The Taft School

Taft is a perfect fit for the "all-in" student—someone who wants to be a scholar-athlete-artist simultaneously. It is less "preppy" than some of its peers and more "purposeful." However, prospective families should know that the admissions process is highly selective (roughly 18% acceptance rate), and the school looks specifically for students who demonstrate a genuine commitment to community service and leadership.

The school is not only dedicated to cultivating students' ability to enter higher education institutions, but more importantly, it helps students mature and develop a strong sense of responsibility.

The campus offers a beautiful environment and comprehensive teaching facilities.

One of the most beautiful campuses in the world

The Taft School, established in 1890, has a 220-acre campus located in Watertown, Western Connecticut. It is one of the 'Little Ivies' high schools in the 'Ten Schools Admissions Organization' in the United States. The school boasts beautiful surroundings and comprehensive facilities.

Taft offers a total of 200 courses, including 32 AP courses and numerous other honors, AP, and Post-AP courses. Taft places great importance on students' interests and hobbies, hoping that the courses offered can satisfy their interests to the maximum extent. However, Taft cannot cover everything, so it created the ISP program. ISP stands for Independent Study Program, which directly translates to 'Autonomous Learning Program,' and its purpose is to allow students to pursue projects they are interested in outside of the classroom.

The ISP is treated like any regular course. At the beginning of each academic year, students can submit their research topics to the ISP committee. Once a proposal is reviewed and approved by the committee, it can be implemented. The proposal includes the student's time management plan (essentially their own lesson plan) and the selection of an on-campus teacher to mentor them.

Dean Zhan's Comments: Taft is a highly academically strong school with fierce admission competition. It provides students with a rich array of academic choices, unlimited academic support, and significant academic challenges. The school's sports programs are also very strong, giving an advantage to bright and outgoing children who excel in both academics and sports. Summer camps are offered; if genuinely interested in applying, early planning for summer school should be considered.
Regarding Cultural Heritage: Taft has a tradition of Morning Meetings, where the school invites external prominent figures to give speeches, sharing insights from various industries and different information, thus opening up new worlds for students.
Regarding Academic Development: Founded in 1890, Taft is one of the "Little Ivies," boasting exceptional academics. The school offers a rich selection of high-demand, unlimited honors courses. Key academic buildings, such as the main academic complex, are interconnected, facilitating student learning and research within the buildings.
Regarding Community Building: Taft offers a wealth of programs and activities, requiring all students to participate in community service, including sponsoring blood drives and volunteering at soup kitchens. This allows children to develop themselves, integrate into society, and build impressive extracurricular portfolios.
Regarding Emotional Support: Taft's I Block program is a mandatory course for all lower-grade and new students. Students and teachers regularly discuss health and well-being, benefiting both themselves and the community.

11. King's Academy Arabic Year: Taft Middle and High School students may spend a full academic year at King's Academy in Madaba-Manja, Jordan. The Arabic Year (AY) program offers intensive Arabic language study, immersion in Middle Eastern culture, and experiential learning. King's Academy is an American-style boarding school modeled after Deerfield Academy. Students admitted to the AY program must commit to the work required for acquiring a challenging language and be willing to face challenges that stimulate self-reflection and consideration.

12. Chewonki's Maine Coast Semester: Students live and work on a 400-acre saltwater peninsula, with the aim of exploring the natural world through a rigorous curriculum of natural sciences, environmental issues, literature and writing, art, history, mathematics, and language.

13. School Year Abroad (SYA): SYA is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing year-long high school study abroad programs, with branches in China, France, Italy, and Spain. SYA's immersive programs are designed to develop skills for an increasingly interdependent world. Since 1964, SYA has had over 7,800 alumni and is a school fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

14. TAFT places great emphasis on community service, promoting sharing and contribution. Furthermore, the campus does not close during short breaks, which is very user-friendly.

8.Taft students work alongside renowned scientists, university and graduate students during summer internships, conducting advanced research, including collecting, developing, and digitizing assets for the 2.3 million-specimen C.V. Starr Virtual Herbarium, and designing rapid DNA extractors for botanists in the field.

9.Taft students also collaborated with the Sustainable Aquaculture Program in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, to develop a small-scale tilapia farming model that benefits Haitian highlanders by growing fish to an edible size with minimal time or resource input, and worked with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

10.High Mountain Institute (HMI) Semester: Students spend 12 weeks taking honors and AP-level courses; students also spend five weeks on backpacking and ski expeditions. Sustainability plays a key role in the HMI community. On campus, students live in comfortable, yet off-grid cabins. HMI’s signature combination of academics, wilderness, and a small, intentional community leaves students feeling confident, independent, comfortable with themselves, and ready to seize the many opportunities of the future.

