<p>Stagemum - if your school isn’t listed - put it on the list. :)</p>
<p>I am amazed at how many wonderful options there are that weren’t on my radar initially.</p>
<p>Memphis University School…all-male, traditional prep school that produces many of the people who run the South. FedEx CEO, Autozone CEO, Paypal Co-Founder, etc…</p>
<p>United World Colleges: International collection of very hidden gems. Only one of them is in the US, but all of them are multinational. [UWC</a> - UWC-USA | UWC](<a href=“http://www.uwc.org/our_colleges/uwcusa/default.aspx]UWC”>http://www.uwc.org/our_colleges/uwcusa/default.aspx). At Brown University there a lot of students who went to these high schools, (who are fiercely loyal to the schools). In part there are a lot of students at Brown from UWC because they are very well prepared, and in part because there apparently are some form of full scholarships to Brown for UWC grads who are qualified.</p>
<p>Asheville School NC</p>
<p>Altamont School**(Birmingham,AL)</p>
<p>Avon Old Farms CT (All-boys)</p>
<p>Blair Academy* NJ (Blairstown, northwest NJ close to Appalachian Trail and Delaware Water Gap) Welcome to Blair Academy Beautiful hilltop campus with most buildings and athletic facilities new or recently renovated. Challenging academics for academically talented students. Good college matriculation. Many leadership opportunities. They have a range of students and offer a range to courses. Faculty/student relationships are very close. The faculty sits down to discuss every student 5 times a year. <a href=“http://www.blair.edu/Admissions/pdfs...principles.pdf[/url]”>http://www.blair.edu/Admissions/pdfs...principles.pdf</a>
While founded in 1848, this school used to be run by Presbyterian ministers whose agenda was different from many boarding schools. Blair Academy - About Blair Around 30 or so years ago, the school was restructured to a standard board of trustees. The trustees hired a great Headmaster who has been there for more than 20 years. I think 3 of the trustees are among the Forbes 400. Changes were made to how the school operates, and an ambitious plan was launched to upgrade or build new facilities which just finished. It is an up and coming school now. Most parents love the school. Last year there was 81% participation in the Parents Fund, which is an impressive record.</p>
<p>Brooks School MA : N. Andover, MA. On a lake. Top notch facilities, great study abroad programs, prestigious internships in the Boston tech/medical sectors.</p>
<p>Berkshire School MA --nestled into the base of a mountain, has a fantastic “mountain program” that takes advantage of the natural setting of the school (including a maple syrup corporation, back country skills, rock climbing, mountain biking, etc.). Big into sustainability. Excellent advanced math/science research program (2 Intel semi-finalists in last two years) and a new math-science building will be ready in late 2012. Strong ice hockey program. Smallish size–just under 400 students. Genuinely nice feel to the school; the Head and faculty seem to care very much about the whole child.</p>
<p>Cate School*; on a mesa above the Pacific Ocean in Carpenteria, California.</p>
<p>Canterbury CT</p>
<p>Cheshire Academy CT</p>
<p>Colorado Rocky Mountain School CO
<a href=“http://www.crmsorg%5B/url%5D”>www.crmsorg</a> An amazing little school in an even more amazing setting. No boarding school has a view like it! Only 20 miles north of Aspen, the potential for skiing and outdoor adventure is unique among boarding schools. The curriculum/faculty is strong (attracts outdoorsy teachers). My youngest sister graduated in 2006 and had an extraordinary experience…she even moved back to Carbondale after college! A very neat school for kids looking for a different experience from the norm but still looking for great academics and a warm community.</p>
<p>Concord Academy* MA</p>
<p>Culver Academies IN / ssacdfamily
well known in the midwest, less so in the east - good size, great academics, sports, and arts - 20% international students - fully integrated humanities curriculum (english + history), working on increasing the interaction between the science and math departments, block system has given my student the time to dig deeply into subjects. Horsemanship program for both boys and girls (costs extra if you want to do it, but it’s there). Each dorm has a full time counselor in addition to dorm parent, serving as the primary advisor to the student and hand-holder to the parent. Leadership program: Military for the boys, Prefect system for the girls. The leadership program is real, backed up with curriculum and practical experience. The parts of the leadership program that my student talks about - taking direction from your peers, giving directions to your peers (including your friends), interviewing for the higher positions, responsibility for finishing a job - strike me as things that will translate pretty well to the workplace. Beautiful lake-front campus, and big support from alumni.</p>
<p>Cranbrook Schools* MI</p>
<p>EF International NY</p>
<p>Episcopal High School* VA-DC Metro Area
Great close-knit community because it is 100% boarding and is right across the Potomac from Washington, D.C. Every Wednesday afternoon, the kids go into Washington for cultural experiences - no extra fees. I think when I visited they had just watched Cirque du Soleil. The campus is gorgeous with a new arts and athletic center they just built. For senior year, many of the students have internships with people in Washington for first-hand experience. The teachers and staff are very caring and the classes are small yet rigorous The school is putting tremendous focus on expanding their applicant pool into New England, so expect acceptance rate to go down in the future.
