This is not an official school page; confirm requirements on each school’s admissions page.
What this page covers
This section answers which schools are included and what the table records. The page covers independent and parochial schools across Massachusetts: Boston and its inner suburbs, from Brookline, Newton and Cambridge to Belmont, Weston, Wellesley, Dedham and Milton; the South Shore around Hingham and Braintree; and the boarding schools spread from Andover, Groton, Concord and Southborough out to Deerfield, Northfield, Byfield, Ashburnham and the Berkshires. Boston’s public exam schools are not in the directory, because the ISEE is an independent-school admission test.
For each school the table lists the grades enrolled, the tests the school accepts, whether a test is required or optional, the ISEE level that corresponds to each entry grade, and whether the school offers boarding. The counts shown above the table are calculated from these records rather than written into this text, so they change as records are added or re-checked.
How to read the table
This section explains the columns. The grades column is the span the school enrolls, which is not the same as the grades open for applications; a boarding school enrolling grades 9–12 admits almost all of its students at grade 9, while a K–12 day school may admit at kindergarten, grade 6 and grade 9. The ISEE levels column lists the levels that follow from the school’s entry grades, using the grade-to-level mapping published by E3n: applicants to grades 2, 3 and 4 take Primary 2, 3 or 4; applicants to grades 5–6 take the Lower Level; applicants to grades 7–8 take the Middle Level; applicants to grades 9–12 take the Upper Level.
The policy column records what the school states. A school marked “Required” names a test as a required part of the application for its main ISEE entry grade; a school marked “Optional” accepts a score without requiring one. A school marked “See admissions page” has a page that does not name a test. The table never records minimum scores, and ISEEPrep lists no score cutoffs for any school.
The ISEE below grade 9, the SSAT from grade 9
This section describes a pattern that is more common in Massachusetts than anywhere else in this directory. A number of Boston-area schools set the test by entry grade: applicants to grades 6, 7 and 8 take the ISEE, and applicants to grade 9 and above take the SSAT. The note in each such school’s record keeps the school’s wording. The practical consequence is that the entry grade decides not only which ISEE level applies but, at these schools, which test applies at all. A family with a child entering grade 7 can prepare for the ISEE Middle Level; the same family, for a child entering grade 9 at the same school, should read the ISEE vs. SSAT page and plan for the SSAT.
A smaller group of schools, most of them boarding schools that admit mainly at grade 9, lists the SSAT only. They appear in the table so that a family can see the full picture before registering for either test.
Boarding schools and the Upper Level
This section is for the families who make Massachusetts a destination from across the country and abroad. The boarding column marks each school that offers boarding, and most of them accept the ISEE alongside the SSAT. Because these schools admit mainly at grade 9, the Upper Level is the level most Massachusetts applicants take, and the entry-grade table below the school list shows how far grade 9 outweighs the other entry points here. Boarding applications involve more materials and interviews than day applications and often an earlier deadline, so a family considering one should settle the test date first. The Upper Level page describes the sections, timing and the parts of the test that most often decide the outcome.
Matching the entry grade to the level
This section explains the one decision that comes before everything else. The ISEE level is fixed by the grade the student is applying to enter, not by the grade the student currently attends. A student in grade 5 applying to grade 6 takes the Lower Level, and a student in grade 8 applying to grade 9 takes the Upper Level. Choosing the wrong level is not a small error: the score report names the level taken, and admission offices read it against the entry grade. The levels guide sets out all six entry points.
Timing an application in this area
This section covers the order in which the pieces fall. A student may take the ISEE once per testing season and up to three times in a school year, so the practical plan is to test in the fall season and keep the winter season in reserve. Boarding schools in particular set deadlines in the winter for the following fall, and the deadline column records each date as the school publishes it. The test dates page explains the seasons and how far in advance to register. Score reports are sent to the schools the family selects, so the list of target schools should be settled before the first test.
