THE OUR KIDS REPORT:
Trinity College School

REPORT CONTENTS

School Overview

Reviews

Analysis

ADMISSIONS

Trinity College School offers rolling admissions for Day and Boarding, with popular entry grades including 9, 10, and 11. Its acceptance rate is moderately competitive. Families and alumni describe the admissions process as personalized and welcoming, highlighting opportunities to connect with the community and praising the thoughtful, thorough staff.

Facts and analysis

VISITING THE SCHOOL

Upcoming open houses will be announced here.

An open house includes a campus tour and meetings with teachers, staff, and students. Hosting open houses is a typical practice among schools.

Why it matters

A school visit offers a firsthand look at the environment, culture, and daily life of the school. It provides an opportunity to ask questions, observe interactions, and verify your expectations directly. It's a vital part of an informed choice.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Trinity College School has rolling admissions for Day and Boarding entry.

See the deadline distribution for all other schools we cover below.

Application deadline by enrollment type(s)

Month	Trinity College School	Other schools
Month	Rolling admissions	Fixed deadline	Rolling admissions
September	Day and Boarding admissions	0%	88% of all other schools have rolling admissions
October		Less than 1%
November		2%
December		7%
January		1%
February		2%
March		2%
April		1%
May		1%
June		Less than 1%
July		0%
August		1%

Why it matters

The admissions timeline helps you plan and prepare for key milestones, including school visits, application submission, and acceptance notifications.

ENTRY GRADES

The highest number of new enrollment openings include Grade(s) 9, 10 and 11.

The highest number of openings across all other schools we cover include Grade(s) 9, 10 and 11 (for the same grades offered at Trinity College School).

Breakdown by grade

Entry grade	Number of openings available: Day
Entry grade	Trinity College School	Average of all other schools
Gr. 5	16 - 18	9
Gr. 6	-	9
Gr. 7	10 - 15	16
Gr. 8	-	10
Gr. 9	15 - 20	23
Gr. 10	-	13
Gr. 11	-	13
Gr. 12	-	13

Entry grade	Number of openings available: Boarding
Entry grade	Trinity College School	Average of all other schools
Gr. 9	35 - 40	18
Gr. 10	25 - 30	18
Gr. 11	20 - 25	18
Gr. 12	-	14

Why it matters

Popular entry grades may offer more opportunities for peer integration and more extensive orientation programs at the school. Applying to these grades may increase the chances of admission and support a smoother social and academic transition for the student.

ACCEPTANCE RATE

75% of all applications are accepted.

Acceptance rate at Trinity College School is typical of the schools we cover.

Breakdown by grade

Grade	Acceptance rate: Day
Grade	Trinity College School	Average of all other schools
Gr. 5	100%	36%
Gr. 6	-	36%
Gr. 7	100%	38%
Gr. 8	-	35%
Gr. 9	100%	40%
Gr. 10	-	38%
Gr. 11	-	37%
Gr. 12	-	35%

Grade	Acceptance rate: Boarding
Grade	Trinity College School	Average of all other schools
Gr. 9	75%	40%
Gr. 10	75%	38%
Gr. 11	60%	37%
Gr. 12	0%	35%

What Trinity College School says it looks for in students

Trinity College School take a holistic view during the admissions process to determine a candidates suitability for our program in an effort to determine fit in three broad categories, academics, extra curriculars and community. Applicants that can demonstrate that they will thrive in our challenging university program, participate in athelitcs, arts and extra curricular programing as well as be a positive member of our caring community are likely to gain entry and thrive at TCS.
Why it matters

A school's acceptance rate gives you an indication of how competitive the admissions process is. Understanding this can help you set expectations and make strategic decisions about where to apply. Please note that the acceptance rates provided here are approximate.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The admissions process may require an interview and an entrance exam.

See grade-by-grade admissions requirements at Trinity College School and how they compare with other schools.

Breakdown by grade

Grade	Required by Trinity College School					% of schools requiring
Grade	Interview	SSAT	SSAT (out of province)	Entrance exam	Entrance essay	% of schools requiring
Gr. 5		-	-		-	Interview: 57%, SSAT: 1%, Exam: 25%, Essay: 5%
Gr. 6		-	-		-	Interview: 60%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 26%, Essay: 7%
Gr. 7		-	-		-	Interview: 63%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 28%, Essay: 10%
Gr. 8		-	-		-	Interview: 64%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 28%, Essay: 10%
Gr. 9		-	-		-	Interview: 52%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 25%, Essay: 10%
Gr. 10		-	-		-	Interview: 50%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 22%, Essay: 11%
Gr. 11		-	-		-	Interview: 50%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 22%, Essay: 11%
Gr. 12		-	-		-	Interview: 44%, SSAT: 2%, Exam: 17%, Essay: 10%

What Trinity College School says about the application process
Application fee: $150