430 students in the school, but no one slips through the cracks. Formal dress for class and sit-down lunches plus assembly chapel 3x week, and students take the honor code seriously. Strong visual arts programs (especially digital arts and ceramics), strong foreign languages including a SYA option which sends students to italy, France, Spain or Austria. School spirit is really strong, and many of the athletic teams are contenders year after year. Kids there are really happy and love their school.</p>
<p>George School PA</p>
<p>Governor’s Academy* MA
Under-recognized medium sized school. Oldest BS in operation. State of the art facilities. Dorms are smaller and intimate (i.e. fewer students per building). Supportive FA for middle class families, strong dedicated support for international students including English as Second Language. Has an international exchange program. Highly supportive of students and families. Parent participation is highly encouraged. Students are a name not a number and don’t get “lost” in the system. Is not a “sink or swim” experience. Rigor is strong enough for top schools.</p>
<p>The Gunnery MA</p>
<p>The Hill School* PA</p>
<p>Indian Springs School, Birmingham AL</p>
<p>Kimball Union Academy NH</p>
<p>The Kiski School PA (All-boys)</p>
<p>Kent School* CT</p>
<p>Lawrence Academy MA</p>
<p>Loomis Chaffee* CT</p>
<p>Madeira School* VA (All-girls)</p>
<p>Memphis University School…all-male, traditional prep school that produces many of the people who run the South. FedEx CEO, Autozone CEO, Paypal Co-Founder, etc… </p>
<p>Middlesex School* MA</p>
<p>Millbrook School NY
Let me put it like this - their physics teacher went to Cambridge, they’ve had the same headmaster for 20 years, and they have a campus zoo! Almost the entire campus was renovated in 2008, and their facilities rival that of nearby Hotchkiss and Kent.
I was also pleasantly surprised by how warm the student body was, and how everyone seemed to LOVE Millbrook. I would recommend it to everyone! This school is really serious about community service and works hard to be more green and sustainable. Kids who would get lost at a bigger school often thrive under all the personal atterntion here.</p>
<p>Miss Porter’s School* CT (All-girls)</p>
<p>New Hampton School NH
*Northfield Mount Hermon MA HUGE campus, very progressive educational philosophy; Head, Heart & Hand. Exceptional website and promotional materials. Strong emphasis on the arts, international education (both in terms of study abroad programs & the % of internationals in the students body). PGs–strong in many athletics, competes against HADES schools and the other large prep schools like Lville, etc.
Pomfret CT Beautiful rural campus, yet close to Boston, Providence, Hartford. Strong Athletics & academics. Great community feel. Unique Digital Arts programs, and significant commitment to the arts in education. Incoming Head a longtime Dean at St. George’s and an Andover fac brat from childhood. Highly regarded.</p>
<p>Peddie School/laughalittle*
NJ A low-acceptance school with awesome academics and sports, yet not “snobby”. For the academics, they have an unrivaled science center (in my opinion) with a DNA splicing lab, and teachers with life experiences that many will never get. Math, history, English, and language courses are great as well. For sports, they are also great (their crew, basketball, and swimming win constant awards). Their matriculation includes Ivies, GW, Georgetown, etc.</p>
<p>Proctor Academy NH</p>
<p>St. Andrews School* DE</p>
<p>St. George’s School* RI</p>
<p>St. Marks School* MA</p>
<p>Solebury School PA
A small, quirky, homey progressive school for self-directed kids who are interested in social justice. Although it doesn’t have the fanciest facilities, there has been recent construction to update and improve the campus, and many of the teachers have been there for a long time. A true hidden gem, the school’s theater teacher used to be the head of theater at NYU and Lakers center Andrew Bynum also attended the school.</p>
<p>Suffield Academy CT</p>
<p>Taft School* CT
