Worcester Academy
Worcester Academy is a day-boarding private school in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. Day school covers 6-12 grades and a postgraduate year. Five- and seven-day boarding school covers 9-12 grades as well as a postgraduate year. Worcester Academy is included in the National Association of Independent Schools, the Association of Independent Schools in New England, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council.
International students have been warmly welcomed at Worcester Academy for 175 years. Now, 100 out of 500 current students come from over 20 countries. During the study, they improve their written and oral English skills, immerse themselves in an American lifestyle, and make life-long friends. After graduation, they can enroll in high-standing American colleges or universities. It is worth discovering the location of the school before discussing Worcester Academy in detail.
State Overview
Known as the Bay State, Massachusetts is the most populated state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York. The state also has access to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine. Boston is the capital and the most populated city in the state.
Previously the center of agriculture, fishing, trade, and manufacturing, modern Massachusetts is a global leader in biotechnology, engineering, higher education, finance, and maritime trade. According to U.S. News and World Report, Massachusetts has one of the best educational systems in the country. Furthermore, two of the top universities in the world, Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, are located in the state. Residents of Massachusetts also have the highest average IQ of all U.S. states, exceeding 104.
Location of the Worcester Academy School
Worcester, or the Heart of Commonwealth, is the second most populated city in New England after Boston. It is known for its diversity and large immigrant population, with significant communities of Vietnamese, Brazilians, Albanians, Puerto Ricans, Ghanaians, Dominicans, and others. Architecturally, Worcester is notable for its numerous 19th-century triple-decker houses, Victorian-era mill architecture, and lunch car diners. The economy of the city is focused on higher education, medicine, and biotechnology. Worcester is the principal city of Central Massachusetts and is regional transportation, government, and employment hub.
Worcester is home to over 50 public K-12 schools and 21 private schools. The oldest educational institution in the city is Worcester Academy, founded in 1834.
Worcester Academy School’s Facilities
The academy has a total area of 30 hectares, with four main facilities: the main campus, Francis A. Gaskill Field, the South Campus, and the New Balance Field. Worcester Academy has four residence halls. Davol Hall is home to middle-class boys, while Stoddard Hall is home to younger girls. Upper-class and postgraduate boys live in Dexter Hall. Junior, senior, and postgraduate girls live in Heydon Hall.
Worcester Academy has a strong athletic program. Half of the students participate in an interscholastic sport on one of the 54 athletic teams. The school offers about 24 sports, including soccer, field hockey, basketball, wrestling, alpine skiing, swimming, baseball, lacrosse, golf, softball, and tennis, to name a few.
Various on-campus facilities of Worcester Academy help students to achieve high results. Daniels Gymnasium has two basketball courts, a wrestling room, a weight room, and a four-lane swimming pool. Gaskill Field includes a football field with stands, a six-lane quarter-mile composition track, four tennis courts, and a baseball field. New Balance Field includes fields for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, baseball, and softball. Morse Field has a multi-purpose synthetic turf field for football, lacrosse, field hockey, soccer, and softball.
Student organizations and clubs date back to the very beginning of Worcester Academy. The oldest organization is the Legomathenian Society, the debate club. There are 55 organizations, including Model UN, Habitat for Humanity, Math Team, and Newman Society.
By the way, Worcester Academy has a motto in Greek that can be translated as Achieve the Honorable. Students live up to the motto by logging tens of thousands of community service hours each year.
Overview of the Programs in Worcester Academy
Worcester Academy is divided into a middle school, serving students from grades six to eight, and an upper school, serving students from grades nine to twelve, including some postgraduates.
At middle school, faculty and staff execute a well-crafted, honed program that sets students on a path to success. The project-based approach means an in-depth study of topics. Collaborative projects, field trips, speakers, and online resources take students into a space where they master the core and gain valuable insight into how they learn. Term-long electives range from band and chorus to digital photography and field studies to keep things interesting and spark new passions.
In the upper school, students learn to use their skills and knowledge in practice. They have 19 honors courses and 21 Advanced Placement courses. As a rule, students take five major academic classes and choose from a myriad of electives, such as Detective Fiction, Astronomy, and Costume design.
The Graduation Project is a compulsory requirement for all students. They have the chance to demonstrate their skills by grappling with the issue and reflecting on it on paper and in an oral presentation. Students choose their topic and have mentors who give them professional consultation and assistance.
With a longstanding tradition of offering a postgraduate year, Worcester Academy has an academic program designed to supplement and complement the courses of high school. During the study year, students focus on their passions and get the tools to succeed in college.
Worcester Academy has a Visual and Performing Arts Department. The middle school curriculum includes introductory courses in music and theater. From Grade 6 to 8, the Arts Café course studies the art and cuisine of a global culture.
The upper school curriculum includes art courses in ceramics, jewelry design, fibers craft, architecture, drawing, painting, digital art, web design, and animation. High school students also have a chance to perform in two theaters: Worcester Academy Performance Center and Warner Theater. The high school curriculum includes music courses, including Instrumental Ensemble, Singing Ensemble, Advanced Chorus, Music Theory, and Music Study.
Worcester Academy has the Center for Learning (CFL), which offers academic support for high school students with documented learning needs. The CFL provides targeted instruction and individualized support for students who have reading comprehension, writing, study skills, and test-taking difficulties.
Admission Requirements
Worcester Academy is mildly selective, accepting approximately 65% of all applicants. International students are accepted from Grade 9. Those who want to study at the school need to follow several steps.
- They ought to complete the online Inquiry Form and tell why they are interested in the school.
- When the Admission Office gets the form, they will send the applicants helpful materials through email. Officers will also assist the prospective students with setting up a Ravenna account. It is an online platform that helps students track and manage their application progress.
- International students should schedule the interview with Worcester Academy by either using the Ravenna account or contacting the office at 508-459-5841 or using the official email.
- Students must demonstrate English proficiency by taking the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test. They should send a copy of the scores to the school.
- International students need to submit transcripts and any recommendations via the Ravenna platform.
Students ought to complete the application by January 15. Admission decisions will be available on the Ravenna account on March 10. International students who submit applications after January 15th receive the decision after April 1.
Tuition Fees for International Students
International students who are interested in applying to Worcester Academy ought to know more about the tuition fees. They must be ready to pay $72,000 per year. Additionally, international students should pay the technology fee of $745 and the book fee of $700. Worcester Academy also offers supplementary services for additional fees, such as counseling, a Center for Learning, music lessons, and others.
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