1. Rich Curriculum: The school offers 200 courses, including 29 AP courses.
2. Excellent Academics: Average AP score of 4/5; SAT score of 1370/1600.
3. Taft School is one of the "Little Ivies" (a league of ten schools), located near Yale University. The campus exudes a noble ambiance, and its architectural style is stunning. The design of red walls and arched gates is truly ingenious, giving the buildings an aristocratic British feel.
4. Strong Faculty: 94% of teachers hold advanced degrees. The school's teachers are very friendly and enthusiastic. For example, the psychology teacher also coaches volleyball; the head of the English department also teaches cross-country running. They are versatile and multi-talented, leading by example to cultivate students' holistic development.
5. Sports Facilities: Taft boasts 16 tennis courts, an Olympic-sized ice hockey rink, and a professional American standard ice hockey rink. Tennis, golf, and ice hockey are the school's strong sports.
6. Excellent College Placement: According to PrepReview data, 18% of the school's graduates are admitted to Ivy League universities, MIT, or Stanford, ranking 14th among boarding schools. 37% of graduates are admitted to universities ranked in the top 25 by U.S. News & World Report and top 15 liberal arts colleges.
7. Taft and the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) enjoy an increasingly meaningful partnership. Taft welcomes NYBG staff to campus multiple times a year for its science lecture series, and the Garden welcomes Taft students annually to its legendary grounds, as well as classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and research spaces.

The school covers an area of 226 acres, boasting a beautiful campus environment and comprehensive educational facilities comparable to some universities. It features a library with 56,000 volumes, 2 theaters, 2 ice hockey rinks, 1 golf course, 8 squash courts, 12 tennis courts, an off-campus rowing boathouse, and more. Additionally, there are a language center, an art center, a design lab, a learning center, a science and education center, the Potter Gallery, Bingham Auditorium, a Black Box Theatre, and everything else you could imagine.

The Herbert Taft Library

The library plays a central role in the educational and cultural life of The Taft School. It is not only a place for research and study but also a space for relaxation and leisure reading. Students can study individually, engage in group discussions, or browse the open shelves. The Taft Library holds 55,000 physical books, over 70 databases, numerous academic journals, magazines, newspapers, e-books, streaming music, audio, and video resources.

The Science Center

This building houses classrooms for the Mathematics and Science departments, along with several science laboratories, a computer lab, a robotics lab, a hydrology lab, a DNA lab, 3D printers, reflecting telescopes, and gene amplification instruments. The 4800 square meter facility is equipped with advanced teaching equipment and experimental apparatus.

Art Activities

Many of Taft School's art venues are located in Main Hall, including the Potter Gallery, Bingham Auditorium, the Black Box Theater, and even the school's chorus often performs in Lincoln Hall. The school also offers a rich variety of art activities. Visual arts include ceramics and sculpture, design, drawing and painting, photography, etc. Performing arts include dance, film and stage plays, video art. Music includes choir, instrumental music, and ensemble performance series, etc.

Clubs

Taft School offers a wide range of clubs, including the Admissions Committee, Amnesty International, Art Club, Asian Club C.H.A.T., Chamber Orchestra, Chess Club, Class Committee, Dance Club, Student Government Debate Club, Diversity Committee, Masques & Dagger, Math Club, Model UN, Programming, Peer Counselors, Poetry Club, Newspaper Club, and more.

Taft School hosts a Club Fair at the beginning of each academic year, where students can learn about the list of clubs and organizations currently active on campus. Students are always encouraged to bring new ideas to the community or bring back clubs that were once a part of Taft's history.

At Taft School, students are not limited to just one role; they can also become athletes, actors, and writers through the school's wide range of activities and extracurricular organizations. Students will always have the opportunity to fully enjoy their passions. The school aims to cultivate students who study diligently, develop comprehensively across various talents including academics, arts, and sports, becoming well-rounded individuals.

Sports Activities

Taft School is a powerhouse known as a "sports strong school," with its distinctive sports programs such as golf, ice hockey, and tennis excelling among New England regional schools. It boasts 31 interscholastic and intramural sports teams.