Medium sized, academically competitive school. Long term headmasters (i.e. low turnover) Good financial stewardship (according to charity navigator) and healthy endowment. Good FA consideration for middle class families. Consortium school for SYA. State of the Arts gym, science and math facilities. Large library. Strong Arts program (dance, visual arts, performance arts, digital/video). Routinely schedules travel for students (and parents) out of the country. In the last year, took 35 students to South Africa, 70 students (dance, jazz and chamber music) to the Czech Republic. Choir touring Italy over the summer, Video student travel world to shoot independent film each summer. Best asset - every parent and student is a name not a number. Every staff member knows every student and no one gets “lost in the system.” When you call for information, you’re treated like one of the “family” (not a donor). Proactive with student intervention. IS NOT a sink or swim school. Lives up to its reputation “Taft takes care of its own.”</p>
<p>Tabor Academy MA
Gorgeous campus, right on the water. Outstanding marine biology program.</p>
<p>Thacher School* CA / ThacherParent
240 students, especially close, happy & healthy community, school code is “lived” everywhere and everyday: Honor, Fairness, Kindness & Truth // a culture and love of learning with outstanding professors (70% + with advanced degrees) and incredibly close student-faculty relationships // unique and celebrated connection between the classroom and the natural world including the horse program (the only one of its kind in the U.S.), extended camping trips, adventuring of all sorts // fantastic, inclusive sports with routine regional and state achievement and huge emphasis on sportsmanship // stunning 400+ acre, southern California campus in Ojai, CA (photographed to represent Shangri-La in the 1939 movie, The Lost Horizon) at the base of the Topa Topa mountains, nestled among orange and avocado groves, the smells of chaparral, orange blossoms, lemon, lavender and sage, stunning views, exceptional weather // top-notch college admissions (Ivy + LAC + Stanford/MIT + other great schools), admission rate <20%, highest yield of any boarding school or college in the U.S. 80% - 83%.</p>
<p>Trinity-Pawling School NY
Traditional Boys school known for athletics and program for students with learning disabilities. What’s less known is that the school limits the number of LD students to no more than 20% of the school population. Students run the gamut of academic ability; some go on to top LACs and occasionally the Ivies, some head for vocational training. Strong sense of school spirit, beautiful campus.</p>
<p>United World Colleges: International collection of very hidden gems. Only one of them is in the US, but all of them are multinational. UWC - UWC-USA | UWC. At Brown University there a lot of students who went to these high schools, (who are fiercely loyal to the schools). In part there are a lot of students at Brown from UWC because they are very well prepared, and in part because there apparently are some form of full scholarships to Brown for UWC grads who are qualified. </p>
<p>Western Reserve Academy OH
Great school in Hudson, OH. It is between Akron and Cleveland. Beautiful town. Campus looks like small college.From its Website: Founded in 1826 as a preparatory school for Western Reserve College, Western Reserve Academy is one of the oldest boarding schools in the nation and the premier school of its kind in the Midwest. WRA offers a challenging curriculum that prepares our 390 students for future academic success - and for leading purposeful, fulfilling lives. Attending WRA is a transformational experience, where students learn to strive for excellence, live with integrity and act with compassion.
Westminster School CT</p>
<p>Westover School* CT (All-girls)
All girls prestigous boarding school in Central-West CT. WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) Program and strong Dance/Arts (Manhattan School of Arts Program).
Beautiful Campus, Strong endowment. Excellent Integration of Day students and warm environment for 200 girls</p>
<p>Williston Northampton School MA Easthampton, Ma.
Like a college campus, virtually adjacent to the small town of Easthampton.</p>
<p>Worcester Academy on Worcester, MA is a day/boarding school, very unique urban setting, diverse student body, excellent sports,arts, fabulous leadership and extracurricular ops. Its We the People team has won state competition two years in row and they are off to nationals. Its Math team has won state comp 5 of 6 yrs in row and are going for 7th. Great place for all kinds of kids.</p>
<p>Schools with * are known to be very academically rigorous with similar offerings as the HADES. Other schools without the * are schools that are hidden gems with alternative academic offerings, as well as other interesting offerings. For Example: George School and New Hampton School have the IB. Proctor has their own ski piste. The list goes on. All these schools are special and great in their own respect.</p>
