Top 10 New England Preparatory Schools | 2024 Ranking

A preparatory (prep) school is actually one of the stepping stones to the best New England colleges. With this regard, there is a lot to think about if you’re considering a prep school for your child since prep schools are so much in New England.

Choosing one of these preparatory schools in New England will grant your child the opportunity to participate in everything. This is one good preparation for the greater competition that will inevitably take place in college.

Another advantage of New England independent prep schools is that they often have better facilities and a wider range of extra-curricular activities than normal schools. Ranging from music and drama to sports.

Hence, you can start now to avail your child to be fully prepared for college by choosing any of the Top New England Preparatory Schools we have here.

But before we start stating the top preparatory schools in New England, there is some important information to aid you in making the best choice for your child. The table of content below will give you a brief overview of what this article has.

What are Preparatory Schools?

Just as the name entails, Preparatory (Prep) schools are those schools for children over 11 years and whose main aim is to prepare them for college.

According to Wikipedia, defined the term “prep school” as a private, elite institution that has very selective admission criteria and high tuition fees. Catering to students in the 13 – 18 age range.

Prep schools can be day schools, boarding schools, or both, and maybe co-educational or single-sex.

Hence, we can say that Preparatory (Prep) schools are the starting point to attend the best colleges.

You can Also Check Out These 10 Best New England Boarding Schools | 2024

How Hard is it to Get into New England Prep Schools?

Competition for places in preparatory schools in New England can be fierce, with 10 or more applicants per place in some of the best schools.

For this reason, you will need to ensure that your child is well prepared. If they are currently in the pre-prep, make sure they are teaching them the important thing.

Otherwise, you’ll have to spend hours at home or consider tutoring, which, while most prep schools discourage it, is often the preferred option for families requesting for a prep school for their child.

Although other preparatory schools in New England are considerably easier to access.

You can Also Check Out These 13 Best Colleges in New England | 2024

How Many Preparatory (Prep) Schools are in New England?

There are a lot of New England preparatory schools. But as much as they are, it’s essential you choose the best.

In New England, there are over 60 Preparatory schools. Some of them include:

• Canterbury School
• Phillips Academy
• The Hotchkiss School
• Kent School
• Taft School
• Thayer Academy
• Avon Old Farms School
• Loomis Chaffee
• Deerfield Academy
• Berwick Academy
• Lawrence Academy at Groton
• St. John’s Prep
• Miss Porter’s School
• Northfield Mount Hermon School
• The Gunnery
• Derryfield School
• Tabor Academy
• Trinity-Pawling School
• Westminster School
• Portsmouth Abbey School
• Berkshire School
• Gann Academy
• Cheshire Academy
• Williston Northampton School
• Kimball Union Academy
• Holderness School

What are the Benefits of New England Preparatory Schools?

A preparatory school is to prepare its students to enter several different colleges in different parts of the country. This is usually through the Common Entrance, a central exam which the individual high schools grades.

Though parents still wonder if there are benefits of sending their child to preparatory school. However, we will be clearing your doubt now.

Preparatory schools in New England are good at identifying and preparing their students for scholarships in a wide range of disciplines, academic, sports, artistic, dramatic, and musical.

Also, most of the preparatory schools in New England offer flexibility onboarding and day options. Hence, giving families the chance to start as a day pupil and move into boarding as the child grows up. So they can be familiar with being away from home before making the leap to senior school.

Equally, prep schools are to give advice to parents on the next step to college. This means it gives parents a chance to see their real performance of their kids and how they might perform when they move to a higher class.

Most importantly, preparatory school teachers in New England have good knowledge of various colleges. They perfectly understand the college’s expectation and they teach according to that curriculum.

In addition, preparatory schools in New England always have a small number of students giving that feel of the family to them. With this familiar environment, the children are known individually helping the teachers to be able to encourage them individually.

So as a parent, sending your child to any of the best preparatory schools in New England is the best decision to take.

READ ALSO: Best 20 College Accapella Groups in the World | 2024

What are the Teaching Curriculum in New England Prep Schools?

Preparatory schools in New England do not necessarily have to follow the national school curriculum, because they are independent. Because they are independent, it implies that they can deliver their education to the child not based on what the government requires but on the important topics to prepare them for their next stage of education.

Also, most prep schools in New England place a focus on traditional values even though they have modern outlooks.

For this reason, children at preparatory schools in New England are strictly taught by subject specialist. This place a big difference with the regular school where one teacher takes the same clas all the week.

