How to Get Into St. Paul’s School: Acceptance Rate, College Matriculation, and Admission Strategy
By Rona Aydin
TL;DR: St. Paul’s School’s acceptance rate is approximately 13-16% (St. Paul’s Office of Admission; institutional reporting 2024-25), placing it among the most selective independent boarding schools in the world. Uniquely among Ten Schools members, St. Paul’s is 100% boarding (no day students), with all 542 students residing on the historic 2,000-acre campus in Concord, New Hampshire. Founded in 1856 by George Cheyne Shattuck Jr., St. Paul’s is an Episcopal institution with deep Anglican roots. Boarding tuition for 2024-25 was approximately $68,353. Based on 2023 data, 71.7% of accepted students chose to enroll, one of the highest yield rates among elite boarding schools. For families navigating St. Paul’s admission strategy or planning college applications during the St. Paul’s years, schedule a consultation with Oriel Admissions.
What is St. Paul’s School’s acceptance rate?
St. Paul’s School’s acceptance rate is approximately 13-16% in recent cycles (St. Paul’s Office of Admission; institutional reporting via boarding school admissions aggregators 2024-25). College Confidential reported a 12% acceptance rate based on Revisit Day data, with applications exceeding 1,600 per cycle. The school admits approximately 150-175 new students per year, with the entirety of the enrollment of 542 students residing on campus (the distinguishing 100% boarding model).
Strong applicants present academic profiles in the top 5-10% of their middle school class, standardized test scores at or above the 90th percentile on the SSAT or ISEE, two to three teacher recommendations, a student essay, parent statement, and admission interview. St. Paul’s applicant pool reflects deep national and international reach: in 2023-24, 48% of students identified as people of color, 22% were international students, and the student body represented 37 states and 28 countries. The school is a member of the Eight Schools Association and the Ten Schools Admission Organization.
Where do St. Paul’s graduates matriculate to college?
St. Paul’s College matriculation outcomes rank among the strongest at any US secondary school. The recent matriculation pattern includes substantial enrollment at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Penn, Columbia, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Stanford, MIT, and the elite non-Ivies. The five-year matriculation list also includes top liberal arts colleges (Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swarthmore, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Wesleyan) and elite public flagships. The school’s 71.7% admitted-student yield rate (based on 2023 data) demonstrates strong family commitment to enrollment once admitted.
St. Paul’s notable alumni include Senator John Kerry, FBI Director Robert Mueller, Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau, financier Edward Harkness (who funded the Harkness method that defines Phillips Exeter Academy), publisher William Randolph Hearst, and many influential figures in finance, government, and the arts. The school’s historical and institutional Anglican connections distinguish it from peer Ten Schools members. For broader context on elite US universities’ acceptance rates, see our Ivy League acceptance rates analysis.
| Matriculation Tier | Approx. Share of Class | Representative Schools |
|---|---|---|
| Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT (HYPSM) | Substantial | Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, MIT |
| Top-25 US Universities | Substantial | Penn, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Columbia, Duke, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Caltech |
| Top-50 US Universities | Substantial | Vanderbilt, Rice, Carnegie Mellon, WashU, Notre Dame, UVA, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Michigan, UNC |
| Elite Liberal Arts Colleges | Substantial | Williams, Amherst, Pomona, Swarthmore, Bowdoin, Middlebury, Wellesley |
Source: St. Paul’s College Counseling Office published matriculation data; institutional reporting via boarding school admissions aggregators 2024-25.
What does it cost to attend St. Paul’s School?
St. Paul’s School’s 2024-25 boarding tuition was approximately $68,353 (St. Paul’s Business Office published rates). Because St. Paul’s is 100% boarding, there is no separate day tuition – every enrolled student is a boarder, which simplifies tuition planning. Additional costs include textbooks, personal expenses, optional programs, athletic equipment, and senior-year college application costs. Total cost of attendance approaches $74,000-$76,000 per year before financial aid.