<p>Schools with a ** are day schools</p>
<p>Just an additional note: This thread got into the featured threads! I never had this happen before. Dunno why, but I’m so excited. Thanks guys!</p>
<p>Unique boarding and day school in Central Mass. Check it out! Rigorous academics, long tradition of athletics, wonderful arts programs. Warm, welcoming, diverse community.</p>
<p>Some other names:
-Gill St. Bernard’s ¶
-The Hun School (NJ)
-Pennington (NJ)
-Branson (CA)
-Kingswood-Oxford (CT)</p>
<p>Would add Shadyside Academy and Sewickley academy</p>
<p>Gill Sr. Bernards is in NJ.</p>
<p>St. Bernards…</p>
<p>My son is attending Wyoming Seminary in September. He received a tuition scholarship to attend.</p>
<p>Seminary is located in Kingston, Pa and is a small boarding program of 200 students+day= 400 students. Traditional program, very old school. Strong in athletics (football, ice hockey, women’s field hockey, lacrosse). Also very strong program in theatre arts with new arts building under construction. 20% international students.</p>
<p>School nickname is “Sem”</p>
<p>Wyoming Seminary*</p>
<p>Sorry, forgot the asterix</p>
<p>after looking at Wyoming Seminary I wouldn’t say that its comparable with HADES/GLADCHEMMS the matriculation is ok and it doesnt seem as selective as other schools with an astrix. It does seem like a wonderful school, but without the high ivy matriculation found in the HADES/GLADCHEMMS schools.</p>
<p>Asheville School NC
[Asheville</a> School](<a href=“http://www.ashevilleschool.org/]Asheville”>http://www.ashevilleschool.org/)</p>
<p>Altamont School**
[The</a> Altamont School: Home<a href=“Birmingham,AL”>/url</a></p>
<p>Avon Old Farms CT
[url=<a href=“http://www.avonoldfarms.com/]Avon”>http://www.avonoldfarms.com/]Avon</a> Old Farms<a href=“All-boys”>/url</a></p>
<p>Berkshire School MA
[url=<a href=“http://www.berkshireschool.org/]Berkshire”>http://www.berkshireschool.org/]Berkshire</a> School](<a href=“http://www.altamontschool.org/]The”>http://www.altamontschool.org/)
nestled into the base of a mountain, has a fantastic “mountain program” that takes advantage of the natural setting of the school (including a maple syrup corporation, back country skills, rock climbing, mountain biking, etc.). Big into sustainability. Excellent advanced math/science research program (2 Intel semi-finalists in last two years) and a new math-science building will be ready in late 2012. Strong ice hockey program. Smallish size–just under 400 students. Genuinely nice feel to the school; the Head and faculty seem to care very much about the whole child.</p>
<p>Blair Academy* NJ
[Welcome</a> to Blair Academy](<a href=“http://www.blair.edu%5DWelcome”>http://www.blair.edu)
Blairstown, northwest NJ close to Appalachian Trail and Delaware Water Gap)
Welcome to Blair Academy Beautiful hilltop campus with most buildings and athletic facilities new or recently renovated. Challenging academics for academically talented students. Good college matriculation. Many leadership opportunities. They have a range of students and offer a range to courses. Faculty/student relationships are very close. The faculty sits down to discuss every student 5 times a year.
While founded in 1848, this school used to be run by Presbyterian ministers whose agenda was different from many boarding schools. Blair Academy - About Blair Around 30 or so years ago, the school was restructured to a standard board of trustees. The trustees hired a great Headmaster who has been there for more than 20 years. I think 3 of the trustees are among the Forbes 400. Changes were made to how the school operates, and an ambitious plan was launched to upgrade or build new facilities which just finished. It is an up and coming school now. Most parents love the school. Last year there was 81% participation in the Parents Fund, which is an impressive record.</p>
<p>BransonCA
[The</a> Branson School](<a href=“http://www.branson.org/]The”>http://www.branson.org/)</p>
<p>Brooks School MA
[Browser</a> Not Supported](<a href=“http://www.brooksschool.org/]Browser”>http://www.brooksschool.org/)
N. Andover, MA. On a lake. Top notch facilities, great study abroad programs, prestigious internships in the Boston tech/medical sectors.</p>
<p>Cate School*; on a mesa above the Pacific Ocean in Carpenteria, California.
