Grades Kindergarten through Five

The main Lower School entry points are at kindergarten, prep-one, and first grades. Openings in grades two through five are limited, but applications are welcome since unexpected openings may occur.

Boys with birthdays between October 1, 2012, and September 30, 2013, are evaluated for kindergarten or prep-one for enrollment in September 2018; these assessments begin in November.

Boys who are in kindergarten and have birthdays prior to October 1, 2012, are initially evaluated for first grade or prep-one (placement into a specific grade is determined upon completion of the admission process); assessments begin in November.

The following information is designed to help you through the admissions process. Please use this as a guide, but always feel free to call if you have any questions.

Visit:

Parents are encouraged to attend our Lower School Parent Visiting Days; learn more and register here. If you are unable to join us at one of our visiting mornings, please contact Danielle Moran to schedule a visit. We always welcome scheduling additional tours if needed.

Application:

Completing the online application form is the first step in the admissions process. Space is provided for any information you would like to share about your son. The $50 application fee is paid when you submit your online application. Application fee waivers are available for siblings of currently enrolled students and sons of alumni. Please contact Danielle Moran to obtain your code.

Gilman is one of the Baltimore area schools using a web-based application called Ravenna for the submission of online applications. Ravenna allows you to efficiently apply to schools and track the status of your application online. Additionally, through Ravenna you will be able to schedule admission events and view decision notification.

To begin your application, go to Ravenna and create an account. Make sure to create your account using an email address you will have access to throughout the admission season as this will be your primary email contact with our school.

If at any point you should have a question about Ravenna and your application, please contact them at help@ravennasolutions.com. Ravenna is happy to answer your inquiry by phone, however, they require that all support inquiries are initiated through the email address you used to create your Ravenna account. It is important that they are able to validate your access to any information about your applicant’s account to protect your privacy.

Record Release Form:

This form should be given directly to your son's current school. It authorizes his current school to send us his records, which are necessary to complete the application process.

Common Referral Form:

This is a form that should be given to your son's current school along with the Release Form. Your son's school will give this form to his teacher(s) to fill out and return to Gilman. Generally, this form will be returned with your son's records. This form is a necessary part of the process.

Confidentiality:

Gilman retains an applicant's information in the strictest confidence, as defined in the Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools (AIMS) Policy Statement on Confidentiality of Student Recommendations.

Parent Interview:

After you submit your son's application, the Admissions Office will be in touch to schedule your parent interview to learn more about your family.

Assessment:

Kindergarten, prep-one, and first grade applicants come for a morning assessment from 8:45 a.m.-11:45 a.m. Placement in a specific grade is determined upon completion of the admissions process. Please contact Danielle Moran to schedule testing dates.

Parents are not required to stay during assessment; however, should you wish to do so, "another look" tours will be available (tours are also part of the Visiting Day program).

Applicants for grades two through five visit Gilman on Saturday, January 6, 2018. The boys are given standardized achievement and ability tests, are evaluated informally by teachers, and are asked to complete a writing sample. Qualified applicants who cannot be accepted initially due to the limited number of spaces will be placed in a wait pool.

Notification Date:

The Admissions Committee will review all applications and make decisions during the month of February. You will learn our decision on February 16, 2018, and those accepted will have until March 2, 2018, to return the enrollment contract and deposit.

Families applying for Financial Aid must complete the SSS online application.