Admissions

Admissions FAQ

List of 6 frequently asked questions.

  • Is St. Edmund’s Academy a religiously-affiliated school? 

    No, St. Edmund’s Academy is not religiously affiliated. In 1952, Pauline Seeley Mudge donated the site on Darlington Road in memory of her late husband Edmund W. Mudge, a Pittsburgh industrialist and civic leader. The school was named in honor of Mr. Mudge, and the story of St. Edmund, the boy king of East Anglia in the 10th century, was adopted to serve as a reminder to students of the importance of honor, bravery, courage, and loyalty. 

    Originally founded in the Episcopalian faith, school founders desired a school that was both academically challenging but that also instilled a strong moral character in its students. At its origination, the school accomplished this through a variety of methods including public recognition of positive behaviors and character traits and a weekly chapel service. While this practice has evolved to better reflect the diverse community of families that attend SEA, the strong emphasis on character development remains and our Core Values unite our remarkably diverse community. 

    Learn more about the history and founding of our school.

  • How many students attend St. Edmund’s Academy?

    Each year we enroll approximately 320 students from Preschool through 8th Grade.

  • What is your average class size?

    There is an average class size of 14 students per class. In our Early Childhood division, additional teaching staff keep student to teacher ratios around 7:1. 

  • Why does St. Edmund’s Academy end at 8th grade instead of 12th?

    SEA is intentionally designed to be a Preschool – 8th Grade school, focusing on the critical developmental years of its students. Without a high school, we are able to conserve our time and resources to benefit each child in each grade. Our students are connected – it is just as common to see 3rd and 4th graders collaborating on a project as it is to see a Kindergartner and an 8th grader playing together on the field. Our students have authentic leadership opportunities as they move through the grades, culminating with their 8th Grade year where they serve as the true leaders and role models for other students in the school.

  • What is the best time to apply?

    The ideal time to apply is the fall before your child would enroll. You can refer to our Application Process page for specific dates.  Admission to the school outside of the traditional admissions season occurs on a rolling basis, if space permits in a particular grade level.

  • In what areas of Pittsburgh do St. Edmund’s Academy families live?

    Families who attend St. Edmund’s Academy live in many of the surrounding Pittsburgh communities including Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Highland Park, Point Breeze, and others.  Students from over 35 zip codes join SEA each year. 

List of 5 frequently asked questions.

  • Where do your graduates ultimately attend college?

    The SEA Class of 2020 (graduated from high school in 2024) attend the following colleges and universities this year:
     
    Carnegie Mellon University
    Claflin University
    Franklin and Marshall College
    The George Washington University
    Hampton University
    Lafayette College
    McGill University
    Mercyhurst University
    Morehouse College
    Ohio State University
    Pennsylvania State University
    University of Pittsburgh
    Princeton University
    University of Richmond
    Seton Hill University
    University of Southern California
    Temple University
    Washington University in St. Louis

  • Where do your graduates attend high school?

    SEA graduates attend many of the local independent, public, and parochial schools as well as boarding schools in other cities. Throughout their 7th and 8th Grade years, students and families meet with advisors to discuss their desired options for secondary schools. Students visit a variety of schools and are counseled through their selection process, which will ultimately help prepare them for the college selection process.

    Our current graduates attending 23 different high schools, including:
    Central Catholic & Oakland Catholic High School
    Shady Side Academy
    The Ellis School
    Taylor Allderdice High School (CAS)
    Winchester Thurston School

  • Would it be hard for my child in middle school to transfer to SEA?

    It's not uncommon for students to transfer to the Upper School (5th through 8th grade) at St. Edmund's Academy.  Families often make this change to make sure their children are as prepared as possible for the academic expectations of high school.  Other families transfer for social reasons into a middle school environment where students are notoriously kind and where faculty nurture students' independence, leadership skills, and character.  When space permits, we happily consider for admissions students who would benefit from this type of environment and whose academic preparation situates them to thrive, with guidance, in our classes. 

  • How can parents become involved?

    Parents are invited to help in the classroom and at events during various times in the year. The PTA welcomes parent volunteers at all levels of commitment – regardless of your schedule, there are ways to become involved at SEA. We also eagerly welcome involvement from other families, including grandparents, aunts/uncles, older siblings, and other persons of significance in the lives of our students.

  • Do you provide before/after school care and programming?

    Yes. The school day goes from 8:00 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.. Students are able to enter the building as early as 7:30 a.m. and may wait in the auditorium with teachers and peers.

    Our After School Program runs from 3:25 until 6:00 p.m. for students in Preschool through 6th Grade and is comprised of two parts: Extended Day and SEA Explorers. In Extended Day, children can participate in crafts, games, sports, and outdoor play. For students with homework, a separate room is designated as a quiet space for study hall. Families can sign their children up for special enrichment classes in addition to Extended Day through SEA Explorers. Programs cater to a wide range of interests from yoga to cooking to robotics. All children in the After School Program are provided an after school snack.
     

List of 4 frequently asked questions.

  • Do you provide financial aid or scholarships to new students?

    Yes. Socioeconomic range in our school community is important to our commitment to a diverse population and we are happy to provide approximately 40% of our families with financial aid. Aid is awarded on the basis of need as determined by the Clarity Financial Aid Application.

  • Why should we pay for an independent school instead of sending our child to public school?

    Families in the independent school system are often drawn to our collective reputation for academic excellence and high expectations of students. We recruit the best teachers from around the country to work with our students, and we provide them with resources, professional development, and class sizes so that they can be creative and facilitate optimal learning environments for student engagement and discovery without restrictions imposed from outside sources.

  • Do you provide discounts for families with multiple children?

    While we do not offer discounts to families with multiple children, the Clarity Financial Aid application accounts for families with multiple children, among other extenuating factors that could impact a family’s ability to pay full tuition costs.

  • What districts provide transportation to St. Edmund’s Academy?

    The Pittsburgh Public School District buses SEA students to and from school. PPS will provide transportation to students (Kindergarten – 8th grade) who live in the district and live more than 1.5 miles from SEA. Additionally, twenty other school districts provide transportation for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade, including:
     
    Allegheny Valley
    Baldwin-Whitehall
    Carlynton
    Chartiers Valley
    East Allegheny
    Fox Chapel
    Gateway
    Hampton
    Keystone Oaks
    McKeesport
    Montour
    North Hills
    Penn Hills
    Pittsburgh Public Schools (if student lives over 1.5 miles from school)
    Plum
    Riverview
    Shaler
    Sto-Rox
    West Jefferson Hills
    West Mifflin
    Woodland Hills

St. Edmund's Academy

5705 Darlington Road   •   Pittsburgh, PA  15217
412.521.1907     •     info@stedmunds.net
Guided by our Core Values and commitment to high standards, St. Edmund’s Academy provides a diverse, inclusive, and nurturing learning community where students are known, valued, and challenged to achieve their potential.