Our Admissions Process

Personal. Custom. Just like our instruction.
How to enroll at Vine Academy Burr Ridge
Like all things at Vine, the enrollment process is highly customized to each student’s situation.
In most cases, however, you can expect to:
  • In an information session, we will…

    Explain our philosophy of education and how Vine is designed.

    Share what a typical day at Vine looks like.

    Answer as many of your questions about Vine as possible.

    Learn as much as we can about your child and what brings you to seek a customized education.

    Schedule a time for you to come tour our school in person if you’d like to see Vine Academy in action!

    We may also…

    Offer you additional ways to learn about Vine, such as our curriculum guide or talking to other Vine moms and dads.

    Ask for his or her neuropsychological evaluation if your child has any special needs.

    Schedule a shadow day for your son or daughter.

    Reach out here to schedule a virtual information session with our Admissions Director, Amy Tripple!

  • At your tour, you can expect to…

    Explore Vine’s campus facilities, including our friendly front office and hallways, vibrant classrooms, fully-equipped music, art, and fitness spaces, and outdoor recreation area.

    Watch our customized learning in action.

    See Vine’s commitment to creating a safe emotional and academic culture for yourself!

  • At your child’s shadow day, he or she can expect to:

    Observe and participate in classes, typically from about 8:15 a.m. - 2:40 p.m. (we’ll customize this to each student.)

    Be shown around Vine by our students! Our students love having shadow students visit, and will tell your child all about how classes work and their own experiences at Vine. Empathy is one of our Vine Nine character traits, and our students love to relate their own experiences with shadow students!

    Be invited to ask lots of questions as he or she experiences a typical day at Vine Academy

  • The day after your child’s shadow day, our admissions director will connect with you to…

    Share our observations, hear how the day went from your child’s perspective, and answer additional questions.

    Work with you to decide if Vine is a good match for your child.


    If you and our admissions team believe that Vine and your child are a good fit for one another, we will…

    Offer him or her a seat at Vine and begin the official enrollment process by sending a contract, our parent handbook, and more.

    Discuss a date for your child’s first day as a Vine student (if he or she is a mid-year transfer.)

Frequently asked questions about our enrollment process:

Are you accepting new students?

Yes! As a growing school, we offer rolling admissions and are currently accepting students at each program level.

How long will our initial Zoom/phone call take?

It certainly can vary, but typically the initial conversation lasts between forty-five minutes and an hour. This gives us time to discuss your child(ren)’s journey and the details about Vine that may apply more directly to them.

Does my child need to have certain test scores to be considered by Vine?

Not usually. Vine is a school that serves many kinds of students, from those who are gifted to neurotypical to twice-exceptional. When there is a learning disability present, we will likely ask to see a neuropsychologist’s report or prior testing results to give us a better understanding of your child’s specific discrepancy.

We may also have you bring them to us for further testing if we have more questions or would like to evaluate their skill levels for ourselves. This can be combined with a tour of the building for the child and parents!

Will my child be able to participate on their shadow day, or just watch?

A shadow day for your child is another important part of the admissions process because it gives him or her a chance to fully experience a day at Vine, meet the teachers and other students, and ask them all of their questions about the school. Shadow days are meant to be highly participatory; our teachers plan ahead so our shadow students can engage in the activities the class is working on!

Can my child transfer to Vine mid-year?

Yes! We have many mid-year transfers and follow a thorough process for helping our new students get on-boarded and settled-in as smoothly as possible.