Thornton Academy

I am from China and a Thornton Academy alumnus, graduating in 2025. I spent my entire 4 years here and it’s the best decision in my life. I came to Thornton Academy in 2021 during covid. Me and my families plan is to let me study abroad for a year before going back to China to finish high school. I was 15 years old, really shy and was scared to speak in a language I wasn’t comfortable with. But I got used to the life here because the dorm parents are so supportive. They encouraged me to open up to the people around me and hosted many events that helped me and people around me become more confident. I made friends here and built connections that I never thought were possible.Throughout these four years, the teachers have been extremely professional and always willing to help. They makes academic plan \for everybody and helped me a lot with my college applications.I am now studying business at Rutgers University, and without Thornton Academy, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today.

I am from China and a Thornton Academy alumnus, graduating in 2025. I spent my entire 4 years here and it’s the best decision in my life. I came to Thornton Academy in 2021 during covid. Me and my families plan is to let me study abroad for a year before going back to China to finish high school. I was 15 years old, really shy and was scared to speak in a language I wasn’t comfortable with. But I got used to the life here because the dorm parents are so supportive. They encouraged me to open up to the people around me and hosted many events that helped me and people around me become more confident. I made friends here and built connections that I never thought were possible.Throughout these four years, the teachers have been extremely professional and always willing to help. They makes academic plan \for everybody and helped me a lot with my college applications.I am now studying business at Rutgers University, and without Thornton Academy, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today.

Thornton Academy has given me a very positive experience as an international boarding student. Maine feels very safe, and the dorm parents have always been supportive and caring, which helped me adjust to living far from home. I also like that TA offers many opportunities through sports, arts, and weekend activities, so there is always something to be involved in. Another great part is that Boston is close enough for trips, while TA still has a peaceful and welcoming community. I would recommend TA to students from Korea or other Asian countries who want a safe, friendly, and challenging school experience in the U.S.

Thornton Academy has been a really positive experience for me. The teachers are supportive and I feel like I’m learning a lot, especially in my classes. Maine is very safe and quiet, which makes it a great place to focus on school. I enjoy the weekend activities and the dorm life, and the dorm parents really care about us. Overall, it feels comfortable here, and being close to Boston is also a big plus!

I am a dorm student from China and have stayed at Thornton Academy for my entire high school life. When I first arrived in 2022, I was 14 years old, dependent and needing help with almost everything. The dorm parents and students were extremely enthusiastic and always willing to help me in every aspect of life, including academics, sports, and friendships. It truly felt like a second home.
The diversity of courses offered by the school and the kindness of the teachers made me passionate about gaining new knowledge every day. Over my four years at TA, I have grown and changed a lot. I’ve matured, learned responsibility, set meaningful life goals, developed independence, overall became a better person. I wouldn’t be who I am today without the experiences and support I got at Thornton Academy.

Thornton's college admission situation is actually quite good, including for Chinese students. Not many Chinese students get into top-tier schools, but overall admissions are decent. In 2024, a Chinese student was admitted to MIT, but he holds a US green card, grew up in the US, and is a completely native speaker. Due to its geographical location, Thornton is a large school with a high enrollment, functioning as both public and private. There's a noticeable gap in overall academic levels between students who attend for free as public students and those who pay tens of thousands of dollars a year as private students. The atmosphere is quite different from that of purely private boarding schools; it's not recommended for those who fear public school students might negatively impact their child's studies and life. It's an hour and a half to two hours' drive from Boston and Cambridge, but its proximity to Harvard and MIT is merely geographical; it has no direct ties to these schools, and teachers can't offer significant help. Students primarily rely on themselves to contact professors at these institutions.

Thornton Academy data: 1380 students, student-teacher ratio 1:11, international students 11%, boarding students 12%, teachers with advanced degrees 83%. Schools in the New England region have always been a center for art education in the United States. Thornton Academy, one of the oldest preparatory schools in the region, was founded in 1811 and is located in Portland, a cultural and artistic hub, 15 minutes by car from the city center. It admits international boarding students in grades 9-12, offering 25 AP courses, 42 honors courses, 7 foreign language courses, over 100 elective courses, and more than 50 extracurricular activities. The school has a long history, being the oldest and most respected private school in the New England region. The school is committed to creating a complete learning experience for students, upholding its mission statement: "to prepare students for a changing world." The school's comprehensive high school curriculum offers a total of 140 courses, including 7 foreign languages (German, Latin, Russian, Ancient Greek, Mandarin Chinese, French, Spanish), 30 art courses (including visual arts, music, drama, and modern dance), and 40 AP and honors courses. Graduates of Thornton Academy are admitted to competitive American colleges and universities, and are described as lifelong learners who are vibrant, thoughtful, and eloquent, having discovered their passions through the diverse opportunities at Thornton Academy. In 1889, a trustee described the school at an opening ceremony as "a bright light that has illuminated and inspired generations," a statement that has proven true.

