Wayland Academy is proud of its Midwestern roots and heritage, proud of our pleasant and safe campus, proud of our talented and dedicated faculty, and proud of our diverse and exciting student body.
The Academy's stand-out features are our Writing Initiative; excellent, personalized college-counseling; very diverse student body; and Opportunties for students to do the activities they enjoy, as well as new ones to try.
Quick Stats (2025)
- Grades: 9-12, PG
- Enrollment: 184 students
- Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $66,250
- Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $23,950
- Acceptance rate: 21%
- Average class size: 10 students
- Application Deadline: Feb. 15 / rolling
- Source: Verified school update
Top Rankings
Wayland Academy ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 277 schools) for:
Category
Attribute
Selectivity
Offering Breadth
Student Test Scores
Student Test Scores
School Overview
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
Year Founded
1855
1907
Campus Size
55 acres
125 acres
School Motto
Knowledge and Character
Last Day of School
Fri. Jun 6, 2025
Student Body
Enrollment
184 students
319 students
% Students of Color
40%
27%
% International Students
25%
20%
% Students Boarding
82%
70%
Offers Post-Grad Year
Yes
No
Academics and Faculty
Saturday Classes
No
No
Student : Teacher Ratio
5:1
7:1
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
26
18
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
80%
72%
Tuition Cost
Endowment Size
$28.1 million
$30 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
(Boarding Students)
$66,250
$66,900
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
(Day Students)
$23,950
$36,000
Tuition international students
$66,250
$57,650
% Students on Financial Aid
50%
40%
Admissions
Application Deadline
Feb. 15 / rolling
Jan. 15
Average Percentile SSAT
75%
-
Acceptance Rate
21%
64%
Director of Admissions
Joshua Labove, Ph.D.
AP / Advanced Courses
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
26
18
Courses
AP Biology, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP Computer Sciences, AP English Language & Composition, AP English Literature & Composition, AP European History, AP German, AP Latin, AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP Physics "c", AP Spanish, AP Statistics, AP US Government, AP US History
Sports
# Interscholastic Sports Offered
19
16
Sports
Extracurriculars
Total Extracurricular Organizations
19
23
Extracurriculars
Club or Organization:
Animal Lovers, Bowling & Billiards, Ecology Club, Forensics Club, Junior Classical League, Model UN, PEACE - Diversity Celebration, Ping Pong Club, Robotics Team, Student Government, Thespian Society
Arts and Music Programs:
Dramatics, Handbell, Literary Magazine, Pep Band, Solo & Ensemble
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Backpacking Club, Club Hockey, Rock Wall
Animal Lovers, Bowling & Billiards, Ecology Club, Forensics Club, Junior Classical League, Model UN, PEACE - Diversity Celebration, Ping Pong Club, Robotics Team, Student Government, Thespian Society
Arts and Music Programs:
Dramatics, Handbell, Literary Magazine, Pep Band, Solo & Ensemble
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Backpacking Club, Club Hockey, Rock Wall
College Matriculation
Year: 2009 - 2011
10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled)
University of Wisconsin - Madison
12
University of Minnesota
6
St. Olaf College
5
Northwestern University
4
Boston University
3
Lake Forest College
3
Ripon College
2
Univ. of Wisconsin-Platteville
2
Wellesley College
2
Grinnell College
1
School Notes
- Writing Initiative; as cross-curricular as possible.
- Model U.N.
- Forensics (Conference Champions!)
- Sixty-five acre campus located in a nice and safe community that offers an extraordinary amount of resources that enhances a student's experience.
- A student body from "down the street, across the country, and around the world."
- 100% college/university students are accepted into a college of their choice.
- A STEAM program that offers multiple lab spaces.
- An observatory located in the science department.
- Wayland Academy accreditations: Independent School Association of the Central States (ISACS) and the North Central Association (NCA)
- Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- George E. Taylor - 1879. First African-American to run for the office of President of the United States.
- Zona Gale - 1891. First woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1921), for "Miss Lola Bett."
- Addie Joss - 1898. Pitcher; Cleveland Naps (AL); Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Ned Merriam - 1905. Competed at the 1908 London Olympics (400 Meters); coached track & field at: Iowa State, Texas A&M, DePauw, Yale, and U. of Chicago. Football & Track athlete at Chicago (coached by Amos Alonzo Stagg).
- Raymond Patterson - 1940. President/G.M., Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks (NBA), and Wayland Academy.
- Susan Peterson - 1963. First female TV correspondent assigned to the White House; Communications Consultant.
- Rick Fliehr - 1968. Professional wrestler (as Rick "Nature Boy" Flair).
- Mikki Hebl, PhD - 1987. Professor, Rice University; Motivational Speaker.
- Uzma Samadani, MD, PhD - 1988. Neurosurgeon, researcher, Manhattan Veterans' Hospital
- Kira Salak - 1989. Traveler, author, contributing editor to National Geographic
Source: Verified school update
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Wayland Academy cost?
Wayland Academy's tuition is approximately $66,250 for boarding students and $23,950 for day students.
What is the acceptance rate of Wayland Academy?
The acceptance rate of Wayland Academy is 21%, which is lower than the boarding school average of 64%. Wayland Academy's acceptance rate is ranked as one of the top boarding schools with low acceptance rates.
Who are famous alumni from Wayland Academy?
Wayland Academy famous alumni include: George E. Taylor, Zona Gale, Addie Joss, Ned Merriam, Raymond Patterson, Susan Peterson, Rick Fliehr, Mikki Hebl, PhD, Uzma Samadani, MD, PhD and Kira Salak.
What sports does Wayland Academy offer?
Wayland Academy offers 19 interscholastic sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cheering, Climbing, Crew, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Swimming and Diving, Tennis, Track, Track and Field, Volleyball and Wrestling.
What is Wayland Academy's ranking?
Wayland Academy ranks among the top 20 boarding schools for Low acceptance rates, High # of AP/advanced courses offered, High SSAT scores and High ACT scores.
When is the application deadline for Wayland Academy?
The application deadline for Wayland 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
I liked Wayland Academy because there are many students from different backgrounds. At school I was able to create friendships with my classmates from South Korea, Japan, China, and 28 more countries. They introduced me. . .
Wayland is a college-prep boarding school in the Midwest. That is not seen very often. Wisconsin only has 2 other boarding schools, and one being a Christian School, the other being a military school. That. . .
The school encompasses many of the qualities associated with the midwest. If you go to a restaurant nearby or order delivery on a semiweekly basis, the business will know you by name. The. . .
Show more reviews (1 review)
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The nearest boarding school to Wayland Academy is St. John's Northwestern Academies (34.5 miles away)
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