Gould Academy

Gould Academy

1. The school is located in Bethel, Maine, near Portland and approximately a 3-hour drive from Boston. Founded in 1836, it is a small boarding school.
2. In 2022, the school was recognized as a Gold Certified Club by the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association.
3. Chinese graduates have been admitted to Dartmouth College.
4. The campus spans 456 acres, offering comprehensive facilities including an award-winning 18-hole golf course, 40 km of on-campus Nordic skiing and mountain biking trails, four tennis courts, four full-sized athletic fields, and more.
5. Gould Academy supports international students in various ways, such as a special three-day orientation program and a two-week English immersion course offered in the summer.
6. Signature Programs: Nordic Ski Development Program, Winter Term, Computer Science Curriculum, Learn to Ski/Ride Program, Aquatic Research & Exploration, Underwater Robotics, and more.

The school is located in a very quiet town. Its hardware facilities are excellent, the teaching is very rigorous, student management is meticulous, and teachers pay a high degree of attention to students. Several students I've spoken with have given the school very good reviews.

Gould Academy is Maine's top-ranked boarding high school. The school features a state-of-the-art, 22,000-square-foot ultra-large technology center. It is located right next to Sunday River Resort, one of the most famous ski resorts in the Eastern United States, allowing students to receive the most professional ski training nearby. The town of Bethel, Maine, where the school is located, is safe and boasts beautiful scenery.

The ski program is the best at this school. Located just 6 miles from its partner, Sunday River Resort, it is home to the school's On-Snow program. The Gould Ski Patrol Program is the only program of its kind recognized by the National Ski Patrol, offering accomplished skiers and snowboarders the opportunity to train alongside the Sunday River Resort Ski Patrol.

The school's distance learning, in partnership with MSM, provides assistance to Gould students. MSM teachers offer courses and guide Gould's chamber orchestra through real-time, fully interactive sessions, providing opportunities for advanced private study.

Each year, students gain international learning experiences, such as living and studying in Spain for a spring semester or participating in two-week spring expeditions.

Gould Academy students work closely with teachers and external mentors to develop year-long projects in their chosen fields, researching topics such as reprogramming stem cells, prototyping rocket engine nozzles, ancient genocides, Rome, and China's emerging electric vehicle industry.

Message from a current student. I have complex feelings about this school. The school's academics are not bad, but due to significant faculty turnover in recent years, students find it difficult to adapt well to the school's teaching system. In terms of sports, it's worth mentioning that the school's skiing program is excellent. Regarding the environment, Bethel, the city where the school is located, has distinct four seasons; the autumn maple leaves are beautiful, but winter is long and very cold (snow starts in late October, and it's still winter in early April). Overall, the school is undergoing a rebuilding phase, having changed several principals in recent years. I hope Gould can emerge from its low point soon.

Gould's true feelings: The school is very mediocre, mainly reflected in the teachers not being very responsible and inefficient. Students are forced to take ESP courses, even if their standardized test scores have already reached the level where the school doesn't require them to take ESP. Furthermore, the school has been short on money in recent years and tends to overcharge (like a 'lion's open mouth'), with teaching quality and living standards not matching the tuition fees.

➢The school has a farm located within the campus built by students, where students gain experiential learning through various projects such as organic farming, forestry, and animal care. Veterinary experience programs are offered to students, with a hospital and animal care center located near the school.
➢Marlon Family IDEAS Center: The school's innovation and design center. Students enhance their abilities through internships and independent study projects.
➢Independent Research Projects: Students work closely with teachers and external mentors to develop year-long projects in their chosen fields, such as research on reprogramming stem cells, prototyping rocket engine nozzles, ancient genocides, Rome, and China's emerging electric vehicle industry.
➢The school's strong subjects are mathematics, natural sciences, and computer science. It also offers elective courses such as aerospace studies, astronomy, electromagnetism, robotics, and financial mathematics.

Gould Academy, established in 1836, is located in the small town of Bethel, Maine, in the northeastern United States, a 3-hour drive from Boston. The school focuses on and respects every student, values each student's learning ability, and cultivates students' sense of responsibility, morality, compassion, and independent thinking skills. Chinese students account for approximately 10%. The school offers nearly 20 sports. Gould’s Outing Club operates for three full seasons, allowing students to make full use of the surrounding environment by learning map and compass skills, climbing mountains, and ski camping. The school’s On-Snow skiing program provides beginners and experienced students with the opportunity to learn from former US ski team members and coaches. The school has a partnership with the Manhattan School of Music, where MSM teachers provide remote courses and guide orchestral training.

As a graduate of this school, I sincerely advise everyone not to come here. The school treats international students, especially Chinese students, unfairly, both in the way some teachers treat students and in the overall atmosphere of the school. In the past two years, there has been a significant turnover of teachers. The new teachers are mostly young individuals native to Maine who are unable to accept other cultures. These teachers have only recently graduated and lack sufficient teaching experience. Of course, the school still has a few highly respected senior teachers, but only a handful (you can count them on one hand). Regarding the student body, there are too many white students, making it very uncomfortable to be here. I initially thought only Asian students disliked this school, but later I learned that many local Americans don't like it either; the overall atmosphere is very, very depressing. The cafeteria food has become increasingly unappetizing. Since 2018, when a new principal took office, many traditional school activities (which required school funding), such as the Snow Ball (winter dance, formerly one of the most anticipated annual events), have been canceled. In short, don't come! You will be depressed. Chinese students who travel across oceans shouldn't have to suffer here.