Established in 1848, Proctor Academy is a private boarding and day school with a total enrollment of just under 400 students.
It is located in Andover, NH — within just a couple hours of Concord, Hanover, and Boston.
The Proctor Academy campus spans a vast 2,500 acres of rural New England.
Facilities include 45 academic buildings, 21 student residential halls, two full-sized turf fields, and even a privately owned and operated ski hill.
In addition, the school has five semester-long, off-campus programs offering students the opportunity to immerse themselves in an exciting new environment. The ocean, the mountains, and the Costa Rican rainforest are just a few of the possible classroom locations.
In fact, Proctor Academy fosters appreciation and respect for the natural environment in their student body in various ways. The school is dedicated to upholding the values outlined in its student-written environmental mission statement.
Another aspect of Proctor that sets it apart from other schools is that they allow students to choose an academic area of concentration to structure their program of study if they would like to do so.
For any students or families searching for an excellent private secondary school, it would be wise to give the prestigious Proctor Academy your time and consideration.
Read on to learn more about what Proctor has to offer and other important facts like acceptance rates, athletic program offerings, and more.
Proctor Academy Acceptance Rate
Proctor Academy has an acceptance rate of 45%.
In other words, less than half of students who apply to Proctor are offered admission to the school, making it one of the most selective private schools in New Hampshire and New England.
For comparison, the average acceptance rate for private schools in the United States is 85% — significantly higher than Proctor’s.
Although the low acceptance rate may be daunting, students should not let this dissuade them from applying to this excellent private school.
Students interested in attending Proctor Academy should first submit an inquiry form, which can be found on the school’s website.
Sometime after doing so, they will be required to schedule an interview with admissions, which also serves as an opportunity to tour the school.
To apply to the school, students will use the Standard Online Application. A nonrefundable $10 processing fee will be due at the time of application.
Each year, the deadline for submitting the completed application and all other required materials, including the application fee, is on February 1st. Students can expect to receive notification of their admission decision by March 10th each year.
Proctor Academy Alumni
Throughout Proctor Academy’s centuries-long history, a large number of students have gone on to become prominent public figures in many different industries.
The school has an active Alumni Association, which offers a variety of mentoring programs and networking events.
One of Proctor’s many illustrious alumni is Robert Richardson, who, after graduating from the school in 1973, became a highly-accomplished cinematographer, working on numerous movies with Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese.
Richardson has received the Academy Award three times for his work on the films JFK, Hugo, and The Aviator.
In the world of music, there is Matt Nathanson, American singer-songwriter and 1991 Proctor Academy grad. Nathanson is perhaps most well-known for his 2007 hit “Come On Get Higher.”
A notable Proctor Academy alumni in the world of athletics is Bob Beattie, class of 1951. Beattie became the head coach of the United States Olympic Ski Team for eight years from 1961-69.
In addition to coaching, Beattie was a widely-known commentator for ESPN and ABC Sports, providing commentary for the latter during the four Winter Olympic Games.
Proctor Academy Tuition
As of the 2022-2023 academic year, tuition for one year of study at Proctor Academy is $69,700 for boarding students. For day students, on the other hand, education comes to only $42,400.
For all Proctor students, a nonrefundable reservation deposit will be required upon enrollment; however, the deposit is credited toward the cost of tuition, so the deposit does not constitute an additional fee.
Boarding students are required to pay $7,000 at this time, while day students must pay only $4,000.
In addition to tuition, the cost of attending Proctor may include a handful of optional academic support fees. The school’s support programs include the full learning skills program, which entails an additional charge of $13,300.
For the learning lab program, it is $5,400, while the learning skills independence program costs $6,900.
All international students are required to pay a fee of $2,500 annually.
Families who prefer to do so may opt for a payment plan, rather than paying the total cost of tuition upfront. There are several different options, ranging from two to ten total payments.
It is important to note that the school does charge an additional 1.4% of the cost of tuition for using a payment plan.
Proctor Academy Ranking
According to a 2023 list of the best boarding high schools in the state of New Hampshire published by Niche, Proctor Academy ranks seventh out of the 13 schools considered.
In terms of private high schools, on the other hand, Proctor is more highly ranked in private high schools, coming in eighth place among 31 private secondary schools across the state.
Proctor Academy has a well-established reputation for excelling in preparing its students for success in the college application and admission process, as well as in their academic careers beyond graduation.
The school is ranked 10th of 30 in terms of best college prep offered by private schools in NH.
Some academic subject areas in which Proctor Academy excels include the STEM fields. The school ranks 11th of 56 in terms of the best STEM offerings of any public or private high school in the state.
Regarding athletics, Proctor Academy places well within the top 50% of high schools in New Hampshire. To be more exact, the school is ranked #62 out of 165.
Looking at a more local level, Proctor Academy ranks second in Merrimack County in several regards: best STEM offerings, college preparation, and overall best private high school.
What Extra-Curriculars and Athletics Are Offered at Proctor Academy?
Proctor Academy has a wide range of extracurricular activities for students to learn, pursue new passions, or hone their craft outside of the classroom.
The 13 different clubs offered at Proctor cover a vast array of subjects, with options including everything from poetry, current events, reading, the great outdoors, and ping pong.
In addition to these interest-based clubs, student leadership opportunities are also available. For example, there is the Student Activities Committee, the Diversity Committee, and the student government.
Proctor is home to a robust afternoon activity program, which allows students to further explore and engage with subjects that may not fit into their busy school day schedules.
There are many different afternoon programs in the arts, so students can have time to study music, dance, ceramics, or any of the other exciting options.
On top of all the school’s clubs, Proctor is also home to 25 different competitive sports teams.
Sports offered range from the usual options, such as basketball, baseball, track and field, and football, as well as several less common sports.
For example, there are three different kinds of skiing offered at Proctor: freestyle, alpine, and Nordic — not to mention ski jumping, too. Other unique sports at the school include kayaking, mountain biking, crew, and rock climbing.
Should You Apply to Proctor Academy?
Selecting the best secondary school to attend can be overwhelming for many students and their families, given the complex and multifaceted ways schools can differ.
On top of that, it is crucial to keep in mind that each student has their own individual set of needs, preferences, and educational goals.
Hence, the best school for one particular student is only sometimes an excellent fit for other students.
That being said, there are many reasons to consider applying to Proctor Academy.
One of Proctor Academy’s strengths is its highly-educated faculty members. The school’s faculty comprises 95 full-time teachers, with more than two-thirds holding advanced degrees.
In addition, the school boasts an astonishingly-low student-to-teacher ratio of just 5:1. As a result, students are guaranteed to receive ample academic support and the opportunity to build strong academic relationships with instructors and peers.
Proctor’s academic offerings are robust, with more than 140 classes for students to choose from. In addition to academic courses, there are also over 30 art electives offered.
In short, there are plenty of reasons to consider applying to Proctor Academy.
