The Cambridge School of Weston
- The Cambridge School of Weston is a progressive, day and boarding school for bold learners and creative thinkers in grades 9-12 (with a post-graduate program).
- We provide a progressive education that emphasizes deep learning, meaningful relationships, and a dynamic program.
- We offer an innovative and rigorous academic program that fosters critical thought, hands-on, experiential learning and deep academic inquiry.
- Students choose from more than 300 courses through our unique Mod System; no two student schedules are alike.
- A CSW education is not a passive experience-it`s a process that engages students in discovering who they are and what their contribution will be to their school, their community, and the world.
Alumni Reviews Review School
- Review Description
- Sarah Lawrence College The thing that stands out most obviously about the Cambridge School is probably its unique schedule. The "mod system" allows for block scheduling in a truly innovative way. Because of the way classes. . .
- University of Vermont The Cambridge School of Weston is a liberal arts institution filled with some of the most incredible teachers in the world. The atmosphere is incredible. There is a special place for every student, teacher, and. . .
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago CSW values social justice and celebrates diversity in an incomparable way. Every one of my peers looks back on our high school experience as positive and nurturing. The faculty and community at CSW truly encouraged. . .
- Bennington College The mod system is definitely the most unique aspect of CSW. I feel that the education I received there was much broader than it would have been at any other school and the experiences I. . .
- Sarah Lawrence College (BA), The New School (MFA) Coming from the west and having no concept of a 'typical' boarding school, CSW immediately stood out to me because I felt at home (and excited) upon arrival. The emphasis on community there not only. . .
- Show more reviews (10 reviews)
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- Category Attribute
- Offering Breadth Most extracurriculars offered
| Definition of Terms 2017 School Data | The Cambridge School | Boarding School Avg. |
| School Focus | College Prep | College Preparatory |
| Grades Offered | 9-12, PG | 9-12 |
| School Type | Co-ed | Co-ed |
| Religious Affiliation | Non-denominational | Non-denominational |
| Year Founded | 1886 | 1910 |
| Campus Size | 65 acres | 110 acres |
Student Body
| Enrollment | 330 students | 300 students |
| % Students of Color | 25% | 20% |
| % International Students | 12% | 20% |
| % Students Boarding | 28% | 68% |
| Average SAT Score | n/a | * National Avg. »View |
| SAT range (25th-75th percentile) | 1700 - 2090 | - |
| Offers Post-Grad Year | Yes | No |
Academics and Faculty
| Saturday Classes | No | No |
| Classroom Dress Code | Casual | Casual |
| Average Class Size | 13 students | 12 *National School Avg. » 20 |
| Teacher : Student Ratio | 1:6 | 1:7 |
| # of AP / Advanced Courses Offered | 20 | 17 |
| ESL Courses Offered | No | Yes |
| % Faculty with Advanced Degree | 80% | 70% |
| Summer Program Offered | Yes | Yes |
Finances
| Endowment Size | $7 million | $17 million |
| Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students) | $59,400 | $53,000 |
| Yearly Tuition (Day Students) | $47,500 | $28,400 |
| % Students on Financial Aid | 25% | 37% |
| Avg. Financial Aid Grant | $32,000 | $22,730 |
| Merit Scholarships Offered | No | No |
Admission
| Application Deadline | Jan. 15 / Mar. 15 / rolling | Jan. 15 |
| Accepts Standardized Application | No | No |
| SSAT Required | Yes | Yes |
| Acceptance Rate | 60% | 55% |
| Director of Admissions | Trish Saunders | |
| Associate Director of Admissions | Melisa Kjellander | |
Course Listings
| List of Courses Offered | Link to List of Courses |
AP / Advanced Courses
| # of AP / Advanced Courses Offered | 20 | 17 |
| Courses | Advanced Essay Portfolio, Advanced Mathematics Seminar, Advanced Writing Workshop, Art and Science of the Human Body, Calculus (A, B, C), Examining Media as a Mirror: A Statistical and Visual Approach to Deconstructing False Narratives , Field Research Seminar, Issues in Global and National Public Health: Analysis and Action, Marine Biology, Meanings of Love, Molecular Biology, Neotropics of Latin America, Off Campus to China and Taiwan, Off Campus to France, Organic Chemistry, Propositional Calculus and Logic, Re-Ordering Chaos, Statistics, Studies of Flight, The Art of Prediction | |
