For the Students, By a Student
A private school admissions guide, written while going through it.
Private school admissions guide + mock interview practice on Zoom.
About
Soham Arora
14-year-old 9th grader at Choate Rosemary Hall
My name is Soham Arora, a 14-year-old 9th grader at Choate Rosemary Hall from West Hartford, CT. I put together a guide on private school admissions.
It is a collection of everything I learned during my process, from writing meaningful essays, having a strong interview, what to do while visiting, and much more. I also offer mock interview practice on Zoom.
I was admitted to all six private high schools I applied to and scored in the 93rd percentile on the SSAT.
Accepted to all the schools I applied to
- ✦Choate Rosemary Hall
- ✦Loomis Chaffee
- ✦The Taft School
- ✦Suffield Academy
- ✦Hopkins School
- ✦Kingswood Oxford
The Guide
Thirteen steps, in order
- Step 01
Why Apply?
Deciding if independent schools are right for you.
- Step 02
When To Apply
Choosing the entry grade that fits your profile.
- Step 03
Which Schools
Events, resources, commute, and community.
- Step 04
How Many Schools
Balancing workload against outcome.
- Step 05
Application Planning
Start early and lock in your dates.
- Step 06
Which Portal?
Gateway to Prep Schools vs. the SAO.
- Step 07
Candidate Profile
The most overlooked part of the application.
- Step 08
Testing Strategy
SSAT, ISEE, and deciding whether to test.
- Step 09
Visit
Making a campus visit count.
- Step 10
The Interview
Dress, questions, mood, and follow-up.
- Step 11
Essays & Short Answers
How I finished six schools' essays before Winter Break.
- Step 12
Recommendations
Who to ask, when, and what's required.
- Step 13
Communications
Emailing schools and building real connections.
Growing AdmitLab
From a guide to an active service
Launched in Summer 2026, AdmitLab now supports students through personalized intake, school-specific preparation, mock interviews, and feedback.
3
Active students
Receiving tailored admissions and interview preparation as of September 2026.
2
Institutional relationships
Referrals from Huntington Learning Center and recognition from Choate Rosemary Hall.
Building responsibly
AdmitLab is seeking experienced SCORE mentorship to develop sustainable pricing, capacity, partnerships, and service systems while keeping school first.
Read about growth and mentorshipStudent Feedback
“The website is amazing and was very helpful! I'm hoping to do a mock interview with you soon. Thank you!”
“The website was very informative and was one of the best resources I found for my journey to high school. Soham was also really helpful in explaining the process virtually.”
“The feedback was helpful and provided my daughter with insights on how to answer questions and what to work on during the interview process.”