Nestled on a working farm in Vershire, Vermont, The Mountain School of Milton Academy offers a unique semester program for high school juniors, with limited spots for spring sophomores and fall seniors. With an emphasis on farming, food systems, forests, and the future, students engage in a rigorous place-based Honors and AP curriculum alongside hands-on farm work and experiential culinary and outdoor programming.
Over the course of the semester, students deepen their connection to the land, the community, and themselves in a truly transformative experience.
Space available for Spring 2026. Please note: all figures are per semester, not annual, as we are a semester program.
Quick Facts (2025-26)
- Grades: 10-12
- Enrollment: 47 students
- Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $38,500
- Acceptance rate: 78%
- Average class size: 8 students
- Application Deadline: Feb. 15 / rolling
- Source: Verified school update
Top Rankings
The Mountain School of Milton Academy ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 276 schools) for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Boarding Focus
Student Attention
Student Attention
School Overview
School Focus
n/a
College Preparatory
Grades Offered
10-12
9-12
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
Year Founded
1984
1907
Campus Size
418 acres
130 acres
Student Body
Enrollment
47 students
315 students
% Students of Color
27%
27%
% Students Boarding
100%
70%
Offers Post-Grad Year
No
No
Academics and Faculty
Saturday Classes
Yes
No
Frequency of Saturday Classes
Weekly
Weekly
Student-Teacher Ratio
3:1
7:1
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
15
18
ESL Courses Offered
No
Yes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
64%
73%
Summer Program Offered
No
Yes
Tuition Cost
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
(Boarding Students)
$38,500
(Activities Fee: $750)
(Activities Fee: $750)
$68,800
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
(Day Students)
n/a
$37,600
% Students on Financial Aid
35%
40%
Merit Scholarships Offered
No
No
Admissions
Application Deadline
Feb. 15 / rolling
Jan. 15
Acceptance Rate
78%
64%
Director of Admissions
Jara Ruiz-Anchia
Application URL
AP / Advanced Courses
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
15
18
Courses
AP Calculus ABAP Calculus BC
AP Spanish LanguageAP US History
Honors Algebra IIHonors Calculus
Honors ChemistryHonors Creative Writing
Honors Economics and the EnvironmentHonors English
Honors Environmental HumanitiesHonors Environmental Studies
Honors PhysicsHonors Precalculus
Honors Spanish
Extracurriculars
Total Extracurricular Organizations
18
23
Extracurriculars
Club or Organization:
Arts and Music Programs:
Recreational Athletic Programs:
BIPOC Affinity GroupCreative Writing Club
Current Events ClubDungeons and Dragons Club
First Gen / Low Income Affinity GroupJewish Affinity Group
LGBTQ+ Affinity GroupLiterary and Arts Magazine
Meditation GroupRunning Club
Student Activities CommitteeWellness Club
Arts and Music Programs:
Art & the EnvironmentCulinary Studies
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Cross-country skiingHiking
Snowshoeing
College Matriculation
Year: 2019 - 2023
10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled)
Middlebury College
19
Brown University
15
Dartmouth College
13
Williams College
13
Bowdoin College
10
Wesleyan University
10
Yale University
9
Harvard University
8
Northeastern University
8
Univ. of Vermont
8
School Notes
- The Mountain School of Milton Academy is a semester-long place-based academic program for high school juniors set on a 418-acre working farm in the hills of Vershire, Vermont. Operated by Milton Academy since 1984, the Mountain School is the oldest semester school in the country.. It welcomes students from across the country each fall and spring to live, learn, and grow in a close-knit, intentional community where relationships run deep and learning feels alive. Here, students dive into challenging academics with Honors and AP-level courses, including English, Food Systems, and Environmental Science alongside field sciences, history, mathematics, and electives.. But the learning does not stop in the classroom. Students will plant and harvest vegetables, care for livestock, split wood, cook meals, and complete chores that maintain the school and support farm operations.. They also venture into the surrounding forests, build outdoor skills, make maple syrup, and connect with the natural world in ways