St. Paul’s operates one of the most generous financial aid programs in US secondary education. U.S. families with annual household incomes of $150,000 or below generally qualify for full tuition support (St. Paul’s School Office of Admission). Approximately 38% of St. Paul’s students receive financial aid, with the school’s $12.6 million financial aid budget supporting an average grant near $60,500. The school commits to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need for every admitted student with no gaps. St. Paul’s $759.3 million endowment (June 2024), one of the largest in US secondary education, supports the aid program along with the school’s instructional and operational expenses.
What makes St. Paul’s distinctive among elite boarding schools?
Three institutional features distinguish St. Paul’s School from peer boarding schools. First, the 100% boarding model: every St. Paul’s student lives on campus, creating a residential community experience unmatched among Ten Schools peers (each of which enrolls 15-35% day students). The school’s 542 students and 100 teachers all live and learn together, creating an unusually immersive community. Second, the 2,000-acre campus: one of the largest US boarding school campuses, with 25 miles of wooded trails, four ponds, and the upper third of the Turkey River traversing the property.
Third, the school’s Episcopal heritage and traditions: founded in 1856, St. Paul’s maintains an Anglican identity that includes Anglo-Catholic chapel services and language drawn from English public schools (forms, removes, evensong, matins). The school is also a historical cradle of American ice hockey – the school and Concord more broadly were among the earliest US homes for ice hockey. The “All are welcome” motto inscribed outside the Chapel reflects the contemporary school’s commitment to community inclusion across backgrounds and traditions. For families weighing the broader value of elite educational pathways, see our ROI analysis on elite education.
When and how should families apply to St. Paul’s?
The St. Paul’s application timeline runs on a defined annual cycle. The application deadline is January 15 for entry in September that year. St. Paul’s accepts the Gateway to Prep School Application (recommended) or the Standard Application Online (SAO). Required materials include school transcripts from the current and prior two academic years, SSAT or ISEE standardized test scores, two to three teacher recommendations, a student essay, parent statement, and admission interview.
Interviews can be conducted on campus, virtually, or with St. Paul’s representatives in major metropolitan areas. On-campus interviews are strongly preferred and pair with a campus tour through the 2,000-acre property. Decisions are typically released on March 10. Most St. Paul’s applicants are also applying to Phillips Exeter, Phillips Andover, Choate, Deerfield, Hotchkiss, and Lawrenceville; the strategic baseline is to apply to 4-8 boarding schools across selectivity tiers. Families considering 100% boarding should be confident about full residential commitment before applying.
How does St. Paul’s compare to other Ten Schools peers?
St. Paul’s (542 students) is among the smaller Ten Schools members, comparable to Hill (527-539) and Taft (600) but materially smaller than Phillips Exeter, Phillips Andover, Lawrenceville, and Choate (each 800+). The 13-16% acceptance rate is among the most selective in the Ten Schools peer set. Tuition at $68,353 is competitive with Phillips Exeter ($69,537), Hotchkiss ($71,170), and below Phillips Andover ($76,731), Hill ($78,300), and Taft ($75,250).
St. Paul’s most distinctive comparative position among Ten Schools peers is its 100% boarding model – no peer Ten Schools member operates a fully residential structure. The 2,000-acre campus is materially larger than peer school campuses. The Episcopal heritage, while contemporary practice is broadly welcoming, gives St. Paul’s a distinctive religious-cultural identity within the peer set. Geographic positioning: Concord, New Hampshire, is one hour north of Boston, in a rural state capital setting.
How does St. Paul’s prepare students for elite college admissions?
St. Paul’s College Counseling Office maintains established relationships with admissions offices at virtually every selective US university. Each senior is assigned a college counselor in junior year who works closely with the family through the application process. St. Paul’s students benefit from the school’s 100+ course offerings, Independent Study Projects, internships, a Classical Honors program, and one of the only high school glassblowing hot shops in the country. The 100% boarding model produces the kind of substantive faculty-student relationships that result in strong recommendation letters.
