Portsmouth Abbey School
Portsmouth Abbey School is a Catholic, co-educational boarding and day school for students in grades 9 through 12.
The school is located on a beautiful 525-acre campus along Narragansett Bay, just a few miles from Newport, RI. For over 90 years, the Abbey`s liberal arts curriculum has prepared students for lives of significance and purpose.
This education is grounded in the Western intellectual tradition and teaches students to solve problems, communicate ideas, work together, and innovate.
Quick Stats (2022)
- Grades: (Boarding) 9-12
- Students: 350 students
- Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $65,570
- Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $41,000
- Acceptance rate: 31%
- Average class size: 13 students
- Application Deadline: Jan. 31
Alumni Reviews Review School
Review
Description
Portsmouth Abbey is very different in that the community of the school is very close-knit due to its size so you really do get to know everyone there. It’s also catholic so weekly mass as. . .
At Portsmouth Abbey School, the community is so engrained with basic Benedictine values that are so evident in the vibe of the campus. When yo was around everyone says hi to each other and is. . .
One thing that makes us unique from other schools is our religious aspect. We were founded by a Benedictine Catholic monastery that still is active, and it influences campus life. We have mass every Sunday. . .
Show more reviews (2 reviews)
Top Rankings
Portsmouth Abbey School ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 309 schools) for:
Category
Attribute
Student Test Scores
School Overview
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
Grades Offered (Boarding)
9-12
9-12
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
Year Founded
1926
1907
Campus Size
525 acres
125 acres
Student Body
Enrollment
350 students
300 students
% Students of Color
18%
25%
% International Students
20%
20%
% Students Boarding
70%
70%
SAT range (25th-75th percentile)
1260 - 1453
-
Offers Post-Grad Year
No
No
Academics and Faculty
Saturday Classes
Yes
No
Frequency of Saturday Classes
Weekly
Weekly
Student : Teacher Ratio
7:1
7:1
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
21
17
ESL Courses Offered
No
Yes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
80%
70%
Summer Program Offered
No
Yes
Tuition Cost
Endowment Size
$48 million
$25 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
(Boarding Students)
$65,570
$59,900
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
(Day Students)
$41,000
$33,250
% Students on Financial Aid
40%
40%
Avg. Financial Aid Grant
$38,000
$25,000
Merit Scholarships Offered
No
No
Acceptance Rate
Application Deadline
Jan. 31
Jan. 15
SSAT Required
Yes
Yes
Average Percentile SSAT
72%
-
Acceptance Rate
31%
58%
Director of Admissions
Steve Pietraszek
Associate Director of Admissions
Allie Skelley
AP / Advanced Courses
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
21
17
Courses
Art History, Biology, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Chinese Language and Culture, Computer Science, English Language, English Literature, French Language and Culture, Latin, Modern European History, Music Theory, Physics C, Spanish Language and Culture, Spanish Literature, Statistics, Studio Art, United States History
Sports
# Interscholastic Sports Offered
18
16
Sports
Extracurriculars
Total Extracurricular Organizations
27
23
Extracurriculars
Big Sister/Little Sister Council, Christian Community Service, Cultural Awareness Club, Debate Club, Red Key, Taekwondo Society, Teens Leading Children, The Beacon, The Gregorian, The Raven, TLC, Wilderness Club, WJHD
Club or Organization:
Appalachia Service Project, Astronomy Club, Beta Club (academic honor society), Chinese Language & Culture Club, Classics Club, March for Life Group, Scriptorium, VT Teen Leadership Safety Program
Arts and Music Programs:
A Flats, Abbey Singers, G Sharps, orchestra, Pro Deo, Study Club
Club or Organization:
Appalachia Service Project, Astronomy Club, Beta Club (academic honor society), Chinese Language & Culture Club, Classics Club, March for Life Group, Scriptorium, VT Teen Leadership Safety Program
Arts and Music Programs:
A Flats, Abbey Singers, G Sharps, orchestra, Pro Deo, Study Club
College Matriculation
Year: 2015 - 2018
10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled)
Boston College
16
Georgetown University
13
College of the Holy Cross
9
New York University
8
The George Washington University
8
Brown University
6
Cornell University
6
Johns Hopkins University
6
Northwestern University
6
United States Naval Academy
5
School Notes
- The aim of Portsmouth Abbey School is to help young men and women grow in knowledge and grace. Grounded in the Catholic faith and 1500-year-old Benedictine intellectual tradition, the School fosters:
- Reverence - for God and the human person
- Respect - for learning and order
- Responsibility - for the shared experience of community life
- Part of our mission is to live in a community that values each of its members, and our similarities and differences. This mission enables our students to better understand themselves and the world around them. Our students thrive in this environment and take full advantage of the spiritual, athletic, artistic, and service opportunities that exist on our campus and beyond. Our sense of community is strong, vibrant, and easy to feel, although sometimes challenging to put into words.
- We celebrate our achievements, and we offer help to those in need in an effort to make this a more gracious community. We invite you to learn more about Portsmouth Abbey School in the following pages and our website, but most importantly please come and see it for yourself.
- Portsmouth Abbey School accreditations: NEASC, TABS, NAIS
- Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Christopher Buckley - writer and political satirist; former Managing Editor of Esquire Magazine; chief speech writer for Vice President George H. W. Bush; author of Thank You for Smoking
- John E. Pepper, Jr. - Chairman of the Walt Disney Company
- Robert F. Kennedy - U.S. Senator from New York; U.S. Attorney General
- Edward M. Kennedy - U.S. Senator from Massachusetts
- Peter M. Flanigan - Assistant to President Richard Nixon
- Benedict Fitzgerald - American screenwriter - In Cold Blood, Wise Blood; co-wrote Aramaic, Hebrew, and Latin screenplay for The Passion of the Christ
- Charlie Day - actor, writer, executive producter - It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
- William Ruckelshaus - first Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; former FBI director and U.S. Deputy Attorney General
Related Schools
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Popular comparisons: Portsmouth Abbey School vs. St. George's School
People that viewed Portsmouth Abbey School also viewed these schools: St. George's School, Kent School, Choate Rosemary Hall, Westminster School and Phillips Academy Andover.
The nearest boarding school to Portsmouth Abbey School is St. George's School (8.4 miles away)
School
Location
Miles
Grades
Students
375 students 8.4 miles P.O. Box 1910
Newport, RI 02840
(401) 842-6600
Newport, RI 02840
(401) 842-6600
8.4
9-12
375
520 students 114 miles PO Box 2006
Kent, CT 06757
(860) 927-6111
Kent, CT 06757
(860) 927-6111
114
9-12, PG
520
867 students 80.2 miles 333 Christian Street
Wallingford, CT 06492
(203) 697-2239
Wallingford, CT 06492
(203) 697-2239
80.2
9-12, PG
867
400 students 81.1 miles 995 Hopmeadow Street
Simsbury, CT 06070
(860) 408-3060
Simsbury, CT 06070
(860) 408-3060
81.1
9-12, PG
400
1,146 students 72.5 miles 180 Main Street
Andover, MA 01810
(978) 749-4050
Andover, MA 01810
(978) 749-4050
72.5
9-12, PG
1,146
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