Grade 9 Decisions, Waitlists, Deposits

Put the dates in one place

Once letters arrive, the question shifts from “will we get in?” to “what do we owe, and by when?” This guide covers entry in Fall 2027. Put every reply deadline, with its hour, on one calendar before you celebrate or sulk, because noon means noon.

Fieldston posts its own dates, so follow its letter. NYC’s dates are subject to change. Hotchkiss’s April 10 reply date doesn’t extend any other school’s deadline, so you may need to answer the others first.

Read the contract before the deadline

A deposit holds the seat, and the contract and school policy spell out what you owe if plans change. Ask for the actual refund and withdrawal terms early, while you still have time to think.

• What is due now, what is due later, and is the deposit credited toward tuition?
• What do the actual refund and withdrawal terms say if we withdraw after the reply date, and do they change by August?
• Does the deposit shrink with financial aid, and does the award arrive with the contract?
• Who has to sign, and is the contract deadline the same as the reply deadline?

Packer’s cost page shows why to ask. It lists a 10% deposit, adjusted for families receiving aid, within its 2026–27 figures. That isn’t a promise about your Fall 2027 contract, so compare it with the paper you actually receive.

Binding promises and friendly letters

Avenues’ First Choice round, which releases decisions December 11, 2026, is binding: admitted families agree to enroll and withdraw other applications. A “first choice” letter is different; ISAAGNY’s agreement says such letters don’t bind parents.

A binding round suits families who already know; if another school’s answer could change yours, don’t promise early.

Hold a waitlist without inventing odds

A waitlist is not an offer, and no one outside the admissions office can tell you your chances. Schools order their lists in different ways, so a neighbor’s story about being “number three” tells you little about yours. Ask the school what it can share, then plan as if the seat you hold is the seat you have.

In NYC public high schools, a waitlist spot means no offer, and some programs will make none. The nine specialized high schools don’t use waitlists. If a waitlist offer comes, you have seven calendar days, and accepting it replaces your current offer. While waitlists are open, MySchools shows your child’s position, which isn’t a promise. The posted waitlist table still shows Fall 2026 dates, so wait for the 2027 ones.

ISAAGNY’s one-week minimum covers postseason applicants, who apply after the reply deadline, not every waitlist offer, so ask how long you would have. Its advice that schools remind committed families of financial responsibility is a school best practice, so check what any contract or binding commitment you have made says.

If the aid is not enough

An appeal is a request, not a pause button. A school might not pause its reply deadline for an appeal, so assume the date stands unless it confirms otherwise in writing.

Avenues’ appeals require new information, a detailed monthly budget of household income and expenses, a letter explaining the request, and documentation of unusual circumstances. These are Avenues’ terms, not a universal rule. If money is tight, ask one concise aid question and use our aid guide for the rest.

Make September workable

Revisit events and programs are for deciding, not auditioning your child’s enthusiasm. Fieldston invites admitted families to additional programs and revisit events; at any school, test the one worry that could change your answer, such as cost, commute, workload or support.

A workable September is the seat you could fund and live with if every waitlist stays quiet. Write down that seat, its full cost, and the date you will decline the rest. Then you can hold a waitlist hope lightly and a real seat firmly.

If your fallback is your current school or a public seat, don’t assume either is guaranteed. Ask what is confirmed in writing and by when, and set any public offer beside your private replies before deciding what to pay.

Your next move, by outcome

Most of the work comes down to one honest question per outcome. Find yours below.

• An offer you want: request the contract, read the withdrawal terms, and calendar the reply hour.
• An offer with an aid gap: ask your aid question in writing, and confirm what happens to the reply date.
• A waitlist only: name the seat you will take, and ask the school once what it can say about movement.
• No seat you want: ask your counselor which options remain, and keep every deadline you do have.