For Educational Agents

Who We Are

Grier School is a girls’ boarding school located in Central Pennsylvania. Founded in 1853, Grier has a history of excellence. Grier students become emboldened, engaged, and poised for the future, ensuring students are accepted to elite, top-tier universities.

Strong Academics

Signature Programs

Enriching Experiences

Admissions Process

Grier School’s application process includes a student biographic profile, student and parent questionnaires, two teacher recommendations, test scores, and a school report with academic transcripts. In addition, international students will need to complete the international student supplement which consists of a copy of the photo page of the student’s passport, a signed financial sponsorship form, and a bank statement or employer’s letter verifying funds available to cover the first year’s tuition and fees. Lastly, we ask every student to visit campus, participate in an online interview, or meet with a Grier admissions director in their local area.

Test Scores

Students from China who are applying to 10^th or 11^th grades are required to submit their TOEFL score with their application. For all other applicants, it is strongly recommended that they submit their SSAT, TOEFL, and/or IELTS score with their application.

Meet Us

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Admissions Abroad

The Grier School admissions team travels to many areas in Asia, Europe, and Central America. To schedule a meeting with one of our admissions directors, please email us at admissions@grier.org.
Campus Visits

We welcome students, their families, and agents to schedule a visit to Grier School. Visits can be scheduled Monday through Friday throughout the year; however, we highly recommend visiting Grier while classes are in session. Meeting members of the community and visiting classes is the best way to learn about a school’s academic experience and student life.
School Calendar

See our school calendar to help you decide when you would like to visit.

Preparing for the Interview

Grier School values getting to know our applicants personally. Therefore, we encourage students to be relaxed and be themselves so we can get to know students and learn more about their interests. Though it is important to be prepared for the interview, it is not helpful to read prepared, written responses to our questions. Please consider sharing the following interview tips and commonly asked interview questions with applicants.

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Interview Tips
1. Please be on time, alert, and be prepared to have a fluid, engaging conversation.
2. We also like to take time during the interview to answer your questions. We encourage you to review our website and think of questions that you might have about Grier School. You may find it most helpful to research Grier School before the interview to help you determine what questions to ask.
3. If you have an online interview, test your Wi-Fi to make sure you are in a room with strong signal strength. If possible, plug your computer directly in to your router so there are no issues with a poor connection. Similarly, test Skype or WeChat to make sure the speakers and microphone on your computer are working.
4. If you have an in-person interview, look your interviewer in the eyes, shake his hand when appropriate, and say thank you.
5. Think about the qualities of a boarding school that are most important to you and be sure to communicate that during your interview. This will prompt us to tell you the things about Grier that matter most to you.
6. Make sure you are dressed appropriately for your interview. Remove or turn off things that may distract you, including your phone and messaging apps.
Interview Questions
1. Tell us why you decided to apply to Grier School.
2. Tell us what you enjoy most about school. Do you have favorite subjects? What subjects are most challenging for you?
3. What do you like to do with your free time? Do you have any hobbies?
4. Tell us about your family.
5. Describe your ideal school. What qualities are you looking for in your next school?
6. When you think about your boarding school experience, what excites you the most? What makes you nervous?
7. Why do you think you are ready for boarding school?
8. What are your plans for after high school? Do you know what you would like to study in college?

Visa Information

As a part of the admissions process, we ask families to submit the documents required for the I-20. This includes a copy of the photo page of the student’s passport, a signed financial sponsorship form, and a bank statement or employer’s letter verifying funds available to cover the first year’s tuition and fees.

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How to Demonstrate Financial Ability as an International Student

US News Article

We recommend that families pay their fees for tuition, room, and board before their visa interview so they can prove their commitment to sending their daughter to Grier School. In the event that the visa is denied, we will refund the family’s payment.
Visa Interview Required Documents
- Valid Passport
- Nonimmigrant Visa Application, Form DS-160 confirmation page
- Application fee payment receipt
- Photo
- Form I-20
- School transcripts
- Your intent to depart the US upon completion of the course of study
- Proof of ability to pay school fees, living costs, and travel expenses

Agent Commission

Grier School offers an agent agreement which outlines our commission policies. Please contact the Admissions Office at admissions@grier.org to request an agency agreement.

Admissions Team

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Kara Lawler

Head of School/Director of Enrollment and Marketing

Bio
Kara Lawler is the Director of Admissions and Enrollment after serving as the English Department Chair and Assistant Director of Admissions over the course of her 16-year career at Grier. Kara brings over two decades of educational experience to the school, with a B.A. in English from the Pennsylvania State University and an M.A.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Michigan State University. Kara has also completed coursework at both Manchester University and Oxford University. Kara finds three things to be vocational: her career in girls’ education, her role as the mother of two growing children, and her work as a writer. Kara is the published author of two books, Everywhere Holy (Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins, 12/19) and A Letter for Every Mother (Hachette, 4/18). She has a new children’s book forthcoming in 2023. Additionally, Kara has written for The Today Show (Parents), The Huffington Post, and Parenting, among many others, where some of her essays have been read and shared millions of times. Kara has been married to Mike for 20 years and they have two children, Matt and Maggie. Kara lives with her family in Overlook, an on-campus house, with their Great Dane, Tallulah, and their goldendoodles, Frances and Finnegan.
Kelly Aharrah

Alumnae Coordinator\Assist. Director of Admissions
Lindsay Shaw

Admissions Associate