Northfield Mount Hermon School
Overview

Northfield Mount Hermon (NMH) is a coed, independent boarding school of 655 students in grades 9–12 plus a postgraduate year. You’ll find us in the heart of New England, on the banks of the Connecticut River in western Massachusetts. NMH offers a challenging, innovative college-preparatory curriculum with extensive choices that include study-abroad programs, a social entrepreneurship course, independent study, and community-service work. Supported and guided by expert faculty and staff, students are encouraged to pursue their passions, discover new ones, and make their own unique contributions to the NMH community. Our faculty devote an extraordinary amount of time and energy to fostering students’ accomplishment and success, both in and out of the classroom. The result is students who think critically, act with humanity, and discover within themselves a sense of purpose. Our distinctive College-Model Academic Program (CMAP) is centered around 80-minute class periods that are longer than those in a typical high school class. So students explore each subject in greater depth and spend more time with their teachers. Students take three major courses each semester — six per year, which is one more than at schools with traditional schedules. Our average class size is 11 students. Each faculty member teaches on average only two courses a semester, allowing them to spend focused time with a small group of students. We focus on the whole student, meeting individual needs while integrating students into a diverse, busy community. Our “Partnership of 12” initiative is a network of adults (at least a dozen every semester) who support each student every day. The network includes teachers, coaches, dorm staff, and work supervisors. NMH has made serious commitments to multiculturalism throughout its long history. Currently, students of color make up 21 percent of the student body, and international students come from 57 countries. The school focuses extensively on racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, religious, and gender diversity in extracurricular workshops and events throughout the year. Our sustainability program empowers students to explore and protect the environment and become active citizens of a changing planet. In short, NMH helps students develop into people who are down to earth, yet performing up to their potential. Our students are academically challenged, socially engaged, and constantly surprised by both themselves and the world.


Academics
Summary: A WELL-GROUNDED EDUCATION CAN TAKE YOU ANYWHERE. The intense, immersive learning that NMH offers is a chance to go further. And do more. It starts in small classes with some of the most dedicated and horizon-broadening teachers you’ll ever meet. From there, things exponentially expand. Borders start to break down: between math and science, social justice and sustainability, the campus community and the world at large. By the time you graduate, you will be more than ready to break new ground. Many of our students do—at the most selective schools, such as Brown and the University of Chicago; at big public research universities like the University of Michigan and the University of Virginia; at urban, private universities like NYU and Boston University; and at small NESCAC schools like Connecticut College and Middlebury. We'll encourage you to push your intellectual boundaries. Discover a love for poetry you never knew you had. Access an aptitude for quantitative thinking that has not yet been developed. Experiment with learning a new language. Explore unanticipated intellectual challenges. And we will support your journey. As you go beyond the classroom, uncovering learning opportunities through clubs and community service, on teams, in the residence halls, and perhaps through study-abroad experiences, you’ll learn to think like and be a citizen of the world and of your own community. Our teachers represent the heart of the NMH experience. As credentialed scholars, they’re the equal of any boarding-school faculty in the country. Dedicated and passionate, they will inspire you, nurture your interests, and motivate you to excel. Our College Model Academic Program (CMAP) provides the richest possible educational experience and gives you a glimpse of what college will be like. By taking three major courses each semester, you’ll spend more time in class with your teachers, which allows for deeper discussion and hands-on projects that increase your understanding of the course material. Our wide range of courses in all academic departments provides for learning experiences that can be tough, fascinating, meaningful, and, yes, downright fun. Combined with our informed, personal college counseling, an NMH education will not only prepare you for college, but will also challenge you to broaden your view of the world while refining your image of yourself.
