Besant Hill School
Founded in 1946 by Annie Besant, Aldous Huxley, J Krishnamurti, Guido Ferrando, Robert Logan, Louis Zalk and Rosalind Rajagopal on 520 acres in the resort town of Ojai, California this boarding school community offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum with a cornerstone on creative expression, sustainability and divergent thinking.
Besant Hill offers 20+ art electives, competitive and noncompetative athletics, travel and experiential education programs, small classes and a 4:1 student teacher ratio.https://youtu.be/xKHH3RrSiBs.
Quick Stats (2022)
- Grades: (Boarding) 9-12, PG
- Students: 100 students
- Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $61,215
- Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $27,900
- Acceptance rate: 50%
- Average class size: 10 students
- Application Deadline: Feb. 1 / rolling
School News
- Admissions Webinars - 03/16/2022Join us for a virtual webinar to learn more about the programs offered at Besant Hill School. Webinars are offered weekly on Thursdays at 4:30pm PST. Go to https://besanthill.schooladminonline.com/portal/new_inquiry and ...moreregister! hide
- Application Open! - 03/16/20222022-23 Rolling admissions is open! Visit www.besanthill.org/apply to begin your application now. We will keep in touch with you throughout the application process.
Alumni Reviews Review School
Review
Description
The sense of community at Besant hill is truly unique. I almost never felt homesick because I always felt at home. My teachers became my best friends, and my best friends became my brothers and. . .
Top Rankings
Besant Hill School ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 308 schools) for:
Category
Attribute
Student Attention
School Overview
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
Year Founded
1946
1907
Campus Size
520 acres
125 acres
Student Body
Enrollment
100 students
300 students
% Students of Color
13%
25%
% International Students
15%
20%
% Students Boarding
85%
70%
Offers Post-Grad Year
Yes
No
Academics and Faculty
Saturday Classes
No
No
Student : Teacher Ratio
4:1
7:1
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
12
17
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
70%
70%
Summer Program Offered
No
Yes
Tuition Cost
Endowment Size
$2 million
$25 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
(Boarding Students)
$61,215
$59,900
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
(Day Students)
$27,900
$32,995
Tuition international students
$68,000
$54,500
% Students on Financial Aid
25%
40%
Avg. Financial Aid Grant
$20,500
(Apply at solutionsbysss.com)
(Apply at solutionsbysss.com)
$25,000
Acceptance Rate
Application Deadline
Feb. 1 / rolling
Jan. 15
Acceptance Rate
50%
58%
Director of Admissions
Alex Spence
Associate Director of Admissions
Terra Furguiel
AP / Advanced Courses
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
12
17
Courses
Advanced Environmental Studies, Advanced Studio Art, Algebra II Honors, AP Biology, AP Calculus AB, AP Economics, AP English, AP Environmental Science, AP Government, AP Human Geography, AP Physics, AP Spanish, AP Statistics, AP US History, Honors English
Sports
# Interscholastic Sports Offered
14
16
Extracurriculars
Total Extracurricular Organizations
27
23
Extracurriculars
Club or Organization:
Cooking Club, Environmental Sustainability, Film Club
Arts and Music Programs:
Acting, Art Club, Ceramics Club, Choir, Dance Activity, Dance Club, Digital Art, Language Enhancement, Playwriting Club, Prefects (Senior Student Leaders), SAGE- Students Affirming Gender Equality, STEM, Studio, Theater, Voice
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Crossfit, Outdoor Education, Peer Writing Center, Sandy Hook Promise, Surfing, Swimming, Weight, Weight Lifting, Yoga
Cooking Club, Environmental Sustainability, Film Club
Arts and Music Programs:
Acting, Art Club, Ceramics Club, Choir, Dance Activity, Dance Club, Digital Art, Language Enhancement, Playwriting Club, Prefects (Senior Student Leaders), SAGE- Students Affirming Gender Equality, STEM, Studio, Theater, Voice
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Crossfit, Outdoor Education, Peer Writing Center, Sandy Hook Promise, Surfing, Swimming, Weight, Weight Lifting, Yoga
College Matriculation
Year: 2016 - 2021
10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled)
Lewis & Clark College
4
San Diego State University
4
Sarah Lawrence College
4
University of California, San Diego
4
University of California, Santa Cruz
4
University of Washington
4
Emerson College
3
New York University
3
University of California, Berkeley
3
University of Redlands
3
School Notes
- As a community, our goal is to cultivate what is excellent in each student. Besant Hill School provides a small intimate learning environment where students are able to fully explore and express both their intellectual and creative abilities. With small classes, positive student/teacher relationships, and a quiet, rural location, we provide a safe and peaceful atmosphere for learning, study, contemplation, and self-expression. The mission of Besant Hill School is the development of each individual's intellectual and artistic abilities. Through awakening the spirit of inquiry, we encourage each student to pursue integrity and excellence. Our non-competitive community builds honesty, respect, compassion and responsibility. Our goal is to develop a lifelong habit of learning as embodied in our school's motto Aun Aprendo, I am still learning.
- LD types supported: Dyslexia / Language-based and Mild Learning Differences
- Besant Hill School accreditations: Western Association of Schools and Colleges, (WASC), California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS), National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
Profile last updated: 03/16/2022
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The nearest boarding school to Besant Hill School is Ojai Valley School (0.9 miles away)
School
Location
Miles
Grades
Students
280 students 151.1 miles 52500 Temecula Road
Idyllwild, CA 92549
(951) 468-7223
Idyllwild, CA 92549
(951) 468-7223
151.1
9-12, PG
280
249 students 50.6 miles P.O. Box 98, 2555 W. Highway 154
Los Olivos, CA 93441
(800) 287-9197
Los Olivos, CA 93441
(800) 287-9197
50.6
9-12
6-12
6-12
249
300 students 13.7 miles 1960 Cate Mesa Road, P.O. Box 5005
Carpinteria, CA 93013
(805) 684-4127
Carpinteria, CA 93013
(805) 684-4127
13.7
9-12
300
500 students 211.9 miles 3152 Forest Lake Road
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
(831) 625-8300
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
(831) 625-8300
211.9
9-12
Pre-K-12
Pre-K-12
500
254 students 3.6 miles 5025 Thacher Road
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 640-3210
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 640-3210
3.6
9-12
254
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