For instance, they may have different science, languages and PE teachers. This alone enhances the child’s knowledge base.

Also, the class size are always smaller which posess as one big advantage for preparatory schools in New England.

Equally, because the schools are independent, they’re free to set their own fees, curriculum, and admission arrangements, and all will have their own strengths.

This implies that the teaching curriculum in New England preparatory schools all depends on the respective school.

How are Children Assessed in New England Prep Schools?

Due to the fact that prep schools are independent of the national curriculum, preparatory schools in England now have the freedom to assess children the way that deems them fit.

At New England, children don’t necesarrily have to take SATs or Department tests but they are likely to take exams at the end of the school year.

The Common Entrance Exam is used in the selection process for many colleges in New England. Hence, the preparation of the Common Entrance Exam is the main focus of children’s learning in prep school, comprising a academic solid focus and broad syllabus.

Hence, we can say that the child’s’ Common Entrance Exam is usually the main focus of preparatory schools in New England.

What are the Admission Requirements of New England Preparatory Schools?

Majority of the Preparatory schools in New England are very selective, yet their admission requirement still varies. Usually, children, who want to be admitted to any prep school in New England are assessed by the combination of the following:

• A formal test; this may be set by the school, or by an external examination agency, and typically includes maths and English questions. An increasing number of schools also now test verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
• An interview, will look at factors such as a child’s behavior and social skills.
• A report from their current school.

Though some schools will ask the children to sit for an exam by themselves and then invite top prep school performers to interview them. While other Preparatory schools expect all applicants to complete both the exam and the interview.

How Much Does New England Preparatory Schools Cost?

The cost of any Preparatory schools in New England totally depends on the independent school. It is essential you know that prep schools are not usually cheap at all.

In New England, the tuition fees range from $12, 000-$30,000 a year. This does not include the cost of books, supplies, field trips, and a laptop fee.

However, some children may be eligible for complete or partial financial assistant. In addition, some schools run their own scholarship programs for those students who stands out during their admission process.

This then gives the families who may not be able to offer their child a prep school education a chance to do so.

How to Choose the Best Preparatory Schools for Your Child in New England?

One of the best advantages of independent prep schools in New England is they have better facilities and a wide range of extracurricular activities than regular schools.

Hence, choosing the best and top preparatory school for your child is very important. This means there are many factors to consider when looking for a prep school for your child.

Questions to consider when choosing a school includes:

• Would you prefer a single sex or mixed school?
• Do you want the option of boarding?
• Would you want a school with a religious leaning, or strictly secular?
• Do you want an all-through school, where pupils go straight from prep to senior school under one roof?
• What are the facilities like?
• Do you like the headteacher and the rest of the staff?
• What are the class sizes like, and how many classes are there per year group?
• How many applicants are there per place?
• How do they stretch able children?
• Does the school look clean and well looked after?
• How do they support children with special educational needs?
• Do the children seem happy, secure, well behaved and enthusiastic about their school?
• How do they deal with bullying?
• What senior schools do children proceed to?

Though you can skip all these factors and concentrate on the school’s exam results. that is their exam success rate. Because a school that has high Common Entrance scores means there’s a great chance of your child eventually gettig into the top colleges.

What are the Best Prep Schools in New England?

Choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions parents can make. You might be asking what are the best preparatory (prep) schools in New England?

Many of the elite prep schools in New England are famous for both academic excellence and historical origins. Also, this list has the most popular prep schools in New England region of the Northeastern United States.

Ranking Factors

We will consider several ranking factors in selecting the Best and Top New England Preparatory Schools in 2024. Note that this World Scholarship Forum Ranking of Best Prep Schools in New England is actually considering about 4 factors, but we will explain some in detail. They include:

Number of Programs: These are one crucial criterion for ranking the Best and Top New England Preparatory Schools in 2024. Because some of these universities can offer a good number of programs, they will offer you many options to choose from.

Students to Faculty Ratio: This criterion is very much important because a school can be considered good with great programs but yet do not have quality. The class size matters a lot when ranking the top prep schools in New England.

Exam Success Rate: This is one aspect that is considered important because most parents consider the schools that have the highest record of success in their Common Entrance Exam.

In the list of New England, college prep schools are the Albany Academy, Canterbury School, Kent School, The Marvelwood School, Berkshire School, Landmark School, Taft School, and Darrow School.

