Hidden Gems: Lesser-known Prep Schools

<p>Marc - always a good idea to think before you speak…if you had reviewed the vast amount of information on this site about the pros and cons of the Andovers/Exeters vs. the less well known, but other equally compelling boarding schools, you’d see that there is a material percentage (guessing 40% - 50%) of CC Prep School parents and kids who, for a myriad of reasons, are not as enamored of the Andovers/Exeters et al as you are. This thread exists to present options to that large body of people. </p>

<p>You are still welcome to jump on dozens of other threads and, like Tarzan - only dressed in blue and white - pound your chest in pride and proclaim the greatness of the Andover kingdom.</p>

<p>For Marc, I wonder if it was easier to get in when he applied, as it appears you only needed “grades” and “background.” I think we’ve learned that Andover is not only a good fit for everyone, but not everyone who is a ‘fit’ for Andover even with the best of grades and backgrounds gets admitted. It’s worth casting a wider net.</p>

<p>Andover adcoms travel all over the globe and we have a whole bunch of Andover students here on CC trying hard to sell. Is it that hard to fill 300 spots or are they just interested in rounding up more applicants to make the admit rate look good? :(</p>

<p>Andover isn’t for everyone, its a very competitive school. My sister (who is very smart and qualified) went to Andover over Deerfield. She hated how competitive Anvover was, and when she was sick classmates wouldnt give her class notes or homework. She graduated and went to an ok-at-best college. She is now extremely successful and her company has been written about in Forbes twice. Morals of the story: 1. Andover is not for everyone 2. Andover does not automatically get you into a good college 3. college isn’t necessarily everything</p>

<p>@pulsar It’s definitely not hard for them to fill 300 spots, and I’m not sure whether it’s solely to keep their admit rates low, but if you think about it from the school’s perspective, it makes a lot of sense. The more people they interest, the more they have to choose from. They can really choose the best of the best.</p>

<p>

Is it Dean’s Myth that Andover only recruits “nice” kids?</p>

<p>It is not entirely a myth that Andover tends to admit friendly applicants. In fact, the class of 2012 was partly admitted with favor to those who are friendly. Receiving high marks on the friendliness and respectfulness categories of their recommendations, and seeming genuinely friendly during their interviews played a huge role in being admitted.</p>

<p>In addition, I do not feel the competitiveness that Ehphunt described. I will admit, I don’t know when his or her sister went to Andover, and things may have changed. I was in the infirmary last month for one day and all of my teachers hand delivered me the assignments that I needed to complete. It is competitive, as are all educational institutions. If competition did not exist at Andover, everybody would be average. We know that we have to work hard to get into the colleges we want to attend. So, collectively, we work hard.</p>

<p>Asheville School NC
Asheville School</p>

<p>Altamont School**
The Altamont School: Home
(Birmingham,AL)</p>

<p>Avon Old Farms CT
Avon Old Farms
(All-boys)</p>

<p>Berkshire School MA
Berkshire School
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 to Blair Academy
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. 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>Branson CA
The Branson School</p>

<p>Brooks School MA
Browser Not Supported
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
Cate School
On a mesa above the Pacific Ocean in Carpenteria, California.</p>

<p>Canterbury School CT
Browser Not Supported</p>

<p>Chatham Hall
Chatham Hall | A Virginia Girls Boarding School
All girls–80% boarding
Beautiful campus in rural Chatham, Virginia.
Strong international influence.
Rigorous academics & athletics
Strong honor code
Large endowment & scholarship program</p>

<p>Cheshire Academy CT
Please wait…</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 Academy</p>

<p>Culver Academies IN
Culver Academies
/ 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 Not Supported</p>

<p>EF International NY</p>

<p>Episcopal High School VA
Episcopal High School
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>Fountain Valley School CA
[Browser</a> Not Supported](<a href=“http://www.fvs.edu/default.aspx]Browser”>http://www.fvs.edu/default.aspx)</p>

<p>George School PA
Home - George School
IB school.</p>

<p>Gill St. Bernard’s NJ
Balance, integrity, excellence, creativity and leadership - all are central to a GSB education.
Balance, integrity, excellence, creativity and leadership - all are central to a GSB education.</p>

<p>Governor’s Academy MA
The Governor’s Academy
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
<a href=“http://portal.gunnery.org/NetCommuni...e.aspx?pid=191[/url]”>http://portal.gunnery.org/NetCommuni...e.aspx?pid=191&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Harvard-Westlake** CA
[Harvard-Westlake</a> School](<a href=“http://www.hw.com/]Harvard-Westlake”>http://www.hw.com/)</p>

<p>The Hill School PA
The Hill School- private college preparatory boarding school in Pottstown, Pennsylvania
private college preparatory boarding school in Pottstown, Pennsylvania</p>

