International Applicants
The Application Process
Thank you for your interest in Western Reserve Academy! We're thrilled to get to know you throughout the application process. Please know that we are always an email or phone call away to answer questions and provide any kind of assistance.
Special note: WRA currently requests that international visitors delay their travel to campus. Please contact the Admission Office for more information.
International Applicants
Step 1: Inquire
Fill out our Inquiry form to start the Application process. Check your mailbox — we’ll email you our Viewbook and check your inbox for the next steps in this exciting adventure!
Step 2: Visit and Interview
Please contact Mr. Jordan Shriver at shriverj@wra.net to arrange a virtual visit of Western Reserve Academy and to schedule a Skype interview.
Please note that the interview is part of the application process.
Step 3: Required Testing
Update as of April 2020: Please contact Mr. Jordan Shriver at shriverj@wra.net to discuss testing options during this time.
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All applicants are required to submit an official score report for ONE of the following standardized tests. Please review the chart to determine which test is right for you.
SSAT
- To register for the SSAT click here
- WRA's school code is 8110.
ISEE
- Click here to register for the ISEE
- ISEE school code is 362655
Non-native English speakers are also required to submit an official score report for one of the following English proficiency exams.
TOEFL
- Click here to register for the TOEFL
- WRA's TOEFL school code is 8115
DUOLINGO
- Take the English test from Duolingo by clicking here.
IELTS
- Take the IELTS by clicking here.
An English proficiency exam is optional for the following applicans:
- Students who have been attending an English speaking school for 3+ years
- Students from China
Step 4: Apply
Start your Application! Apply to Western Reserve Academy using one of the following application portals:
- Western Reserve Academy uses the Standard Application Online (SAO). To learn more about using the SAO and begin your application, click here.
- Use the WRA Application.
All international applicants must submit a copy of their passport with the application.
Applicants from Greater China
Applicant Process
- Who is considered an applicant from China?
- Test Requirements
- Interview Process
- Come to an Admission Info Session
- Group Interview Dates
- Do parents need to come?
- How to schedule an interview
- Material Submission
Who is considered an applicant from China?
Every year we try to put together a well rounded class with students from diverse backgrounds. What we look at is the educational background a student brings to the classroom. Therefore, regardless whether an applicant has a green card or a passport other than PRC, if the student has received the majority of his or her education from a Chinese school, public or private, that applicant is considered an applicant from China.
If an applicant has received the majority of his or her education from an international school in China which only admits non-Chinese passport holders, he or she will be considered non-Chinese.
If an applicant with a PRC passport has attended a school in the US for a minimum of three years immediately prior to attending high school, he or she will be considered non-Chinese.
Test Requirements
All applicants are required to take the SSAT.
- To register for the SSAT click here
- WRA's school code is 8110.
TOEFL is optional. You can choose to submit your score or not. WRA uses a comprehensive interview process to evaluate an applicant's English. We care more about one's real English language ability than an often inflated TOEFL score through months of test prep.
Interview Process
All applicants from Greater China (including Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan) are required to have an in-person interview. Applicants and their families should contact WRA's Shanghai Admission Representative Ms. Jessie Chen, at chenj@wra.net and you may schedule your interview here.
Please note that the application must be started and the application fee paid before scheduling an interview.
Each interview session lasts 120-140 minutes. Applicants will be interviewed individually and put into a group of 4-6 for a reading and discussion exercise followed by timed writing.
This in-person group interview is REQUIRED.
A skype interview or Vericant cannot substitute this in-person group interview. We offer group interviews in many different cities in China throughout the admission season. For students that are currently studying in the US during the school year, we recommend you attend a group interview in China during your Christmas holiday. There are on campus group interviews at the end of February. If your parents are in China and cannot accompany you to come, please contact Jessie Chen.
Come to an Admission Info Session
Group Interview Dates
Nanjing: 11/2/2019
Wuhan: 11/3/2019
Chengdu: 11/30/2019
Xiamen: 12/15/2019
Beijing: 12/20/2019 - 12/22/2019
Shenzhen: 12/31/2019 - 1/1/2020
Shanghai: 12/28/2019 - 12/29/2019, 1/11/2020 - 1/12/2020, 1/18/2020, 2/9/2020
Shenzhen: 12/31/2019-1/1/2020
Hong Kong: 1/5/2020
On Campus: 2/29/2020 - 2/30/2020
Do parents need to come?
How to schedule an interview
- Start an online account on SSAT. fill out the basic information and pay for the application fee.
- Then schedule an interview on WRA website.
Material Submission
Our application deadline is January 17. We understand that your transcript, your recommendations and your test score may not be ready by Jan 17 . You must submit everything by February 14.
You may check the status of your application on the SSAT site yourself. If there is something missing, we will contact you. It is extremely important that you put on your application a working email address which you will check daily
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is WRA mainly a day school or boarding school?
- How many Chinese students are you going to admit for the 2019-20 school year?
- Do you offer ESL classes?
- Do you admit students for the spring semester?
- What is the admit rate?
- Will there be spaces for 11th and 12th grade?
- How do I schedule a campus visit?
- How do I prepare for the interview?
- When will admission decisions be announced?
Is WRA mainly a day school or boarding school?
How many Chinese students are you going to admit for the 2019-20 school year?
Do you offer ESL classes?
Do you admit students for the spring semester?
What is the admit rate?
Will there be spaces for 11th and 12th grade?
How do I schedule a campus visit?
You may email our admission office (admission@wra.net) to schedule a campus visit. We may be able to accommodate drop-ins. But please be aware of school holidays when school is closed. Please look at our calendar before you book your travels.
- If you are not able to come to campus, it will not hurt your chances.
- Even if you have visited campus, you are still required to do an in-person group interview.
How do I prepare for the interview?
Be yourself. It is to your benefit to showcase your true self. Being overly prepared for your interview can only hurt you. Don’t try to say what you think the interviewer wants to hear. Show your uniqueness! Be honest!
Don't bring any application material, DVDs or extra printed profiles of yourself.
When will admission decisions be announced?
Important Dates
February 14, 2020 — boarding student applications and Financial Aid paperwork due
March 10, 2020 — boarding student decisions released
Should you miss any application deadlines, you are encouraged to contact the Admission Office about space and financial aid availability.
Meet Your International Admission Representatives