How to confirm a school
This section gives a four-step check that works for any school on the list. First, open the school’s admissions page from the link in the table. Second, confirm the grade the student is applying to enter and whether that grade is open for applications this year. Third, read which tests the school accepts for that grade and whether the test is required or optional. Fourth, note the deadline and the score-sending method. The schools guide describes these steps in more detail.
Preparation support for Massachusetts families
Families applying to Massachusetts schools work with ISEEPrep online: a diagnostic to confirm the level and find the weakest section, a plan that counts back from the earliest deadline on the family’s list, and one-to-one tutoring or the online learning system from there. The consultation is free and involves no admission promises.
Schools in this area that accept the ISEE
54 schools in this area are in the directory. 44 accept the ISEE (3 list the ISEE only and 41 accept either the ISEE or the SSAT); 6 list the SSAT only; 2 use only the school’s own assessment; 1 use another external test; 1 have admissions pages that do not state a test, so families should confirm with the admissions office. Confirm with each school’s admissions page for the current year; this is not an official school page and no cut-off scores are listed.
| School | City | Grades | Tests accepted | Policy | ISEE levels | Boarding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phillips Academy | Andover | 9-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Upper Level | Yes |
| Cushing Academy | Ashburnham | 9-12 | SSAT | Optional | Upper Level | Yes |
| Belmont Day School | Belmont | PK-8 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level | No |
| Belmont Hill School | Belmont | 7-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Middle Level, Upper Level | Yes |
| Boston College High School | Boston | 7-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Boston Trinity Academy | Boston | 6-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Boston University Academy | Boston | 9-12 | SSAT | Required | Upper Level | No |
| Commonwealth School | Boston | 9-12 | SSAT | Required | Upper Level | No |
| The Winsor School | Boston | 5-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Archbishop Williams High School | Braintree | 7-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Thayer Academy | Braintree | 5-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Dexter Southfield | Brookline | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Park School | Brookline | PK-8 | ISEE or SSAT | Optional | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level | No |
| The Governor's Academy | Byfield | 9-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Upper Level | Yes |
| Buckingham Browne & Nichols School | Cambridge | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Shady Hill School | Cambridge | PK-8 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level | No |
| Beaver Country Day School | Chestnut Hill | 6-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Brimmer and May School | Chestnut Hill | PK-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Concord Academy | Concord | 9-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Upper Level | Yes |
| Middlesex School | Concord | 9-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Upper Level | Yes |
| The Fenn School | Concord | 4-9 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| St. John's Preparatory School | Danvers | 6-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Optional | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Noble and Greenough School | Dedham | 7-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Middle Level, Upper Level | Yes |
| Deerfield Academy | Deerfield | 9-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Upper Level | Yes |
| Charles River School | Dover | PK-8 | School’s own assessment | Not required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level | No |
| Williston Northampton School | Easthampton | 7-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Optional | Middle Level, Upper Level | Yes |
| Applewild School | Fitchburg | PK-9 | School’s own assessment | Not required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | Yes |
| The MacDuffie School | Granby | 6-12 | See admissions page | — | Lower Level | Yes |
| Groton School | Groton | 8-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Middle Level, Upper Level | Yes |
| Lawrence Academy | Groton | 9-12 | SSAT | Optional | Upper Level | Yes |
| Derby Academy | Hingham | PK-8 | ISEE | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level | No |
| Notre Dame Academy | Hingham | 6-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Central Catholic High School | Lawrence | 9-12 | Other external test | Required | Upper Level | No |
| Tabor Academy | Marion | 9-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Optional | Upper Level | Yes |
| Milton Academy | Milton | K-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | Yes |