Sports
| # Interscholastic Sports Offered | 11 | 14 |
| Sports | Ballet, Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Dance, Field Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Tennis, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball | |
Extracurriculars
| Total Extracurricular Organizations | 75 | 23 |
| Extracurriculars | Club or Organization: Advisory Board, Asian Affinity Group, Assembly Coordinators, Board of Trustees, Boarding Life Committee, Circle of Sisters (for women of color), Community Service Club, Diversity Committee, Dorm Leaders, FemCo, Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), Gender and Sexual Minorities, Improv Club, Interfaith Club, Jewish Students Association, Judicial Board, Literary Magazine, Mixed Heritage Affinity Group, Model United Nations, Movie Club, Peer Mentors, Poetic Justice (slam poetry), Queer People of Color, Radio CSW, Robotics Team, S.A.L.S.A., Sketch Comedy Club, Social Justice Day, Sociedad Latinx Affinity Group, Strength and Conditioning, Student Curriculum Committee, Sustainability Committee, Town Meeting, United Rights of Children Club, United Students of Color, White Students Against Racism, Yearbook Committee Arts and Music Programs: A Capella, African Dance, Ballet, Chinese Cultural Dance, Chorus, Dance Concert, Hip Hop Club, Indian Cooking, Instrumental, Japanese Cooking, Jazz Club, Modern Dance, Open Art Studio, Pocket Players, Rock/Pop Ensemble, Shakespeare Ensemble, Songwriting, Theater Productions Recreational Athletic Programs: Badminton Club, Cardio Boxing, Cycling, Dodgeball, Fencing, Golf, Indoor Rock Climbing, Indoor Sports, Kundalini Yoga, Martial Arts, Pilates, Recreational Frisbee, Recreational Soccer, Recreational Tennis, Running for Fitness, Spring Running, Table Tennis, Weight Training, Wilderness Program, Zumba | |
College Matriculation
| Year: 2014 - 2017 | 10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled) | |
| Oberlin College | 13 | |
| American University | 11 | |
| Smith College | 11 | |
| Bennington College | 10 | |
| University of Vermont | 9 | |
| Colorado College | 8 | |
| New York University | 8 | |
| The New School | 8 | |
| Northeastern University | 7 | |
| Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) | 7 | |
School Notes
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What you do here at CSW matters. To you, to us, to the world. You matter. You`re an essential part of a close-knit community that supports each member in taking creative and academic risks--which means you`ll do your best work here. You`ll benefit from meaningful relationships with inspiring peers and mentors from across the globe as you engage in deep, experiential learning. Together, we`ll ask big questions and craft imaginative solutions to tangible problems. We`ll think critically, question sources, and seek multiple perspectives. Every member of our kind and inclusive community helps shape the CSW experience--whether by speaking up during classes and discussion assemblies, starting new clubs, or by serving on the Curriculum Committee, Judicial Board, or our Board of Trustees. So you quickly get the sense that your voice counts. That what we`re doing here together is important work. This is not about busywork, scantron bubbles, and going through the motions of what`s expected of you. Your time at CSW will connect you to teachers and peers who know you well and will engage with you in a joyful process of active learning and growth. As a result, you`ll discover who you are and how you can contribute: to your school, the community, and the world. You`ll leave here with a deeper sense of self, a healthy disregard for the "impossible," and the resourcefulness and skills to build a meaningful life and a better world.CSW's longstanding dedication to--and leadership in--progressive education is what sets us apart from other independent schools. In fact, CSW has partnered with three other progressive schools to form The Progressive Education Lab, an organization committed to furthering progressive education by training new teachers to become powerful educators and change agents. The following elements of a progressive education at CSW constitute our key points of distinction.