[Cate</a> School](<a href=“http://www.cate.org/]Cate”>http://www.cate.org/)</p>
<p>Canterbury School CT
[Browser</a> Not Supported](<a href=“http://www.cbury.org/]Browser”>http://www.cbury.org/)</p>
<p>Cheshire Academy CT
[Please</a> wait…](<a href=“http://www.cheshireacademy.org%5DPlease”>http://www.cheshireacademy.org)</p>
<p>Colorado Rocky Mountain School CO
<a href=“http://www.crmsorg%5B/url%5D”>www.crmsorg</a> An amazing little school in an even more amazing setting. No boarding school has a view like it! Only 20 miles north of Aspen, the potential for skiing and outdoor adventure is unique among boarding schools. The curriculum/faculty is strong (attracts outdoorsy teachers). My youngest sister graduated in 2006 and had an extraordinary experience…she even moved back to Carbondale after college! A very neat school for kids looking for a different experience from the norm but still looking for great academics and a warm community.</p>
<p>Concord Academy* MA
[Concord</a> Academy](<a href=“http://www.concordacademy.org/]Concord”>http://www.concordacademy.org/)</p>
<p>Culver Academies IN
[Culver</a> Academies](<a href=“http://home.culver.org/]Culver”>http://home.culver.org/)
/ ssacdfamily
well known in the midwest, less so in the east - good size, great academics, sports, and arts - 20% international students - fully integrated humanities curriculum (english + history), working on increasing the interaction between the science and math departments, block system has given my student the time to dig deeply into subjects. Horsemanship program for both boys and girls (costs extra if you want to do it, but it’s there). Each dorm has a full time counselor in addition to dorm parent, serving as the primary advisor to the student and hand-holder to the parent. Leadership program: Military for the boys, Prefect system for the girls. The leadership program is real, backed up with curriculum and practical experience. The parts of the leadership program that my student talks about - taking direction from your peers, giving directions to your peers (including your friends), interviewing for the higher positions, responsibility for finishing a job - strike me as things that will translate pretty well to the workplace. Beautiful lake-front campus, and big support from alumni.</p>
<p>Cranbrook Schools* MI
[Browser</a> Not Supported](<a href=“http://www.schools.cranbrook.edu/]Browser”>http://www.schools.cranbrook.edu/)</p>
<p>EF International NY</p>
<p>Episcopal High School* VA
[Episcopal</a> High School](<a href=“http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/]Episcopal”>http://www.episcopalhighschool.org/)
DC Metro Area
Great close-knit community because it is 100% boarding and is right across the Potomac from Washington, D.C. Every Wednesday afternoon, the kids go into Washington for cultural experiences - no extra fees. I think when I visited they had just watched Cirque du Soleil. The campus is gorgeous with a new arts and athletic center they just built. For senior year, many of the students have internships with people in Washington for first-hand experience. The teachers and staff are very caring and the classes are small yet rigorous The school is putting tremendous focus on expanding their applicant pool into New England, so expect acceptance rate to go down in the future.
430 students in the school, but no one slips through the cracks. Formal dress for class and sit-down lunches plus assembly chapel 3x week, and students take the honor code seriously. Strong visual arts programs (especially digital arts and ceramics), strong foreign languages including a SYA option which sends students to italy, France, Spain or Austria. School spirit is really strong, and many of the athletic teams are contenders year after year. Kids there are really happy and love their school.</p>
<p>George School PA
[Home</a> - George School](<a href=“http://www.georgeschool.org/]Home”>http://www.georgeschool.org/)</p>
<p>Gill St. Bernard’s NJ
[Balance</a>, integrity, excellence, creativity and leadership - all are central to a GSB education.](<a href=“http://www.gsbschool.org/]Balance”>http://www.gsbschool.org/)</p>
<p>Governor’s Academy* MA
[The</a> Governor’s Academy](<a href=“http://www.thegovernorsacademy.org/]The”>http://www.thegovernorsacademy.org/)
Under-recognized medium sized school. Oldest BS in operation. State of the art facilities. Dorms are smaller and intimate (i.e. fewer students per building). Supportive FA for middle class families, strong dedicated support for international students including English as Second Language. Has an international exchange program. Highly supportive of students and families. Parent participation is highly encouraged. Students are a name not a number and don’t get “lost” in the system. Is not a “sink or swim” experience. Rigor is strong enough for top schools.</p>
<p>The Gunnery MA
[The</a> Gunnery - The Gunnery Home Page](<a href=“http://portal.gunnery.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=191]The”>http://portal.gunnery.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=191)</p>
<p>The Hill School* PA
