The Selwyn School, Argyle, Texas
Most families choose a school the same way. They read the website, take a tour, ask a few good questions in the hallway and then make a decision that shapes the next thirteen years. It is a lot to ask of one afternoon.
This spring, 36 families will get to decide a different way. Through the generosity of a program sponsor, 36 local students will be selected to attend Selwyn for one semester tuition-free, beginning in January 2027. Here is how it works, and what it is actually like for the child who comes.
What exactly is being offered?
A full spring semester at Selwyn. Not a trial day and not a summer program. Your child joins a class, a teacher, a team and a community from the first day of the spring term, alongside every other Selwyn student.
Tuition for the semester is covered in full by the program sponsor, and the one-time new family fee is waived. Families remain responsible for the $400 application fee and incidental costs such as uniforms, athletics and optional trips. Exact terms are confirmed in writing with each selected family before the semester begins.
Is it a lottery or a giveaway?
No, and this is the part we most want families to understand. Students are selected by the Admission Committee on the strength of a complete application, exactly as every Selwyn student is. There is no drawing, no purchase and no element of chance. The standard does not move because the semester is sponsored.
The committee is not looking for the highest test scores. It reviews academic skills, individual talents, motivation toward learning, personal interests and developmental readiness, and it is looking for the students who will thrive here and add something to the community.
What will my child actually experience?
A school built on a different premise. Selwyn classes average nine students, so a teacher knows each child well enough to teach them differently. Learning is student-driven and paced to mastery: a child who needs another week gets it, and a child who is ready to run is allowed to run.
Selwyn does not teach to state tests. Students solve problems together, run experiments, explore the arts and debate global issues. From PreK through Grade 12, learning happens in labs, studios, athletics, real projects and outdoors on a wooded campus. Selwyn is independent and non-sectarian, so there is no religious instruction and no religious requirement, and families of every faith and none are equally at home.
A semester is long enough for all of that to become ordinary, which is the point. By spring you will not be guessing how your child feels about school. You will know.
Do we have to stay afterward?
No. The semester carries no obligation to continue. Families who choose to stay will enroll on standard terms for the following year and may apply for financial aid through the school’s regular process. Families who decide Selwyn is not the right fit leave having had a very good semester.
Who can apply?
- Students entering any grade from Kindergarten through Grade 12 in January 2027.
- Students who are new to Selwyn. Current and former Selwyn families are not eligible.
- Families who live within reach of campus for daily attendance, roughly a twenty minute drive from Argyle.
- Applicants who meet Selwyn’s standard admissions requirements.
- One sponsored semester per family. Siblings are welcome to apply for standard enrollment at the same time.
When is the deadline?
Applications close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 4, 2026, and only complete files are considered. Decisions are communicated before the winter break, so accepted families have their enrollment instructions in hand before January.
Where to start
With a private tour. Tours are led personally by the Director of Admissions, take about an hour and are built around your child’s interests. A tour is not required to apply, but it is the fastest way to know whether Selwyn is right for your family.
Schedule a private tour at selwynschool.org/semester or call the Office of Admissions at 940-382-6771, extension 135. Applications close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 4, 2026.