Department Director Sarah Warren
Student/Teacher Ratio: 6:1
Average Class Size: 11
Summer Programs: Offered
Full Time Teachers: 102
Number of AP Courses Offered: 28
Teachers Holding Advanced Degrees: 70%
Number of IB Courses Offered: 0
Learning Support
- Evening Study Assistance
- Learning Center
- Peer Tutoring
- Study Skills Assistance
- Subject Tutoring
English
- Classics
- Creative Writing
- Honors
- Literature
- Playwriting
- Poetry
History
- Asian History
- Classical History
- European History
- Honors
- United States History
- World History
Foreign Languages
Religion / Philosophy
- Ethics
- Religious Studies
- Social Justice
- The Bible
- World Religions
Humanities / Social Sciences
- Economics
- Psychology
Sciences
- Astronomy
- Biology
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Earth Science
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Genetics
- Health
- Physical Science
- Physics
Math
Computer Studies
- Multimedia
- Computer Programming
- Computer Science
Music
- Band
- Choral Music
- Composition
- Electronic Music
- History of Jazz
- Individual Instructions
- Music Appreciation
- Music History
- Music Theory
- Orchestra
- Principles of Arranging
- Recording
- Voice
Performing / Visual Arts
Special Programs
- Study Abroad
- Community Service
- Independent Study
- Internships
- Leadership
- Outdoor Education
Distinctive or New Programs
- F
Campus Life
Dorm Life
Number of Dorms: 15
Average Students Per Dorm: 36
Number of Girls Dorms: 7
Number of Boys Dorms: 8
Dorm Amenities
- Laundry Facilities
- Lounge
- Vending Machines
- Wireless Internet
Other Dorm Amenities
Student Life
Welcome to NMH! You've discovered one of the most exciting, distinctive boarding schools you could hope to find. I say that with some authority, having worked in boarding schools for more than a decade. When I arrived at NMH in 2002, I joined a vibrant, diverse community where individual development, community standards, and high expectations form the core of the academic and student life experience. As dean of students, my job is to challenge and support students outside the classroom. Although classrooms provide a rich learning environment, students spend a lot of time outside the walls of our academic buildings, and we offer amazing opportunities to acquire knowledge and experience and contribute to the community through clubs, organizations, and volunteer groups. We also have a student life curriculum that promotes self-responsibility, integrity, and moral leadership. Whether it's serving as a class officer, starting a program to raise awareness of the genocide in Darfur, or working on campus sustainability projects, students discover passions they didn't know they had and commit themselves to ideas bigger than themselves. Many schools profess to educate the whole child. At NMH, we live and breathe our founder's motto to educate the heads, hearts, and hands of young people. I came to NMH—as perhaps you will, too—because part of the school's mission is to encourage students to live with purpose and to make a difference in the world.
Facilities
- All-Weather Track
- Baseball Field
- Basketball Court
- Fitness Center
- Indoor Basketball Court
- Indoor Pool
- Volleyball Court
Other Facilities
Clubs & Organizations
- Amnesty International
- Animal Rights Club
- Asian Club
- Astronomy Club
- Chess Club
- Community Service
- Computer Club
- Debate Club
- Diversity Club
- Environmental Club
- Fencing Club
- Food Council
- Foreign Language Clubs
- International Club
- Jewish Student Organization
- Literary Magazine
- Math Club
- Model UN
- National Honor Society
- Newspaper
- Outing Club
- Peer Counseling
- Peer Tutoring
- Science Bowl
- Sexualities Club
- Student Activities
- Student Government
- Student Publications
- Theater Club
- Yearbook
- Yoga Club
- Radio Station
Arts & Athletics
Summary: ATHLETICS WRITE DOWN YOUR GOALS ON A PIECE OF PAPER. NOW TEAR THAT UP, AND WRITE DOWN YOUR DREAMS. That’s the kind of advice NMH student-athletes get from their coaches. Every student here is encouraged to think of athletics as yet another arena in which they can challenge themselves to dig a little deeper and aim a little higher. And they’re more than just skilled athletes. Our students are good sports and great teammates. NMH offers one of the broadest high school athletics programs in the country, and our College Model Academic Program (CMAP) gives students the time to participate without sacrificing their studies. They learn all kinds of valuable lessons about sportsmanship and leadership that they can apply to other areas of life. ARTS NMH's mission is an "education for the head, heart, and hand." But perhaps we should add the eyes, the foot, or the vocal cords to that list, because for us the arts help make us fully realized human beings. They teach us new ways to see and think about the world and allow us to communicate with our fellow human beings in ways that transcend—and sometimes critique—language, history, religion, and politics. Art courses at NMH will nurture your appreciation and understanding of a variety of expressive media while developing your creative skills, deepening your confidence in your talent. Whether it's learning about sight reading in music, color theory in the visual arts, movement in dance, or lighting and set design in theater, when you leave NMH, you'll have the skill set to make art the rest of your life. You'll learn the vocabulary of art and how to discuss and critique it articulately. You'll also learn the importance of crossing boundaries, collaborating with artists from other disciplines, and even incorporating ideas from science or economics into the way you think about art. Come to campus and you'll see just how serious we are about art...and how much we celebrate it.