Selective university admissions officers read St. Paul’s applications in the context of historical St. Paul’s cohorts. Students who pursue the most rigorous coursework, engage substantively with the residential community, and develop strong relationships with faculty for recommendation letters tend to compete strongly. The institutional alumni network at top universities, particularly in Anglophile and East Coast establishment institutional environments, is among the deepest of any US secondary school. For families seeking additional strategic support that complements the school’s College Counseling Office, independent advising from Oriel Admissions can supplement what St. Paul’s provides. For school-list construction principles, see our reach, match, and safety school guide.
What does the day student experience at St. Paul’s look like?
St. Paul’s does NOT enroll day students – the school operates a 100% boarding model where every student resides on campus. Families considering St. Paul’s must commit to full residential enrollment, which differs from peer Ten Schools members (each of which enrolls 15-35% day students). The 2,000-acre rural campus and the school’s deep residential traditions make day enrollment institutionally unworkable, and the school has consciously preserved this fully boarding model.
For families based in the Concord, Manchester, or southern New Hampshire region who would otherwise consider day enrollment at a peer school, St. Paul’s is not a viable option. Such families should consider Phillips Exeter Academy (which enrolls approximately 19% day students from the seacoast NH and northern MA region) or another peer school with a day-student program. The full residential commitment that St. Paul’s requires is also part of what creates the school’s distinctive community culture, which families considering the school value as a defining feature.
Frequently Asked Questions About St. Paul’s School
St. Paul’s School’s acceptance rate is approximately 13-16% in recent cycles, with some sources reporting as low as 12% based on Revisit Day data. The school admits approximately 150-175 new students per year from an applicant pool exceeding 1,600 candidates. The 71.7% admitted-student yield rate (based on 2023 data) is among the highest in US elite boarding schools.
St. Paul’s graduates matriculate to top US universities at rates competitive with the strongest US secondary schools. The matriculation list includes every Ivy League institution plus elite non-Ivies, top liberal arts colleges, and elite public flagships. Notable alumni include Senator John Kerry, FBI Director Robert Mueller, and many influential figures in finance, government, and the arts.
St. Paul’s 2024-25 boarding tuition was approximately $68,353. U.S. families with household incomes of $150,000 or below generally qualify for full tuition support. Approximately 38% of SPS students receive financial aid, with the school’s $12.6 million aid budget supporting an average grant near $60,500. The school commits to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need.
St. Paul’s operates a 100% boarding model where every student resides on campus – the only Ten Schools member with this fully residential structure. The 2,000-acre rural campus, founding traditions, and Episcopal heritage support this model. The school’s 542 students and 100 teachers all live and learn together, creating an unusually immersive community.
The St. Paul’s application deadline is January 15 for entry the following September. Required materials include the Gateway to Prep School Application or SAO, school transcripts, SSAT or ISEE scores, two to three teacher recommendations, student essay, parent statement, and admission interview. Decisions are typically released on March 10.
St. Paul’s (542 students) is materially smaller than Exeter and Andover (~1,100 each). The 13-16% acceptance rate is comparable to Andover (13%) and Exeter (13-18%). The defining difference is the 100% boarding model: St. Paul’s enrolls no day students, while Exeter has ~19% day students and Andover has ~27%. St. Paul’s 2,000-acre campus is also materially larger than peer school campuses.
No. St. Paul’s operates a 100% boarding model and does not enroll day students. Families based in the Concord, Manchester, or broader southern New Hampshire region who want a day-enrollment option should consider Phillips Exeter Academy (which enrolls approximately 19% day students from the seacoast NH and northern MA region) or another peer school with a day program.
St. Paul’s provides rigorous academic preparation, a College Counseling Office with established relationships at most selective universities, and an applicant identity that admissions committees recognize as well-prepared. The deep institutional alumni network at top universities, particularly in East Coast establishment environments, is among the deepest of any US secondary school. However, attending St. Paul’s does not guarantee Ivy or elite admission; families should still engage in strategic college planning.
Sources: St. Paul’s School Office of Admission; Wikipedia institutional history; Boarding School Review profile; Ten Schools Admission Organization profile; National Center for Education Statistics; Gateway to Prep School Application.
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