Thornton Academy, founded in 1811, is one of New England's oldest schools and Portland's most renowned boarding school. The school boasts an 80-acre campus with an excellent environment, nestled between mountains and sea, very close to both the White Mountains and the coast. The school provides good attention to international students.

School Advantages:

1. University Partnerships: Thornton Academy is the first school in the state to sign a cooperation agreement with the University of Maine's College of Engineering, offering eligible students the opportunity to earn college engineering credits. The school also partners with the University of New England, focusing on STEM and health-related courses. Additionally, the school has conditional admission agreements with Florida Institute of Technology, University of Missouri, Knox College, and SUNY Albany.

2. Athletic Programs: Its athletic programs rank in the top 1% among all high schools nationwide, having won 56 state championships. It offers 24 types of sports with 52 athletic teams.

3. Language Support Programs: The school provides very comprehensive ESL courses for international students.

Our child is about to finish high school at Thornton Secondary School. As a mother, over the past few years, hearing snippets about the school from my child, I genuinely feel lucky to have chosen Thornton Secondary School! The teachers at Thornton are dedicated, patient, and professional in their teaching. Regarding my child's studies, they have never caused me any worry, and the communication between teachers and my child is very smooth! In terms of daily life, the school is also very humane. During the recent years of the pandemic, when children couldn't return home for holidays, the school immediately arranged their accommodation, either opening dormitories or arranging homestays. They also organized many activities during the holidays, which greatly put my mind at ease, being thousands of miles away! For children's birthdays, the school also arranges birthday parties, making the children happy and warming the hearts of their parents! Before my child first went to Thornton Secondary School, my heart was also apprehensive. I worried about such a young child going out without parents to care for them. I wondered if the child could live independently, if they would fall in with bad company and pick up bad habits, or if their studies would not be ideal... I had too many worries because the child was so young when they left us... Three years have passed. My child has grown from 15 to 18 years old, transforming from a little boy into a young man. I am so relieved; my child is excellent. I sincerely thank the school teachers for their guidance and education, and I also thank my child's classmates and good friends for allowing him to live happily and achieve his ideal university during those three important years without me. Thank you, Thornton!

The school environment is beautiful, and the teachers' professional level is very high! The geographical location is also quite good. Infrastructure such as gyms, Chinese restaurants, and supermarkets are very complete. Dormitories are clean and tidy. Weekly day trips to Boston are organized with teachers leading, so there are no safety concerns. There are also trips of various sizes every week, taking students to different places. The school's sports level is also above the overall average!

Thornton Academy, founded in 1811, is one of the oldest college preparatory schools in New England, offering education for grades 6-12 and enrolling boarding students from grades 6-12.
The academy's mission is to provide students with a complete academic experience. The school has a very large campus and a rich curriculum, making it an excellent place for both domestic and international students to live and study.
It is located in a picturesque seaside town, just a few minutes from the Atlantic Ocean, about 1 hour from the White Mountains of Maine and New Hampshire, about a 15-minute drive from Portland, Maine's largest city and its cultural and art center, and about a 1.5-hour drive from Boston.

Thornton High School boasts a beautiful and spacious campus. The surrounding area is quiet and convenient for daily life. The school offers a rich curriculum, tailored to students of different levels, which corresponds to what is known as stratified teaching in China. The school's teaching equipment is sponsored by Apple, and students receive a tablet at the beginning of each semester. All school assignments are completed on it, allowing for excellent summarization and organization of subject knowledge. There are abundant club activities, with sports like tennis and rugby, among others, that have dedicated venues. The children's dormitories are available in two-person and three-person rooms. All three meals are eaten in the dining hall. The school's teachers are also particularly meticulous and patient. Especially this year, due to the pandemic, when our child returned to school alone, the teachers from the international department contacted us parents early on, guided the child in preparing the necessary documents for return, constantly monitored the child's flight changes, and arranged for staff to wait at the airport for pickup. This particularly moved us parents. A big thumbs up for them!

