Emma Willard School

Troy, New York, USA view map
All Girls, No Religious Affiliation

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Emma is the oldest, non-denominational girls’ boarding school in the United States. Situated in Troy, New York, Emma Willard School is home to over 320 amazing young women, ages 13 to 19. Girls have come to Emma from more than 40 different countries, making Emma Willard School a diverse and welcoming community of learners, athletes, artists, and leaders.

Our founder, Emma Hart Willard, challenged the barriers in American girls' education in 1814, and nearly 200 years later her spirit lives on in every Emma girl. Girls here find ways of belonging and interacting with the world that transcend race, religion, background, and culture. We say our girls are "cosmopolitan" in that they are truly comfortable anywhere.

For more information go to www.emmawillard.org or call 518-833-1320.

285 Pawling Avenue, Troy, New York, USA 12180
518-833-1300

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Director of Admission: Rachel Connell
Admissions Phone:518-833-1320Fax:518-833-1805
Email: admissions@emmawillard.org Website: www.emmawillard.org


  • Application Deadline: February 01
  • Application Fee: $50
  • International Application Fee: $100
  • Accept TABS Admission Application: Yes
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  • Founded: 1814
  • Campus Size: 137 acres
  • Grades Offered: 9th-post-grad
  • Accredited by: NYSAIS
Student Body
Boarding
Grades 9th-post-grad
Day
Grades 9th-12th
Total
Girls     202 127 329
Boys     0 0 0
Total     202 127 329

Tuition and Financial Aid
  • 7-Day Boarding: $48,480
  • 5-Day Boarding: N/A
  • Day Tuition Fee: $29,690
  • Payment Plans: Offered
  • Need-Based Aid: Offered
  • Students Receiving Aid: 52.00%
  • Average Awarded: $22,450
School Finances
  • Merit Scholarships: Offered
  • Students Receiving Merit Scholarships: 0.05%
  • Average Merit Scholarship: $15,000
  • Current Endowment: $86,000,000
  • Per Student Endowment: $252,365
 
 

Summary: The curriculum reflects the school's pursuit of excellence, capitalizes on the strength of community and relationships, sustains a belief in the entrality of ethics in adolescent education, and honors the women's perspective. Emma offers a rigorous college preparatory program with AP and upper-level electives. The faculty intentionally limits the number of AP courses offered in order to provide girls with an array of equally rigorous electives. The school is divided into two semesters, and most students take five academic classes per term. Classes generally meet four times a week in blocks of 50 or 75 minutes. Core requirements for graduation include a minimum of 4 units of English; 3 of history, foreign language and math; and 2 of laboratory science and visual/performing arts. Ordinarily, a yearlong course equals one unit. All students are required to participate in a Service Program each year and must take physical education or its equivalent each semester in the 9th, 10th and 11th Grades. (Seniors must take at least 10 weeks.) The school's Practicum program offers students the opportunity to pursue internships in various academic, professional, artistic and athletic fields. The curriculum is complemented by the Serving and Shaping Her World Speakers Series, which invited accomplished and renowned experts in various fields to speak to the school. Letter grades are used with plus and minus notations to refine the passing grades of A, B, C and D. "NC" (no credit) represents a failing grade. We do not compute a class rank or a cumulative grade point average as part of a student's credentials. 9th Grade students receive a grade of "Pass" or "Fail" in each course during their first semester at Emma to allow them time to acclimate to the academic expectations of the school.

Department Director: John Ball

Average Class Size: 12

Full Time Teachers: 53

Teachers Holding Advanced Degrees: 75.00%

Student/Teacher Ratio: 6/1

Summer Programs Offered: Offered

Number of AP Courses Offered: 15

Advanced/Enrichment Programs
  • AP Courses
  • Post Graduate Year
Support Programs
English:
  • Classics
  • Creative Writing
  • Literature
  • Poetry
History:
  • European History
  • Medieval History
  • United States History
  • Courses in Latin America, Africa and Middle East
Foreign Languages:
  • Chinese-Mandarin
  • French
  • Spanish
Religion/Philosophy:
Humanities/Social Sciences:
  • Anthropology
  • Economics
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
Sciences:
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Environmental Science
  • Physics
  • Forensics
Math:
  • Algebra
  • Calculus
  • Geometry
  • Statistics
  • Trigonometry
Computer Studies:
Music:
  • Band
  • Choral Music
  • Individual Instructions
  • Orchestra
  • Voice
Performing/Visual Arts:
  • Acting
  • Art
  • Art History
  • Ballet
  • Ceramics
  • Choreography
  • Dance
  • Drama
  • Drawing
  • Film and Video
  • Modern Dance
  • Painting
  • Photography
  • Publications
  • Sculpture
  • Studio Art
  • Weaving
Special Programs:
  • Community Service
  • Independent Study
  • Internships
  • Semester/Year Off-Campus
  • Study Abroad:
Distinctive or New Programs:
  • Research internships
    Neuroscience


AP Courses Available:
  • Art History
  • Biology
  • Calculus AB
  • Calculus BC
  • Chemistry
  • Macroeconomics
  • English Literature
  • European History
  • French Language
  • US Government & Politics
  • Physics C
  • Psychology
  • Spanish Language
  • Statistics
  • Studio Art
  • US History
 
 

Summary: Emma is about purpose, not privilege. It’s about community. Emma is your home whether you’re a boarding or day student. The mix of boarding and day students is about 60/40 - and day students are welcome at all weekend activities. It is as much about personal excellence as it is about supporting others to succeed. As much as a girl charts her own future here, she quickly realizes that her friends, her teachers and her advisors are her very best support system (and she theirs). Living and learning at Emma means you are embraced by the whole community. We’ve all got your back. And we’re proud to say we’ve heard from students and parents that this sets us apart. Take our virtual tour to get a feel for campus: www.emmawillard.org

