Steps for Admissions

Campus Visit - Visiting our campus is an important part of the admissions process. Our Admissions Team is committed to making your family’s experience as individualized, relaxed, and personal as possible. The campus visit is more than just a tour of our facilities; it is a great way for you to explore all the wonderful things God is doing in and through Redlands Christian Schools via class visits, extra-curricular exploration, and faith discussions.

Should your student be chosen for a family interview with our campus principal, a campus visit is a required step prior to scheduling the interview appointment.

Admissions Application - In order to be considered for admission, a complete application must be submitted online along with the application fee. A pastoral/church reference is required as part of the application (This may not be a family member, but can be a pastor, youth pastor, Sunday school teacher, etc.). An automatic referral form will be emailed to the person listed as a required step in the admissions process.

Additional items required include: birth certificate, immunization record, report cards/transcript, standardized testing, IEP (if applicable), 504 Plan (if applicable), behavior record (if applicable), etc. For Preschool and Jr. Kindergarten applicants, additional State of California forms will also be required.

Incomplete applications cannot be considered and will be marked closed if required documents are not submitted in a timely manner.

Once all of the required documentation has been received, the Admissions Team will review the file and contact the family for any missing information or needed clarification. This step may take several weeks depending on the stage of the admissions season.

Prior to advancing to the next step and using the admissions eligibility requirements as a basis, the Admissions Team will evaluate the application and submitted materials to determine initial qualification. Parents will be notified in writing if the admissions process cannot be continued.

Once the initial qualification has been determined, students entering Kindergarten through 12th grade will be scheduled for academic screening by invitation only.

Prior to advancing to the next step and using the admissions eligibility requirements as a basis, the Admissions Team will re-evaluate the application, documents, and screening results for continued qualification. Parents will be notified in writing if the admissions process cannot be continued.

Upon determination of continued qualification, the Admissions Team will schedule an interview with the specific campus Principal for the parents and applicant. During this time, the Principal takes the opportunity to get to know the family as well as the incoming student.

After the successful completion of the steps above, the Admissions Committee will convene to review all aspects of the application, entrance screening, and family interview. Parents will then receive a letter outlining the admissions decision.

For offers of acceptance, it is standard for the applicant to be placed in the admissions wait pool while space availability is determined. Please read the information below to understand how our admissions wait pool works.

When an opening becomes available, a packet with the final enrollment and financial documents will be forwarded to the family (via mail or by pick-up).

All new families are required to meet with a member of the Admissions/Enrollment Team to finalize enrollment and submit the signed documents and required finances. Instructions for finalizing enrollment will be included in the packet.

If the family has applied for financial aid, the award determination will be sent via email at the time the enrollment packet is mailed or sent shortly thereafter.

To guarantee placement, enrollment must be finalized within two weeks of receiving the packet.

What does it mean to be in a wait pool? Congratulations! If your child is in the wait pool, he/she has successfully completed the admissions process and is simply waiting to be offered a space in his/her grade.

What is the likelihood that my child will be offered enrollment at RCS? The Admissions Committee will be able to consider wait pool candidates for potential openings shortly after the priority reenrollment deadline of March 1st. Additional openings may occur in the event of contract cancellations as well as incomplete enrollment. This process is ongoing throughout the admissions season as families move and circumstances change.

What is the difference between a wait pool and a wait list? A wait pool implies that there is no predefined order or ranking from when the application comes in to when and if a candidate in the pool will be offered a seat for the specific school year. The wait pool consists of all candidates who have successfully completed the admissions process.

If a spot becomes available, the Admissions Committee reconvenes to review the wait pool and will subsequently determine the most qualified candidate.

How much time will I be given to finalize enrollment if my child is offered a spot? From the date the enrollment offer is mailed, families will have a maximum of two weeks to accept the opening and finalize enrollment. Finalizing enrollment means the satisfactory completion of all enrollment steps including the submission of signed documents and fee payments. If this process is not completed within that timeframe, the opening may be offered to another wait pool candidate.

How long does my child remain in the wait pool? Your child remains active in the wait pool until you notify the admissions office that you no longer want your child in the wait pool, or just prior to the end of the first semester of the specific school year, whichever comes first. All wait pools are dissolved just prior to the end of the 1st semester of the specific school year.

Do I have to re-apply for the following school year if my child does not advance to enrollment? Yes. If you are still interested in pursuing a space for your child the following year, a grade and school year specific admissions application must be submitted and all application requirements satisfied.

What if I have a child with special needs? All children are created in the image of God and therefore receive love, respect, and educational opportunity if accepted at Redlands Christian Schools. Student Applications will be reviewed by our Special Ed Director as part of our Admissions process to determine if RCS is the best learning environment for the student.

We have a thriving program for students with special needs at RCS, however space is limited. Our special education practices help classroom teachers address learning challenges in the regular classroom. Time with a special education teacher may be available as a pull-out option for some children. One on one assistance can be an option. These services are offered for an additional fee. It is VERY IMPORTANT to complete the admissions materials accurately. Not declaring that your child has a special need, IEP or 504 plan is not in the best interest of the child’s education. 

How can I increase my chances of getting in? We do our best to enroll as many students as possible, but we are limited by classroom space. To improve your chances of receiving an enrollment offer

1. Apply early. Applications open each year in November.
2. Submit complete applications and make sure to include all supplemental documents and the Pastoral Reference email address.
3. Be patient. While we do the bulk of our enrollment in February and March, many openings come available after that and even into the school year.
4. Be willing to enroll your children separately. We always try to keep siblings together. If we only have an opening for one of your children, accepting that spot will improve your chances of future enrollment for siblings.
5. Pray. We serve a big God!