Westminster School

The school cares a lot about the children. The head of the international program is Chinese, so communication is very smooth. Dormitory facilities are good. There have been quite a few Chinese students admitted in the past two years, and their post-graduation prospects are excellent, with students going to Harvard, UPenn, and UCs. Club activities are rich and varied. Safety is very high. The academic level is moderate, but if you want to push yourself, there are plenty of AP courses. Sports activities are also diverse, so everyone can find a suitable program.

Westminster School was founded in 1888 and is located in Simsbury, Connecticut, approximately 12 miles north of Hartford. Its 200-acre campus is situated on Williams Hill, overlooking the Farmington River and downtown Simsbury, a quintessential New England town.
The school offers 22 AP courses and also provides an ocean sailing program, giving students the opportunity to sail offshore. Students will also have the chance to study abroad, where they will engage in interdisciplinary courses focused on global issues while continuously developing their physical fitness. The school's Visiting Writers Program allows students to gain exposure to prominent American authors, broadening their horizons and understanding the writers' unique perspectives.

Simsbury, a small town north of Hartford, the capital of Connecticut, boasts a convenient location. It's just 15 miles from Hartford, and about a 2-hour drive from both Boston and New York City. However, it's only a 20-minute drive from Bradley International Airport, making it an excellent university preparatory school and one of the best small boarding schools in the United States. The school's magnificent Armor Academic Center, spanning 85,000 square feet, opened in the fall of 2009. This four-story, LEED Gold certified building features small class sizes that encourage student interaction, state-of-the-art technology, abundant informal meeting spaces, and large windows that capture natural light and stunning views of the Farmington Valley.

Westminster School advocates for small class sizes, with an average of 12 students per class and a student-to-teacher ratio of approximately 1:5. The school is committed to providing a campus atmosphere that fosters care for others and harmonious coexistence. Beyond academic development, it also focuses on cultivating students' individuality, character, and various abilities. Students have the option to spend a full year abroad during their 11th or 12th grade. Westminster students accepted into the School Year Abroad (SYA) program will experience a summer, spring semester, or a full year of study and travel in France, Italy, or Spain. These programs allow students to fully immerse themselves in experienced host family environments.

Data for Westminster School: Student population 425, student-teacher ratio 1:5, international student percentage 15%, boarding percentage 75%, students of color 25%, average class size 12, offers 22 advanced placement courses, and 68% of faculty hold advanced degrees. Westminster School is an excellent college preparatory school with a long history and a rigorous ethos, renowned for its demanding academic requirements. Beyond intellectual education, the school also focuses on cultivating students' leadership, integrity, mutual respect, tolerance, and teamwork, and encourages students to participate more in arts and sports activities to discover and develop more personal potential. The school provides a challenging academic curriculum that emphasizes a traditional liberal arts foundation, helping students achieve academic success while also teaching them the lifelong habit of loving to learn.