The Browning School

What kind of school is Browning?

The Browning School describes itself as the East Side's only K–12 boys' school. Its Lower School runs through grade 5, the Middle School is grades 6–8 and the Upper School grades 9–12, so grade 6 is the first year of the Middle School.

Does Browning admit grades 5 and 6?

Grade 6: yes. The school generally aims to enroll an additional 15 students in grade 6, alongside its kindergarten entry.

Grade 5: as space allows. Families may apply for any grade, since moves can open places. Appointments are limited and likely to fill before December 1; families who apply after that go on a waitlist.

Does Browning ask for the ISEE? Can the SSAT stand in?

Grade 6: required, either test. Grade 6 applicants submit the SSAT or ISEE, taken during the application year starting September 2026. School codes: ISEE 333490, SSAT 1906. The Character Skills Snapshot is optional.

Grade 5: not clear from the school's pages. The grades 1–5 steps list an applicant assessment and no test, and the file checklist asks for test results only from grade 6. The rolling admissions section says test scores are required for grades 5–12. Ask the admission office.

Does Browning publish score ranges?

No. The school's pages give no score ranges or minimum scores.

This season's timeline (2026–27)

Deadline or decisionsOther step

1. August 25, 2026Application opensApplication opens in Ravenna (noon).
2. September 8, 2026Booking opensFamilies can book appointments in Ravenna.
3. From September 2026Grade 6: take the SSAT or ISEE in this application year.
4. December 1, 2026Application and booking duePreliminary application and appointment booking due.
5. January 8, 2027Materials and aid dueSupplementary materials and tuition assistance applications due.
6. February 10, 2027Decisions, 4 p.m.Decisions for grades 1–8, no earlier than 4 p.m.
7. February 26, 2027Reply by noonEnrollment contract and deposit due by noon.

As listed on Browning's Apply Now and Admission pages on October 25, 2026. The apply page still carries an "Applying for 2026" heading next to its 2027–28 notice. The school's pages are the authority.

How do the interview and visits work?

Grade 6 families book a Middle School family visit with a student interview (about 1 hour 45 minutes), a one-on-one parent conversation on Zoom (30 minutes), and an optional Upper School tour. Grade 6 applicants also write an essay in Ravenna.

Grade 5 families book a parent tour with an applicant assessment (60 minutes), a Zoom question-and-answer session with school leaders, and a parent conversation.

How to prepare

A grade 6 applicant takes the ISEE Lower Level or the SSAT between September and the January 8 materials deadline. Book appointments early: the school expects them to fill before December 1. How often a child may sit the ISEE is covered in our ISEE guide.

Glentavo's practice tests follow the ISEE Lower Level format.

Common questions