The school years – between kindergarten and senior year of high school – remain the most foundational and transformational in most people’s lives. Each year, and even each passing day, provides an opportunity for children to take one step closer to being the best and most authentic versions of themselves. In order to truly thrive, children must engage with adults who know them, care for them, and challenge them and are surrounded by a community of peers who share their values and who maintain lofty aspirations and high standards. A rising tide truly does lift all boats. It's well known that by about age nine, children’s peer groups have the largest impact on their beliefs, values, and aspirations. Without match, Independent Schools provide the context as well as the resources for children to flourish and grow to achieve and become their best.

Because of their mission-driven nature, Independent Schools provide a vast diversity of offerings, philosophies, values, and cultural characteristics. What presents on the surface and through reputation is often an incomplete view and not wholly indicative of the student experience. When committing to a School for your child, you place your trust, emotional investment, and significant financial resources into your choice. It's among the most consequential decisions we can make for our children. The admissions process itself provides an opportunity for you and your child to reflect on their unique strengths, values, and passions and align them with the school where they can truly thrive. When partnering with a Counselor that understands both children and schools, the process itself becomes an opportunity for reflection and growth, not just a means to an end.

Partnering with a trusted counselor to help solidify your family’s values and expectations and to appreciate the complexity of your child ensures that you will identify and gain entry into the best school option for your family. Admissions Counselors help navigate the ubiquity of outstanding educational opportunities that exist, break down the extremely high barrier to entry, and demystify the intentionally opaque admissions processes, walking step by step with you and your child throughout the invigorating, yet daunting, admissions process.

Each Gowan Placement Partner possesses rich and deep experience in independent school leadership and admissions. Between our knowledge and understanding of the admissions process, the relationships we have with school and admissions officers, and our ability to understand and build relationships with children and families, we can ensure that your child ends up in the School that’s best for him/her.

The Gowan Placement Difference:

Deep knowledge and understanding of children and a thorough and child-centered process that will allow your child to be comfortable with bringing their best throughout each step of the admissions process.

A rich independent school admissions network and credibility with school leaders and admissions directors to gain knowledge and provide advocacy for your child and family.

Deep experience in schools that provides families with a thorough list of options and intricate knowledge of what drives admission decisions to give your child the edge.

Our students are placed in a variety of independent schools, ranging from day schools to boarding schools, K-9 schools, religiously affiliated, as well as other mission-focused independent schools.

Below is a partial list to give a sense of where some of our students have been enrolled.

Avon Old Farms
Berkshire
Berwick Academy
Blair Academy
Brooks
Brunswick
Cardigan Mountain School
Choate Rosemary Hall
Dalton
Deerfield Academy
Don Bosco Prep
Dwight Englewood
Ethel Walker
Emma Willard
Governor’s Academy
Greens Farms Academy
Greenwich Academy
Greenwich Country Day School
Hackley
Hillside
Holderness
Horace Mann
Hotchkiss
Immaculate Heart Academy
IMG
Kent School
Kimball Union Academy
King School
Knox School
Loomis Chaffee
Masters School
Miss Porter’s School
Montclair Kimberly Academy
Newark Academy
Nightengale
Northfield Mt. Hermon
Phillips Andover
Phillips Exeter
Pomfret School
Riverdale School
Rye Country Day School
Sacred Heart Greenwich
Saddle River Day
Salisbury School
School of the Holy Child
South Kent School
St. Andrew’s
St. Luke’s
St. Mark’s
St. Paul’s
Stony Brook School
Tabor Academy
Taft
Trinity Pawling
Westminster School
Winchendon School