From the Innovation Entrepreneurship Center (IEC) to Masters Hall, prospective families and tour groups are spilling into different buildings around campus, a testament to the recent surge of interest at Masters. This trend points to a potential influx of new classmates for the school years to come.
According to the New York Times, the period after the Covid-19 pandemic marked a decrease in overall enrollment for public schools in the United States. However private schools experienced a modest increase in interest as well as enrollment. There is a possibility that Masters admissions fits in with this academic shift.
Jack Stevens, the senior associate director of boarding admissions, has been working at Masters for the past four years and is familiar with the typical flows of admissions cycles.
Stevens said, “ I believe in my four years that this is one of the higher application seasons that we’ve had. When it was Veterans Day in November, we had to add a full other afternoon tour ––a hundred plus people after doing one in the morning of a hundred plus people. We’ve added another spring tour this year just to make it three.”
Through the 2025-2026 school year, Masters has implemented more admissions events as well as a more personalized approach in highlighting different aspects of the school. Stevens said, “The admissions team’s goal is we want to make it feel less transactional and more personal.”
He continued, “We want students to feel comfortable with campus, of course, via tours, but also with people that are going to impact their day. If you’re really interested in soccer, you’re going to talk to the coaches. If you’re really interested in performing arts, you’re going to talk to [someone in] the department of Performing Arts.”
Marissa Goldfarb, a junior and Gold Key ambassador, has led many tours since her freshman year. She said, “I’ve noticed that this year there are a lot more people on tours that I lead and I’ve seen a lot of tours happening when I am not leading them. I think on the tours specifically, people seem to be really interested and definitely come with questions that they already know they want to ask, which shows their level of interest,” Goldfarb said.
Scott Graves P’29 and P’27 is a parent ambassador who helped guide many prospective families at Masters. Graves said, “I feel instinctively that the word is out about Masters. It’s a place that has a beacon glowing in it.”
He continued, “Families have told me that when they visit, whether they’re coming to a competitive sports team, for a science research challenge, or if they’re walking through campus, they notice that people at Masters are genuinely happy, and it’s infectious.”
Masters has already taken the initiative to welcome prospective students and families for the 2027-2028 school year. From mid-April to early May, Masters has held three group tours to provide an overview of its programs.