| Northfield Mount Hermon | Mount Hermon | 9-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Optional | Upper Level | Yes |
| St. Sebastian's School | Needham | 7-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart | Newton | 5-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| The Fessenden School | Newton | PK-9 | ISEE or SSAT | Optional | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | Yes |
| Brooks School | North Andover | 9-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Upper Level | Yes |
| Miss Hall's School | Pittsfield | 9-12 | SSAT | Optional | Upper Level | Yes |
| Austin Preparatory School | Reading | 6-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Berkshire School | Sheffield | 9-12 | SSAT | Optional | Upper Level | Yes |
| Pingree School | South Hamilton | 9-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Optional | Upper Level | No |
| Fay School | Southborough | PK-9 | ISEE or SSAT | Optional | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | Yes |
| St. Mark's School | Southborough | 9-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Upper Level | Yes |
| Dana Hall School | Wellesley | 6-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level | Yes |
| Catholic Memorial | West Roxbury | 7-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Optional | Middle Level | No |
| The Roxbury Latin School | West Roxbury | 7-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Cambridge School of Weston | Weston | 9-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Optional | Upper Level | Yes |
| The Meadowbrook School | Weston | JK-8 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level | No |
| The Rivers School | Weston | 6-12 | ISEE or SSAT | Required | Lower Level, Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Xaverian Brothers High School | Westwood | 7-12 | ISEE | Required | Middle Level, Upper Level | No |
| Acera School | Winchester | K-8 | ISEE | Required | Primary 2, Primary 3, Primary 4, Lower Level, Middle Level | No |
Source: each school’s own admissions page, with a check date recorded per school; the levels column is derived from each school’s entry grades and the level-to-grade mapping used by E3n. 1 school whose admissions page does not state a test requirement are marked “See admissions page”.
Entry grades across the area
The table counts how many ISEE-accepting schools in this area have an entry point at the grades each level covers. A school can appear under more than one level.
| Level | Applying to | Schools with an entry point |
|---|---|---|
| Primary 2 | grade 2 | 11 |
| Primary 3 | grade 3 | 11 |
| Primary 4 | grade 4 | 13 |
| Lower Level | grades 5–6 | 24 |
| Middle Level | grades 7–8 | 32 |
| Upper Level | grades 9–12 | 36 |
18 of the ISEE-accepting schools offer boarding.
Frequently asked questions
Do Massachusetts boarding schools accept the ISEE?
Most of them do, usually alongside the SSAT, and the boarding column in the table marks each one. A few boarding schools that admit mainly at grade 9 list the SSAT only; a family applying to one of those needs an SSAT score, and the ISEE vs. SSAT page explains how the two tests differ.
Why do some Massachusetts schools name the ISEE for grades 6–8 and the SSAT for grade 9?
Several schools in the Boston area set the test by entry grade: applicants to the middle grades take the ISEE and applicants to grade 9 and above take the SSAT. The record for each such school keeps that wording in its note. A family applying to grade 9 at one of these schools should plan for the SSAT even though the school accepts the ISEE at lower grades.
Which ISEE level does a student take for a Massachusetts school that admits at grade 6 and grade 9?
The level follows the grade the student is applying to enter. An applicant to grade 6 takes the Lower Level and an applicant to grade 9 takes the Upper Level. Grade 9 is the largest entry point in this state because of the boarding schools, so the Upper Level is the level most Massachusetts applicants take.
Are the Boston public exam schools in the table?
No. Boston's public exam schools are not independent schools, and the directory covers independent and parochial schools only. Families interested in those schools should use the city's own admissions process.
When do Massachusetts schools need ISEE scores?
Each school sets its own deadline, and the deadline column records the date as the school publishes it. Boarding schools in particular set deadlines in the winter for the following fall. Because a student may test once per season and at most three times in a school year, families usually test in the fall season and keep the winter season in reserve.
How current is the information?
Each record carries the date it was checked against the school's admissions page, and this page is scheduled for review every three months. Admission policies change by year, so the school's page for the entry year governs, including whether a test is required and when scores must arrive.
Sources2 sources · checked 2026-10-01
Last reviewed 2026-10-01 · Next review 2027-01-01 · Reviewed by ISEEPrep teaching team