Ransom Everglades Acceptance Rate | Your Guide to Admission

Overview

As the top private school in Florida, Ransom Everglades School is well known for its high-quality education and STEM courses. The Constance & Miguel Fernandez STEM Center and the newly opened La Brisa support the growth of STEM-related subjects and allow students opportunities to explore their passions with hands-on experiences. Ransom Everglades School also offers signature programs such as a fellowship in humanities, a bridge-building competition, a business plan challenge, Marine Science programs, a transition program for ninth graders beginning their high school careers, and a Spanish proficiency program. The support of the students attending Ransom Everglades is inspiring, as it mixes traditional and innovative academics. 

How hard is it to get into Ransom Everglades?

The admission process for Ransom Everglades can be competitive as the school has a highly selective admission policy. The acceptance rate ranges between 10 – 20%. The school considers various factors including academic records, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, and personal statement essays when evaluating applicants. Ultimately, meeting the admission requirements, and performing well during the application process can increase your chances of being accepted into Ransom Everglades. 

What are admissions officers looking for? 

Ransom Everglades is a highly selective school that aims to enroll intellectually curious students who show a genuine passion for learning, have intellectual and social maturity, and can excel in a rigorous curriculum. Students who show leadership and take initiative in extracurricular activities that align with their interests will be at an advantage. Admissions officers are looking for families who will be positive contributors to the school’s vibrant community.

Ransom Everglades Admission

The first step in the admissions process is to submit an online inquiry and sign up for an admission event which could be a campus tour or an open house. After you visit the school, you may then proceed with the application following these steps: 

1. Submit your online admission application
2. Request for Student Records from the current school
3. Schedule an interview
4. Delegate recommendation letters to the current
   1. English teacher
   2. math teacher
   3. Principal, counselor, or school administrator
5. Submit standardized test scores
6. Submit the Character Skills Snapshot
7. Complete the student statement and parent statement

Ransom Everglades Application 

Admission Events

Middle school applicants must attend the open house where they will have the opportunity to explore the campus, speak with teachers, students, admissions officers, and other school employees, and discover more about the academic program, co-curricular activities, arts, and athletics at Ransom Everglades. Families that are unable to attend the open house are welcome to visit the campus. Both parents and students are welcome. Upper school applicants do not attend an open house; instead, parents and students are invited on a campus tour.

Attending admission events is more than visiting the school and getting a feel of the campus and its surroundings. It is also your chance to observe and get to know the school culture by engaging with students and staff. At the same time, admissions officers are also observing you and gauging if you will be a good fit for them. Your short conversations, interaction, and participation in activities will matter a lot, so be at your best, ask the right questions, and show genuine interest in attending Ransom Everglades.

Transcript

Fill out and send the Request for Student Records form included on the applicant checklist. The following information can be requested by entering the registrar’s email address: grades through at least the first semester or trimester of the current school year, final test scores from the previous year, attendance records, and conduct grades/reports.    

When admissions officers look at transcripts, they are looking at your child’s academic achievements or challenges. They want to determine the ability to become successful in dealing with the rigorous Ransom Everglades curriculum and how much support your child needs. Consistent high grades will definitely increase your chances of admission. What should you do if your child’s grades are not impressive? We advise tutoring. Cardinal Education offers one-on-one in-person or online tutoring for different subjects. Our tutors are experts in their respective fields and highly trained to teach even in the most difficult situations. We also offer academic coaching for students who need guidance on developing executive function skills such as time management, study skills, and organizational skills. Our academic coaches have helped many students overcome their challenges and become successful in their academic careers.

Admissions Interview

Interviews begin in September and are scheduled on MyCOMPASS. As slots are filled up quickly, it is advisable to schedule early on in the application process. 

An interview with admissions officers can seem daunting, but it is important to show how excited you are to attend their school and how you can contribute to the community. We offer interview preparation services to alleviate some of the pressure of the interview and help prepare you and your child to answer admissions interview questions with confidence. We know what they will ask and what answers you should give that are authentic to you.

Letters of Recommendation

Applicants are required to submit recommendation letters from the current English and math teachers and also from either the principal, counselor, or school administrator. All letters of recommendation are delegated through the application portal and are directly sent to Ransom Everglades. 

Recommendation letters are an important aspect of the private school application process because they give the admissions committee a glimpse of your child’s personality and performance in school which are indicative of the ability to thrive and succeed in the Ransom Everglades curriculum. Our admissions consultants know the best strategies to get the best recommendation letters that will display your child’s skills and potential which will give an edge in the selection process.

