Admissions FAQs

List of 4 frequently asked questions.

• Q: What are you looking for in a student?

  Tandem Friends School is a community of well-rounded students who are kind-hearted, intellectually curious, and willing to try new things. Our academic program is taught at an advanced level. Students who score above average in traditional schools typically thrive at TFS.

• Q: What is a Friends school?

  "Friends,” also known as Quakers, are members of the Religious Society of Friends, who believe that there is that of God in everyone. In other words, an inner light and a fundamental dignity is present within each person that forms the seat of wisdom.  In a school setting, that means we are all working to bring out the best in one another. Ours is not a religious school. There is no requirement or expectation that a student or family be a Quaker to attend TFS, but the expectation and requirement is that we treat each other with respect and compassion.

• Q: How much homework is there?

  We believe that homework is used to fine tune learning (or get ready for class the next day, in the case of reading). We emphatically do not believe in homework as busy work! Middle schoolers are assigned a maximum of an hour a day, although this will be spread out and not always consistent.

• Q: Are there students for whom Tandem Friends is not a good fit?

  Yes. One of our mottoes is "Freedom with Responsibility." Students are given more free time at TFS than is typical in traditional school. We have a 45-minute lunch, free periods in the Upper School, and unstructured time before and after school. Socializing is an important part of a student's school life! They need free time to be together, creating strong emotional bonds that support them throughout adolescence. These unstructured times are also opportunities for students to get extra help with teachers, complete assignments, and spend time being quiet. We are looking for students who will thrive within the structure of a class setting and who can also learn to use their free time wisely. A student who relies exclusively on outside rules and parameters to be successful could struggle at TFS.