<p>The Holderness School NH
Please wait…</p>

<p>The Hun School NJ
The Hun School of Princeton: Home</p>

<p>Indian Springs SchoolAL
Emergency Bulletin
Birmingham</p>

<p>Kimball Union Academy NH
Browser Not Supported</p>

<p>The Kiski School PA
Browser Not Supported
All-boys</p>

<p>Kent School CT
Kent School - Welcome</p>

<p>Kingswood-Oxford CT
Kingswood Oxford</p>

<p>Lawrence Academy MA
Lawrence Academy</p>

<p>Loomis Chaffee CT
Loomis Chaffee</p>

<p>Madeira School* VA
The Madeira School: Home
All-girls</p>

<p>Memphis University School** TN
Memphis University School - Home Page
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 SCHOOL</p>

<p>Millbrook School NY
Millbrook School ~ Millbrook School, a coeducational boarding school in Millbrook, NY
~ Millbrook School, a coeducational boarding school in Millbrook, 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
Browser Not Supported
(All-girls)</p>

<p>New Hampton School NH
Browser Not Supported
IB School</p>

<p>Northfield Mount Hermon MA
Home | Northfield Mount Hermon
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.</p>

<p>Pomfret CT
Browser Not Supported
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 Not Supported
/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 School: Home</p>

<p>Proctor Academy NH
Browser Not Supported
Owns a ski hill.</p>

<p>St. Andrews School DE
St. Andrew’s School: Home</p>

<p>St. George’s School RI
ST. GEORGE’S
Newport, Rhode Island</p>

<p>St. Marks School MA
St. Mark’s School: Home
Southborough</p>

<p>Sewickley Academy PA
Pittsburgh Private School | PA Independent School | Sewickley Academy
PK - 12</p>

<p>Shadyside Academy PA
Shady Side Academy
PK-12</p>

<p>Solebury School PA
Solebury School: Home
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>Subiaco Academy AK
<a href=“http://www.subi.org/[/url]”>http://www.subi.org/&lt;/a&gt;
All Boys Catholic School- 20% international</p>

<p>Suffield Academy CT
Browser Not Supported</p>

<p>Tabor Academy MA
Browser Not Supported
Gorgeous campus, right on the water. Outstanding marine biology program. </p>

<p>Taft School CT
The Taft School
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>Thacher School CA
Browser Not Supported
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 Pawling
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 | UWC
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>Webb School TN
[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/)
Bell Buckle, TN</p>

<p>Western Reserve Academy OH
Western Reserve Academy
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 School
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 Williston Northampton School
Easthampton, MA
Like a college campus, virtually adjacent to the small town of Easthampton.</p>

<p>Worcester Academy MA
Browser Not Supported
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 Seminary College Preparatory School
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>N.B.: Schools with a ** are day schools.</p>

<p>The list became too long. Refer to post 118 for links and more details. If you add a school, please add it at the top of your post, then add its name with the number of your post, so that future readers can find its original description. </p>

<p>Asheville School NC
See Post 118</p>

<p>Altamont School** AL
See Post 118</p>

<p>Avon Old Farms CT
See Post 118</p>

<p>Berkshire School MA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Blair Academy NJ
See Post 118</p>

<p>Branson CA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Brooks School MA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Cate School CA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Canterbury School CT
See Post 118</p>

<p>Chatham Hall VA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Cheshire Academy CT
See Post 118</p>

<p>Colorado Rocky Mountain School CO
See Post 118</p>

<p>Concord Academy MA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Culver Academies IN
See Post 118</p>

<p>Cranbrook Schools MI
See Post 118</p>

<p>EF International NY</p>

<p>Episcopal High School VA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Fountain Valley School CA
See Post 118</p>

<p>George School PA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Gill St. Bernard’s NJ
See Post 118</p>

<p>Governor’s Academy MA
See Post 118</p>

<p>The Gunnery MA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Harvard-Westlake** CA
See Post 118</p>

<p>The Hill School PA
See Post 118</p>

<p>The Holderness School NH
See Post 118</p>

<p>The Hun School NJ
See Post 118</p>

<p>Indian Springs School AL
See Post 118</p>

<p>Kimball Union Academy NH
See Post 118</p>

<p>The Kiski School PA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Kent School CT
See Post 118</p>

<p>Kingswood-Oxford CT
See Post 118</p>

<p>Lawrence Academy MA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Loomis Chaffee CT
See Post 118</p>

<p>Madeira School* VA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Memphis University School** TN
See Post 118</p>

<p>Middlesex School MA
MIDDLESEX SCHOOL</p>

<p>Millbrook School NY
See Post 118</p>

<p>Miss Porter’s School CT
Browser Not Supported
(All-girls)</p>

<p>New Hampton School NH
See Post 118</p>

<p>Northfield Mount Hermon MA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Pomfret CT
See Post 118</p>

