Yes	[25] [26] [27]
St. Paul's School	Concord, NH	1856	542	Town	No	Yes	[28] [29]
Taft School	Watertown, CT	1890	601	Suburban	Yes	Yes	[30] [31]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Home . 2024-08-25 . Ten Schools Admission Organization . en-US.
2. Web site: Houston, TX October 6 1:00 p.m. . 2024-08-25 . Ten Schools Admission Organization . en-US.
3. Web site: Hurst . Mitch . 2023-09-02 . Above Board . 2024-08-25 . The North Shore Weekend . en . Issuu.
4. Web site: Martin . Emmie . Loudenback . Tanza . 2016-02-21 . The 20 richest boarding schools in America . https://web.archive.org/web/20230507074605/https://www.businessinsider.com/richest-boarding-schools-in-america-2016-2 . 2023-05-07 . 2024-02-25 . Business Insider . en-US.
5. Web site: January 2021 . Ten Schools Admission Organization Post-Admission Contact Agreement . 2024-08-25 . Phillips Academy.
6. Web site: St. Paul's School . 2024-09-02 . Gateway to Prep Schools.
7. Web site: School Detail for CHOATE ROSEMARY HALL . 2024-09-02 . National Center for Education Statistics . EN.
8. Web site: Frequently Asked Questions . 2024-09-02 . Choate Rosemary Hall . en-US.
9. Web site: Enrollment Data (2021-22) - Deerfield Academy (00740805) . 2024-09-02 . Massachusetts Department of Education.
10. Web site: Admission . 2024-09-02 . Deerfield Academy.
11. Web site: School Detail for THE HILL SCHOOL . 2024-09-02 . National Center for Education Statistics . EN.
12. Web site: Postgraduate Program . 2024-09-02 . The Hill School . en-US.
13. Web site: How to Apply . 2024-09-02 . The Hill School . en-US.
14. Web site: School Detail for THE HOTCHKISS SCHOOL . 2024-09-02 . National Center for Education Statistics . EN.
15. Web site: About Our Connecticut Private School . 2024-09-02 . The Hotchkiss School . en-US.
16. Web site: 2024-05-07 . Hotchkiss Will Require Standardized Testing Beginning in 2024-25 Admission Cycle . 2024-09-02 . Hotchkiss School . en-US.
17. Web site: School Detail for THE LAWRENCEVILLE SCHOOL . 2024-09-02 . National Center for Education Statistics . EN.
18. Web site: Application Process . 2024-09-02 . The Lawrenceville School . en-US.
19. Web site: About . 2024-09-02 . The Loomis Chaffee School . en-US.
20. Web site: Post-Graduate Applicants . 2024-09-02 . The Loomis Chaffee School . en-US.
21. Web site: Testing Policy . 2024-09-02 . The Loomis Chaffee School . en-US.
22. Web site: School Detail for PHILLIPS ACADEMY . 2024-09-02 . National Center for Education Statistics . EN.
23. Web site: 2022-2023 Profile for College Admissions Offices . 2024-09-02 . Phillips Academy.
24. Web site: How to Apply . 2024-09-02 . Phillips Academy . en-US.
25. Web site: School Detail for PHILLIPS EXETER ACADEMY . 2024-09-02 . National Center for Education Statistics . EN.
26. Web site: Postgraduates . 2024-09-02 . Phillips Exeter Academy . en.
27. Web site: How to Apply . 2024-09-02 . Phillips Exeter Academy . en.
28. Web site: School Detail for ST PAUL'S SCHOOL . 2024-09-02 . National Center for Education Statistics . EN.
29. Web site: Application Process . 2024-09-02 . St. Paul's School . en.
30. Web site: Taft by the Numbers . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20220215061009/https://www.taftschool.org/about/taft-by-the-numbers . 2022-02-15 . 2024-09-02 . Taft School.
31. Web site: Apply to Taft . 2024-09-02 . Taft School . en-US.