Mercersburg Academy
Tel: 717-328-6173
300 East Seminary Street
Mercersburg, PA 17236
Mercersburg, PA 17236
- Why Mercersburg? Because Mercersburg Academy is a student-centered school that allows students to define themselves through the establishment of meaningful relationships and exposure to a vast range of academic, extra-curricular, and co-curricular opportunities.
- Mercersburg students actively and confidently experience the world both on campus and abroad.
- We understand the benefit of learning by doing in a school setting that promotes a balanced and authentic learning environment.
- Founded in 1893, Mercersburg Academy is committed to providing students with the opportunity to live and learn in a richly diverse academic environment that provides a rigorous and relevant curriculum to 430 boarding and day students from 30 states, including the District of Columbia, and 40 nations.
- The beautiful 300-acre campus, which is home to state of the art facilities and seven recently renovated residence halls, is 90 minutes from Washington, DC and Baltimore, and short driving distance to New York and Philadelphia.
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Alumni Reviews Review School
- Review Description
- University of Pennsylvania Mercersburg has an incredibly beautiful campus. It is a place for reflection as much as anything else. The gothic chapel is designed by the architect who built Princeton University's chapel, and it carries a rich. . .
- Vassar College Mercersburg has a unique community in that everyone is so connected and there really is a sense of family among the students and teachers. Everyone is incredibly kind, welcoming, ambitious, and curious. the relationships I. . .
- Duke University Opportunity and Community were the two buzzwords that largely encompass my Mercersburg experience. What lies between these two speaks just as loudly. There is a certain "presence of the present" that exists at Mercersburg that. . .
- Georgetown University Building a sense of community is definitely a theme throughout boarding schools, but how well Mercersburg cultivates community sets it apart. Students are required to participate in an afterschool activity every term and since the. . .
- Johns Hopkins University Mercersburg Academy is certainly known for its beautiful, spacious campus that rivals no other. The picturesque landscape is often seen bustling with students during the early hours of the day and scattered with a few. . .
- Show more reviews (15 reviews)
Top 20 Placements
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Listed among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 326 schools) for:
- Category Attribute
- School Resources Large financial endowment
- School Resources Highest endowment/student
- Offering Breadth Most sports offered
- Offering Breadth Most extracurriculars offered
- Offering Breadth High # of AP/advanced courses offered
- Student Test Scores High SSAT scores
| Definition of Terms 2017 School Data | Mercersburg Academy | Boarding School Avg. |
| School Focus | College Prep | College Preparatory |
| Grades Offered | 9-12, PG | 7-12 |
| School Type | Co-ed | Co-ed |
| Religious Affiliation | Non-denominational | Non-denominational |
| Year Founded | 1893 | 1910 |
| Campus Size | 300 acres | 105 acres |
Student Body
| Enrollment | 440 students | 300 students |
| % Students of Color | 24% | 20% |
| % International Students | 20% | 20% |
| % Students Boarding | 85% | 67% |
| Average SAT Score | 1349 | * National Avg. »View |
| SAT range (25th-75th percentile) | 1210 - 1450 | - |
| Average ACT score | 29 | *National Avg. » View |
| Offers Post-Grad Year | Yes | No |
Academics and Faculty
| Saturday Classes | No | No |
| Classroom Dress Code | Casual | Casual |
| Average Class Size | 12 students | 12 *National School Avg. » 20 |
| Teacher : Student Ratio | 1:5 | 1:7 |
| # of AP / Advanced Courses Offered | 40 | 17 |
| ESL Courses Offered | No | Yes |
| % Faculty with Advanced Degree | 78% | 70% |
| Summer Program Offered | Yes | Yes |
Finances
| Endowment Size | $275 million | $18 million |
| Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students) | $59,200 | $54,400 |
| Yearly Tuition (Day Students) | $35,325 | $30,000 |
| % Students on Financial Aid | 49% | 37% |
| Avg. Financial Aid Grant | 33000 | $22,844 |
| Merit Scholarships Offered | Yes | No |
Admission
| Application Deadline | Jan. 15 | Jan. 15 |
| Accepts Standardized Application | No | No |
| SSAT Required | Yes | Yes |
| Average Percentile SSAT | 75% | - |
| Acceptance Rate | 37% | 55% |
| Director of Admissions | Quentin McDowell | |
| Associate Director of Admissions | Amy Mohr | |
Course Listings
| List of Courses Offered | Link to List of Courses |
AP / Advanced Courses
| # of AP / Advanced Courses Offered | 40 | 17 |
| Courses | AP Art History, AP Biology, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP Chinese Language and Culture, AP Comparative Government and Politics, AP Computer Science A, AP English Language - American Literature, AP English Literature - British and World Literature, AP Environmental Science, AP European History, AP European History, Ap French Language and Culture, AP German Language and Culture, AP Latin: Virgil, AP Macro/Micro Economics, AP Physics 1: Algebra-Based, AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Spanish Language, AP Spanish Literature, AP Statistics, AP United States History, AP World History, http://www.mercersburg.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=125052 | |
Sports
| # Interscholastic Sports Offered | 27 | 15 |
| Sports | Alpine Skiing, Ballet, Baseball, Basketball, Climbing, Cross Country, Cross Country Running, Cycling, Dance, Diving, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Lacrosse, Mountain Biking, Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Swimming, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball, Winter Track, Wrestling | |