<p>Peddie School NJ
See Post 118</p>

<p>Pennington NJ
See Post 118</p>

<p>Proctor Academy NH
See Post 118</p>

<p>St. Andrews School DE
See Post 118</p>

<p>St. George’s School RI
See Post 118</p>

<p>St. Marks School MA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Sewickley Academy PA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Shadyside Academy PA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Solebury School PA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Subiaco Academy AK
See Post 118</p>

<p>Suffield Academy CT
See Post 118</p>

<p>Tabor Academy MA
See Post 118 </p>

<p>Taft School CT
See Post 118</p>

<p>Thacher School CA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Trinity-Pawling School NY
See Post 118</p>

<p>United World Colleges (International)
See Post 118</p>

<p>Webb School TN
See Post 118</p>

<p>Western Reserve Academy OH
See Post 118</p>

<p>Westminster School CT</p>

<p>Westover School CT
See Post 118</p>

<p>Williston Northampton School MA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Worcester Academy MA
See Post 118</p>

<p>Wyoming Seminary PA
See Post 118</p>

<p>N.B.: Schools with a ** are day schools.</p>

<p>She had mono so she wad out for an extended period of time, and she graduated in the late 90’s.</p>

<p>However I think that people would appreciate it if you left this discussion. Many people want a more nurturing smaller environment, and have their heart on one of these schools. Also, there aren’t slot of opinions on lesser known schools although as you are exhibiting there is alot of info about Andover. Please bring your gorilla pride elsewhere.</p>

<p>Amen. Please park your gorilla in a zoo and give it some rest. It is bleeding blue.</p>

<p>Pulsar15, Marc, Ephant -Would you three mind moving your convo to a different thread so that the rest of us can stay focused on making this thread as pure a resource as possible for would-be applicants and families to be exposed to lesser discussed schools?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>Westtown has disappeared from the list.</p>

<p>Oh, for the love of god. Quit ■■■■■■■■ the thread, MarcAngusMeyer! Let’s just first start off by saying how MOST of you were wonderful and very beneficial to this thread. Thank you so much! As for the other, ahem, not-so-helpful people, please, just please, shut up!</p>

<p>@MarcAngusMeyer-That message is especially for YOU. You have every right to say what you think, but not everyone WANTS to go to Andover, or can. (Have you looked at the admission rate?) I’m suggesting other alternatives that have just as good quality as the other schools mentioned on this website. Thanks for being unhelpful, rude, and ■■■■■■■■ my thread! I get very cranky when chumps like you with your pompous attitude ruin things for everyone!</p>

<p>@Dharmamom-I’m sorry about that! Don’t know how it happened, but I will put it back. </p>

<p>BTW, this is a message for everyone: Stop removing schools that you think are “too well-known” without mentioning that you took it off. Quite frankly, its very rude.</p>

<p>Asheville School NC
Asheville School</p>

<p>Altamont School**
The Altamont School: Home
(Birmingham,AL)</p>

<p>Avon Old Farms CT
Avon Old Farms
(All-boys)</p>

<p>Berkshire School MA
Berkshire School
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 to Blair Academy
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. 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>Branson CA
The Branson School</p>

<p>Brooks School MA
Browser Not Supported
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
Cate School
On a mesa above the Pacific Ocean in Carpenteria, California.</p>

<p>Canterbury School CT
Browser Not Supported</p>

<p>Chatham Hall
Chatham Hall | A Virginia Girls Boarding School
All girls–80% boarding
Beautiful campus in rural Chatham, Virginia.
Strong international influence.
Rigorous academics & athletics
Strong honor code
Large endowment & scholarship program</p>

<p>Cheshire Academy CT
Please wait…</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 Academy</p>

<p>Culver Academies IN
Culver Academies
/ 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 Not Supported</p>

<p>EF International NY</p>

<p>Episcopal High School VA
Episcopal High School
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>Fountain Valley School CA
Browser Not Supported</p>

<p>George School PA
Home - George School
IB school.</p>

<p>Gill St. Bernard’s NJ
Balance, integrity, excellence, creativity and leadership - all are central to a GSB education.
Balance, integrity, excellence, creativity and leadership - all are central to a GSB education.</p>

<p>Governor’s Academy MA
The Governor’s Academy
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
<a href=“http://portal.gunnery.org/NetCommuni...e.aspx?pid=191[/url]”>http://portal.gunnery.org/NetCommuni...e.aspx?pid=191&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Harvard-Westlake** CA
Harvard-Westlake School</p>

<p>The Hill School PA
The Hill School- private college preparatory boarding school in Pottstown, Pennsylvania
private college preparatory boarding school in Pottstown, Pennsylvania</p>