[The</a> Hill School- private college preparatory boarding school in Pottstown, Pennsylvania](<a href=“http://www.thehill.org/]The”>http://www.thehill.org/)</p>
<p>The Hun School NJ
[The</a> Hun School of Princeton: Home](<a href=“http://www.hunschool.org/]The”>http://www.hunschool.org/)</p>
<p>Indian Springs SchoolAL
[Please</a> wait…](<a href=“http://www.indiansprings.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1]Please”>http://www.indiansprings.org/Default.asp?bhcp=1)
Birmingham</p>
<p>Kimball Union Academy NH
[Browser</a> Not Supported](<a href=“http://www.kua.org%5DBrowser”>http://www.kua.org)</p>
<p>The Kiski School PA
[Browser</a> Not Supported](<a href=“http://www.kiski.org/]Browser”>http://www.kiski.org/)
All-boys</p>
<p>Kent School* CT
[Kent</a> School - Welcome](<a href=“http://www.kent-school.edu/]Kent”>http://www.kent-school.edu/)</p>
<p>Kingswood-Oxford CT
[Kingswood</a> Oxford](<a href=“http://www.kingswoodoxford.org/]Kingswood”>http://www.kingswoodoxford.org/)</p>
<p>Lawrence Academy MA
[Lawrence</a> Academy](<a href=“http://www.lacademy.edu/]Lawrence”>http://www.lacademy.edu/)</p>
<p>Loomis Chaffee* CT
[Loomis</a> Chaffee](<a href=“http://www.loomischaffee.org/]Loomis”>http://www.loomischaffee.org/)</p>
<p>Madeira School* VA
[The</a> Madeira School: Home](<a href=“StackPath”>http://www.madeira.org/)
All-girls</p>
<p>Memphis University School** TN
[Memphis</a> University School - Home Page](<a href=“http://www.musowls.org/netcommunity/]Memphis”>The School for Boys in Grades 7-12)
7-12
all-male, traditional prep school that produces many of the people who run the South. FedEx CEO, Autozone CEO, Paypal Co-Founder, etc… </p>
<p>Middlesex School* MA
[MIDDLESEX</a> SCHOOL](<a href=“http://www.mxschool.edu/]MIDDLESEX”>http://www.mxschool.edu/)</p>
<p>Millbrook School NY
[Millbrook</a> School ~ Millbrook School, a coeducational boarding school in Millbrook, NY](<a href=“http://www.millbrook.org/]Millbrook”>http://www.millbrook.org/)
Let me put it like this - their physics teacher went to Cambridge, they’ve had the same headmaster for 20 years, and they have a campus zoo! Almost the entire campus was renovated in 2008, and their facilities rival that of nearby Hotchkiss and Kent.
I was also pleasantly surprised by how warm the student body was, and how everyone seemed to LOVE Millbrook. I would recommend it to everyone! This school is really serious about community service and works hard to be more green and sustainable. Kids who would get lost at a bigger school often thrive under all the personal atterntion here.</p>
<p>Miss Porter’s School* CT
[Browser</a> Not Supported<a href=“All-girls”>/url</a></p>
<p>New Hampton School NH
[url=<a href=“http://www.newhampton.org/]Browser”>http://www.newhampton.org/]Browser</a> Not Supported](<a href=“http://www.missporters.org%5DBrowser”>http://www.missporters.org)</p>
<p>Northfield Mount Hermon* MA
[Home</a> | Northfield Mount Hermon](<a href=“http://www.nmhschool.org/]Home”>http://www.nmhschool.org/)
HUGE campus, very progressive educational philosophy; Head, Heart & Hand. Exceptional website and promotional materials. Strong emphasis on the arts, international education (both in terms of study abroad programs & the % of internationals in the students body). PGs–strong in many athletics, competes against HADES schools and the other large prep schools like Lville, etc.
Pomfret CT Beautiful rural campus, yet close to Boston, Providence, Hartford. Strong Athletics & academics. Great community feel. Unique Digital Arts programs, and significant commitment to the arts in education. Incoming Head a longtime Dean at St. George’s and an Andover fac brat from childhood. Highly regarded.</p>
<p>Peddie School* NJ
[Browser</a> Not Supported](<a href=“http://www.peddie.org/]Browser”>http://www.peddie.org/)
/laughalittle
NJ A low-acceptance school with awesome academics and sports, yet not “snobby”. For the academics, they have an unrivaled science center (in my opinion) with a DNA splicing lab, and teachers with life experiences that many will never get. Math, history, English, and language courses are great as well. For sports, they are also great (their crew, basketball, and swimming win constant awards). Their matriculation includes Ivies, GW, Georgetown, etc.</p>
<p>Pennington NJ
[Pennington</a> School: Home](<a href=“http://www.pennington.org/]Pennington”>http://www.pennington.org/)</p>
<p>Proctor Academy NH
<a href=“http://www.proctoracademy.org/[/url]”>http://www.proctoracademy.org/</a></p>
<p>St. Andrews School* DE
[St</a>. Andrew’s School: Home](<a href=“http://www.standrews-de.org/]St”>http://www.standrews-de.org/)</p>
<p>St. George’s School* RI
[ST</a>. GEORGE’S](<a href=“http://www.stgeorges.edu/]ST”>http://www.stgeorges.edu/)</p>
<p>St. Marks School* MA
[St</a>. Mark’s School: Home](<a href=“http://www.stmarksschool.org/]St”>http://www.stmarksschool.org/)
Southborough</p>
<p>Sewickley Academy PA
[Pittsburgh</a> Private School | PA Independent School | Sewickley Academy](<a href=“http://www.sewickley.org/]Pittsburgh”>http://www.sewickley.org/)
PK - 12</p>
<p>Shadyside Academy PA
[Shady</a> Side Academy](<a href=“http://www.shadysideacademy.org/]Shady”>http://www.shadysideacademy.org/)
