Year after year, the admissions team at Lakeside faces the challenging task of deciding which students will join our community. Only about one in seven applicants is admitted to the school. Several factors contribute to admission: the admissions process is based on grades, extracurricular activities, and a student’s personal traits.
“Families often ask, ‘What can we do to improve our child’s odds?’” says Assistant Director of Community Engagement and Outreach Kayesee Schermerhorn. There’s no one right answer, though, because the admissions team wants to build a class where everyone feels they belong. “We don’t want all of our students to be the same,” Ms. Schermerhorn notes. She notes that kindness and curiosity are at the heart of what Lakesiders bring to the school. “We want students who complement each other, who are kind, curious, and ready to explore new things.”
Kindness, Schermerhorn notes, means being considerate and respectful toward others in the Lakeside community. Curiosity allows students to engage, discover, and participate fully in the life of Lakeside. And creativity ensures that students bring their own passions, whether it is music, theater, science, or sports, into the mix.
“That’s something I love about Lakeside,” says Assistant Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Patrick Stancil. “Students can do so many cool things that they didn’t have access to before.” From exploring new topics in the classroom to participating in GSL trips, a wide range of clubs, and co-curricular activities, being a Lakesider is about being open to growth, seizing opportunities, and being involved in the community.
Lakeside brings students from all walks of life onto two neighboring campuses in North Seattle. With an exceptional transportation program, students have access to King County Metro & Zūm buses from Bellevue to South Seattle, aiming to bridge the gap between students from different parts of one of the nation’s largest cities by area. And it all starts with community outreach. “We have to be active and connect with other schools, making sure teachers and counselors are aware of Lakeside and who we are, because we can’t solely rely on word of mouth,” said Schermerhorn.
Financial access is a central part of that vision. In the 2024–2025 school year, nearly $10 million in financial support was awarded to 32% of the student body, covering tuition, instruments, and other co-curricular opportunities. “We look at family income and assets,” Stancil explains, “and develop plans to make sure every qualified student can participate fully in the Lakeside experience.”
Ultimately, being a Lakesider is about more than being admitted. It’s about joining a community where students can challenge each other, learn and grow together, and contribute to a culture of curiosity, creativity, and kindness. The admissions team’s careful selection helps shape the next generation of Lakeside students who will carry these core values with them long after they leave campus.
