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Phillips Academy, Groton School named the best private high schools in US by Niche
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Massachusetts has the best private high school in the country, according to Niche.
Niche listed Phillips Academy in Andover as its best private high school for its 2022 list.
“Since Niche first started ranking schools, Phillips Academy has been number 1 every year except 2015 and 2020,” the company said.
Niche said its rankings “provide a more personal view of a school” by combining rankings from current students, alumni, and parents with data from the U.S. Department of Education “to evaluate teachers, resources and facilities, extracurricular activity opportunities, and more.”
“Our 2022 rankings come at a time when so many parents are curious about the different options for their children’s education, including some they may never have considered before,” said Luke Skurman, founder and CEO of Niche. “No matter where they are in their search process, we strive to be a reliable guide and resource. It is truly an honor to know our users trust us to play a key role in such a big life decision.”
The Massachusetts boarding school received an A+ rating for academics, teachers, clubs, college prep and sports. It received an A rating for diversity.
Yearly tuition, according to Niche, costs $48,020 with tuition and boarding costing $57,850.
“Founded in 1778, Phillips Academy, also known as Andover, is an independent, coeducational secondary school with an expansive worldview and a legacy of academic excellence,” the school wrote. “With a roster of over 300 courses, 150+ electives, plus independent study and study abroad, the opportunities for growth are limitless.”
Groton School in Groton also made the list at number 5.
It ranks second in best private schools in Massachusetts. Niche also ranked it the best Christian high school in the commonwealth.
The school moved up 12 spots on Niche’s best private high schools list this year. It ranked number 17 in 2021 and number 33 in 2020.
The school received an A+ rating for academics, teachers, clubs, college prep and diversity. It received an A rating for sports.
Yearly tuition, according to Niche, costs $43,400 with tuition and boarding costing $59,140.
“Set on a beautiful campus less than an hour’s drive from Boston, Groton offers outstanding opportunities to 380 students in grades 8 through 12,” the school wrote. “Vibrant, challenging, personal, and just plain fun—Groton inspires growth, self-confidence and an appreciation for multiple perspectives in a family mosaic of faces and voices from a wide range of backgrounds.”
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Academics
Department Director Kathy Leggat
Student/Teacher Ratio: 4:1
Average Class Size: 11
Summer Programs: Offered
Full Time Teachers: 95
Number of AP Courses Offered: 19
Teachers Holding Advanced Degrees: 78%
Number of IB Courses Offered: 0
Learning Support
- Evening Study Assistance
- Peer Tutoring
- Study Skills Assistance
- Technology Center
English
- Classics
- Creative Writing
- Honors
- Literature
- Playwriting
- Poetry
History
- Asian History
- European History
- Honors
- United States History
- World History
Foreign Languages
- Chinese-Mandarin
- French
- Greek
- Latin
- Spanish
Religion / Philosophy
- Ethics
- Religious Studies
- The Bible
- World Religions
Humanities / Social Sciences
- Economics
- Sociology
Sciences
- Anatomy
- Astronomy
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Earth Science
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Physics
Math
- Algebra
- Calculus
- Geometry
- Honors Math
- Statistics
- Trigonometry
- Pre-Calculus
Computer Studies
- Computer Programming
- Computer Science
- Web Design
- Video Game Design
Music
- Choral Music
- Composition
- Electronic Music
- Individual Instructions
- Music History
- Music Theory
- Orchestra
- Soflege/Ear Training
- Songwriting
- Voice
Performing / Visual Arts
- Acting
- Art History
- Ceramics
- Dance
- Debate
- Drama
- Drawing
- Painting
- Photography
- Portfolio
- Pottery
- Printmaking
- Publications
- Public Speaking
- Sculpture
- Studio Art
- Theater Arts
- Woodworking
- 3-D Art
Special Programs
- Study Abroad
- Community Service
- Exchange Programs
- Independent Study
Distinctive or New Programs
Dual Language Requirement; One Classical (latin Greek) And One Modern(french Spanish Mandarin); Applied Mathematics Program Chapel Program; Prefect System
Campus Life
Dorm Life
Number of Dorms: 18
Average Students Per Dorm: 18
Number of Girls Dorms: 9
Number of Boys Dorms: 9
Dorm Amenities
- Laundry Facilities
- Lounge
- Vending Machines
- Wireless Internet
Other Dorm Amenities
More than 70 dormitory heads and affiliates not only supervise but also guide and support. Since the earliest days of the School, Groton has ended its day with handshaking. Now over 100 years later the day at Groton ends in much the same way with each student shaking the hand of his or her dorm head. The tradition builds a sense of community just as it did more than a century ago.