that are both grounding and exhilarating. One of the most memorable experiences is Solo, a four-day, three-night camping trip in the White Mountains, a time that is set aside for quiet reflection and solitude in nature. It is a chance to slow down, listen, and truly feel part of the landscape. With limited access to technology, students unplug and tune in to each other, to nature, and themselves. Students live in cozy, faculty-led houses, share chores, and gather around meals they help prepare, creating a rhythm of life that feels purposeful and shared. Students do not just live alongside each other-they co-create their community. Through open dialogue and collaborative decision making, they learn what it means to lead with empathy and listen with intention. The Mountain School encourages place-based and experiential learning, sustainability, and personal growth. It invites students to ask big questions about themselves, their communities, and their relationship to the land. The Mountain School partners closely with students' sending schools to ensure academic alignment and a smooth transition back, making it a seamless part of their high school journey. Alums often describe their semester as a turning point that deepened their curiosity, strengthened their sense of self, and shaped how they engage with the world. For many, it is a life-changing semester filled with wonder, discovery, and friendships that last well beyond Vermont's green hills and snowy trails. The Mountain School accepts applications from high school juniors for both fall and spring semesters, with limited spaces available for fall seniors and spring sophomores.
- The Mountain School of Milton Academy accreditations: National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), New England Association of Schools and Colleges
- Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Irene Li 'S07 - Boston-based chef and restaurateur, and a winner of the 2022 James Beard Leadership Award.
- Maggie Gyllenhaal 'S94 - Actor and filmmaker
- Nick Kroll 'S95 - Actor, comedian, writer, and producer.
- Juliet Lapidos 'F99 - Writer and editor, The Atlantic
- Jonathan Mahler 'F84 - Writer and author, The New York Times
- Caitlin Leibert - VP of Sustainability, Whole Foods
- Abdi Soltani - Executive Director, ACLU of Northern California
- Quemel Arroyo - Chief Accessibility Officer, NY MTA
- Maxine Burkett - Professor of Environmental Social Sciences at Stanford University’s Doerr School of Sustainability
- Ian Cheney 'S95 - Emmy-nominated and Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker.
Source: Verified school update
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does The Mountain School of Milton Academy cost?
The Mountain School of Milton Academy's tuition is approximately $38,500 for boarding students.
What is the acceptance rate of The Mountain School of Milton Academy?
The acceptance rate of The Mountain School of Milton Academy is 78%, which is higher than the boarding school average of 64%.
Who are famous alumni from The Mountain School of Milton Academy?
The Mountain School of Milton Academy famous alumni include: Irene Li 'S07, Maggie Gyllenhaal 'S94, Nick Kroll 'S95, Juliet Lapidos 'F99, Jonathan Mahler 'F84, Caitlin Leibert, Abdi Soltani, Quemel Arroyo, Maxine Burkett and Ian Cheney 'S95.
What is The Mountain School of Milton Academy's ranking?
The Mountain School of Milton Academy ranks among the top 20 boarding schools for Small student body (number of students), High percentage of boarding students, Small average class sizes and Low student-teacher ratio.
When is the application deadline for The Mountain School of Milton Academy?
The application deadline for The Mountain School of Milton Academy is Feb. 15 / rolling (applications are due on Feb. 15 but additional applications are reviewed year-round as space permits ).
Alumni Reviews Review School
Review
Description
The Mountain School was, by not a small margin, the most developmentally significant semester of my life. The months I was there were also four of the best I've ever had. When you first arrive. . .
At the Mountain School we learned science through exploration of our environment: from coring trees to determine age, to studying the succession of trees in our location, we learned the history and story of our. . .
Nearby Boarding Schools
The nearest boarding school to The Mountain School of Milton Academy is Oliverian School (18.7 miles away)
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