Enrollment FAQs

Independent schools are private, pre-collegiate learning institutions, governed by independent boards of trustees and funded through tuition, charitable contributions, and endowment income (as opposed to local and federal taxes).

Independent schools uphold high educational standards and are directly accountable to the parent/guardian body and the agencies that accredit them. Catlin Gabel is accredited by the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).

The quality of the educational experience is one of the leading reasons families choose independent schools. Compared to students in public, parochial, or other private schools, students at independent schools are enrolled in more advanced courses, are more likely to participate in sports, and report stronger relationships with their teachers.

At Catlin Gabel, students receive the best education available in Oregon. Families can expect small classes, brilliant teachers, talented and thoughtful peers, a diverse community, a beautiful campus, extraordinary experiences in the world and in nature, and highly engaged parents that value character, community, and achievement.

Tuition enables the school to continue offering an unparalleled educational experience for all students, from preschool through 12th grade. Choosing Catlin Gabel is a worthwhile investment in your future.

For our students, faculty, and staff, we value diversity of race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, socio-economic background, gender, sexual orientation, family structure, and more. Students of color make up 52% of the student body. We seek and support socio-economic diversity with a robust financial assistance program that provides need-based financial assistance to more than 27% of the students.

According to Niche (an independent school search website) Catlin Gabel is one of the most diverse private high schools in the Portland area.

The diversity of our community enriches the educational experience for all and allows us to help prepare our students to be culturally responsive world citizens. Learn more about Catlin Gabel’s efforts to promote diversity, equity, and belonging.

We are not currently accepting applications for exchange students. International students who intend to graduate from Catlin Gabel are welcome to apply as long as they are living with a parent, relative, or legal guardian. If you have questions regarding the application process for international students, please contact Mary Braun, Director of Upper School Enrollment.

• Transportation
• Food Service
• Health & Safety
• Before and After School Programs
• Technology

• Prospective families submit applications and financial assistance applications
• Families tour campus (required for Beginning & Lower School applicants, optional for Middle and Upper School)
• Student applicants complete a Shadow Day (Middle and Upper School) or Visit Day (Beginning & Lower School)
• Admission committees review applications
• Catlin Gabel's Enrollment Team begins building student cohorts based on student fit, application strength, space availability, and other variables
• Financial assistance applications are reviewed
• Admission offers are extended
• Admitted students accept or decline offers
• Some waitpool applicants are admitted on a rolling basis to fill open spots

Applications are reviewed by admission committees that include teachers, division heads, learning specialists, and enrollment staff. We take a holistic look at each applicant file, with every component of the application playing a vital part of the admission decision.

Application materials vary by grade, and may include student questions, parent/guardian questions, confidential teacher evaluations, school records, and notes from the student visit or shadow day.

We seek students who love learning, are naturally curious, and show an affinity for being a member of a tight-knit community of learners.

• In the Beginning and Lower School, we look for children who can comfortably navigate transitions, manage the expectations of different teachers, and treat others respectfully.
• In our Middle and Upper Schools, we look for leadership potential and academic preparation. We seek students who will take full advantage of our curricular and co-curricular offerings.

We also aim to have classrooms with students representing the world around them: a mix of athletes and artists, writers and scientists, from a spectrum of socioeconomic, religious, racial, ethnic, and educational backgrounds.

We look for a diverse group of new students to fill our classrooms, so please be yourself! It also helps to demonstrate interest/curiosity throughout the admission process, put time into your application, and take advantage of tours, visits, and shadow days so you can become familiar with Catlin Gabel’s campus and culture.

Financial need is one of many considerations taken into account when selecting students for admission. As an independent school, full-paying families play a critical role in funding school operations, while also allowing us to offer need-based financial assistance to a portion of qualifying applicants.

While we would love to admit every applicant who sees themself at Catlin Gabel, spaces are limited. In order to create balanced, diverse cohorts, we must consider the available spots in each grade, gender ratio, and financial need, among other factors.

Read more FAQ on financial assistance and tuition.

No. All students admitted to Catlin Gabel are required to meet the standards for admission. While a special relationship to Catlin Gabel is noted during the admission process, it carries no more weight than other factors such as academic preparation, character, and curiosity.

Yes. The Clarity Financial Aid application will automatically waive the fee for qualifying households. For the online admission application, please complete the Fee Waiver Request Form. For the Clarity Financial Aid application, the system will automatically waive the fee for qualifying households.

Yes! Catlin Gabel’s campus is the heart of our community. To get a true sense of our school culture and student life, visiting is essential.

• Beginning & Lower School: Campus tours are required as part of the admissions process.
• Middle and Upper School: Campus tours are optional. Shadow days are required.

Yes. The application process starts over every September. The application fee is waived for re-applicants.

Every year we welcome around 116 new students. Our main entry points are preschool, kindergarten, 6th, 7th, and 9th grade. However, we enroll new students in every grade each year.

Unfortunately, we cannot admit everyone to Catlin Gabel, and some applicants are placed in the wait pool. The wait pool isn't a ranked list. If an opening occurs, we select an applicant who has the best potential to fill the needs of the class. Openings can occur any time between our initial offers of admission in March and shortly before school starts in September. We don't admit students after the start of the school year.

We do not carry over our wait pool from year to year. The application process starts over every September. We ask applicants who wish to apply for admission again to complete a new online application by the published deadline.

No. We keep meticulous records of everyone in our wait pool, and will email periodic updates to families throughout the spring and summer. If an opening occurs, we review all eligible candidates and will notify our selection who best fills the spot. Please contact us if you wish to have your child removed from the wait pool, if your contact information changes, or if you will be traveling without phone or email access.

No. When we make an offer of admission from the wait pool, we’ll make several attempts to reach you via telephone and email with the contact information you provided on the application.

Every year we admit some students from the wait pool. The number varies from year to year, depending on the enrollment rate of our admitted applicants.

Yes. We only offer admission to students when there is an opening in a specific grade.

Yes, we do consider community families in the wait pool and try to prioritize those applicants when possible should an opening at that grade level occur.