FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Marin Academy looking for in a student? Hide
We seek to enroll students who demonstrate a love of learning and have the ability to pursue a challenging college preparatory curriculum that is balanced by participation in a broad array of activities outside of the classroom such as athletics, service, the arts, and outdoor education. Our students and faculty work together to create an environment in which every member of our community can take on the greatest possible challenges- and succeed at them.
The Admissions Committee, comprised of faculty, administrators, and staff, assesses the information given on the parent and student applications. We make our academic assessment by looking at grades from the last two years and the final semester of the current year, the results of test scores and writing samples, as well as the recommendations from teachers and the school principal or counselor. The results of standardized test scores play an important role, as do extracurricular activities that reflect the student’s academic pursuits. We want to become familiar with a student’s extracurricular interests and personal characteristics and we use the information contained in the application as well as the impressions gleaned from the required interview with a member of our Admissions Committee.
We encourage applications from students of all races, national and ethnic origins, religions, and physical abilities. As diverse as they are, our students have one big thing in common- they are appreciatively immersed in an educational environment that encourages compassion and commitment. Marin Academy students are serious about learning and are already on a path towards becoming caring and responsible citizens. top
- What is your acceptance rate? Hide
In 2006-2007, we received approximately 460 applications. Our current ninth grade class is comprised of 100 students from 36 different middle schools.
- Which standardized tests are accepted with the application? Hide
Marin Academy accepts all major standardized tests administered in public, parochial, and independent schools. These are the California Achievement Test (CAT), CTBS, SSAT, ERB, and ISEE. For information about SSAT test dates and test locations, go to their website: www.ssat.org.
For more information visit Requirements.
- Does Marin Academy require a writing sample? Hide
Yes. For those students who do not plan to take the SSAT or ISEE and will instead submit one of the other exams we accept, you will need to complete the short writing sample on the day of your interview. Essay topics are straightforward, and there is no need to do additional preparation prior to completing the writing sample.
- Are school visits and Open Houses required of students who are applying to Marin Academy? Hide
Student visits days are not required, but are recommended as a way for prospective students and parents to learn more about the school.
Open Houses are also not required, but do help families assess Marin Academy together. Once you are in our database you will receive invitations to our Open Houses.
For more information go to Visit Us.
- Are interviews required for students who are applying to Marin Academy? Hide
Student interviews are required for admission to Marin Academy. Interviews are scheduled at half-hour intervals (usually between mid-November and late January). Interviews are informal conversations between one member of the Admissions Committee and the student.
For more information, go to Interviews.
- When will we be notified of the admissions decision? Hide
The admissions letters for incoming ninth grade students will be mailed on March 10, 2008. Students who are admitted will have 7-10 days to make a decision about which school they will attend.
- Do you accept transfer students? Hide
Our transfer acceptance rate is greatly influenced by attrition and class size. In the past few years we have admitted as few as one and as many as eleven transfer students in a given year. We do encourage students in good standing at their current school to submit an application.
- What is the curriculum like at Marin Academy? Hide
The curriculum is rigorously college preparatory with highly developed requirements in all academic areas, the arts and physical education. The academic program consists of over 100 course titles in seven departments. More than 60 elective courses are available across all disciplines, including Honors and Advanced Placement work in every department. The academic program is enhanced by an exemplary Visual and Performing Arts Department. For more information visit our Course Catalog.
The co-curricular programs include an ambitious outdoor education program, a required community service learning program, a required week of experiential education each spring and a well-developed interscholastic athletic program. For more information visit Student Life.
- Where do Marin Academy students go on to college? Hide
Marin Academy students apply to and are accepted at leading colleges and universities around the country. One hundred percent of our graduates will attend four-year colleges immediately after graduating from Marin Academy, about half of them out of state. For more information, CLICK HERE.
- How do you define diversity at Marin Academy? Hide
In its broadest application, diversity is about age, ability, family make-up, gender, race/ ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, size, and socioeconomic status. Marin Academy includes these social identifiers in its definition of diversity, but we understand it to encompass far more. Diversity is also about fairness, equity, and access to information; academics that are collaborative, student focused, and experiential as well as individual, teacher centered, and traditional; curricula that teach students to create and be responsible for their own work. It is about making connections between seemingly disparate issues and subjects.
Diversity is not always what we teach, but how we teach, who is in the room, and who is absent. It is about giving students and adults in our community the information they need to make choices about how they live and work. Marin Academy asks everyone to raise the question of diversity in every classroom, office, boardroom, hallway, and family living room. It accepts the responsibilities posed by education in a democratic society by actively maintaining a learning environment that is equitable, respectful, and supportive of individual and group progress. Marin Academy realizes that the process of multicultural living is a lifelong one, and that for some, the journey begins here.
- Do you have scholarships? Hide
We do not have merit scholarships. All financial aid is awarded to families based on need alone. For additional information about financial aid please request a packet with your admissions materials, visit our financing web page, or email us at admissions@ma.org.