Taft School students are taught the value of health and wellness, the importance of lifelong commitment to fitness, and the joy that participating in various forms of athletics can bring. While building one of New England's most successful athletic programs, Taft coaches encourage fair play, respect for opponents, love of the game, competitive spirit, and team loyalty. As a result, after leaving Taft, students will continue to maintain hard work, good sportsmanship, a sense of responsibility to their team and teammates, the ability to set goals, and a healthy lifestyle.

Taft School is fully equipped with sports facilities, including an Olympic-sized ice hockey rink, an American professional standard ice hockey rink, baseball fields, soccer fields, squash courts (8), tennis courts (16), basketball courts, an indoor track, a wrestling room, rugby fields, volleyball courts, softball fields, a golf course (1), and track and field facilities, among various other amenities.

School Signature Programs:

Global Leadership Institute

The mission of the Global Leadership Institute (GLI) program is to cultivate a generation of global leaders who truly care about world issues, have diverse perspectives on global problems, and possess the knowledge and skills needed to facilitate global change. The two-year GLI program enrolls 24 new students each academic year, with 12 coming from Taft students and 12 from public schools in Waterbury.

Independent Study Program (ISP)

The school's Independent Study Program (ISP) was established in 1964 by Headmaster John Esty, making it the first school in the United States to have such a program. Its purpose is to allow students to pursue projects they are interested in outside of the classroom. The program is open to 11th-12th grade students, who are invited to submit project proposals to the ISP Committee in the fall.

Community Service Program
The Community Service Programs and Organizations are a practical embodiment of the school's motto: "Not to be served, but to serve." Students choose community activities as their extracurriculars and participate regularly; in October, a fixed day is dedicated to helping neighbors in the surrounding area.

The Taft School, established in 1890, is a highly distinguished private boarding school in the United States, and also one of the top ten private boarding school alliances in the U.S. The school aims to cultivate students who study diligently and develop comprehensively in all aspects, including academics, arts, and athletics, to become well-rounded individuals.

In its early days, the school established a supervisory system, a method of self-discipline management for both teaching staff and students. Everyone on campus has clear goals and actively participates in sports. The school encourages students to think independently and engage actively. Rather than focusing on grades, the school pays more attention to the acquisition and application of knowledge.

The Taft School is strong in both humanities and sciences, with a particular emphasis on the humanities. The school's humanities courses adopt the Harkness Table teaching method, while science courses focus on integration with experiments. The school places special importance on writing; students' ability to communicate actively and accurately is fundamental to humanities education, a skill that every Taft student must master before attending university. Many graduates of The Taft School say that their writing skills are far superior to most of their peers in college.

The school offers over 200 courses, including 15 AP courses and 69 honors courses, for students to choose from. Students can also opt for study abroad programs, independent study, or participate in global online academy courses. The school continuously evaluates and revises its academic programs to reflect the most advanced teaching and learning methodologies, while providing students with unique opportunities to pursue their passions.

University Admissions Data:

Admissions data statistics for 2018-2022 show 23 students admitted to the University of Pennsylvania, 19 to Brown University, 17 to Cornell University, 16 to Yale University, 11 to Duke University, 10 to Harvard University, 10 to Columbia University, 8 to Princeton University, 6 to Dartmouth College, 5 to the University of Chicago, and so on.

The Hulbert Taft, Jr. Library at The Taft School plays a central role in the school's educational and cultural life. The library is not only a place for research and study but also a place for relaxation and casual reading. Students can study individually and engage in group discussions, or browse the open shelves. The library boasts resources such as 55,000 print books, over 70 databases, a wealth of academic journals, magazines, newspapers, e-books, streaming music, audio, and video.

Here, students also have many opportunities for off-campus study and educational trips. Programs and courses include: Study Abroad, The Island School, Maine Coast Semester, The Mountain School, High Mountain Institute (HMI), and King's Academy Study Abroad.

The Taft School excels in both humanities and sciences, with a particular strength in humanities. Mathematics, English, and History are all excellent, with English being the most outstanding, particularly emphasizing writing. The school has a partnership with the New York Botanical Garden, and every year welcomes botanical garden staff to the school to conduct science lectures and activities.
Taft's renowned Independent Study Program (ISP), initiated in 1964 by Headmaster John Esty, was the first school in the United States to have such a program. Now, more than 50 years later, it continues to challenge Taft students to think about learning in new ways, providing pathways and opportunities for ISP scholars to extend their learning beyond the traditional curriculum.

