Boston: applying for grades 5 and 6
Short answer
All three Boston-area schools in these guides admit new students into grade 6, and all three accept the ISEE for grade 6. Deadlines fall between January 10 and 15, 2027, and all three release decisions on March 10. Of the three, only Winsor admits a class into grade 5.
The three schools
- Milton AcademyGrade 6 · grade 5 as space allowsISEE, grade 6RequiredDeadlineJanuary 15, 2027
- The Winsor SchoolGrades 5 and 6ISEE, grade 6RequiredDeadlineJanuary 15, 2027
- Buckingham Browne & NicholsGrade 6 · grade 5 not listed in openingsISEE, grade 6RequiredDeadlineJanuary 10, 2027
The three schools keep a similar calendar: an account in the school's application portal in early fall, tours and interviews from September and October, the entrance test by mid-January, a January deadline, and decisions on the same day in March.
Grade 5 is where they differ. Winsor starts at grade 5 (Class I) and names grades 5 and 6 as primary entry points. Milton Academy fills grade 5 only when a place opens. BB&N does not list grade 5 among its estimated openings, though grade 5 applicants are asked to attend a classroom visit on January 22.
The three schools on one timeline
Today is October 25, 2026. Hover or tap a mark for the step.
This season's timeline (2026–27)
- August 2026 – mid-January 2027Entrance test. All three schools want it taken in the application year; Winsor recommends October or November.
- From September 2026Milton Academy: book the parent tour and interview in Ravenna; complete it by January 15.
- From October 13, 2026Winsor: student-led small-group tours, self-booked in Ravenna and released a few weeks at a time.
- October 24 and November 17, 2026BB&N: Lower School open house (passed) and a virtual information session for Lower School families.
- January 10, 2027BB&N: application and supporting documents due.
- January 15, 2027Milton Academy and Winsor: application, documents and test scores due; Winsor also asks that ISEE registration be done by this date.
- January 22, 2027BB&N: classroom visit for grade 2–5 applicants (required; not listed for grade 6).
- March 10, 2027Decisions at all three schools (Winsor at 3 p.m.).
As listed on each school's admissions pages on October 25, 2026. The school's pages are the authority.
Do these schools ask for the ISEE?
Grade 6. All three ask for an entrance test, and all three take the ISEE. Winsor lists only the ISEE for grades 5–8, and considers every score submitted rather than combining the best sections. Milton Academy and BB&N accept the ISEE or the SSAT; Milton specifies the ISEE Lower Level or SSAT Middle Level for grade 6.
Grade 5. Winsor requires the ISEE. Milton Academy does not state a test for grade 5. BB&N's pages differ: its application page places the test requirement on grades 6–11, while its FAQ says all candidates submit standardized testing. Ask the school before planning a test for a grade 5 applicant.
Common questions
Do all three Boston schools accept the ISEE for grade 6?
Yes. Winsor lists only the ISEE; Milton Academy and BB&N accept either the ISEE or the SSAT.
When are the deadlines and decisions?
BB&N on January 10, 2027; Milton Academy and Winsor on January 15. All three release decisions on March 10, 2027.
Which of these schools admits a class into grade 5?
Winsor. Milton Academy fills grade 5 only when a place opens, and BB&N does not list grade 5 among its estimated openings.