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What is the Gateway to Prep Application?
The boarding or day school application process can be quite overwhelming when students apply to multiple schools. Luckily, many schools use the “Gateway to Prep” online application platform. This platform consolidates all of your information in one place to make applying to multiple private schools quick and easy. Read more about what the Gateway to Prep Schools application asks of potential students below!
Also see: Private vs public K-12: What to consider
Parts of the Gateway to Prep Schools application
Applicant profile
The first step to filling out the Gateway to Prep application is to complete the application profile. The application profile asks for basic information such as your first and last name as well as your address. Once you start filling out applications for schools through the Gateway to Prep application, the information that you filled out in the applicant profile section will automatically pre-fill. This will save you time when filling out multiple applications.
Checklist
The checklist portion of the Gateway to Prep application allows you to check on the status of all of your forms in one place. It provides the real time submission status of your:
- Applications
- Supplemental essays
- Additional forms
- Payment
Also see: High school checklist: Freshman through senior year
The “My schools” section
The “My schools” section allows you to view all schools that use the Gateway to Prep application. Here, you will be able to add and remove schools that you are interested in and/or applying to. You can also learn more about each school by clicking on the “i” (for “information”) next to the various school names.
Part 1
The Part 1 section contains the candidate profile form required by the schools that you added to your “My schools” page.
Payment
If one or more of the schools you are applying to through the Gateway to Prep require an application fee, you can pay it directly to the school through the payment section. If the school does not accept payment through the application, then it will provide you with an online payment link for that school.
Part 2
The Part 2 section contains all of the supplemental essay prompts required by the schools from your “My schools” section.
Part 3
The Part 3 section contains all of the recommendation forms required by the schools from your “My schools” section. To request a recommendation from your teachers, counselors, or other school officials, simply click on the request button within the Gateway to Prep application and enter their name and email address. Both Part 3 and the checklist section will automatically update when your recommendations are completed.
Related: How to ask for letters of recommendation
The “My advisers” section
The “My advisers” section allows you to invite one or more advisers to help monitor your progress on your applications. Granting someone access as an adviser allows them to access your checklists and gives them the ability to view the status of all of your forms. However, advisers are unable to read or edit your forms.
Don’t miss: Top summer programs for high school students
Key Takeaways
Also see: How to find K-12 scholarships
Frequently asked questions about the Gateway to Prep Schools application
Is there a charge to use the Gateway to Prep Schools application?
No! It is free to use the application. However, if a particular boarding or day school charges an application fee, then you can pay that school through the application portal. No additional fees or surcharges should be applied to your applications for using the platform.
How many schools use the Gateway to Prep Schools application?
Currently, there are 57 schools that use the Gateway application. This number can change depending on certain factors. Therefore, be sure to constantly check Gateway to Prep’s website for the most updated information.
What if the school I want is not on the Gateway to Prep application?
If your preferred school is not listed on the Gateway to Prep application, then you will have to apply to the school directly through their website or portal. Not every day or boarding school is listed, so be sure to do your research before starting your application!