Taft School data: 601 students, student-faculty ratio 1:5, international students 21%, boarding rate 82%, average class size 11, teachers with advanced degrees 94%, offering 200 academic courses, 29 AP courses. Taft School is a co-educational boarding and day school founded in 1890. It currently enrolls a total of 596 students from grades 9-12 (high school) and PG (Postgraduate) year. (PG year refers to a pre-university academic year, typically one year, taken after high school graduation and before attending university. The PG year is generally used to prepare for US university applications and adapt to US university studies). Our school is located in western Connecticut, covering 220 acres, and boasts academically talented students from all over the world and a dedicated and strong faculty. Based on the school motto "Not to be served, but to serve," most of our graduates have successfully matriculated into top-tier universities across the United States. The school provides excellent sports facilities, allowing students to engage in a wide range of extracurricular activities. The school's sports programs include cross country, field hockey, football, equestrian, soccer, volleyball, basketball, skiing, squash, baseball, etc. The school also offers a rich variety of art activities, including painting, photography, sculpture, video production, dance, college music societies, and more. The school aims to cultivate students who study diligently and develop comprehensively in all aspects, including academics, arts, and sports, to become well-rounded individuals.

The school emphasizes community service activities, which is evident from its mission. The school's art program is very strong, whether in terms of the variety of art courses offered, resources, or facilities. The school's architecture is beautiful, and the overall demeanor of the students is also very elegant and handsome, truly a top American high school that combines both beauty and talent.

[Location] Located in Watertown, Connecticut, only a 35-minute drive from Yale University and a 2-hour drive from Boston;
[School Ranking] Nationally ranked A+, TOP4 boarding school in Connecticut, TOP30 boarding school nationwide, known as 'Little Ivy League';
[Course Features] Over 200 courses offered, including 15 AP courses and 69 honors courses; Independent study projects; Research collaboration with the New York Botanical Garden;
[Arts Programs] Ceramics and sculpture, design, drawing and painting, photography, dance, drama and stage presence, chorus, instrumental music, film art;
[Sports Programs] Cross country, field hockey, soccer, cycling, sailing, volleyball, basketball, skiing, squash, wrestling, baseball, rowing, golf, softball, tennis, track and field, etc.;
[College Admissions] 4 full-time college counselors, graduates admitted to prestigious universities such as Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, Cornell.

Taft spans 226 acres, boasting a beautiful campus environment and comprehensive facilities, including a baseball field, a soccer field, 8 squash courts, 12 indoor tennis courts, a basketball court, an indoor track, a hockey field, a soccer field, a baseball field, a wrestling facility, an ice rink, a rugby field, a volleyball court, a softball field, one golf course, and a track and field stadium, among various other amenities.
Fall Sports: Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, On-Campus Horseback Riding, On-Campus Sailing, Soccer, Volleyball;
Winter Sports: Basketball, Ice Hockey, Skiing, Squash, Wrestling;
Spring Sports: Baseball, Crew, Golf, Lacrosse, Sailing, Softball, Tennis, Track and Field.
For each sport, the school sets different difficulty levels, so even students with no experience can find an organization that suits them and excel there.

Taft's intensive dance training is designed for beginners with prior dance experience or those interested in dance. While students will primarily train in ballet and modern dance, they will also be exposed to styles such as hip-hop, jazz, African, and Cossack dance, and will learn the fundamentals of composition and choreography. The course will culminate in an end-of-term showcase where students will present collaboratively designed dance pieces. Through continuous training and classes with teachers and guest dancers, students will grow as dancers and artists, gaining a deeper understanding of the art form.

Taft's campus spans 226 acres and boasts comprehensive facilities, including a library, science and math center, language lab, academic center, reading room, dance studio, 2 art studios, gallery, 18-hole golf course, 16 tennis courts (4 of which are indoor), 8 squash courts, 3 athletic fields, and 2 ice hockey rinks.

Taft offers excellent extracurricular activities and sports programs. A wide variety of sports include: soccer, cross country, volleyball, basketball, skiing, squash, field hockey, golf, and more. Taft is a member of the Founders League, an alliance of boarding schools, allowing students to compete with peers from other top boarding schools in the U.S. and fully explore their athletic potential.

Taft has a strong academic atmosphere, and each year, graduates are admitted to prestigious universities such as Harvard and Yale.

Taft is a private co-educational boarding school located in Watertown, Connecticut—a small town with only 2,000 residents. The school environment is pleasant, with the campus centered around a pond. The dormitories are lovely and spacious. Students can experience a sense of home. The campus is filled with blooming flowers everywhere. The relationship between teachers and students is close, and many students believe that Taft is a warm and vibrant school where teachers are very supportive and caring.

