Los Angeles private school admissions · K–12
A strong application can still get a no.
At LA's most competitive private schools, most applicants are turned away, and almost none are told why.
Rejectio studies where applications fall short. We call this Rejection Intelligence, and we help your family use it: which stories are worth telling, what's worth strengthening, what's worth leaving out, and what's outside your control. All before the school decides.
Why "Rejectio"? Because a no teaches more than a yes. And no, you don't need one to work with us.
Let's talk about your school list, application, interview or next step after a decision. Your first conversation is free, with no obligation.
24%
Harvard-Westlake's admit rate, 2023-24
Source: Harvard-Westlake Chronicle, citing the admissions officeRarely explained
Schools almost never tell a family why they said no.
An acceptance doesn't tell you much. A rejection does.
Typical admissions advice follows a simple playbook: look at the families who got in, then copy their approach. But every admitted family did a dozen things, and no one can say which ones counted.
A rejection won't reveal the committee's reasoning, but it does point to choices worth reconsidering: the school list, the examples in the writing, the preparation for the interview.
We talk with families who were turned away to understand what they experienced. Then, we help families see what they can strengthen, where they can add color and texture, and what's outside their control.
Two sentences. Only one tells a school something.
"Our daughter is curious, creative and a natural leader."
Sounds strong. Tells the school almost nothing.
"She spent three weekends building a cardboard theater, then recruited her cousins to stage the story she'd written."
Now the school can picture her.
Generic sentences like the first are everywhere in applications. Specific ones like the second give a school something to remember. Finding your child's real examples is where a second set of eyes helps most.
Illustrative example, not a client case.
Talk about your parent statement →Where are you in the process?
Build a list around your child, your family and realistic entry points.
Talk about your school list →Find the examples that make your writing specific and your choices credible.
Talk about your application →Help your child feel comfortable talking about themselves, and prepare for your own conversation too.
Talk about interviews →Understand your options and make a practical plan for what comes next.
Talk through your decision →Select your school
Start with the schools you're considering.
Published admissions numbers, entry grades, key dates and what to understand before you apply. Then bring us the questions the profiles can't answer.
Middle & High Schools
Grades 6–12. The most selective middle and upper schools in LA.
Elementary Schools
Kindergarten through 6th or 8th grade. Where private school admissions begins — and where the stakes feel highest.
New guide: How Private School Admissions Really Works
What rejection reveals about getting in. →
What would you like a second opinion on?
Your school list. A parent statement. An interview you're worried about. A decision you didn't expect. Tell us where you are, and we'll help you work out the next step.
Let's talk about your school list, application, interview or next step after a decision. Your first conversation is free, with no obligation.