Thornton High School boasts a beautiful and spacious campus. It offers a rich curriculum with different course arrangements tailored for students of varying levels, some of which correspond to what we call stratified teaching in our country. The school's teaching equipment is sponsored by Apple Inc., with students receiving a tablet at the beginning of each semester to complete their assignments on. Dormitories are available in double and triple rooms, and three meals a day are provided at the school restaurant. The school's surroundings are beautiful, quiet, and convenient for daily life. Additionally, the school provides excellent services for international students. This summer, upon returning to school, the school teachers proactively contacted us parents early on, monitored changes in students' travel itineraries, and arranged for airport pick-up staff. These thoughtful and considerate actions made us as parents feel especially warm.

The school is located in a quiet and safe small town, with no bars or nightclubs nearby, so there's no need to worry about young children being led astray. The school teachers are very responsible towards international students, so there's no need to worry about paperwork or procedures (because of this, I'm still not used to handling my own immigration-related documents even after going to university). The school offers a large number of AP courses; basically, any AP exam you can take has a corresponding course, which gives students with high self-expectations more room to excel. Overall, the high school atmosphere is quite chill, without too much pressure; you can coast by, but since it's such a rural area, you won't become too decadent; students hoping to get into good universities also have the opportunity to aim high! My friends all got into very good universities, and my best friends all got into their dream universities! I got into UVA, which is a bit less impressive compared to them, haha, but I was pretty laid-back in high school, so for me, this result is already excellent. Life, after all, is most about happiness, and the best thing about Thornton is its peaceful and relaxed atmosphere. The teachers are all very nice, and it's always fun to go to the Alumni House to chat with Teacher Xie and Teacher Huang! Even after going to university, I still chat with my friends about our high school lives, and they all envy my high school experience, haha. Their high school lives were too intensive; either they frequently encountered strange people, or they lived under peer pressure every day, which sounds really tiring. Finally, I'm advising everyone not to go to high school in the city, haha, it just sounds pretty miserable.

I like it here because I have many opportunities. I am a member of the Big Sibs club, the Debate club, and the Ballroom Dance association. There are many clubs here, so everyone can find what they want. I also like taking classes because I can choose the courses I want to study. For example, I am currently studying AP Psychology. I also chose Dance (Advanced) and Spanish. This is great because everyone can find courses that best suit their level.

I am very grateful for everything the school has done for the students. We have visited many schools around the world and have never received such a warm welcome and attention. We finally chose Thornton, and I'm glad it was the right decision! I've spoken with other parents of international students, and they share the same view.
- Mother of Dasha (Russia), Class of 2021

The town of Saco, where Thornton Academy is located, is neither as remote and uninteresting as a secluded mountain area, nor is it in the noisy and risky corners of large cities dominated by lower-middle class populations and immigrants. Maine has consistently been one of the safest states in the U.S. Although it's not as vibrant as California, it's more like Massachusetts's backyard, primarily inhabited by affluent white residents, quiet, safe, and suitable for focused study. Throughout the pandemic, Maine and two or three surrounding states had the lowest infection rates, with the Democratic governor consistently implementing relatively strict control measures. My child has been there for over two years, and I feel that Thornton isn't a small, elite school aiming to attract top international students. However, its international student body is diverse, cultural integration is good, and the campus atmosphere is like a big family, with students of varying academic performance. The school already provides excellent courses, resources, and teachers; learning is truly a personal matter. As long as one wants to learn, Thornton's platform should be comparable to top-ranked American high schools. In 2020, Thornton Academy was honored as the Best High School in Maine in the Downeaster awards. I personally feel that as a century-old institution with over a thousand students, its promotion and investment in China are limited. While many international students come from Europe, South America, Korea, Vietnam, etc., its recognition in China, which has the largest number of international students, is surprisingly insufficient.

Thornton's extensive AP courses in math, physics, and chemistry laid the foundation for my studies at an academically rigorous engineering school. If your previous academic progress exceeds these courses, Thornton also offers opportunities to take elective courses at local universities, in addition to AP courses. Through these avenues, I guarantee that no matter your academic level, you will find suitable courses at Thornton. -Daniel

A very good school. There are many courses on campus, and also twenty to thirty clubs for everyone to choose from.