#1. Canterbury High School

Location: 101 Aspetuck Avenue New Milford, CT 06776

Canterbury is a college preparatory, coeducational boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12. Hence, if you are looking for the best preparatory school for your child in New England, consider Canterbury School.

Most importantly, Canterbury School does not discriminate on the basis of gender, color, race, religion, national origin, creed, sexual orientation or disability in admission or employment in its programs and activities.

Canterbury School is one school that have SMART Boards and the latest in JTouch technology in their classrooms. This high tech technology aids the teachers to use this technology to enhance the learning experience and promote interactive classroom experiences.

Also, at Canterbury, the teacher-student relationship is based on trust and mutual respect, and it is a powerful force that inspires learning and personal growth. These strong relationships are possible due to their small size.

Because the average class size is only 12, each teacher can get to know each student and their individual strengths and needs.

Most importantly, they offer 18 AP courses and 26 Honors sections which the AP courses are available in all disciplines, including music and studio art.

Above all, in 2018, 131 Canterbury students took 272 AP exams in 18 subjects. 26 students earned the AP Scholar Title, 6 students earned the AP Scholar Title with Honor, and 13 AP Scholars with Distinction. Hence, the Cantebury School exam success rate is 98%.

For this reason, the World Scholarship Forum is ranking Canterbury School as #1 Top Preparatory Schools in New England based on all these factors illustrated above.

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#2. Phillips Academy

Location: 180 Main Street, Andover, Massachusetts 01810

Philips Academy is a college preparatory, coeduational boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12. Hence, if you are looking for the best preparatory school for your child in New England, consider Philips Academy School.

One important aspect of Philips Academy is that they have hundreds of friendly and caring teachers and staff, including more than 200 teachers, almost all of whom live on campus.

Philips Academy is the kind of prep school that once you enroll, you will be welcomed into an inspiring community of smart, motivated, curious, open-minded and truly friendly people from across the country and the world.

Because it is a high school that celebrates difference and values ​​originality. In Andover, you can be your most honest, genuine and daring self.

Also, at Philips Academy, the teacher-student relationship based on trust and mutual respect, and it is a powerful force that inspires learning and personal growth. These strong relationships are possible due to their small size.

When the average class size is only 12, each teacher can get to know each student and their strengths and needs. This is because their talented and caring teachers, coaches, home counselors, and counselors are always ready to help.

Most importantly, Philips Academy offer 300 courses, including 8 world languages and 150 electives in all disciplines, including music and art.

Above all, 41% of Philips Academy prep students receive financial aid. And about 86% makes it in the Common Entrance Exam. Therefore making the Philips Academy exam success rate is 86%.

For this reason, the World Scholarship Forum is ranking Philips Academy as #2 top preparatory school in New England based on all these factors illustrated above.

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#3. The Hotchkiss School

Location: 11 Interlaken Road Lakeville, CT 06039

Hotchkiss School is a college preparatory, coeducational boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12. Hence, if you are looking for the best preparatory school for your child in New England, consider Hotchkiss School.

As one of Connecticut’s best independent high schools, they commit so much to academic excellence and affordable tuition for everyone.

Today Hotchkiss is one of the best private high schools in New England, and these principles remain their foundation.

One important aspect of Hotchkiss School is that they are passionate about teaching the best and the brightest to unlock your childrens greatest potential.

Hotchkiss School is the kind of prep school where 96% of students live in 13 residences hall with comfortable spaces. As the best prep school and boarding school in Connecticut, their seven fields of study provide a comprehensive educational experience.

Also, the average class size is 12 and the learning environment is interactive and inclusive. In each class, students share their opinions. They speak, disagree, and learn from their teachers and from others.

Most importantly, Hotchkiss School has more than 200 courses in seven departments and small classes. This independent high school academic program offers a breadth and depth of study that most students will not experience until college.

Above all, 33% of Hotchkiss School prep students receive financial aid. And their exam success rate for years now is 78%.

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#4. Taft School

Location: 110 Woodbury Road, Watertown, Connecticut 06795

Taft School is a college preparatory, coeducational boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12. Hence, if you are looking for the best preparatory school for your child in New England, consider Taft School.

One important aspect of Taft School is it Taft community is close, warm, caring, alive and fun. They have core values that are simple and guide them.

Taft School is one school that hopes its Taft graduate will leave school happy and healthy, brave and resilient, empathetic and respectful, a lifelong learner who is committed to serving others.

