Garrison Forest School
A Baltimore area independent Day and Boarding college preparatory school for girls with a coeducational two-year-old through Pre-Kindergarten program, Garrison Forest School is dedicated to the intellectual, aesthetic, emotional, moral, physical and spiritual growth of its students.
The school seeks to develop within each student a strong sense of integrity, identity and self-esteem, reflecting its motto Esse Quam Videri: "To be and not to seem.".
Quick Stats (2022)
- Grades: (Boarding) 8-12
- Students: 548 students
- Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $60,215
- Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $31,470
- Average class size: 15 students
- Application Deadline: Dec. 13 / rolling
Top Rankings
Garrison Forest School ranks among the top 5 all-girls schools (out of 22 all-girls schools) for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Offering Breadth
School Overview
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
Grades Offered (Boarding)
8-12
9-12
Grades Offered (Day)
Pre-K-12
5-12
Year Founded
1910
1907
Campus Size
110 acres
125 acres
Student Body
Enrollment
548 students
300 students
% Students of Color
33%
25%
% International Students
10%
20%
% Students Boarding
27%
70%
SAT range (25th-75th percentile)
1130 - 1275
-
Offers Post-Grad Year
No
No
Academics and Faculty
Saturday Classes
No
No
Student : Teacher Ratio
9:1
7:1
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
15
17
ESL Courses Offered
No
Yes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
78%
70%
Summer Program Details
Tuition Cost
Endowment Size
$42 million
$25 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
(Boarding Students)
$60,215
$59,900
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
(Day Students)
$31,470
$32,995
Tuition international students
$63,630
$54,500
% Students on Financial Aid
47%
40%
Avg. Financial Aid Grant
$18,350
$25,000
Acceptance Rate
Application Deadline
Dec. 13 / rolling
Jan. 15
SSAT Required
Yes
Yes
Director of Admissions
Catie Gibbons
AP / Advanced Courses
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
15
17
Courses
Art History, Art Portfolio, Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Economics, English Language, Environmental Science, French Language, French Literature, Latin Literature, Psychology, Spanish Language, U.S. History, World History
Sports
# Interscholastic Sports Offered
19
16
Sports
Extracurriculars
Total Extracurricular Organizations
33
23
Extracurriculars
Saintly Speaking Newspaper
Club or Organization:
Academic Team, Debate Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Forum (Student Government), Green Club, Habitat for Humanity Chapter, Honor Council Advisory Board, International Relations Club, Math Study Hall, MS Book Club, MS Current Events, MS Keyboarding, MS Life Skills, MS Math Games, MS Newspaper, MS Writers Circle, Oasis Literary Art Magazine, One Love, Peer Tutoring - English, Politics Club, Riding Club, Robotics Team, Service League, Service League (community service groups), Soup Kitchen (community service group), Spanish Club, Spirit Boosters, STITCH, Student Diversity Leadership Council, The Paw Print (student newspaper), The Ragged Robin (yearbook)
Arts and Music Programs:
Musicale Event Club
Club or Organization:
Academic Team, Debate Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Forum (Student Government), Green Club, Habitat for Humanity Chapter, Honor Council Advisory Board, International Relations Club, Math Study Hall, MS Book Club, MS Current Events, MS Keyboarding, MS Life Skills, MS Math Games, MS Newspaper, MS Writers Circle, Oasis Literary Art Magazine, One Love, Peer Tutoring - English, Politics Club, Riding Club, Robotics Team, Service League, Service League (community service groups), Soup Kitchen (community service group), Spanish Club, Spirit Boosters, STITCH, Student Diversity Leadership Council, The Paw Print (student newspaper), The Ragged Robin (yearbook)
Arts and Music Programs:
Musicale Event Club
College Matriculation
Year: 2008 - 2012
10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled)
University of Maryland
15
University of Virginia
14
Syracuse University
11
Kenyon College
6
Cornell University
5
University of Richmond
5
Duke University
4
Johns Hopkins University
4
Georgetown University
3
Princeton University
3
School Notes
-
The school's primary commitment is to develop and maintain a strong academic program designed to foster a spirit of inquiry, intellectual independence and enthusiasm for learning. Students are expected and encouraged to achieve their potential through a traditional program enhanced by innovative approaches. They are challenged, in and out of the classroom, to lead, to serve and to make decisions and to accept responsibilities for consequences. Respect, trust, warmth and joy combine to create an atmosphere in which all members of the school community can grow. Ultimately, the goal of Garrison Forest School is for each student to become confident and prepared to contribute to a complex and challenging world.In addition to strong academics and community, Garrison Forest School offers a variety of signature programs.
- Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) is an experiential research program for juniors and seniors in partnership with the Johns Hopkins University. WISE participants are paired with JHU faculty and work as a member of a research team. Placements are made in JHU`s Whiting School of Engineering, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Archeological Museum. The project culminates in a final oral and written presentation for JHU and GFS faculty.
- The Jenkins Fellows Program empowers GFS students to promote and commit to global community service. Sophomores and juniors are invited to research opportunities and fellows are selected through a competitive application process. Jenkins Fellows immerse themselves in summer service and return to campus to present reflections on their experiences to the community. Jenkins Fellows serve as leaders of the student Service League Board for the remainder of their time at GFS. Recent projects include volunteering in an orphanage in Cambodia, working with Habitat for Humanity in Milwaukee, WI, volunteering in a hospital in the Czech Republic, mentoring children and working with tribal elders on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana and supporting young woman survivors of human trafficking in a Sicilian (Italy) community center.
- Independent Senior Project (ISP) students complete a twoweek unpaid internship in a professional environment at the end of their senior year. Recent ISP sites include Smithsonian Institution, Under Armour, Roominate (Silicon Valley start-up), T. Rowe Price, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Special Olympics, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Baltimore Magazine, NASA`s Goddard Space Center, Walt Disney Family Museum and Habitat for Humanity, as well as schools and other non-profit organizations.
- The Equestrian Institute is designed to give competitive riders the opportunity to advance their skills, expand their horsemanship knowledge and compete at a high level while enjoying the benefits and camaraderie of riding in a school program. Participation in the Equestrian Institute will combine an in-depth equestrian program with a full Garrison Forest academic curriculum uniquely customized for top riders. Students in grades 6-12 are eligible to apply for this rigorous and personalized program that prepares girls to rise to the academic and athletic challenge of being student-riders at Garrison Forest and in college.
- Garrison Forest School accreditations: Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS), National Association of Independent Schools (AIMS)
- Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Elizabeth Littlefield '78 - President and CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
- Lara Schwartz '85 - Vice President of External Affairs for The American Association of People with Disabilities
- Helen Whitney '61 - Oscar nominated producer, director, and documentary writer
- Nicole Hansen '12 - Nationally ranked climber
- Rachel Pohl '74 - Help found ArtCorps, a health and human rights nonprofit
- Tiffany Thomas '85 - Set Director for HBO's Game Change
- Learic Cramer '96 - Northrup Grumman engineer and race car driver
- Julie Bowen '87 - Emmy Award-winning actress
- Beth Botsford '99 - Olympic Gold Medalist
- Adele Smith Simmons '59 - President of the Global Philanthropy Partnership, senior advisor to the World Economic Forum, first female dean at Princeton
Related Schools
Show me:
People that viewed Garrison Forest School also viewed these schools: Oldfields School, Grier School, St. Timothy's School, Chatham Hall and Foxcroft School.
The nearest boarding school to Garrison Forest School is St. Timothy's School (3.9 miles away)
School
Location
Miles
Grades
Students
100 students 12.3 miles 1500 Glencoe Road
Sparks Glencoe, MD 21152
(443) 662-1050
Sparks Glencoe, MD 21152
(443) 662-1050
12.3
8-12
100
275 students 117.1 miles 2522 Grier School Road
Tyrone, PA 16686
(814) 684-3000
Tyrone, PA 16686
(814) 684-3000
117.1
7-12, PG
275
185 students 3.9 miles 8400 Greenspring Avenue
Stevenson, MD 21153
(410) 486-7401
Stevenson, MD 21153
(410) 486-7401
3.9
9-12, PG
185
150 students 228.8 miles 800 Chatham Hall Circle
Chatham, VA 24531
(434) 432-5516
Chatham, VA 24531
(434) 432-5516
228.8
9-12
150
175 students 60.1 miles 22407 Foxhound Lane
Middleburg, VA 20117
(540) 687-4340
Middleburg, VA 20117
(540) 687-4340
60.1
9-12, PG
175
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