A new journey for your gifted child starts here.
Quest Academy is dedicated to building a community of learners who will benefit from our advanced, creative, and innovative classroom experience. The admissions process is designed to introduce prospective families to Quest and allows us to get to know your family, as well. Through the application, IQ testing (kindergarten-8th grade), visit day experience, and interactions with the family during the tour and subsequent conversations, Quest obtains a snapshot of your student as a learner and a person.
The journey at Quest is not just academic; our students benefit from a whole child approach that includes support for social-emotional development and skill building in areas such as leadership, teamwork, global citizenship, and good character.
Quest Academy firmly embraces the philosophy that we enroll families, not just students. Our school community is enhanced by the interactions, talents, and support of our families who choose Quest for their children. We trust that as you move through the admissions process, you will get to know us better as your future school home
It is the policy of Quest Academy not to discriminate in violation of the law on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, or physical or mental disability which are unrelated to the ability to work or enjoy the benefits of the School's programs, facilities, or services. All persons are encouraged to apply.
The gifted child is inquisitive. They seek to understand the world around them at greater depths than the typical child their age. They tend to retain information in richer detail and use that information to make meaningful connections between topics, experiences, or thoughts. They are both highly focused and easily distracted. And the list goes on. . . Overall, the gifted child is wonderfully complex—and we understand and celebrate that at Quest Academy.
Quest Academy provides tuition assistance to families with children in preschool through eighth grade who demonstrate financial need through the financial aid application process.
Presently, about 30% of our students receive assistance of varying amounts. While the budget for tuition assistance is generous and the School is able to meet the needs of many new families, it is not always possible to offer tuition assistance to all who apply. Students receiving tuition assistance must be in good academic standing and display good citizenship.
Options exist to make tuition more affordable. See below for details, or contact the Business Office at 847-202-8035 to discuss.
- We offer several tuition payment schedules: in full, in three installments or in ten installments.
- Financial Aid is available for qualifying families. Awards are based on demonstrated financial need, as determined by FACTS Grant and Aid Assessment, as administered by the Quest Academy Financial Aid Committee. See the link below for more information about applying for Financial Aid.
- 529 Plans - 2018 Tax law changes expanded the use of 529 Plans; those funds can now be used for K-12 education (in addition to college) costs. Limitations do apply, so consult your tax advisor for advice.
Quest Academy considers each family individually using the guidelines set forth by administration and the data as reported by the family. The maximum award that Quest Academy is prepared to offer to those families who qualify for the highest need is 50% off the full tuition amount.Families must be prepared to contribute the remaining balance after the award is accepted.
2023-2024 Tuition
- Pre-School Half Day (Three year olds) $11,840
- Pre-School Full Day (Three year olds) $15,800
- Jr. Kindergarten through 8th Grade $24,860
New Family Legacy Fee
In addition to tuition, new families are charged a one-time New Family Legacy Fee the first year they enroll. In order to fulfill the Quest Academy mission, maintain the value and excellence of our educational experience, and build upon the strong foundation laid by generous families in years' past, the New Family Legacy Fee honors the commitments of alumni families and current families whose contributions of time, talent, and treasure helped found, purchase, renovate, and expand our campus.
- Preschool $500
- Junior Kindergarten through 8th Grade $1,500
APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID
To apply for tuition assistance, all families must complete a financial aid application by completing the following steps:
- Visit Facts Grant & Aid (FGA) and complete a financial aid application. Assistance with the FGA website is available by calling 866-315-9262.
- After completing the FGA online application, upload the required financial documents for the most recent tax year. Required documents include W2's, IRS Form 1040 and all schedules.
- The application and supporting documents will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Committee and the decision will be shared with the family. If a family qualifies for financial assistance their contract will be adjusted to reflect the aid award and a new signature will be required to accept the adjusted amount.
Specific information on financial aid deadlines and application steps can be obtained here.
If you would have any basic questions for our Admissions Team, simply schedule an available time below and someone will contact you.
If you would like to begin your formal application process, please begin our Online Application here.
Once the application form has been received, the Enrollment Team will contact you to arrange an Admissions Meeting.
We believe that touring Quest Academy is the best way to experience all that we have to offer the gifted learner. We conduct in-person or virtual meetings to meet your child's teachers over the course of the application process.
We enroll students to Quest Academy on a rolling admissions basis. This means that qualified students may enroll mid-year, pending space in the class/grade. To be considered during the first round of admissions decisions for the upcoming school year, you should begin the admissions process no later than February of the current school year.
IQ Testing
To assist us in predicting the potential success of your child in a gifted environment, we require IQ testing for children entering kindergarten and older. Our minimum FSIQ score for admission acceptance is 125. We do not endorse any specific tester or psychologist to complete this testing, but for your convenience we have a list of area certified testers HERE. Some psychologists will perform the IQ tests on site at Quest Academy. For more information on scheduling testing, please contact the enrollment office at Quest.
You can learn more about IQ testing and gifted learners by visiting the National Association for Gifted Children website.
Supplemental Materials
Supplemental materials allow the admissions team to get to know your child as a student and learner. These materials accompany the application and IQ testing as part of the official admissions file. Students entering grades K-8 should submit school recommendation forms from their previous or current school.
Supplying teacher recommendation forms from the previous school strengthens the student's application. We understand that receiving these forms in a timely manner may be out of the applicant's control and take this into consideration during the review process. Please make every attempt to request these forms to be emailed or sent directly to Quest Academy at:
Quest Academy - Admissions
500 North Benton
Palatine, IL 60067
- Teacher Recommendation Form (Kindergarten)
- Teacher Recommendation Form (Grades 1-5)
- Principal Recommendation Form (Grades 1-5)
- English Teacher Recommendation Form (Grades 6-8)
- Math Teacher Recommendation Form (Grades 6-8)
- Principal Recommendation Form (Grades 6-8)
- Transcript Release Form (All Grades)
For students entering Grades 2-8, please submit your most current school-based standardized testing (MAP, PARCC, etc.). You can upload the testing when you complete the online application. If you are unable to upload, you may email the testing and it will be added to your admission file.
For all admitted students, Quest Academy requires all past school records including report cards, academic testing, and additional records to be kept by the school in the official permanent file. Once a student is admitted, the entire academic file will be sent to Quest Academy. Please complete the release form to request that the transcripts be sent. For the admissions process, you may upload the most recent report cards to the application or email them directly.
The student visit is one of the most important elements of the Quest Academy admissions process. During the Admissions visit, students gain a better understanding of a day in the life of a Quest student, and Quest teachers get to know potential students beyond the application profile.
Upon completion of the Admissions visit, the teachers who had the pleasure of hosting the applicant will provide feedback about the time spent together, including appraisal of academic and social-emotional factors. Teachers observe how visiting students interact, as well as their readiness to participate in our advanced environment. Quest Academy faculty and staff understand that a student transferring from a more typical school experience may not have been exposed to certain subject matter. In evaluating, we are mostly concerned with the student's perceived potential to be a Quest student. We take this matter very seriously to ensure adherence to our mission, out of respect for our classroom of learners, and for the betterment of the applicant's school self-esteem.
The Admissions Committee reviews the complete application file that includes an application, IQ testing (K-8), feedback from the virtual visit, and additional records and recommendations provided by the family during the application process.
Parents of students accepted to Quest Academy will receive an email confirmation of acceptance. Included in the email will be directions about accessing the online contract. Review the contract for terms and deadline; during the review period, the applicant's place is held in the class. To accept the offer to enroll and secure a place in the grade, parents sign the electronic contract and submit a deposit as directed.