Student Life
Everyone Matters-- In a school of 380 students, everyone matters. Those who attend Groton are united by a deep commitment of one to another and of each to the whole. Integrity and civility, qualities sometimes overlooked today, remain important at Groton. The School’s intimacy and ideals foster inclusion and inspire students to understand their strengths and capabilities.
Facilities
Other Facilities
12 international squash courts; 12 outdoor tennis courts; 8 indoor tennis courts; 3 indoor basketball and volleyball courts; 2 indoor ice rinks; 7 athletic fields including one artificial turf; Boathouse serving the crew program; Elevated indoor running track; four-lane 25 yard indoor pool; multi-purpose room/ dance and yoga weight and training rooms
Clubs & Organizations
- Amnesty International
- Astronomy Club
- Chess Club
- Community Service
- Computer Club
- Debate Club
- Diversity Club
- Dorm Proctors
- Environmental Club
- Foreign Language Clubs
- Gardening Club
- Honor Council
- International Club
- Investment Club
- Jewish Student Organization
- Literary Magazine
- Math Club
- Mock Trial
- Model UN
- Newspaper
- Outing Club
- Peer Counseling
- Peer Tutoring
- Photography Club
- Sexualities Club
- Student Activities
- Student Government
- Student Publications
- Theater Club
- Yearbook
- Yoga Club
- Young Democrats
- Young Republicans
Arts & Athletics
Arts Department Director: Monica Andersson
Athletics Department Director: Robert Low
Arts
- Acting
- Art History
- Ceramics
- Dance
- Debate
- Drama
- Drawing
- Painting
- Photography
- Portfolio
- Pottery
- Printmaking
- Publications
- Public Speaking
- Sculpture
- Studio Art
- Theater Arts
- Woodworking
- 3-D Art
Interscholastic Sports
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Crew
- Cross Country Running
- Field Hockey
- Football
- Ice Hockey
- Lacrosse
- Soccer
- Squash
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
Recreational Sports
- Alpine Skiing
- Alpine Ski Racing
- Canoeing
- Cross Country Running
- Dance
- Figure Skating
- Golf
- Handball
- Hiking
- Horseback Riding
- Kayaking
- Mountain Biking
- Nordic Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Swimming
- Table Tennis
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Weight Lifting
Graduates
College attended in the past 5 years by our graduates:
Yale University: 11
Williams College: 7
Villanova University: 4
University of Virginia: 11
University of St. Andrews: 6
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: 7
University of Chicago: 21
Tufts University: 8
Trinity College: 5
Stanford University: 4
Scripps College: 7
Princeton University: 12
Northwestern University: 7
Northeastern University: 7
New York University: 13
Middlebury College: 7
Massachusetts Institute of Technology: 4
Harvard University: 22
Hamilton College: 9
Georgetown University: 26
Duke University: 5
Dartmouth College: 12
Cornell University: 4
Columbia University: 6
College of William and Mary: 5
Brown University: 19
Bowdoin College: 12
Boston College: 7
Notable Alumni
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Class of 1900
32nd President of the United States
Sam Waterston
Class of 1958
Actor
Tom Rush
Class of 1959
Singer songwriter
Averell Harriman
Class of 1909
Governor of New York
Peter Gammons
Class of 1963
Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee
Sarah Sewall
Class of 1979
Director of the Carr Center for Human Rights
Ayi Kwei Armah
Class of 1964
Ghanaian writer, essayist, and poet
Jim Cooper
Class of 1972
U.S. Representative Tennessee
Dean Acheson
Class of 1939
Secretary of State Truman Administration
Quotes From Alumni
“Always remember that the future comes one day at a time.”
-Dean Acheson, Class of 1939, Secretary of State Truman Administration
“Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.”
-Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Class of 1900, 32nd President of the United States