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EHS The Magazine
From the Archives: 19th Century Admissions
A 19th-century Episcopal student would likely be amazed at how comprehensive the School’s application process is today.
SSAT testing, essay writing, teacher recommendations, interviews, and campus visits make for a far more involved process than what was experienced by those applying back then. Since its earliest days, however, Episcopal has sought to attract the most qualified students to the School through admissions publications, including notices, pamphlets, and view books.
The admissions process has evolved gradually over the School’s long history. In the early 19th and even 20th centuries, an applicant’s parents would write to the Principal and request to enroll their son. The School’s head would reply by letter, letting the parents know if there was room for the next session. Over time, an application form was added to the process.
Through the Blackford years (1870-1913), admissions offers were extended in a rolling process until full enrollment was reached. This process often continued until the very start of school in early fall, unlike today when admissions decisions are announced online in March.
Until World War II, the admissions process was largely handled by the head of School. The period following World War II witnessed greater formalization of the admissions process with the introduction of admissions testing. Like its peer schools of the mid- 20th century, EHS administered its own unique admissions test. The test was administered on a Saturday and scored by a single individual. The results of the test were subsequently used for placement of newly enrolled students. These tests were supplanted by the SSAT in the late 1950s.
During the 1950s, Episcopal High School assigned its first Director of Admissions, William B. Ravenel, and it was during this time that the personal interview became a requirement for admission. With the construction of Penick Hall in 1981, the admissions process was removed from Hoxton House. Since then, the School has continued to attract the brightest and best students through the efforts of the Admissions Office and the student tour guides.