Extracurriculars
| Total Extracurricular Organizations | 58 | 24 |
| Extracurriculars | Magalia (Women's a cappella group), Octet (Men's a cappella group), Second Story Wheat (Student Forum) Club or Organization: AASU (African American Student Union), Amnesty International Club, Animation Club, Asian Club, Biking Club, Blue Key, Blue Review (Literary Magazine), Book Club, Business Club, Car Club, Class Council, Classics Club, Community Service Club, Computer Club, Conduct Review Board, Cornucopia (Music Listening Club), Cum Laude, Democrats Club, Fifteen (Literary Text Discussion), French Club, FROSTE (Facts, Reason, Objectivity, Skepticism, Thinking, Evidence), Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), German Club, Green Team, Grilling Society, GROW (Greater Respect of Women), International Club, Irving Literary Society, Jewish Student Organization, Karux (Yearbook), Key Club, Latin Club, Marshall Literary Society, Math Club, Mercersburg News (Newspaper), Model Railroad Club, Model United Nations, MOE Endeavor (Mercersburg Outdoor Education), Muslim Students' Association, Photography Club, Republican Club, Rock Climbing Club, SADD, SALT (Christian Fellowship), Spanish Club, Stony Batter (Dramatic Club), Student Activities Committee, Student Council, Writing Center Consultant Arts and Music Programs: Chorale, Concert Club, Jazz Club, String Ensemble Recreational Athletic Programs: Ski Club, Ultimate Frisbee | |
College Matriculation
| Year: 2009 - 2012 | 10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled) | |
| United States Naval Academy | 26 | |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 11 | |
| Cornell University | 11 | |
| UNC Chapel Hill | 11 | |
| Johns Hopkins University | 9 | |
| Middlebury College | 9 | |
| New York University | 9 | |
| University of Pennsylvania | 8 | |
| George Washington University | 7 | |
| Bates College | 6 | |
| Link to Matriculation Data | ||
School Notes
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Distinctive features:5:1 student-faculty ratio; 160+ courses and 40 AP/Honors courses; 72 percent of faculty hold advanced degrees; extensive study abroad programs across the world and language exchange programs for students studying German, French, Spanish, Chinese and Latin; $252 million endowment; $6 million in financial aid; 25 competitive varsity athletic teams; 10-court Davenport Squash Center; 14-court Smoyer Tennis Center; 65,000 sq ft. Burgin Center for the Arts; newly renovated Nolde Gymnasium. Graduates go on to the nation`s top colleges and universities. Alumni include 7 Rhodes Scholars, 12 Olympic gold medalists, 2 Academy Award Winners, and a Nobel laureate.
- In 2014, 30 students were named AP Scholars, 18 were named Scholars with Honor, and 38 were named Scholars with Distinction, and five were named National Scholars.
- 25 members of the Mercersburg Class of 2014 were formally introduced as members of the Cum Laude Society. The Cum Laude Society, a national academic honor society, is the high-school equivalent of the college-level Phi Beta Kappa.
- Travel opportunities this year permitted students faculty members to visit nine different countries over spring and summer breaks. To increase global awareness and participate in service opportunities, students visited China, Chile, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Haiti, Poland, South Africa, and Spain. Students and faculty also traveled domestically to Charleston, SC, the Grand Canyon, New River Gorge, WV, New Orleans, LA, Orlando, FL, Virginia Beach, VA and Westlake, TX.
- Mercersburg recently announced a generous bequest of $3.9 million from alumnus Howard Flock, a member of the school`s Class of 1940. His gift will support international travel study programs for Mercersburg students.
- As part of Mercersburg`s endowed lecture series, the community enjoyed presentations from many notable authors and artists, including National Book Award Winner James McBride, author of The Color of Water and The Good Lord Bird. Other recent speakers of note include: Jonathan Haidt, author and professor at NYU's Stern School of Business; Andrew Bacevich, professor of international relations at Boston University; and Lisa Shannon, the first grassroots activist in the United States to raise awareness of the human-rights crisis in the Congo.
- School accreditations: Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools
- Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Jimmy Stewart '28 - Actor, Academy Award winner
- Benicio Del Toro '85 - Actor, Academy Award and Golden Globe winner
- Melvin Stewart, Jr. '88 - Olympic Gold Medalist, 200-meter Butterfly (Olympic Record), Barcelona, 1992; Olympic Gold Medalist, 400-meter Medley Relay and 800-meter Freestyle Relay, Barcelona, 1992
- Michael Davies '85 - Emmy Winning Producer, ABC's Who wants to be a Millionaire?
- Mark Talbott '78 - Top-ranked professional squash player in the world from 1983-1995; one of the 15 inaugural inductees into the U.S. Squash Hall of Fame.
- Dr. Lucian Leape '48 - Harvard professor and father of the modern patient safety movement in the United States
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- School Location Miles Grades Students
- Grades: 9-12, PG | 523 students 123.1 miles717 East High Street
Pottstown, PA 19464
610-326-1000123.19-12, PG523 - Grades: 9-12, PG | 551 students 181.1 miles201 South Main Street
Hightstown, NJ 08520
609-944-7501181.19-12, PG551 - Grades: 9-12, PG | 859 students 289.7 miles333 Christian Street
Wallingford, CT 06492
203-697-2239289.79-12, PG859 - Grades: 9-12, PG | 648 students 333 miles7 Boyden Lane
Deerfield, MA 01342
413-774-14003339-12, PG648 - Grades: 9-12, PG | 605 students 275.1 miles11 Interlaken Road
Lakeville, CT 06039
860-435-3102275.19-12, PG605
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