Taft encourages embracing cultural diversity, with students coming from over 30 states and more than 50 countries. Approximately 20% of the students are international students. The average class size is 11 students, and the student-teacher ratio is 1:5. Most students are boarders, with only 25% being day students. Taft offers over 200 academic courses. Taft offers various world language courses, such as Chinese, Spanish, French, and Latin.

The Taft volleyball team is considered one of the best teams in the New England Class A league. The team has established an impressive tournament record, participating in 15 New England tournaments since 2001, reaching the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals. Taft is the first private school to receive the Connecticut Officials Association Sportsmanship Award. The team has received academic honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and has been awarded the AVCA Team Academic Award for the past 14 years.

Taft encourages students to think independently and participate actively. More than grades, Taft focuses on the acquisition of knowledge. Taft truly cultivates students' leadership and encourages independent thinking. All subjects at the school are excellent, such as mathematics, English, and history, with English being the most outstanding. Taft places particular emphasis on writing, enabling students to communicate actively and accurately. Writing is the foundation of Taft's humanities education, a skill every Taft student must master before college. Many Taft graduates say that their writing skills are far superior to most of their peers in college. Taft offers a rich array of extracurricular activities, allowing students to explore areas of interest. The school provides personalized tutoring, arranging subject teachers to help students delve deeper into their areas of interest.

The school's red buildings are nestled among green trees, complemented by a fountain, making it very beautiful. The campus is large, with many exclusive sports fields and even an ice rink, so students who love sports will thrive here. The school library is also very large and one of the more beautiful buildings on campus.

Conveniently located, it's a school that gives off a very prestigious and high-end impression, with students who are typically handsome and beautiful. If students like this school, they can attend summer school in advance to make a good impression. The school values students who have their own ideas.

### Overall Situation:
- Strong in both humanities and sciences, but humanities are particularly outstanding.
- The school highly respects students' abilities and wishes in course selection. For example, a Shangxue Mingde student with excellent math entrance test scores was directly placed into a calculus course. There were also students from American middle schools who weren't placed at their desired level, but successfully skipped grades after active communication with the school.

### Academic Advantages/Features:
- English and Spanish are exceptionally strong.
- Independent Tutorial: Students interested in a particular topic meet twice a week under the guidance of a teacher to discuss it.
- Seminar Research: Designed for 11th and 12th-grade students who have already taken AP courses, allowing them to apply for in-depth research on a specific topic.
- Global Studies and Service courses: Many courses are designed collaboratively with other departments, making them interdisciplinary. The fields and topics covered are quite cutting-edge.

### Feedback from Shangxue Mingde Students:
- Spanish is excellent, but the requirements are also high, making it difficult to get high scores, especially at advanced levels.
- Regardless of the subject, it's crucial to interact and communicate with teachers frequently. Especially in humanities, it's essential to write according to the teacher's grading rubric.

The school is located in western Connecticut, USA, approximately 55 miles from Bradley International Airport, 90 miles from New York, and 120 miles from Boston.

School Advantages:

1. Taft School is one of the "Little Ivies" (Ten Schools Admission Organization), close to Yale. The campus feels very noble, with stunning architectural style. The red-walled arch design is unique and showcases an English aristocratic temperament.

2. Excellent sports: Taft boasts 16 tennis courts, one Olympic-sized ice hockey rink, and one professional standard ice hockey rink. Tennis, golf, and ice hockey are the school's strongest sports.

3. Outstanding college matriculation: According to PrepReview data, the school's graduates have an 18% admission rate to Ivy League, MIT, and Stanford, ranking 14th among boarding schools. The proportion of graduates entering top 25 universities and top 15 liberal arts colleges ranked by U.S. News & World Report is 37%.

4. During summer internships, Taft students work alongside renowned scientists, university students, and graduate students on advanced research, including collecting, developing, and digitizing assets for the 2.3 million specimen C.V. Starr Virtual Herbarium, and designing rapid DNA extractors for botanists in the field.

5. Taft students also collaborated with the Sustainable Aquaculture Program in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, to develop a small-scale tilapia farming model.

Taft is an excellent school that wonderfully combines academic theory and practical application. The school offers children many programs across various fields. For example, the school has a partnership with the New York Botanical Garden, welcoming Garden staff annually to give science lectures. Students can also participate in summer internships, working alongside scientists, university students, and graduate students. The school establishes various "mini-colleges" to support the individual development of its students.