Registration fee: N/A

Deposit: N/A

Description:
Admission Requirements

Admission to TCS is based on:
- The School's assessment of the candidate's character.
- The candidate's academic record.
- The candidate's performance on our aptitude tests or the SSAT.
How to Apply

There are eight essential pieces of information that must be received by the School before a candidate's file will be considered for admissions:
1. Online Parent Questionnaire
2. Student Questionnaire
3. Current Teacher Recommendation
4. Personal Recommendation
5. Two School Reports (the most recent school report and the final report for the previous year)
6. Application Fee $150 (Click here for the Credit Card Authorization Form)
7. SSAT or OLSAT Aptitude Test (can be done online)
8. Personal Interview, preferably in person but can be conducted online.
Send to:

Admissions Office
Trinity College School
55 Deblaquire Street North
Port Hope, ON, L1A 4K7
Canada
Why it matters

Understanding admission requirements is crucial as you assess your fit with a school and the likelihood of acceptance. These requirements often reflect the school's educational priorities.

Qualitative insights

These insights are based on conversations with parents, alumni, and school leadership. Handpicked and curated by our editor, they offer a close look at how the school is experienced and perceived by those who know it best.

There are opportunities to connect with the school community.

According to various insiders, Trinity College School provides multiple opportunities for prospective families to connect with the school community through open houses, spend-a-day programs, and interactions with Parent Global Ambassadors.

The school has a team of student-led tour guides to give you their personal perspective of school life. Under the umbrella of the admissions department, the parent Global Ambassadors from all parts of the world are made available to answer questions to allow for that parent to parent connection. Open houses and spend a day/night programming also allow for that personal connection that is so important in making this most important decision. At open houses, families can meet students, see the day-to-day goings-on, meet staff and current parents for organic conversation and perspective.

—Jeanette M Lane, parent (beginning 2012) (see full review)

We had the benefit of experiencing a pre-Covid admissions process and a during-Covid admissions process. Pre-Covid was (obviously) better. The prospective students arrived at the school on a Friday morning and were paired with a "buddy" for a full day of classes, meals, sports and an overnight. While their buddy was in study (7 PM - 9 PM Monday - Friday), the prospective students wrote their entrance exam. The overnight was particularly helpful to get the full TCS experience! Students met up with their parents on the Saturday morning for a full guided tour of the school. TCS did everything they could to make the during-Covid admissions process a positive and informative experience for prospective students. In addition to outside only tours of the school, TCS filmed a video of "TCS life" and held regular Zoom calls with prospective students, parents and current students.

—Arundel Gibson, parent (beginning 2019) (see full review)

It's a personalized and welcoming process.

Insights from parents, students, and alumni highlight that Trinity College School's admissions process is deeply personalized, with a welcoming atmosphere fostered by a knowledgeable and approachable admissions team.

Trinity College School spends a lot of time getting to know the kids, and the correspondence is very direct and smart. I don't find it wishy-washy at all. I just find the answers are there. I didn't find that with the other schools my kids went to.

—Alex, alum (see full discussion)

During the application process, I was so stressed. I was an anxious kid and felt that my entire future was on line if I wasn't accepted into the school of my choice. However, the moment I went to TCS for a tour and an interview, all of that melted away and it became peaceful. I remember talking with my interviewer for a couple of hours about all of the books that I'd read, the goals that I had for the future and how I felt about the world. I felt heard, respected and safe, and she made me feel like I would fit in. Beyond my own self-imposed doubts, the admissions team at TCS was wonderful.

—Jocelyn Murphy, alum (see full review)

I can easily say that the admissions process was smooth and organized for me, especially since I had an admissions officer from TCS that was very helpful in directing my family on the necessary steps needed and keeping us updated throughout the application process, it was only quite long because it entailed me applying for a student visa. The moment that stood out the most for me in the application process was when I asked the interviewer about the how the students were. It was remarkable how honest he was because he did not paint this picture of a school where everyone is best friends with each other, he told me the students were nice but it would be up to me on how I would receive them and engage with them over the course of the year. I really did not find it stressful, in fact, it was (kind of) fun, especially when I was asked to submit a drawing of what I think I represent as a person, that part really made me look forward to coming despite all my fears. What I know now that I did not know then is that one can apply to enter in the middle of the year, so if you applied late you could choose to come in the middle of the year rather than rushing to make it to September, as I have seen a few students who came mid-year.

—Mariam Omilabu, student (see full review)

During the admission process, your admissions officer will introduce you to a student Masterkey leader, who tours you around the campus and shares their personal experience at Trinity. For me, one of the best parts of the admission process was going for a tour of the school. Whether it be a private tour with a Masterkey leader or coming to a school open house, you are able to experience a sense of community. Seeing the teachers and students and some of the current parents coming together to show off their school, all of who were happy to answer any questions and talk about the TCS experience. Initially, my daughter was very nervous about doing the entrance test and interview. After doing the school tour, everyone was so friendly, she felt comfortable and calm and relaxed to go and write the admission test.