<p>The Holderness School NH
Please wait…</p>

<p>The Hun School NJ
The Hun School of Princeton: Home</p>

<p>Indian Springs SchoolAL
Emergency Bulletin
Birmingham</p>

<p>Kimball Union Academy NH
Browser Not Supported</p>

<p>The Kiski School PA
Browser Not Supported
All-boys</p>

<p>Kent School CT
Kent School - Welcome</p>

<p>Kingswood-Oxford CT
Kingswood Oxford</p>

<p>Lawrence Academy MA
Lawrence Academy</p>

<p>Loomis Chaffee CT
Loomis Chaffee</p>

<p>Madeira School* VA
The Madeira School: Home
All-girls</p>

<p>Memphis University School** TN
Memphis University School - Home Page
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 SCHOOL</p>

<p>Millbrook School NY
Millbrook School ~ Millbrook School, a coeducational boarding school in Millbrook, NY
~ Millbrook School, a coeducational boarding school in Millbrook, 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
Browser Not Supported
(All-girls)</p>

<p>New Hampton School NH
Browser Not Supported
IB School</p>

<p>Northfield Mount Hermon MA
Home | Northfield Mount Hermon
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.</p>

<p>Pomfret CT
Browser Not Supported
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 Not Supported
/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 School: Home</p>

<p>Proctor Academy NH
Browser Not Supported
Owns a ski hill.</p>

<p>St. Andrews School DE
St. Andrew’s School: Home</p>

<p>St. George’s School RI
ST. GEORGE’S
Newport, Rhode Island</p>

<p>St. Marks School MA
St. Mark’s School: Home
Southborough</p>

<p>Sewickley Academy PA
Pittsburgh Private School | PA Independent School | Sewickley Academy
PK - 12</p>

<p>Shadyside Academy PA
Shady Side Academy
PK-12</p>

<p>Solebury School PA
Solebury School: Home
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>Subiaco Academy AK
<a href=“http://www.subi.org/[/url]”>http://www.subi.org/&lt;/a&gt;
All Boys Catholic School- 20% international</p>

<p>Suffield Academy CT
Browser Not Supported</p>

<p>Tabor Academy MA
Browser Not Supported
Gorgeous campus, right on the water. Outstanding marine biology program.</p>

<p>Taft School CT
The Taft School
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>Thacher School CA
Browser Not Supported
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 Pawling
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 | UWC
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>Webb School TN
Webb: College Prep Boarding School and Day School for Grades 6-12 in Bell Buckle, TN
Bell Buckle, TN</p>

<p>Western Reserve Academy OH
Western Reserve Academy
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 School
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>Westtown School
<a href=“http://www.westtown.edu/[/url]”>http://www.westtown.edu/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Williston Northampton School MA
The Williston Northampton School
Easthampton, MA
Like a college campus, virtually adjacent to the small town of Easthampton.</p>

<p>Worcester Academy MA
Browser Not Supported
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 Seminary College Preparatory School
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>N.B.: Schools with a ** are day schools.</p>

<p>What about Marlborough School in Los Angeles?</p>

<p>I would like to petition for a day school thread (or several, divided into regions). This list is just too long.
And any school that offers a boarding option (be it 10% or 100% boarding) should stay on this list. You never know others’ priorities and there are int’l students on this forum.</p>

<p>Let’s keep this list as simple as possible.</p>

<ul>
<li>Must be a prep boarding school, not a therapeutic boarding school</li>
<li>Must have >50% boarders</li>
<li>Must be highly recommended by someone who knows enough about the school to write a meaningful blurb</li>
</ul>

<p>Anyone is free to start any other kind of list in a wholly different thread.</p>

<p>I was glad to see Westtown restored to the list. I am the graduate of public schools, my kids are public school (except when living abroad) educated. Private school is not in our price zone and we are fortunate to have access to excellent public schools. </p>

<p>HOWEVER, I have a friend who teaches at Westtown and has taught at several of the better known prep schools. We have visited Westtown and felt sad that it is beyond the reach for our daughter financially although she is an excellent student. It is one of the most beautiful campuses I have ever seen. The kids are uniformly friendly and respectful to teachers and visitors. </p>

<p>Our friend thinks that Westtown is the best school he has taught at because:

  1. truly intellectual environment.
  2. quaker values and traditions.
  3. the kids are kind, respectful and fun…unlike his experience at some of the schools that are not “hidden” gems (but have been brought up ad naseum on this forum) where he found there was too frequently a culture of cut-throat competition, arrogance and entitlement.</p>

<p>I didn’t know Westtown, so I just looked it up on BSR. It appears they have both rolling admissions and a larger than usual percentage of students on FA (42%). With so many kids in WL purgatory this year, I’m surprised this school hasn’t gotten more mention. It seems most appropriate for this thread! :)</p>