Thornton Academy is a boarding school located in Portland, Maine. It is a historic and highly cost-effective boarding school in the New England region. The school has a rich development in arts and STEM, and boasts its own dance company. Thornton Academy's two-million-dollar STEM comprehensive science center has opened to students, featuring four state-of-the-art biochemistry laboratories, each exceeding 1400 square feet.

School Highlights

College Placement: 100% four-year college matriculation rate, offering one-on-one college counseling programs, and providing TOEFL and SAT training courses for students starting from 9th grade. Many university admissions officers visit the school annually for college recruitment fairs.

Academic Level: Moderate academic level with a rich curriculum. The high school offers a total of 200 courses, including 7 foreign languages, 30 art courses, 24 AP courses, and 42 honors courses.

Facilities: First-class teaching facilities. The school has 8 academic buildings, including a library, a theater with a capacity of 500 people, a rugby field, 8 outdoor tracks, a baseball field, a soccer field, a basketball court, a softball field, and other sports facilities.

Facilities: The school is an Apple Distinguished School, a recognition granted to only over 400 middle and high schools nationwide.

College Credits: Offers college credit courses in partnership with the University of Maine College of Engineering, the University of New England College of Arts and Sciences, the University of Southern Maine, and regional community colleges.

Thornton Academy is a boarding school located in Portland, Maine. It is a historic and highly cost-effective boarding school in the New England region. The school has extensive programs in arts and STEM, possessing its own dance company. Thornton Academy's two-million-dollar comprehensive STEM science center has opened to students, featuring four state-leading biochemistry laboratories, each exceeding 1,400 square feet.

School Highlights

Academic Level: Strong academics with a rich curriculum. The high school offers a total of 200 courses, including 7 foreign languages, 30 art courses, 24 AP courses, and 42 honors courses.

College Credits: Collaborates with the University of Maine College of Engineering, the University of New England College of Arts and Sciences, the University of Southern Maine, and regional community colleges to offer college credit courses.

Arts Programs: Excellent arts programs, featuring a wide range of courses such as performing arts, jazz band, TV and film production, music theory and composition, fashion design, photography, and graphic design, and hosts an annual student visual arts exhibition.

Sports Programs: 51 sports teams, having won 54 state championships in sports programs over the past 10 years.

Featured Programs: Arts, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), College Credit Programs, College Counseling.

1. Academic Level: Strong academics and a rich curriculum. The high school offers a total of 200 courses, including 7 foreign languages, 30 art courses, 24 AP courses, and 42 honors courses.
2. Hardware Facilities: The school is an Apple Distinguished School, an honor awarded to only over 400 middle and high schools across the U.S.
3. College Credits: Collaborates with the University of Maine College of Engineering, University of New England College of Arts and Sciences, University of Southern Maine, and regional community colleges to provide college credit courses. Partners with York County Community College to offer college preparatory courses for lower and upper-grade students; collaborates with the University of Miami College of Engineering to provide STEM dual credit courses.
4. Art Programs: Excellent art programs, featuring an annual student visual arts exhibition. The school's dance program is outstanding, offering instruction in multiple dance styles. The school also has its own dance company, providing students with rich resources.
5. STEM Courses: The school places great emphasis on STEM courses. The comprehensive STEM Science Center is now open to students, comprising four state-of-the-art biochemistry labs, each exceeding 1400 square feet.
6. Unique Teaching Plan: The school offers a unique teaching plan that includes one-on-one college admissions counseling, with the counseling process starting from ninth grade. This plan also features year-long SAT and TOEFL test preparation courses.
7. 2019 Admissions: In 2019, Chinese students were admitted to Top 50 US universities, including Johns Hopkins University, Cornell University, and UC Berkeley, among others.

The school's drama program is exceptionally strong, offering 35 vibrant visual and performing arts courses. The school also has its own award-winning dance company, providing instruction in various dance styles, and a 4-year dance program. The music program features many different styles, including classical, pop, jazz, and contemporary music. Productions by the school's theater department consistently play to sold-out audiences.

Special interest courses include costume design, architecture, and documentary filmmaking. Thornton Academy Television (TATV) also provides students with skills in filmmaking, television production, and graphic design.

There are also many art-related clubs, such as the Art Club, Literary Magazine, Dance Company, Concert Choir, TATV Club, Fall Play, Spring Musical, One-Act Play Competition, Student Drama Performance Night, and Technical Theater.