PK-12</p>
<p>Solebury School PA
[Solebury</a> School: Home](<a href=“http://www.solebury.org/]Solebury”>http://www.solebury.org/)
7-12
A small, quirky, homey progressive school for self-directed kids who are interested in social justice. Although it doesn’t have the fanciest facilities, there has been recent construction to update and improve the campus, and many of the teachers have been there for a long time. A true hidden gem, the school’s theater teacher used to be the head of theater at NYU and Lakers center Andrew Bynum also attended the school.</p>
<p>Suffield Academy CT
[Browser</a> Not Supported](<a href=“http://www.suffieldacademy.org%5DBrowser”>http://www.suffieldacademy.org)</p>
<p>Taft School* CT
[The</a> Taft School](<a href=“http://www.taftschool.org/]The”>http://www.taftschool.org/)
Medium sized, academically competitive school. Long term headmasters (i.e. low turnover) Good financial stewardship (according to charity navigator) and healthy endowment. Good FA consideration for middle class families. Consortium school for SYA. State of the Arts gym, science and math facilities. Large library. Strong Arts program (dance, visual arts, performance arts, digital/video). Routinely schedules travel for students (and parents) out of the country. In the last year, took 35 students to South Africa, 70 students (dance, jazz and chamber music) to the Czech Republic. Choir touring Italy over the summer, Video student travel world to shoot independent film each summer. Best asset - every parent and student is a name not a number. Every staff member knows every student and no one gets “lost in the system.” When you call for information, you’re treated like one of the “family” (not a donor). Proactive with student intervention. IS NOT a sink or swim school. Lives up to its reputation “Taft takes care of its own.”</p>
<p>Tabor Academy MA
[Browser</a> Not Supported](<a href=“http://www.taboracademy.org/]Browser”>http://www.taboracademy.org/)
Gorgeous campus, right on the water. Outstanding marine biology program. </p>
<p>Thacher School* CA
[Browser</a> Not Supported](<a href=“http://www.thacher.org/]Browser”>http://www.thacher.org/)
ThacherParent
240 students, especially close, happy & healthy community, school code is “lived” everywhere and everyday: Honor, Fairness, Kindness & Truth // a culture and love of learning with outstanding professors (70% + with advanced degrees) and incredibly close student-faculty relationships // unique and celebrated connection between the classroom and the natural world including the horse program (the only one of its kind in the U.S.), extended camping trips, adventuring of all sorts // fantastic, inclusive sports with routine regional and state achievement and huge emphasis on sportsmanship // stunning 400+ acre, southern California campus in Ojai, CA (photographed to represent Shangri-La in the 1939 movie, The Lost Horizon) at the base of the Topa Topa mountains, nestled among orange and avocado groves, the smells of chaparral, orange blossoms, lemon, lavender and sage, stunning views, exceptional weather // top-notch college admissions (Ivy + LAC + Stanford/MIT + other great schools), admission rate <20%, highest yield of any boarding school or college in the U.S. 80% - 83%.</p>
<p>Trinity-Pawling School NY
[Trinity</a> Pawling](<a href=“http://www.trinitypawling.org/]Trinity”>http://www.trinitypawling.org/)
Pawling, NY
Traditional Boys school known for athletics and program for students with learning disabilities. What’s less known is that the school limits the number of LD students to no more than 20% of the school population. Students run the gamut of academic ability; some go on to top LACs and occasionally the Ivies, some head for vocational training. Strong sense of school spirit, beautiful campus.</p>
<p>United World Colleges International
[UWC</a> | UWC](<a href=“http://www.uwc.org/]UWC”>http://www.uwc.org/)
International collection of very hidden gems. Only one of them is in the US, but all of them are multinational. UWC - UWC-USA | UWC. At Brown University there a lot of students who went to these high schools, (who are fiercely loyal to the schools). In part there are a lot of students at Brown from UWC because they are very well prepared, and in part because there apparently are some form of full scholarships to Brown for UWC grads who are qualified. </p>
<p>Western Reserve Academy OH
[Western</a> Reserve Academy](<a href=“http://www.wra.net/]Western”>http://www.wra.net/)
Great school in Hudson, OH. It is between Akron and Cleveland. Beautiful town. Campus looks like small college.From its Website: Founded in 1826 as a preparatory school for Western Reserve College, Western Reserve Academy is one of the oldest boarding schools in the nation and the premier school of its kind in the Midwest. WRA offers a challenging curriculum that prepares our 390 students for future academic success - and for leading purposeful, fulfilling lives. Attending WRA is a transformational experience, where students learn to strive for excellence, live with integrity and act with compassion.