Also, at Taft, the teacher-student relationship is based on mutual respect. This strong relationships is possible due to their small size. With the average class size at 11, each teacher can get to know each student and their individual strengths and needs.

Most importantly, Taft offers more than 200 required and optional courses each semester, including 30 different Advanced Placement courses. Taft students can also choose to study outside of Taft for a semester or two, offer an independent study program, or enroll in Global Online Academy courses.

With 30 different advanced placement courses, Taft’s AP program is one of the best in the country. Tafties took 985 AP exams last year, scoring an average of 4 out of 5 possible. And their exam success rate for years is 90%.

Above all, over 35% of Taft School prep students receives financial aid.

For this reason, the World Scholarship Forum is ranking Taft School as #4 top preparatory schools in New England based on all these factors illustrated above.

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#5. Kent School

Location: 1 Macedonia Rd, Kent, CT 06757, United States

Kent School is a private, college preparatory, coeducational boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12. Hence, if you are looking for the best preparatory school for your child in New England, consider Kent School.

Most importantly, Kent School does not tolerate discrimination based on students’ gender, color, race, religion, national origin, creed, sexual orientation or disability in admission or employment in its programs and activities.

Kent School is one school that offer multiple opportunities for students to search for their own areas of interest. And yet they also encourage you to explore unknown areas and find new ways to get involved in life at school.

Also, at Kent, the teacher-student relationship is based on trust and mutual respect. This strong relationships is possible due to their small size. Their teachers are there to teach, inspire and support, and empower you.

With the average class size at 12, each teacher can get to know each student and their strengths and needs.

Most importantly, they offer 28 AP courses and 172 courses and AP courses are available in all disciplines. And over 29% of Kent School prep students receive financial aid.

Above all, whether you are studying Engineering, Chemistry, Meteorology, Mandarin, or Global Economics, not only will you be presented with materials, but you will be challenged to create learning experiences that ignite your interests, use your talents, and reveal your potential. And their exam success rate for years is 76%.

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#6. Thayer Academy

Location: 745 Washington Street, Braintree, MA 02184

Thayer Academy is a private, co-educational, college-preparatory day school for students in grades 9-12. Hence, if you are looking for the best preparatory school for your child in New England, consider Thayer Academy.

One important aspect of Thayer Academy is it their mixed day school for grades 5-12 (middle school, 5-8; prep school, 9-12) has been an enriching and nurturing environment where every student is assertive, supported, and challenged to take responsibility, ambitions and achievements.

Thayer Academy is one school that continues to be where tradition and innovation meet, where students build lifelong relationships with each other and with inspiring teachers who care deeply about their students’ personal growth and academic success.

With an average size of 14 classes, a 6: 1 student-teacher ratio, and dedicated educational advisors, the Academy classrooms are collaborative spaces, led by teachers who care about their students. It is an atmosphere in which people are encouraged to try things outside their comfort zone, without anxieties or unnecessary pressure to comply.

Most importantly, Thayer Academy offers more than 126 required coures each semester, including 4 world languages and 85 electives in all disciplines. And their exam success rate for years is 88%.

Above all, over 35% of Thayer Academy prep students receive financial aid.

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#7. Avon Old Farms School

Location: 500 Old Farms Road, Avon, Connecticut 06001

Avon Old Farms School is a college preparatory all-boys boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12. Hence, if you are looking for the best preparatory school for your child in New England, consider Loomis Chaffee.

As one of Connecticut’s top independent boarding schools, they are experts in boys’ education. Because they understand how boys learn and they have designed the academic, sports, artistic, and residential programs to bring out the best in their students.

Today Avon Old Farms School is one of the Top College Prep All-Boy Boarding School in Connecticut, New England, and these principles remain their foundation.

One important aspect of Avon Old Farms School is that their teachers are trained to teach boys to empathize in everyday situations, inside and outside the classroom, at this private boys boarding school in Connecticut.

Avon Old Farms School is the kind of prep school where they strategically empower boys to meet life’s challenges with accessible tools in their Prep4Ward training.

Also, the average class size is 14 and the learning environment is interactive and inclusive. In each class, students share their opinions.

Most importantly, Avon Old Farms School has more than 140 courses in seven departments and small classes. This independent high school Prep4ward program is led by their experienced and caring faculty and other child development experts.

Above all, 39% Avon Old Farms School prep receives financial aid. And their exam success rate for years now have been 80%.

