The process of applying to a new school can be confusing and overwhelming. So, at Odyssey, we make it as smooth and clear as possible. Please follow the four steps below.
At any point, you can contact Odyssey at admissions at odysseyms dot org, or by calling (650) 548-1500.
Step One: Getting to Know Odyssey
Our Website: Please visit our website at www.odysseyms.org to determine if our philosophy and mission are a good fit for you and your child's needs.
Open House: We hold Open Houses on October 6, November 10, December 1 and January 6, from 6:45pm to 8pm. Please contact us to let us know you are coming.
We hold School Tours every last Wednesday of the month at 8 am. Just call us to confirm your attendance at our Tour.
We also warmly welcome day visitors and can offer you a personalized “Open House” visit and tour.
Step Two: Completing an Application
a) Please fill out the application form online at our website. If you prefer a hard copy, contact us and we can mail you one.
b) Collect together your application materials. In one packet addressed to Admissions, Odyssey School, 201 Polhemus Road, San Mateo, CA 94402, please include the following:
i) Grades: Enclose copies of your child's previous two year's grades and/or evaluation reports. You should request these from your current school.
ii) Handwritten Essay: Enclose your child's handwritten essay on the topic “What are you looking for in a middle school?” It need be no more than two pages long.
iii) Photo: Please enclose a family picture with your application. This is simply for us to connect names to faces.
iv) Testing: Please submit your child's most recent scores from the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE). To register for the ISEE, go to www.iseetest.org. It costs $89 and students typically take the exam in fall or early winter of the year of application. If you are unable to take this exam, please contact us.
Please note that the Wechsler IV IQ test is not a mandatory part of our application. However, on review of your application, we may request that your child take this test.
v) Additional documentation: Please enclose any additional testing and/or documentation regarding your child's academic, medical, or psychological assessments. Odyssey's curriculum is academically rigorous and challenging. While we welcome students with learning differences and difficulties with attention, Odyssey is not suitable for students with significant learning differences or behavioral difficulties. Odyssey encourages applicants to fully disclose additional testing and documentation so that we can properly assess if Odyssey is the right fit.
vi) Application Fee: With your application, include a check for $70 payable to Odyssey School. You can also pay this fee online at the school's website.
c) Have two Letters of Recommendation sent to Odyssey. At least one letter needs to be from a current teacher. The other may be from any adult who works with your child. Religious staff, sport coaches, music instructors are all appropriate. A general letter addressing the student's academic strengths, character, peer relationships and work ethic is suitable. Recommenders may also use the standard Bay Area Independent School Recommendation Form. We can provide you with a copy of this, if you need one.
Step Three: Shadow Visit and Interview
Once we have received your complete application, we will contact you regarding a shadow visit. An Odyssey student will contact your child to explain the visit. We prefer that your child spend two days with us so that he/she and we can properly get to know each other. However, a one-day visit is possible.
Portfolio Presentation: During your child's visit, your child makes a creative arts presentation. This can involve performing a monologue, singing a song, showing a video they have made, displaying and discussing a painting, playing an instrument, doing a dance, or presenting a sculpture. We are interested in a single, short presentation from one area that takes about 4 minutes. This is about seeing how your child shares their passion for something they have done or created. This presentation does not take place in front of the whole school! It is simply shown to one teacher. If you have any questions about this, just contact us.
Interview: The Head of School will interview your child during the visit. The Head will also conduct a separate interview with the parents for 30 minutes.
Step Four: Admissions Decision
The deadline for submitting complete applications is January 28, 2011.
Admission and Flexible Tuition decision letters will be mailed on March 17, 2011.
We will observe a quiet period for one week while parents and students' decisions are being made.
You will be asked to decide to accept an offer of a place at Odyssey and enroll by noon on March 25, 2011.
Flexible Tuition:
Odyssey has a flexible tuition program and you can contact us for more information. Admissions decisions are made independently from flexible tuition decisions, and an application for flexible tuition is made separately.
Diversity and Inclusion Statement:
Odyssey is a diverse and inclusive school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, religion, sex, national origin, disability or age. We have an institutional commitment to diversity and encourage applications from families of diverse and underrepresented backgrounds.
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