Admission Process
From your first outreach to accepting your child's offer of admission, we are here to guide and assist your family through each step of the admission process. Please browse the three main areas of the admission process below, and let us know if you have any questions at admission@ccookschool.org or 312.266.3381 x3146.
1. Request Information
After you request information, the Office of Admission will contact you and send a welcome email with more information and school materials. This short form takes only a moment to complete and will allow us to begin to customize the information you receive.
2. Visit Us
Learning about Catherine Cook is an important step in determining if we are the right school for your child and family. We invite you to register for a parent/guardian tour to see everything our community and campus have to offer (in-person and virtual options available). View the in-person tour schedule and register for an appointment here.
3. Apply
Application Process
- 1. Complete the Application On Ravenna
- 2. Student Visit
- 3. Parent Interview
- 4. Submit Forms and Documents
- 5. Apply for Financial Support (Optional)
1. Complete the Application On Ravenna
For the 2022-2023 application year, we are using Ravenna, a third-party web-based application service. Catherine Cook is one of several Chicago schools using this tool for the submission of all application materials.
Through Ravenna, you will be able to:
- Submit an Application
- Email teacher recommendation forms (LMAIS Common Recommendation Forms) directly to your child's teacher/principal
- Check the status of your application
To initiate the application process, you must create an account on Ravenna and register your child.
If you experience any technical difficulties, please contact Ravenna Solutions via email at customercare@ravennasolutions.com.
The application process will begin once we receive your child's completed application form along with the submission of the $75 application fee. We begin accepting applications one year prior to the fall your child would enroll. We will begin accepting applications for the 2022-2023 school year on September 1, 2021.
2. Student Visit
Once we receive your child's application, the Office of Admission will contact you to schedule a student visit. Catherine Cook holds play dates for students applying to Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, and Senior Kindergarten. Students applying to Grades 1-8 will have a classroom shadow day. You will be notified about your date options.
3. Parent Interview
Once we receive your child's application, the Office of Admission will contact you to schedule a parent interview in addition to your child's visit. We require that all parents or guardians attend the interview, which will last approximately 45 minutes. You will be notified about your date and time options.
4. Submit Forms and Documents
- Submit the Confidential Record Release Form to your child's current school. Copies of transcripts/report cards from the last year and the current year are required for applicants of Grades SK-8. We would also like to receive copies of any standardized test scores, if available. These items can be submitted separately from the application form, however, we require that all transcripts and test scores be submitted no later than January 21, 2022.
- We are required to collect “Certified Copies of Birth Certificates” for every enrolled student, as mandated by the Illinois State Board of Education, prior to the first day of school. These Certified Birth Certificate Copies can be mailed or delivered in person during a planned visit.
-
Complete the required information in Ravenna to send the LMAIS Common Recommendation Form (CRF) to your child's current teacher and principal. Ravenna refers to these people as "Delegates." You will need to enter their names and email addresses.
For the Early Childhood students that do not currently attend school, this form can be completed by a non-relative adult that knows your child well such as a nanny, coach, or single class instructor. These forms are not required at the time you submit your application. The Lake Michigan Association of Independent Schools (LMAIS) has a standardized form for each grade level. We must receive this form no later than January 21, 2022, for all applicants. For applicants to each grade listed, we require the following forms:
- Preschool - Senior Kindergarten: CRF Teacher Report Form
- Grades 1-5: CRF Teacher Report Form, Head of School/Division Report Form
- Grades 6-8: CRF Math Teacher Report Form, English Teacher Report Form, Head of School/Division Report Form
5. Apply for Financial Support (Optional)
Eligibility for admission is determined independently from a family's application for financial support. Families applying for financial support will need to complete an online application and submit the necessary supporting documentation to FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment.
- Applications can be completed online on the FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment website. Applicants can apply online beginning November 1, 2021. Applications must be initiated by January 1, 2022, for review for the 2022-2023 school year.
- Submit copies of your 2021 W2/1099 form(s)* as soon as available. Applications are not complete until FACTS receives your 2020 submitted tax return(s) and your 2021 W2/1099 form(s). FACTS may request additional documentation to verify information provided on the application.
- If you have questions or concerns about the application process, you may speak with a FACTS Customer Care Representative at 866.315.9262.
- For specific information regarding FACTS, please view the FACTS Flyer.
*In cases of divorce or separation, both parents must submit all required forms. The family's ability to contribute is based on both parents' income and assets.
FACTS Website Address & Phone Number
Website Address:
For Parents: https://online.factsmgt.com/signin/41XZY
Phone Number:
For Parents: 866.315.9262.
10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. CST Monday-Thursday
10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CST on Friday
APPLICATION DEADLINES
Sibling of current families and faculty/staff students: Friday, November 19, 2021
New families: Monday, December 13, 2021
After these dates, rolling applications will be accepted only as openings are available. Please contact the Office of Admission to inquire about openings in your child's grade.
ADMISSION DECISIONS AND NOTIFICATIONS
Admission decisions are made by committee, and are confidential and final. Notification will be sent by email by the common notification dates set by LMAIS or as soon as possible once a decision has been made for late or mid-year applicants. LMAIS schools may vary with notification dates, but the response date for Preschool and Junior Kindergarten will be March 14, 2022. New Families will be notified electronically on the following dates if applying for the 2022-2023 school year:
- Sibling/current family applicants: Friday, January 21, 2022
- Preschool: Friday, February 11, 2022
- Junior Kindergarten: Friday, March 4, 2022
- Senior Kindergarten - Grade 8 will be notified as openings become available, usually by Friday, March 4, 2022
- Rolling admission applicants and mid-year transfer students will be notified as soon as possible