Westminster School CT</p>
<p>Westover School* CT
[Westover</a> School](<a href=“StackPath”>http://www.westoverschool.org/)
All girls prestigous boarding school in Central-West CT. WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) Program and strong Dance/Arts (Manhattan School of Arts Program).
Beautiful Campus, Strong endowment. Excellent Integration of Day students and warm environment for 200 girls</p>
<p>Williston Northampton School MA
[The</a> Williston Northampton School](<a href=“http://www.williston.com/]The”>http://www.williston.com/)
Easthampton, MA
Like a college campus, virtually adjacent to the small town of Easthampton.</p>
<p>Worcester Academy MA
[Browser</a> Not Supported](<a href=“http://www.worcesteracademy.org/]Browser”>http://www.worcesteracademy.org/)
6-12
Worcester, MA is a day/boarding school, very unique urban setting, diverse student body, excellent sports,arts, fabulous leadership and extracurricular ops. Its We the People team has won state competition two years in row and they are off to nationals. Its Math team has won state comp 5 of 6 yrs in row and are going for 7th. Great place for all kinds of kids.
Unique boarding and day school in Central Mass. Check it out! Rigorous academics, long tradition of athletics, wonderful arts programs. Warm, welcoming, diverse community.</p>
<p>Wyoming Seminary*
[Wyoming</a> Seminary College Preparatory School](<a href=“http://www.wyomingseminary.org/]Wyoming”>http://www.wyomingseminary.org/)
Preschool to 12
My son is attending Wyoming Seminary in September. He received a tuition scholarship to attend.
Seminary is located in Kingston, Pa and is a small boarding program of 200 students+day= 400 students. Traditional program, very old school. Strong in athletics (football, ice hockey, women’s field hockey, lacrosse). Also very strong program in theatre arts with new arts building under construction. 20% international students.</p>
<p>School nickname is “Sem”</p>
<p>*Schools with * are known to be very academically rigorous with similar offerings as the HADES. Other schools without the * are schools that are hidden gems with alternative academic offerings, as well as other interesting offerings. For Example: George School and New Hampton School have the IB. Proctor has their own ski piste. The list goes on. All these schools are special and great in their own respect.</p>
<p>Schools with a ** are day schools.*</p>
<p>Part of the point of the Hidden Gems page is that here are some schools with excellent academics that lie hidden just outside the admissions frenzy; many are not well-known outside their region and therefore are not receiving piles of applications. Some are located in regions where going to boarding school is really not part of the culture. So sure, not all have sub 20% admit rates. But I think there are limits on how much “percent acceptance” rates can tell us about the excellence of a particular school. Although I do not deny that most of the schools getting tons of applications are in fact excellent schools, I do not believe that a school has to be exclusive in order to be good. As far as college matriculations, if you investigate their website (and not Boarding school Review, which often has outdated or incomplete information) you’ll see that the class of 2010 had members matriculate to Harvard, Brown, UPenn and many selective LACs. But schools outside New England tend to send fewer students to the nationally ranked LACs and Ivys (frequently in N.E.) simply because most kids go to college within 3-5 hours of their homes. </p>
<p>By the way, I have no affiliation with Wyoming Seminary. I’m just someone who has spent too many years in education to believe that acceptance rates and matriculation to certain colleges tell the whole story of how effective a school is. I also want to advocate for positive reports on schools we love, not snarking and sniping about who does and doesn’t measure up. An education is so much more than a number.</p>
<p>i did use boarding school review for the matriculation data, and i agree i was a bit mistaken about Wyoming Seminary.
We should probably take of the astrixes, because I think that a school like Brooks or berkshire, which are very strong science schools deserve an astrix…and we’re eliminating all conflicts by taking them off</p>
<p>Blair shouldnt be on this list lol</p>
<p>Okay Periwinkle. You are just too cool. I swore when I was done with deadlines I was going to imbed the hyperlinks because I’m so curious about some of the new names. You beat me to it! AWESOME JOB!</p>
<p>I’d like to add The Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee:
[Webb:</a> College Prep Boarding School and Day School for Grades 6-12 in Bell Buckle, TN](<a href=“http://www.thewebbschool.com/]Webb:”>http://www.thewebbschool.com/)</p>
<p>Subiaco Academy- Arkansas… All Boys Catholic School- 20% international</p>
<p>Pomfret School got mashed into the bottom of the NMH description on Periwinkle’s rendition. Looking good, though, and I’m learning!</p>
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