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#8. Loomis Chaffee

Location: Windsor, Connecticut, United States of America

Loomis Chaffee is an independent, co-educational college-preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12 located in Windsor, Connecticut. Hence, if you are looking for the best preparatory school for your child in New England, consider Loomis Chaffee.

One important aspect of Loomis Chaffee is its programs are accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Loomis Chaffee is one school that its training is based on the pillars of excellence and opportunity. For this reason, they offer a rigorous academic environment where excellence is modeled and expected, and they will offer your child numerous opportunities to nurture their intellectual curiosity.

Also, at Loomis, the teacher-student relationship is based on mutual respect. This strong relationship is possible due to their small size. With the average class size at 12, each teacher can get to know each student and their individual strengths and needs.

Most importantly, Loomis offers over 250 courses, including nearly 70 at CL (college level) or advanced level, and take advantage of experimental learning programs through independent studies (ISP), extracurricular projects, off-campus studies, and international travel.

Above all, over 35% of Loomis Chaffee prep students recieives financial aid.

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#9. Deerfield Academy

Location: 7 Boyden Ln, Deerfield, MA 01342, United States

Deerfield Academy is an independent, co-educational, college-preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12 located in Western Massachusetts. Hence, if you are looking for the best preparatory school for your child in New England, consider Deerfield Academy.

One important aspect of Deerfield Academy is that it is a four-year college preparatory school with around 650 students and around 125 teachers, all of whom live on or near campus during the school year. Deerfield had an acceptance rate of 16.8% for the 2019-2024 school year.

Deerfield Academy is one school that does not classify students. Academic work is graded on a scale where the minimum passing grade is 60 and the average grade is between 85 and 90. A quarterly average of 90.0 or higher deserves the distinction of Honors, while a quarterly average of 93, 0 or more deserves the High Honors distinction.

With an average size of 12 classes, a 5:1 student-teacher ratio, and dedicated educational advisors, the Academy classrooms are collaborative spaces, led by teachers who care about their students.

Most importantly, Deerfield Academy offers more than 170 required coures each semester. And their exam success rate for years is 92%.

Above all, over 37% of Deerfield Academy prep students recieves financial aid.

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#10. Berwick Academy

Location: 31 Academy St, South Berwick, ME 03908, United States

Berwick Academy is an independent, co-educational, college-preparatory boarding and day school for students in grades 9-12 located in South Berwick, Maine. Hence, if you are looking for the best preparatory school for your child in New England, consider Berwick Academy.

One important aspect of Berwick Academy is that it is a four-year college preparatory school with around 650 students and around 125 teachers, all of whom live on or near campus during the school year. Berwick Academyhad an acceptance rate of 16.8% for the 2019-2024 school year.

Berwick Academy is one school that does not classify students. Academic work is graded on a scale where the minimum passing grade is 60 and the average grade is between 85 and 90. A quarterly average of 90.0 or higher deserves the distinction of Honors, while a quarterly average of 93, 0 or more deserves the High Honors distinction.

With an average size of 12 classes, a 5:1 student-teacher ratio, and dedicated educational advisors, the Academy classrooms are collaborative spaces, led by teachers who care about their students.

Most importantly, Berwick Academy offers more than 170 required courses each semester. And their exam success rate for years is 82%.

Above all, over 40% of Berwick Academy prep students receives financial aid.

FAQs

Just as the name entails, Preparatory (Prep) schools are those schools for children over 11 years and whose main aim is to prepare them for college.

Competition for places in preparatory schools in New England can be fierce, with 10 or more applicants per place in some of the best schools.
For this reason, you will need to ensure that your child is well prepared. If they are currently in the pre-prep, make sure they are teaching them the important thing.

In New England, there are over 60 Preparatory schools. Some of them include:

1. Canterbury High School
2. Phillips Academy
3. The Hotchkiss School
4. Taft School
5. Kent School
6. Thayer Academy
7. Avon Old Farms School
8. Loomis Chaffee
9. Deerfield Academy
10. Berwick Academy

Basically, a preparatory school is to prepare its students to enter several different colleges in different parts of the country. This is usually through the Common Entrance, a central exam which the individual high schools grades.
Though parents still wonder if there are benefits of sending their child to preparatory school. However, we will be clearing your doubt now.
Preparatory schools in New England are good at identifying and preparing their students for scholarships in a wide range of disciplines, academic, sports, artistic, dramatic, and musical.

References

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