- The Module System: The Module System has been a cornerstone of our academic approach since 1973. During any given module, students focus intensively on just three academic subjects a day. The longer class periods allow teachers to use a variety of teaching techniques to engage all learners. Taking fewer classes at one time-yet more courses over the course of a year-allows students to build a solid foundation of applicable skills from a true liberal arts core, and to dive deeply into the artistic and academic subjects covered in our more than 300 course offerings.
- Creative Thinking: At CSW, creative thinking isn't confined to the Art Department. Students are challenged to explore new ways of thinking and fresh approaches to problem-solving in our process-oriented approach to learning. Our faculty members are practicing writers, artists, mathematicians and researchers who bring their own passions to the classroom, building an innovative curriculum that is responsive to emerging and interdisciplinary topics. Students learn to explore the intersections of these disparate subjects and to find imaginative solutions to tangible problems.
- Experiential Learning: Active, participatory learning is central to the student experience. Classes connect students with course content in a personally meaningful way through livelydebate, hands-on experiences, laboratories, studios, service-based learning, collaborative projects and off-campus research. Students are asked to reflect, revise, and wrestle with complexity. In this way, learning is an active and immersive process of discovery that leads students to develop and refine academic skills and passionate interests.
- Meaningful Relationships: CSW's community cultivates meaningful relationships characterized by respect, compassion, and open and honest communication. Everybody is on a first-name basis. Faculty and staff are approachable and committed to supporting and witnessing student growth in and out of the classroom. Students form close relationships with advisors, who are available to meet with them daily. As a community, we are invested in getting to know each other as individuals, soliciting and listening to each other`s opinions and celebrating each other`s accomplishments. We take care of each other, and the powerful relationships established here last well beyond graduation.
- A Mindful Community: A CSW education inspires a heightened awareness of issues that transcend the individual, such as social justice and global connectedness. In fact, we are proud to be the first high school in the country to institute a Social Justice Graduation Requirement! Students discover how to make substantive contributions to their school, their community and the world through school and community service, off-campus study, social activism, and on-campus workshops and events. Through involvement in Town Meetings, the Board of Trustees and various committees, students also play an essential role in school decision-making. As such, they become socially responsible citizens who honor the values of participation, inclusion, compassion and sustainability.
- Passionate, Powerful Students: Students take an active role in shaping their classroom environments, their academic schedules, and school policies. They learn that questioning the questions and forming a distinct point of view are both expected and valued. And they appreciate that CSW is a place to explore their passions and to take risks. As a result, students develop a strong sense of independence and self as they discover more about their character, passions, goals and ability to contribute to their communities.
- School accreditations: NEASC
- Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Jennifer Coolidge - Jennifer Audrey Coolidge is an actress and comedian, best known for playing "Stifler's Mom", a role in the American Pie films, Sophie in the CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls, Paulette in Legally Blonde (2001) and its sequel, Hilary Duff's character's evil stepmot
- Aprille Ericsson-Jackson - Aprille Ericsson-Jackson is an aerospace engineer. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Ericsson-Jackson received her Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Masters of Enginee
- Ian Falconer - Ian Falconer is an illustrator, children's book author, and costume and set designer for the theater. He has created 30 covers for The New Yorker as well as other publications. Falconer is best known for the Olivia series, which features a young pig and h
- Andrew Strominger - Andrew Strominger is a theoretical physicist who is the Director of Harvard's Center for the Fundamental Laws of Nature. He has made significant contributions to quantum gravity and string theory. These include his work on Calabi-Yau compactification and
- Helen Keller - Helen Keller was an author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deaf-blind person to earn a bachelor of arts degree.
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