Great boarding and it has a profound impact on your well-being and future career. The rules are strict but they teach you to grit and it makes you stronger. Highly recommend if an individual wants to get a different form of education.
Last year my son looked into but did not attend Vermont Academy. I write this review in hopes of offering some important things you'll want to consider if you choose to send your child here. First, it's very easy to tell what a school's priorities are based on what gets maintained well and what doesn't. The hockey rink is pristine; the academic halls are in dire need of renovation. Don't kid yourself as to their primary purpose. The conversations among students also mostly revolved around sports, with some arts to give them something else to do. The academic staff I talked to were quite pleasant and engaging, but appear to be rather limited in resources and influence. Second, the school's admissions are notably transphobic and refused to respect my son's gender identity, and were quite unapologetic about this. This may be a selling point for many, but if diversity is something that is important to you, you won't find it here. I asked the director of admissions to describe something that's of concern right now on campus, because I was interested in hearing about how they go about solving problems. The off-the-cuff answer was "the boys need to win a hockey game". Sometimes in humor you really find the truth.
Our daughter entered as a sophomore boarding student and is now a senior. "Wow" is how my wife and I, as parents describe her continued personal growth and academic achievement. Small classes, dedicated instructors and staff, varied sports and clubs (having fun), all these at Vermont Academy have enabled our child to improve her academic performance each year. Imagine what that does for her confidence? We feel she is now very well prepared for college life as a young adult.
Vermont Academy is a fantastic school. Remarkable faculty and staff all of whom are dedicated not only to academics, but also to the individual needs of each student. Small class sizes and an emphasis on critical, creative thinking foster students learning beyond a typical classroom. The sense of spirit & community is also outstanding. My son has had a brilliant experience at Vermont Academy.
One of the most rewarding experiences we have had since making the decision 3 years ago to send our son who is a Junior to Vermont Academy was the first step, going to campus and seeing the community. The impact that this school has had on our son has been transformative. Going to high school in Vermont, living on campus, the dedicated faculty staff. I would recommend to anyone looking for a high school that may be considered a small school, but has delivered a big return on our son's happiness and long term preparation for his future college education.
This place is transformational. Small, caring, amazing faculty. Worth the investment.
Best decision we have made for our kids has been sending them to Vermont Academy. Academically, they are thriving. The small class sizes and individual attention is invaluable. My kids also play sports. The basketball program is second to none.
My daughter entered VA as a junior boarder. Her experience was outstanding! She had always been an outstanding student, but needed to gain some independence in an environment that allowed her to do just that while having support and encouragement available. The teachers and staff are incredibly devoted and exceptional. She balanced a challenging academic load, and was still able to participate in crew and theater in large part because everyone at VA made it possible to balance her workload and advocate for herself with teachers. She's now thriving in college.
Vermont Academy offers an engaging academic experience fostered by invested educators. VA challenges students to flex out of their comfort zone into a vast exploration of learning and discovery. The small student-teacher ratio enables a dynamic, holistic approach, developing a community that is culturally unique to each class. As new members of the VA family, during Parent's Weekend, we witnessed the students intrinsically motivated with a true sense of belonging. We are enthusiastic about our child's future knowing he will graduate from VA with a strong sense of self and continuously developing growth mindset.
Love it. Transformed our son from disconnected and bored to excited about school and comfortable in his own skin. Serious academics with great support and excellent atheletics. Dorm life is fun and healthy. Small school allows for sincerely individual-kid-based program from each adult. We met them all (every one) and all are authentically caring. The college prep is also excellent, marbled into the program without taking over daily life happiness. Our son is thriving and we are thrilled.
