Admissions

Abbott Lawrence Academy

Junior High School

Admissions for ALA Accelerated Junior High School

Only available to Lawrence Public Schools students.

Apply to Junior High School

Abbott Lawrence Academy

High School

Admissions for ALA Accelerated High School

Open to all Lawrence Public Schools (LPS) and Non-LPS students.

Apply to High School

Transfer to High School

Things to know before you start!

Thank you for your interest in Abbott Lawrence Academy! If you are:

a current sixth grader applying to our Junior High School
a current eighth grader deciding on a high school to attend
a current ninth grader looking for a different high school experience

You're in the right place! We invite you to explore our admissions process and requirements for each grade level of entry.

Lawrence residents only

Abbott Lawrence Academy is a public school serving students who reside in Lawrence, Massachusetts. While ALA is part of the Lawrence Public Schools district, admission is application-based and students must be selected through our admissions process. Enrollment is open exclusively to eligible Lawrence residents, and admission is not automatic based on residency alone. As a public school with a specialized academic program, ALA offers Lawrence students the opportunity to pursue a rigorous and enriching educational experience within their own community.

Free tuition

Abbott Lawrence Academy offers students in Lawrence an opportunity previously unavailable to most: the chance to experience a rich and rewarding honors education in the tradition of the most prestigious independent schools in the country, free of charge.

Admissions lottery

Abbott Lawrence Academy's admissions process involves a lottery system for filling their available seats. Our holistic enrollment process includes an application, transcript review, entrance exam*, teacher recommendations, and interviews*. Through our rigorous evaluation process, only applicants who meet our criteria will be placed into a qualified lottery pool.

*Please note that these components vary depending on the grade level students are applying for.

clock tower framed between green duck bridge truss

female student smiling while holding something with one hand insider her locker

Opportunities to Visit Our School

Abbott Lawrence Academy hosts an annual open house each October for prospective students and families to visit our campus, meet our faculty and staff, and learn about extracurriculars and athletics. All are welcome!

Additionally, prospective ninth grade students may sign up for a Shadow Day. Shadow Days are offered on a first-come, first-served basis and are not guaranteed. Please note this opportunity is currently only available to eighth grade students applying for ninth grade.

October Open House

Our annual open house for prospective students and families is typically held on the third Saturday in October from 10:00am to 12:00pm. This is the only scheduled admissions opportunity for families to visit the campus, meet students, faculty, and staff, and explore extracurricular and athletic offerings.

2026 Open House Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026

For those who are unable to attend our annual open house and wish to visit the campus, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to schedule a tour.

Student Shadowing

Current eighth graders who are considering Abbott Lawrence Academy for high school are invited to register for a Shadow Day. During a shadow day, a prospective student is paired with a current student whom they will follow throughout their academic day. This provides prospective students with the opportunity to experience life as an ALA student first-hand by attending actual ALA classes and interacting with students and faculty in an authentic way.

At this time, shadowing opportunities are offered exclusively to prospective ninth grade students, with limited spots available.

Be prepared before you apply!

The entrance exam and interview requirement varies by grade level. Prospective 7^th and 9^th grade students will not be required to interview for admissions. Prospective 10^th grade students may be asked to interview.

Entrance exam requirements vary by grade and students' current enrollment status. For example, current 8^th graders who attend Lawrence Public Schools will have a different exam requirement than those students who do not attend Lawrence Public Schools.

Short Answer Questions

Listed below are some short answer questions from the application. Applicants can prepare their responses ahead of time before applying.

All responses should be roughly 5 - 7 sentences and limited to 1,000 characters.

For Both High School & Junior High School Applicants
Why do you want to attend ALA? What are you most excited about and why? Please provide specific examples that pertain to ALA in your response.
For High School Applicants
In ALA, our courses are fast-paced and require students to think deeply and critically about the material they are learning. If you were accepted into ALA, there may be times throughout the year where you will feel challenged and frustrated. Please explain a time where you were challenged (in an academic or nonacademic setting) and how you responded.
For Both High School & Junior High School Applicants
Describe a project or activity (does not have to be school related) that you are passionate about. What have you learned from your involvement?
For High School Applicants
At ALA, students work closely with their peers and our staff. Please provide a specific example of a time that you worked with a partner, team, or group. Describe what you have learned from this experience.

Teacher Recommendations

Applicants are required to have two of their current or past teachers complete recommendation forms. These forms must be filled out and submitted directly by teachers who know you well and can speak to your academic strengths in the following areas:

Recommendation Requirements for Prospective Seventh Grade Applicants:

Sixth Grade Math Teacher
Sixth Grade English Teacher

Recommendation Requirements for Prospective Ninth and Tenth Grade Applicants:

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math) Teacher
Humanities (English, History, or Social Studies) Teacher

Applicants are responsible for requesting their own recommendations. Recommendation links are not sent automatically. You must copy the form link and provide it directly to your chosen teachers.

Please make sure the teacher's email you provide when filling out the application matches the one they will use to complete the recommendation.

School Counselor's Contact

Applicants are required to provide a contact e-mail for their school counselor or high school placement coordinator on their application.

By filling out the application, applicants authorize Abbott Lawrence Academy to reach out to their identified contact to gather the relevant educational documentation needed for enrollment. Additionally, prospective ninth grade students who do not attend a Lawrence Public School will need to be register for the ALA Entrance Exam through their school counselor or high school placement coordinator.