Lawrence Academy was founded in 1793 in Groton, Massachusetts. This academy lays claim to being the third oldest boarding school in the whole country. Each year, 400 students through grades 9 and 12 enroll for the school’s college preparatory curriculum. With an average class size of 14, Lawrence Academy boasts a student-to-teacher ratio of 5:1.
Individualized attention is the impetus here, as is fostering a culture of compassion and connection. The school offers students unique programs like sailing lessons and Costa Rican ecology excursions. The school also has notable alumni among its graduates, like AOL CEO Tim Armstrong and former first-round NBA draft pick Antoine Wright, and Audrey McNiff, Managing Director at Goldman Sachs.
Nightingale-Bamford School - Yearly Tuition: $46,500
As an independent all-female preparatory school, Nightingale-Bamford School was founded in 1920 by Frances Nicolau Nightingale and Maya Stevens Bamford. Nightingale-Bamford School was formerly called Miss Nightingale's School, officially becoming "The Nightingale-Bamford School" in 1929. Today, the school is known for its exceptional liberal arts education that empowers girls for the modern world.
Nightingale champions cross-cultural exposure and an environment where students feel seen, heard, and valued. Since 1920, NBS has graduated over 3,000 alumnae. Located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Nightingale-Bamford is also a member of the New York Interschool consortium. Nightingale is a small school with 560 students, approximately 45 pupils per grade level. The student-faculty ratio is 7:1 with an average class size of 10 students.
Convent of the Sacred Heart - Yearly Tuition: $46,524
Founded in 1881, the Convent of the Sacred Heart is New York City's oldest private school for girls – a school committed to nurturing in students a respect for intellectual values, social awareness, personal and active faith, community, and personal growth. The school was initially housed in a Manhattan brownstone on Madison Avenue at East 54th Street.
In the 1940s, the school acquired the Burden mansion next door. On their campus, there are science Labs, gymnasiums, and photography darkroom studios. The Convent of the Sacred Heart offers a range of clubs and activities for its students, including Habitat for Humanity International, Amnesty International, student council, and forensics.
The Cambridge School of Weston - Yearly Tuition: $47,500
Founded back in 1886, The Cambridge School of Weston is a co-ed high school that emphasizes "critical thought with hands-on experiential learning, and deep academic inquiry." The academic year is divided into seven modules of five weeks. A follower of education, many of the progressive scholarly underpinnings still guide the school, such as a focus on experiential learning, community involvement, and a low student-to-teacher ratio.
The school instituted a form of community self-governance in 1939, modeled after the traditional New England town meeting. The school completed building a Green building in 2007 called the Garthwaite Center for Science and Art.
The Berkshire School - Yearly Tuition $48,000
The 400-acre campus in the Berkshires has state-of-the-art academic, artistic, and athletic facilities. Out of 304 schools, Berkshire School is listed among the top 20 boarding schools. Berkshire's athletics also competes as one of the highly competitive New England Preparatory Schools. Berkshire offers a well-rounded education with plenty of extracurriculars, community social events, unique traditions such as Pro Vita, and its classroom experience.
Some of the school’s signature programs are in science and humanities research. Additionally, students can also study aviation science or enroll in the Ritt Kellogg Mountain program. The school is committed to creating enterprising minds and has instituted the Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize.