List of 13 frequently asked questions.

  • How old must my child be to enter Kindergarten at Carlthorp School?

    Children must be 5 years old by September 1 of the year they begin Kindergarten.
  • How do I make an appointment to visit Carlthorp School?

    Our admissions office is excited to meet you! Student-led tours and interviews with a member of our Admissions Committee are held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings throughout the school year. To begin the process of scheduling a visit, please click here to fill out an Inquiry Form, listing any specific questions you may have in the "Additional Remarks" section.

    Following submission of an Inquiry Form, please follow the directions sent in your confirmation e-mail to schedule your tour and parent interview.  
  • How do I obtain an application to Carlthorp School?

    Online applications are typically made available to prospective parents following a tour of the School and an interview with a member of our Admissions Committee.

    Occasionally, applications are available following a Zoom interview, prior to a visit. If you have an interest in receiving an application, please fill out an Inquiry Form to begin our process.
  • When are applications for Kindergarten due?

    Kindergarten applications are accepted at any time after a family takes a tour of our campus and has a conversation with our Admissions Team, but they must be submitted to Carlthorp School by November 1, 2024.
  • How do children apply for grades other than Kindergarten?

    To receive an application for grades other than Kindergarten, prospective parents must fill out our Inquiry Form and then have a tour of campus and an interview with a member of our Admissions Team. Typically, for Grades 1-6, these interviews happen after the Kindergarten admissions process concludes on November 1 each year.

    Carlthorp School accepts grade level applications on a rolling basis. Families who have submitted completed applications by January 15, 2025 will have the greatest opportunity to be considered for any available spaces in the class on our March decision date. Applicants are invited to campus and are reviewed as spaces arise, and those students may be offered admission or be asked to join the Wait Pool.

    For those students in the Wait Pool who wish to be considered for admission when an opening occurs, families need to keep their files up-to-date by expressing their ongoing interest, and by sharing current progress reports and assessment scores as they become available.  

    In early February each year, our re-enrollment contracts are due, alerting us to any grade level spaces that may have become available. However, occasionally spaces open up well into the summer.  Please know that we do not meet or assess Grade 1-6 applicants until we know if we are likely to have an opening in the appropriate grade.
  • What are Carlthorp School’s hours?

    Official school instructional hours are from 8:00AM - 3:00PM, Monday through Friday.

    Early Care begins at 7:10AM, and Special Clubs and Late Care lasts until approximately 5:00PM daily for all students.

    During the first two weeks of school, Kindergarten students are dismissed at 11:30AM.  
  • What is the 2024-2025 Carlthorp School holiday schedule?

    For the 2024-2025 school year, Carlthorp School will begin on Tuesday, September 3, 2024, and will conclude on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.

    Additional Carlthorp School holidays include: Thanksgiving week, two weeks at Christmas, Presidents’ week, and the first week of April. We are also closed for Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Good Friday, and most National Holidays.
  • What is tuition for Carlthorp School? Are there any other associated fees or other financial expectations?

    For the 2024-2025 school year, tuition is $39,550. There is a one-time new student fee of $1,000.

    Every year we invite current families to contribute to our Annual Fund, a fund in which 100% participation is the primary goal, and to our Scholarship Fundraiser, if possible.
  • Is Financial Aid available for students?

    Carlthorp School is committed to having a socio-economically diverse community, and Financial Aid is available to students based on verifiable and qualified need. Following the submission of an application for admission, families should contact our Business Office directly to get their questions answered regarding our Financial Aid policies and procedures.  Please reach out to Ken Parr at ken@carlthorpbusiness.org to begin the Financial Aid process at Carlthorp School.

    Application fee waivers are also available for families applying for Financial Aid, and can be obtained by contacting the Admissions Office at (310) 451-1332.
  • How many students are in each grade at Carlthorp School?

    A typical grade is comprised of 40-42 students, divided into two homeroom classes of approximately 20-21 students in each room.
  • What is your sibling policy?

    Because we recognize the benefit of having children from the same family attend the same school, sibling applicants (of currently enrolled students) are given priority consideration.

    However, siblings must individually meet our admissions criteria, and an offer of admission is not guaranteed.
  • Is Carlthorp School looking for one kind of student or one kind of family?

    No. Many kinds of students from different blends of families thrive at Carlthorp School. We seek to enroll students who are joyful learners who come from families who value our Code of Conduct and who support our mission and culture.

    We are a warm and diverse community of eager students and committed parents. Our 2024-2025 Kindergarten class comes from 13 different zip codes and 25 different sending schools.
  • To which schools do your students matriculate when they graduate from Carlthorp School?

    We are extremely proud of our matriculation rates into the finest secondary schools in Los Angeles! Our students most often matriculate to the following schools (in alphabetical order):

    Brentwood School
    Campbell Hall Episcopal School
    Crossroads School for the Arts and Sciences
    Geffen Academy at UCLA

    Harvard-Westlake School
    Lincoln Middle School
    Marlborough School
    Milken Community School
    Mirman School

    New Roads School
    Oaks Christian School
    Paul Revere Middle School
    St. Matthew's Parish School
    The Archer School for Girls
    Viewpoint School
    Wildwood School
    Windward School