Arts Department Director: Mona Seno
Athletics Department Director: Greg Leeds
Notable Achievements: 60 Arts Performances each year NMH holds 104 New England team championships Boys varsity basketball ranked in top 5 repeatedly
Arts
Interscholastic Sports
- Alpine Skiing
- Alpine Ski Racing
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Crew
- Cross Country Running
- Diving
- Field Hockey
- Golf
- Ice Hockey
- Lacrosse
- Nordic Skiing
- Nordic Ski Racing
- Outdoor Education
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Recreational Sports
- Alpine Skiing
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Camping
- Canoeing
- Dance
- Fencing
- Freestyle Skiing
- Hiking
- Horseback Riding
- Ice Climbing
- Kayaking
- Lacrosse
- Mountain Biking
- Nordic Skiing
- Nordic Ski Racing
- Outdoor Education
- Rafting
- Rock Climbing
- Sailing
- Snowboarding
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Volleyball
- Weight Lifting
- Cycling
Graduates
Summary: The college counselors at NMH are familiar with an impressively wide variety of colleges and universities. We have to be. Because of our students’ diverse backgrounds and interests, it is not enough to have stock answers. We know the Ivies and we know the truly excellent state universities. We know the big-name schools and the hidden gems. We know the conservatories and the art institutes. We know traditional liberal arts colleges and we know the schools that offer both gymnastics and Arabic studies—or whatever combination of programs you are looking for. We also help colleges get to know NMH. Our work takes us to college campuses to connect with admission officers, coaches, and professors. We bring more than 100 college representatives to our campus each year to help them more fully understand NMH. They get our school, and that helps them get you. The college process is complex and demanding. We understand the challenges and have lots of tools to help you manage the search process and the application itself (see links below). You and your parents can use the links on our website to track your applications. You can follow us on Twitter to get timely reminders. You can read our blog to find answers to your questions. In the end, roughly two-thirds of NMH graduates report that they have gained admission to their first- or second-choice college. They also report that, once they are there, they are extremely well-prepared. Our graduates know how to handle demanding academics. They know how to engage in a residential community. They know how to compete and how to cooperate. Yes, NMH is a college “prep” school, but our goal is not just to get you in. We want to prepare you to succeed when you get there. And you will.
College Information
Percentage of graduates who attend college: 99%
Middle Percentile of SAT Scores | Reading | Math | Writing |
---|---|---|---|
25th percentile | |||
75th percentile |
Notable Alumni
William R. Rhodes
Class of 1953
Chairman of Citicorp
Frank Shorter
Class of 1965
Founding chairman of US Anti-Doping Agency; TV sports commentator; earned gold medal in 1972 Olympic marathon and silver in 1976
Lawrence Ferlinghetti
Class of 1937
Beat-generation poet co-owner of City Lights Booksellers & Publishers
Sam and Mariah Calagione
Class of 1988
founders of Dogfish Head Brewery
Laura Linney
Class of 1982
Academy Award-nominated actress
Arn Chorn-Pond
Class of 1986
Founder of Children of War Peacemakers and Cambodia Master performers Program; winner of Reebok Human Rights Award
Anna Diggs Taylor
Class of 1950
Chief judge US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (first black woman appointed to that role)
Tessa Gobbo
Class of 2009
Gold medalist in rowing 2016 Olympics
Valerie Jarrett
Class of 1974
White House Senior Advisor and Assistant to President Barack Obama for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison and head of president's panel on women and children
Vital Information
Student Body Type: Coed
Total Boarding: 543
Total Day: 112
Total Enrollment: 655
Boys: 340
Girls: 315
Boarding Grades Offered: 9-12
Day Grades Offered: 9-12
School Type: High School
Dress Code: Casual
Applications Accepted: SAO, Gateway to Prep
Application Deadline: February 1st
Tuition & Financial Aid
7-Day Boarding: $63,500
5-Day Boarding: N/A
Day Tuition Fee: $42,900
Need-Based Aid: Offered
Payment Plans: Offered
Students Receiving Aid: 31%
Average Awarded: $52,024
School Finances
Merit Scholarships: Not Offered
Students Receiving Merit Scholarships: %
Average Merit Scholarship: $
Current Endowment Amount: $139,000,000
Contact
Director of Admissions: Claude Anderson
Admissions Phone: 413 498 3227
Fax: 413 498 3152
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.nmhschool.org
Nearby Schools
- Stoneleigh-Burnham School - 6mi / 10 km
- Bement School - 10mi / 17 km
- Deerfield Academy - 11mi / 17 km
- The Putney School - 22mi / 36 km
- Dublin School - 27mi / 44 km
- Cushing Academy - 29mi / 47 km