Standardized Test

SSAT or ISEE scores are required when applying for admission at Ransom Everglades School. You may register for the SSAT here, and for the ISEE here. Admissions officers have no preference and will accept results from either test. 

It doesn’t matter if your child’s grades and GPA are high, they still have to submit impressive standardized test scores to complete the picture. Preparing for these tests doesn’t only mean reviewing the concepts because to achieve success, it is important that your child knows test-taking strategies. Our SSAT practice tests and ISEE practice tests cover all of that, from basic concepts to developing essay writing skills and guessing strategies when unsure of the answers. We give the best test prep for private schools. We use our own books and materials authored by the CEO himself. Our SSAT tutors and ISEE tutors are experts and offer onsite and online tutoring.

Character Skills Snapshot

The Character Skills Snapshot is an online test that measures intellectual curiosity, teamwork, responsibility, initiative, open-mindedness, resilience, self-control, and social awareness. Our admissions consultants can give an overview and tips on how to present yourself best on this standardized online tool. Register here for a Character Skills Snapshot. 

Student Statement

Upper school applicants are required to answer the student questionnaire which can be found on the application portal and must be submitted before the interview. The questions are about curricular and co-curricular activities that your child is excited about. To find what they have to offer, visit the Ransom Everglades website, read about the different offerings, and choose those that interest your child. Make straightforward responses that are true and provide anecdotes to make them more authentic.

Parent Statement

Parents of applicants are required to answer the parent questionnaire. Responses are limited to a maximum of 250 words or 4000 characters. The responses reveal how well you as a parent know your child and how your family is a good fit for Ransom Everglades. 

If you’re not sure how to answer the questions, our admissions consultants can help you craft honest responses that align with your goals. It is important to present your family in a good light and show how you can be a valuable asset to the community.

Ransom Everglades Famous Alumni

• Bruce Weitz – Emmy award-winning actor famous for his role in the TV series Hill Street Blues
• Aileen Cannon – a US district judge for the Southern District of Florida who presided over the case of Donald J. Trump v. United States of America
• Lilian Guerra – published author, historian, researcher, and professor of Cuban and Caribbean history at the University of Florida
• Phillip Anderson Lord – Oscar award-winning director known for his works on the movies Spider Man: Into the Spider Verse, 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street, The Lego Movie, and many more
• Dan Otero – professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the SF Giants, Oakland Athletics, and Cleveland Indians
• Laurinda Hope Spear – landscape architect and one of the founders of Arquitectonica, an international architecture, design, and interior design firm
• Devi Sridhar – public health researcher, professor, and chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland
• Ondi Timoner – the only two-time recipient of the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize for Dig! and We Live in Public, documentaries that are now part of the Museum of Modern Art in NY
• Carlos Watson – entrepreneur, journalist, television host, former MSNBC contributor, and anchor on CNN
• Jeffrey Freundlich – aka Jeff Lindsay known for his playwrights and crime novels

Student Life at Ransom Everglades

Ransom Everglades Academics

The school provides a rigorous academic program that develops critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Its comprehensive curriculum includes a wide range of courses in the humanities, sciences, and the arts. Ransom Everglades has a strong focus on STEM education, with courses in computer science, robotics, and engineering. One of its signature programs is marine science where students engage in marine field research and bay studies. Many students obtain their SCUBA certification to pursue underwater research.  

Ransom Everglades Athletics

Ransom Everglades School has an engaging athletics department and sports facilities including an athletics field, docks, a pool, and a gymnasium, which has a sport for everyone including crew, cross country, football, golf, sailing, swimming, volleyball, basketball, soccer, baseball, lacrosse, softball, tennis, water polo, and track & field. Their sports performance training program encourages strength and conditioning for student-athletes all year round. Many of them have gone on to become professional athletes. 

Ransom Everglades Arts

Offering options for both performing arts and visual arts, students can choose anything from acting, directing, orchestra, jazz, dancing, and singing, to dimensional art, digital art, photography, sculpting, mixed media, or studio art. At the new humanities building, the options are endless, and students have the opportunity to present their masterpieces and win awards for their hard work.  

Ransom Everglades Activities

From community activities and holiday festivals to in-school extracurricular activities, students are never left wanting when they go looking for something to keep them busy. Clubs such as A.C.E (Advanced Chemical Experiments), CREate for a Cause (Knitting and Crocheting Club), and Explore the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, are available for academic, artistic, religious, business, and athletic subjects, among many more. When students aren’t busy with their studies and athletics, they are contributing to their community and society by getting involved in clubs. Additionally, there are honor societies such as Cum Laude, Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Societies for Languages, and Science National Honor Society available for the students that meet the additional criteria for them.