Taft is an academically strong school also known as a "sports powerhouse." Its signature sports programs, such as golf, ice hockey, and tennis, are outstanding among New England schools and are locally renowned for their strength.

Taft is a school strong in both arts and sciences, with a particular emphasis on the humanities. Ninth-grade new students have five compulsory courses, three of which require placement tests before the start of the academic year to determine students' true levels and suitability for the courses.

I am a 9th-grade freshman who will be enrolling at Taft this fall. Here, I'd like to share what attracted me to Taft and some of my feelings about the school.

What resonated most with me about Taft is its community. Although I don't know the teachers yet, interacting with the student body has genuinely made me feel very comfortable. From the day I received my offer on March 10th, I was added by current students to a large student group. In it, I met many senior students, some current and some even graduated. They are all incredibly nice, always enthusiastically welcoming me, introducing me to Taft, and answering any questions I had. They also spontaneously organized some offline orientation events specifically to welcome us new students, helping us get to know the student body and allowing us to familiarize ourselves with each other before even arriving at Taft. Furthermore, I have an alumnus from my middle school at Taft. When I visited the school, it was pouring rain. As soon as he heard I was there, he immediately asked his teacher for leave and rushed towards me from the academic building in the heavy rain, getting completely drenched. Such friendship made me feel as if I had returned home, even though I was in a foreign country. Such a warm community is not something every school possesses.

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The above review is from Taft student Luke.

Taft's Innovation in Learning
1) Independent Study Program
Abbreviated as ISP. Established in 1964. This program allows middle school students to pursue projects they are interested in. It enables students to develop their hobbies and interests, giving them the opportunity to exercise their intellect and curiosity. Each fall, approximately 20 students submit their research topics to the ISP committee for review. Once a proposal is approved, students can choose a teacher or advisor to guide their project research. Since the program's inception, Taft students have completed over 1,000 independent study projects across all fields of study, ranging from writing and recording original music in the Taft Digital Recording Studio to designing photovoltaic cells. Students have produced plays, crafted musical instruments, delved into British history, built websites, researched soil microbiology, explored biofuel technology, and more.
2) New York Botanical Garden Partnership
Abbreviated as NYGP. Taft has cooperated closely with the New York Botanical Garden for the past five years. Each year, the school invites scientists to give a series of lectures, and the New York Botanical Garden also invites students to their classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and research institutes. Students can undertake summer internships, working alongside renowned scientists, university students, and graduate students.

After the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, schools advised students to return to their parents' side if possible, and all spring courses were switched to online classes.

Taft School was founded in 1890 with the aim of cultivating students to study diligently and develop comprehensively. The school is located in western Connecticut, approximately 55 miles from Bradley International Airport and about 90 miles from New York. The school boasts excellent facilities comparable to some universities, including a library with 56,000 volumes, 2 theaters, 2 ice hockey rinks, 1 golf course, 8 squash courts, 12 tennis courts, an off-campus rowing boathouse, and more. Over the past 100-plus years, 28% of the school's students have been admitted to Ivy League universities and the 'Big Three' liberal arts colleges in the U.S., indicating a very high rate of college matriculation for graduates. Students are allowed to pursue projects of their interest. Each autumn, about 20 students submit their research topics to the ISP Committee for review. Upon approval, they can choose a teacher or advisor to guide their research. The school has a partnership with the New York Botanical Garden, welcoming its staff to the school each year for science lectures. Students can also undertake summer internships, working alongside various scientists, undergraduates, and graduate students.

Chatting with a current parent, they mentioned something quite unique about the school: Taft defaults to allowing students to wander around Watertown without needing parental approval. This is because the school considers itself part of the Watertown community and hopes students will form strong connections with the community. Additionally, every Tuesday and Thursday, there is a formal sit-down dinner that students must attend at school. For other dinners, students can choose whether to go out to eat in Watertown or eat at school.

Taft School places a strong emphasis on writing, with many Taft graduates reporting that their writing skills are far superior to those of most of their university peers. The school has expanded its STEM curriculum and built new STEM labs to satisfy students' passion for exploration in science. There are Science and Robotics Teams. Taft values community service, advocating for sharing and contribution. It has strong sports programs. The campus does not close during short breaks, which is very considerate. In mathematics, students can join the school's math team and participate in competitions such as NEML, AMC, and Purple Comet! Taft's arts scene is active and vibrant. Many of Taft's art venues are located in the school's main hall, including the Potter Gallery, Bingham Auditorium, the Black Box Theater, and even the school choir often performs in Lincoln Hall. All of these highlight the value of art at the school.