Department Director: Judy Bridges

Dorm Life

Number of Dorms: 2

No. of Girls Dorms: 2

Dorm Amenities:
Game Room
 
Laundry Facilities 
Lounge 
Wireless Internet 
Vending Machines 
 

Dress Code: Casual

Student Life

Summary: Emma Willard School is a dynamic and joyous place. Unabashedly the finest girls' school in the world, its faculty and staff embrace learning and love to teach. The life of the mind is alive and well here. Emma Hart Willard’s stunningly bold idea is the same then as it is now … If you educate a girl, you will transform the world. Girls excel here. Their ambitions are as varied as their talents. Ever exuberant, the Emma community encourages each girl’s aspirations and offers her opportunities for accomplishment every day. In and out of the classroom, we promote leadership and celebrate citizenship. We explore values and reward intellectual risk taking. We challenge girls to take responsibility for developing their minds and their hearts to the fullest and putting their talents to good purpose.

Facilities

  • All-weather track
  • Baseball field(s)
  • Basketball court(s)
  • Fitness Center
  • Technology Center
  • Volleyball court(s)
  • Indoor basketball court(s)
  • Pool
  • Indoor pool

Clubs and Organizations

  • Amnesty International
  • Animal Rights Club
  • Community Service
  • Computer Club
  • Diversity Club
  • Dorm Proctors
  • Environmental Club
  • Fencing
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • International Clubs
  • Literary Magazine
  • Math Club
  • Mock Trial
  • Model UN
  • Newspaper
  • Outing Club
  • Peer Counseling
  • Peer Tutoring
  • Quiz Bowl
  • Science Bowl
  • Sexualities Club
  • Student Activities
  • Student Government
  • Student Publications
  • SADD
  • Yearbook
  • Fair Trade
 
 

Summary: The arts are an integral part of Emma Willard's curriculum and co-curricular life. Students are required to take arts courses prior to graduation, and may choose from an array of dance, music, visual arts, and theatre classes. In addition to the academic arts offerings, Emma Willard's clubs and organizations include several singing groups, the art and literary magazine, and orchestra. The school boasts a busy arts calendar, and hosts several arts competitions and visiting artists throughout the year. Student athletes at Emma excel on and off the field. Teams and coaches support and encourage success in the classroom as well as the playing field. The Jesters are consistently in contention for league championships, and have had success at the State and National Levels. Our program finds the right balance between fun, participation, and competition. We offer 12 varsity sports and JV programs for basketball, lacrosse, field hockey, and soccer. Emma Willard School is both a member of Section II of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association and the New York State Association of Independent Schools. Our teams compete against the top schools around the Capital Region and surrounding areas.

Arts Department Director: Debra Spiro-Allen

Athletics Department Director: Lisa Grefe

Notable Achievements: Molly Shapiro '12 - NY State triple jump champ, Sin Young Park '12 sang at Carnegie Hall, Tennis - 2010 Class AA Runners-Up

Arts
  • A Cappella Group
  • Chamber Choir
  • Chamber Ensemble
  • Chamber Orchestra
  • Choral Music
  • Dance
  • Drama Club
  • Jazz Ensemble
  • String Ensemble
  • Tech Crew
  • Theater
Interscholastic Sports
  • Basketball
  • Crew
  • Cross-Country Running
  • Diving
  • Field Hockey
  • Lacrosse
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swimming
  • Tennis
  • Track and Field
  • Volleyball
  • Winter Track
Recreational Sports
  • Aerobics
  • Dance
  • Fencing
  • Golf
  • Horseback Riding
  • Ice Skating
  • Outdoor Education
  • Tennis
  • Ultimate Frisbee
  • Weight Lifting
  • Yoga
 
 

Summary: Enrollment in Emma Willard assures students of their preparation for college. By focusing on the personal and intellectual growth of each individual, the faculty and the curriculum prepare each student well for the rigors of higher education. The goal of the college counseling program is to guide students through the sometimes bewildering plethora of information about the more than three thousand institutions of higher learning in the U.S.

Department Director: Kent Jones

College Information

Percentage of Graduates Who Attend College: 100.00%

Colleges attended in the past 5 years by our graduates:

Cornell 15 graduates
Boston University 13 graduates
University of Rochester 10 graduates
RPI 9 graduates
Hamilton 8 graduates
NYU 8 graduates
St. Lawrence 8 graduates
Tufts 8 graduates
George Washington 8 graduates
Mount Holyoke College 7 graduates
Smith 7 graduates
Univ. of Vermont 7 graduates
Skidmore 6 graduates
Barnard 5 graduates
Dickinson 5 graduates
Carnegie Mellon 5 graduates
Hobart William Smith 5 graduates
Wellesley University 5 graduates
Univ. of Pennsylvania 5 graduates
Wellesley 5 graduates

Middle Percentile of SAT Scores

25th percentile 75th percentile
Critical Reading 560 680
Mathematics 560 700
Writing 580 720



Notable Alumni



Quotes from Alumni
 
 

Summary: The Emma Willard School Summer Immersion Program is for girls ages 12 through 17 seeking an American experience this summer to improve their English skills. The four week intensive English instruction program is held each summer for up to 30 girls from all over the world. 518-833-1788

Department Director: Wendy Pattison

Emma Willard Summer Immersion Program

July 20, 2013 to August 17, 2013

The program combines Emma Willard School's focused, individualized study in the classroom with engaging activities extending well beyond the walls of the school. The all-girls environment creates a safe and comfortable place to make friends, practice English skills and explore American culture.

Registration Deadline: June 01, 2013
Tuition: $6,500
Financial Aid Available:  No
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