[1] Its member institutions cooperate in their outreach to prospective students, sharing resources at domestic and international admission fairs.
[2][3] Although several TSAO schools no longer publish their endowment figures, in 2016 the TSAO contained ten of the twenty wealthiest traditional college-preparatory boarding schools in the United States, as measured by total size of endowment.
At times, TSAO schools adopt common policies with respect to applicants and admitted students, such as a uniform deadline to accept or reject offers of admission.
[5] The TSAO does not have a uniform policy with respect to standardized testing, and two of its member schools remain test-optional as of the 2024-25 application cycle.
[6][7] With one exception, every TSAO member educates both boarding and day students, and offers a post-graduate year.