Upper School Applications

ADMISSION

The Upper School Application Process

 

 

Upper School (Grades 9-12)
 

Note: All steps listed are required to be completed by Friday, February 6, 2026, to be included in the annual decision round. 
Applicants with outstanding checklist items after the February 6th deadline can be considered in Rolling Admission, provided space remains, once the steps are completed.
 

Submit an Online Inquiry
An Online Inquiry Form can be submitted below:
 Online Inquiry Form
Attend an Individual Meeting and Campus Tour

This meeting is tailored specifically for your family (This is not a group event.), and is designed to help us get to know one another. Individual family meetings are led by Paige Baran, Assistant Director of Admission, Middle and Upper School. A campus tour is included, and parents may bring their prospective student (for grades 5-11). If your child attends with you, he/she will not need to complete the Student Interview step. (See the next step listed below.)

register for the date of your choice.

Student Interview

Applicants to grades 5-11 are required to interview with Paige Baran. There are 2 ways to meet this requirement: (Bold this information!)

  1. The student can attend the Individual Family Meeting and Tour (described in the step above) with his or her parents.
    or
  2. The student can attend an interview via Google Meet, with Paige Baran.

The Google Meet interview is required for students who were not able to attend the in-person individual family visit with their parents. We want to get to know all of our applicants, so we ask that you not register for one of these virtual interviews if your child attended the in-person, individual meeting and campus tour with you.

Parents can register their child for the Google Meet Student Interview from the applicant's Online Checklist. This checklist is generated once an admission application is submitted. (We require the application in order for a student to register.)

Complete the Admission Application

Once submitted, an Online Checklist is generated. After the admission team processes the application (within 24 hours), please log back in (using the same login used for the application) and click on 'View Checklist'. From the checklist, you can continue with the required steps in the application process. 

Submit the admission application
Attend an Upper School Student Shadow Day

 As part of the application process, students applying to grades 5-11 are required to spend time at Porter-Gaud in their current grade. This day is designed to help our applicants get a feel for life as a Porter-Gaud student, and is an opportunity for us to get to know your child. We are happy to provide a school absence excuse.

Parents can register their child for a student visit day from the applicant's Online Checklist. This checklist is generated once an admission application is submitted. We require the application in order for a student to register and visit.

Keep in mind that dates fill quickly.

  • Tuesday, October 28, 2025 
  • Thursday, November, 6, 2025 
  • Tuesday, November 11, 2025 
  • Tuesday, December 2, 2025  
  • Thursday, January 15, 2026 
Review Tuition/Fees and Financial Aid

Take a moment to review our current Tuition and Fees, and familiarize yourself with the Financial Aid process if you plan to apply.

Tuition and Fees Information

Submit Three (3) Teacher/Principal Recommendation Forms

After completing the admission application, parents can log in to the parent portal and click on 'View Checklist' to send our specific recommendation forms electronically to the current math teacher, English teacher, and principal. 

Release of Records

Please click the link below, print the form, complete it, and then take it to your child's current school after the completion of the second quarter.

Release Of RecordS FORM 

This form authorizes your child's school to send standardized test scores, transcripts, and other required records directly to Porter-Gaud.

Please note that submitting this form prior to the end of the second quarter may delay your child's application, as we will receive only partial records.

Register for Admission Testing

Prospective students sit for the ISEE admission test, which is offered at Porter-Gaud in the months of November, December, and January. For students not local to Charleston, testing options are available online using the registration link below. Note: We can accept the SSAT in lieu of the ISEE testing in some cases.

Registration for a test date is required and typically shuts down a few weeks prior to the testing date. Please register as soon as possible.

  • Saturday, November 15 | 9:00 A.M. -12:00 P.M. - In-person on a computer 
  • Saturday, December 6 | 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. - In-person on a computer
  • Saturday, December 13 | 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. - In-person on paper
  • Saturday, January 10 | 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. - In-person on paper
  • Saturday, January 24 | 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. - In-person on paper
 

Register for ISEE Testing

Once on ERB’s registration site, select “Create an Account”  or “log in”.  Select the testing format of your choice and filter by grade level. (If asked, Porter-Gaud's code is 410412)

 

Tips to Preprar for ISEE |  How to Understand the ISEE Score Report

Admission Decision and Dates
  • Last day to begin the application process: Friday, January 23, 2026
  • Admission Materials Deadline (annual Decision Round): February 6, 2026
  • Admission Decisions Communicated to Families: Friday, March 6, 2026
  • Enrollment Deadline for Accepted Applicants: Friday, March 13, 2026

All applications received after the deadline will be considered on a rolling basis, provided space and financial aid funding (if applicable) remain available.