—Kim McConnell, parent (beginning 2013) (see full review)

We had a long relationship with the admissions department as sending our children to TCS has been a long-term dream of ours. I believe my boys were only 4-years-old on our first tour of the campus! What worked well for us is getting to know one admissions staff and building a relationship with her. Adrienne Ross was our contact and we got to know each other very well over the years. The admissions process was very smooth. Information was sent out many months in advance and the instructions were clear. ... The admissions staff were also very upfront with financial assistance and scholarship opportunities. Results of both of these were clear and quick, not leaving anyone in limbo.

—Candace Pickering, parent (beginning 2019) (see full review)

Trinity College School has the best Admissions team! From the initial interest in the school all the way through the application process through the acceptance process, the Admissions team was there for support, guidance, and encouragement. Our personal TCS Admissions experience for our children was exceptional. Since my husband was a TCS alumnus, he wanted to ensure that our children visited TCS plus other boarding schools and make their own decision on where to attend high school. Boarding school had to be the right fit, then the school had to be the right fit. Each child chose TCS independently of their father's attendance at the school. The way that TCS conducted their admissions process really gave the children every opportunity to see all great aspects and opportunities within the TCS school life.

—Erica Brown, parent (beginning 2020) (see full review)

Kathy, head of admissions, is very professional and friendly. She has worked in TCS for many years and knows a lot about the school. She can also tell parents whether TCS is suitable for their child. Every year, the admissions department will go to different parts of the world to hold admissions meetings. There are more than 100 international students from dozens of countries in the school. Every child meets TCS admission standards and stands out from many applicants. There are about 15 students from China every year. These students are mainly excellent students from Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Shenzhen. We applied for TCS, provided TOEFL and SSAT middle-level scores, and participated in the school's independent enrollment examination. My daughter was accepted by college admissions officers almost immediately.

—Susan Zhang, parent (beginning 2016) (see full review)

The Admissions team was incredibly welcoming and accommodating from our very first interactions when we attended an Open House with our oldest son. The team greeted us by name and then the student Masterkey tour guides took over by touring us around the school. Their pride in the school was obvious. We really appreciated that students were involved throughout the Admissions process. The Admissions team was super responsive to any questions we had and also connected us with Parent Global Ambassadors for parent-related questions. Personalized handwritten letters from both students and the Admissions Team are included with offers of admissions, as well as a school tie welcoming our family to the school. The Admissions team continued their wonderful work during the first weeks of school by keeping families updated sharing photos and videos of our children through their social media accounts.

—Leslie Gibson, parent (beginning 2017) (see full review)

Admission staff are thoughtful and thorough.

Accounts from students and alumni emphasize that the application process at Trinity College School is comprehensive, incorporating creative elements, such as videos and essays, to gain a deep understanding of each applicant's personality and fit for the school.

I love the fact that Trinity College School chooses the children based on their potential. So it's not about who's the most academic. It's all about the child and the family that they come from. The values of wanting to be challenged, the values of being kind, and having potential.

—Alex, alum (see full discussion)

The kind of kid we look for is like a typical kid who either knows what they want to do or doesn't know, but they’re interested in finding their purpose. They are keen on discovering, you know, where they're strong, what their strengths are, what those areas are they need to develop; they are motivated to come to the school. ... What [we] want are motivated kids; kids who want a fresh start. They want to pursue something. They want to be heard. They want to be connected. They want to be engaged. They want to be celebrated. They want to build their confidence so that by the time they graduate, they feel exceptionally proud of themselves.

—Stuart Grainger, Head of School (see full interview)

A student who will thrive at TCS is a student who wants a fresh start; somebody who either really knows what they want to do — or who has no clue. So, somebody who knows, ‘I want to be a medical doctor’: we could actually give them the path. ... We could come up with a program that would best support them to pursue getting into a medical program. We could do that. But what about the kid that says, ‘I have no idea what I want to do’? Well, we have as much time for those kids, because I actually don't think it's a bad thing to not know what you want to do at age 14, 15, 16. So what you want to do [for them] is create as many opportunities as you possibly can, with the confidence that they're going to latch onto something.

—Stuart Grainger, Head of School (see full interview)

I don't remember too clearly, but I would say the admission process was quite smooth and easy. I remember I had to create a video about myself, write a math evaluation, and a short essay about my hobby. The video was definitely my favorite part because I feel like it provided the school with the most accurate representation of me and also allowed me to visualize who I was at that time. There were also conversations between me and the admission officer that gave the school a better understanding of whether or not I fit what the school is looking for. In addition, Mrs. LaBranche does an amazing job of promoting the school through her Instagram account; if I were a new student that account is potentially more insightful than the official website.

—Charisse Lee, alum (2017-2021) (see full review)

Name
Email
Verify Code

	You can withdraw consent by unsubscribing anytime.

My Shortlist

BUILD YOUR SHORTLIST

EVALUATE YOUR SCHOOLS

TRACK IMPORTANT DATES