Admissions

Summer Round is now closed.

During the Summer Round of admissions, families could apply (or reapply) for grades that have available seats or a short waitlist after Main Round and the Spring Round. The Willow School was NOT accepting applications to grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, or 11 in the Summer Round because they are full with a waitlist.

The Summer Round for The Willow School was open from June 13 to July 15, 2025 for grades 5, 8, 9, and 12.

Placements from the Summer Round will be made by NOLA-PS in early August. Learn more on the Summer Round page.

Next Chance to Apply: Main Round for 2026-2027

If you would like to be notified when Main Round opens for the 2026-2027 school year, you can fill out the 2026-2027 Main Round Interest Form.

Main Round & Spring Round placement information and waitlist positions for the 2025-2026 school year are available from NOLA-PS.

Main Round & Spring Round Placements: Eligible families were notified of placement at The Willow School by New Orleans Public Schools in late March (Main Round) or in early June (Spring Round). School assignment information is available in the New Orleans Public Schools Parent Portal. Visit www.enrollnolaps.com for more information.

Waitlist: If your child met the eligibility criteria and is on the waitlist, you can see your waitlist position in the New Orleans Public Schools Parent Portal on the waitlist tab. Waitlist offers will be made if seats become available on a rolling basis through the end of August.

Main Round
Spring Round
Summer Round
Eligibility Assessment
Matrix Calculations
Admissions Team

Getting Started on the Road to The Willow School

Thank you for your interest in The Willow School! We are looking forward to meeting your family through the admissions process for the 2025-2026 school year. If you have any questions, please reach out to our admissions team.

Understanding the Application Process

All public schools in New Orleans, including Willow School, participate in the NOLA-PS Common Application Process (NCAP). Our school, along with three other public schools in Orleans Parish, has academic admissions criteria that require a supplemental application and an admissions exam. This process is essential to evaluate the readiness of applicants for our rigorous program and is reflected in a matrix score. We recommend attending our open houses and reviewing our school website to learn more about the programs we offer. We encourage you to submit your application, and we look forward to reviewing it.

The eligibility criteria are the same in each admissions round. Learn more about the application processes and key dates on the Main Round, Spring Round, and Summer Round pages.

Understanding Matrix Calculations

The Willow School has a rigorous academic program, with accompanying higher expectations. Acceptance to The Willow School is determined by the applicant’s total matrix score, which is calculated as described below.

The matrix score is a sum of points from Math Assessment (all grades) + Reading Assessment (all grades) + Arts Interest Form completion (all grades) + Curriculum Meeting/Questionnaire (K-1 only) OR GPA (grades 2-12 only).

Learn more about the matrix calculations on the matrix page.

Family Support

If you need help with any parts of the admissions process, or have questions, please reach out to our admissions team. We are looking forward to getting to know your child through the application process.

For Grades K - 4: Email LowerAdmissions@willowschoolnola.org or call 504-324-7318

For Grades 5-12: Email UpperAdmissions@willowschoolnola.org or call 504-304-3961

If you need help with accessing the application in Spanish or Vietnamese, please reach out to the admissions team.

In person support and computer assistance is available by appointment. Please contact the admissions office by email or phone to schedule a time to visit our admissions office at the middle school campus (5625 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70115).

Why Willow?

The Willow School's renowned academic program engages students and challenges them to think critically, analytically, and creatively. A National Blue Ribbon School, The Willow School has mastered the art of balancing a rigorous academic program, with accompanying higher expectations, and student well-being.

Our unique curriculum is founded on the concept of arts integration. The school believes strongly in the power of combining critical thinking skills and creativity to prepare its students for a successful academic future and to help them develop and grow into adulthood.

An Orleans Parish public school, The Willow School maintains an "A" rating with the Louisiana Department of Education and serves more than 2,000 students on three campuses.

The Willow School does not discriminate on the basis of an individual’s race, color, ethnic group, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic.