Choate Rosemary Hall

Choate follows an American college-preparatory high school programme rather than an external international curriculum such as the IB. Students build a strong core and then choose from a wide range of electives and honours courses. Eight Signature Programs add depth, including the Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies programme, the Global Engagement Program with term-long study abroad and travel experiences, the John F. Kennedy '35 Program in Government and Public Service, the Science Research Program and the residential Environmental Immersion Program. An American Studies course links US literature and history, and a postgraduate year is available for students who have finished high school.

Choate is a high school only. It enrols students in four forms, from grade 9 (Third Form) to grade 12 (Sixth Form), and also accepts a small number of postgraduate students who have already completed high school and spend an additional year of college preparation on campus. Main entry points are grade 9 and grade 10, with limited places in grade 11 and the postgraduate year. Students can apply as boarders or, if they live within commuting distance, as day students.

Choate's mission rests on two linked priorities: a demanding academic programme and the development of character in a residential community where teachers and students live and learn together. The school wants students to think critically, communicate clearly, develop a global perspective and pursue their own interests to a high level. Honesty, integrity, teamwork, generosity and compassion are named as core values, alongside service to the community and preparation for leadership. The school describes its approach as a dynamic balance between academics, arts, athletics and personal growth.

The campus in Wallingford combines historic and modern buildings. Academic facilities include the Andrew Mellon Library, the Paul Mellon Humanities Center, the LEED Gold Lanphier Center for mathematics and computer science with its i.d.Lab, and the LEED Platinum Kohler Environmental Center with three laboratories, a research greenhouse, gardens and a solar array. The arts are housed in the Paul Mellon Arts Center and in Colony Hall, with a performance hall, recital hall and dance studio, plus ceramics, jewelry and photography studios. Sports facilities include the Worthington Johnson Athletic Center, a 25-metre pool, an ice rink, 14 tennis courts, a running track and several turf fields.

Students are supported by faculty advisers who stay with them over several years, by grade-level deans and by trained student prefects. A staffed Health Center with a doctor, nurses and counsellors is available around the clock, and safety officers patrol the campus 24 hours a day. The Teaching and Learning Center offers coaching in study skills and arranges accommodations for students with documented learning differences. The school meets the full demonstrated financial need of admitted families, offers scholar programmes for gifted students and runs summer academic and arts programmes.

Most students board at Choate and live in residential houses supervised by faculty and staff who also teach and coach. Ninth graders live in dedicated dormitories, fourth and fifth formers usually spend two consecutive years in the same house, and seniors and postgraduates have their own residences. Study hours, lights-out times and student prefects help younger boarders adapt to life away from home, while weekend activities keep the campus busy. Day students, mostly from the surrounding counties, can stay on campus until curfew and join weekend events.

Athletics are part of daily life, with more than 65 varsity, junior varsity and thirds teams. Sports include baseball, basketball, crew, cross country, football, golf, field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, squash, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, volleyball, water polo, wrestling, archery, sailing and ultimate frisbee. Non-competitive options include yoga, rock climbing, hiking, kayaking, dance and strength training. In the arts there are orchestras, wind and jazz ensembles, choruses and a cappella groups, three main-stage theatre productions a year and a dance company. Clubs range from Model UN, robotics, mock trial, debate and chess to programming and cultural societies.