Deerfield Academy is a prestigious preparatory boarding school that was founded in 1797, making it one of the oldest secondary schools in the nation.
Its rural, 330-acre campus is located in the quaint, historic town of Deerfield, Massachusetts, from which the school’s name was derived.
More than a quarter of campus is dedicated to athletic fields, tennis courts, a gym, and — last but not least — a 5,9000 square foot bath house placed right on the coast of the Connecticut River.
On top of academic coursework, all students at Deerfield Academy are required to participate in at least one co-curricular activity.
The school has a wide range of clubs, sports teams, and other student organizations from which students may choose, including theater, community service, and debate, among many others.
Although Deerfield allows students to live at home and attend the school as a day student, most students opt to live on campus.
In fact, of the school’s total enrollment of around 650 students, 581 are boarding students, while the remaining 74 are day students.
Students hail from a total of 36 states and 47 countries across the globe.
If you are interested in learning more about what the elite Deerfield Academy has to offer, then the following article is for you. Read on to learn more about Deerfield’s acceptance rate, extracurricular activity offerings, and so much more.
Deerfield Academy Acceptance Rate
Deerfield Academy has an acceptance rate of about 12%, placing it among the top private schools in New England in selectivity.
With the national average acceptance rate for all private secondary schools in the US being 85%, it is safe to say that admission to the prestigious Deerfield Academy is quite competitive.
Like many other schools — whether they are secondary schools, law schools, colleges, or any other form of educational institution — Deerfield Academy has been seeing a steady decrease in its acceptance rates over time, especially in recent years.
Of course, there are many different factors that go into determining whether or not a given student will be offered admission to the school, so students who have their hearts set on attending this selective school need not give up hope entirely.
The most important factor in admission is, far and away, academic background. Students who are interested in attending Deerfield should ensure that they maintain high schools leading up to their time of applying.
Deerfield Academy Alumni
The Deerfield Academy alumni network comprises more than 12,000 former students and is among its most active, generous, and passionate associations.
Since the school was founded, it has graduated many exceptional students who became successful figures in a wide range of industries.
Notable alumni of Deerfield Academy include Jeffrey Bewkes, prominent media executive and former CEO of Time Warner.
Also, in the world of business, there is John L. Weinberg, an investment banker who served as the chairman for Goldman Sachs from 1976 until 1990.
In the entertainment industry, there is actor and model Matthew Fox. Fox is perhaps most well-known for his role as Jack Shephard on the television drama Lost, for which he received a Golden Globe Award and nominations for Primetime Emmy Awards.
Buddy Teevens, current head coach of the Dartmouth College football team, is also a Deerfield alumni. In fact, there are tons of former Deerfield students who are now famous for their excellence in the area of athletics.
For example, Jamie Hagerman, a professional ice hockey player, won a bronze medal at the 2006 winter Olympics in Turin. Another is Randal Williams, former NFL wide receiver.
Deerfield Academy Tuition
As of the 2022-2023 academic year, tuition for one year of study at Deerfield Academy is $64,850 for boarding students.
For day students, the cost of one year’s tuition is $46,800.
Additional costs for all students — regardless of their residential status — include a $1,250 fee for academic services and an $880 technology fee.
There are additional fees associated with the school’s health center, but the price is different for boarding and day students.
While day students pay only an extra $220 for health center services, boarding students are charged $540 more due to the greater use of resources that living on campus creates.
Taking all of these extra fees into account, the actual cost of attending Deerfield for one year is $67,520 for residential students and $48,850 for those who live at home.
Although Deerfield Academy’s tuition is certainly not small change, the school strives to meet demonstrated financial need for all families for whom the cost of attendance is prohibitive.
In fact, the average grant for boarding students is an impressive $54,875 — more than 80% of the cost of tuition and other fees.
Deerfield Academy Ranking
Over the course of its centuries-long history, Deerfield Academy has established itself a strong reputation as an excellent private secondary school.
On a list of the top 100 boarding schools in the world published by PrepReview, Deerfield was ranked within the top 10 – 20 residential schools worldwide.
Looking instead at only the boarding schools located in the United States, Deerfield Academy has been ranked the fourth most elite choice in the nation, according to Insider.
Of course, rankings vary according to source, and it is important to keep in mind that many subjective factors influence how a school is evaluated.
For this reason, it may be beneficial to look at more specialized rankings, in addition to broader global and national placements.
According to Niche’s 2023 list of the best private high schools in the state of Massachusetts, Deerfield Academy ranks fourth among the 111 schools that were considered.
Looking at private high schools across the entire US — of which 4,323 were included in the Niche rankings — Deerfield ranks #22.
In terms of boarding high schools, Deerfield is ranked third among the 36 others in the state, and #9 of 418 nationwide. The school is ranked fifth in the state in terms of the best college preparation offered.
What Athletics and Extra-Curriculars are Offered at Deerfield Academy?
Deerfield Academy offers 21 different recreational, junior varsity, and varsity sports. Athletic programs at the school include all of the typical sports one might expect a high school to have, like baseball, basketball, cross country, and football.
In addition to the more conventional athletic offerings, Deerfield is also home to a handful of more unique sports teams. Some of these are rowing, ultimate frisbee, water polo, and squash.
For students who have interests outside of athletics, the school also offers more than 80 student clubs and extracurricular organizations to choose from.
With such a wide range of campus activities, it is almost guaranteed that all students at the school will be able to join a club that represents their interests.
Some of the more unusual student organizations at Deerfield include the meat club, ukulele and bongo orchestra, and the NBA 2K club.
There are several clubs intended to connect students who share a cultural, religious, and/or ethnic background.
The Latin American Student Alliance, the Native American Cultural Alliance, and the Deerfield Multicultural Alliance are just a small handful of the many cultures represented by clubs at the school.
Should any student find all of the available insufficient, they are welcome to start a new of their own at any time. There are several new clubs established each year.
Should You Apply to Deerfield Academy?
With so many different things to take into consideration, like class sizes, location, facilities, and so on, choosing a secondary school to attend is a stressful, overwhelming, and complex process for many students and their families.
On the bright side, we are here to help simplify the process a bit by reviewing some of Deerfield’s biggest strengths.
For one, it is consistently ranked as one of the top private boarding schools in Massachusetts. For Massachusetts residents who are looking to remain in-state throughout their grade school years, Deerfield is one of the best possible choices.
Deerfield is known for being innovative in terms of its approach to education, offering a curriculum that emphasizes intellectual curiosity, diversity, and leadership.
The engaging curriculum includes many events, activities, lectures, and trips, all in service of providing a rewarding experience for students.
With a student-to-teacher ratio of 5:1, all students at Deerfield are able to receive one-on-one support from the instructors.
The school is home to 137 faculty members, many of whom are leading education experts.
There are over 170 courses offered, so students have the opportunity to explore their interests in an academic setting. In sum, there is no shortage of reasons to apply to Deerfield Academy.
