United States · Lakeville, Connecticut · Founded 1891
The Hotchkiss School
A working farm, a lake with sailing, an environmental ethic and academic results among the best in the country.
The character
Hotchkiss is the rural academic: a lake for rowing and sailing, a farm that supplies the dining hall, a music programme of conservatory standard and a college placement list to match Andover. The community is small and close, the setting is spectacular and the school takes sustainability seriously.
Good for
Outdoor academics, musicians, families who want a small school
Less suited to
Children who need a city
Getting in
Application by 15 January, SSAT, essays, interview; admission rate around 15 percent. Entry at grades 9 to 11.
What it costs in total
At about $ 75,000 a year for boarding, the 4 years from 14 to 18 add up to roughly €309,000 in today’s money including typical extras, before fee increases, tutoring and flights. The Education Cost Calculator adds inflation, extras and a second child.
Fees are rounded 2025/26 figures from the school’s own schedule and change every year. The school’s current fee sheet prevails. The picture is an impression of the setting, not a photograph of the campus.
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