Deerfield
students thrive and flourish in a community of respect and care for one another.
Friendships are forged
in our dorms, on our fields and performance stages,
and in our classrooms.
It’s about the quality of our advising, mentoring, coaching, and teaching— the quality of the relationships we create with students across every interaction.
If you seek to experience joy in learning within a unique community,
Deerfield is the place for you.
from the head of school / john austin, Ph.D.
Choosing a school is one of the most meaningful decisions a family can make. At Deerfield, we see it as a partnership—one built on trust, shared values, and a commitment to helping you grow in confidence, character, and knowledge. We recognize that the high school years are one of the most pivotal periods in a young person’s life, and at Deerfield, that time is truly life-defining.
Here are some of the reasons—essential to our students’ transformative experience—that illustrate why Deerfield is a place like no other.
A Culture of Intellectual Openness
We believe in fostering classrooms grounded in curiosity, inquiry, and pluralism. In a polarized world, our commitment is to creating spaces where students learn to listen generously, assume good faith, and embrace complexity. This commitment is evident in everything from our core academic program to immersive experiences such as our global and domestic travel programs.
A Schedule Designed for Learning and Balance
Our daily schedule includes Community Time and longer class periods, reducing the number of classes students prepare for each evening. This allows for deeper engagement with teachers, more creative assessments, and space for concentration and reflection. From advanced courses in AI ethics and data science to the art of political argument and behavioral economics, our curriculum challenges students to think boldly, deeply, and to engage in dialogue across difference.
A Thoughtful Approach to Technology
We are intentional in how we shape a culture that encourages face-to-face connection. Our “heads-up” philosophy means that phones are put away during the academic day and discouraged in public spaces, and we focus on the things that truly matter: real conversations, time in nature, sleep, play, and deep learning.
Meals That Sustain Community
Our new dining hall, opening in January of 2026, is designed to continue a cherished Deerfield tradition: sit-down, family-style meals. These shared moments foster meaningful relationships across grades and backgrounds. Students take turns serving and cleaning up alongside faculty, and over time, they sit with hundreds of peers they might not otherwise meet. In many ways, our dining hall is our greatest classroom.
A Remarkable Faculty
John McPhee ’49, Deerfield graduate and celebrated writer, once described our long-serving Headmaster Frank Boyden’s ideal faculty as “a group of people much in evidence all of the time.” That perfectly captures today’s faculty presence and dedication. The adults in our community are deeply engaged, modeling empathy, optimism, and a love of learning that extends far beyond the classroom. Their investment in each student’s growth is what makes our community so powerful. And with approximately 650 students, Deerfield is large enough to offer extraordinary opportunities across academics, athletics, and the arts— yet small enough to ensure that every student is truly known and seen.
An Unmistakable School Spirit
At Deerfield, school spirit means students supporting, cheering for, and lifting each other up. Our weekends are full of life—athletic events, performances, and lots of spontaneity—ensuring the energy of our campus carries through all seven days of the week.
So as you consider your options, know that Deerfield is more than a school for the next one, two, three or four years. It is a place that stays with you for a lifetime. We look forward to learning more about you, and to the possibility of welcoming you into our dynamic and joyful community.
joinconversation. the A place to
Imagine joining a spirited conversation with multiple perspectives. You listen carefully until you understand the nature of the debate and your individual point of view. You jump in, building on what’s been said and taking the discussion into another dimension. You finish speaking and move along as the exchange continues, eager to join the next conversation you encounter.
The Deerfield curriculum celebrates this spirit of exploration and inquiry. Your teachers and classmates will invite you into animated discussions of complex topics, affirming and challenging your observations and fueling your curiosity. There are endless new ideas to discover, new opportunities to grow, and new chances to connect with others in meaningful, positive ways.
conversation.
This is your time to explore—and at Deerfield, you can study virtually every aspect of human endeavor. You’ll push yourself to try new things, and never be afraid to speak up. Deerfield’s classrooms are a learning laboratory where you’ll unearth new interests, develop your existing skills, and ask great questions.
Here are some of the major topics across our eight academic departments that feed our students’ curiosity.
MONDAY
period 1 (8:30-10:00)
Community Time (10:05-10:50)
period 2 (10:55-12:25)
Sit-down Lunch (12:40-1:15)
period 3 (1:20-2:50)
Flex Time (2:55-3:40)
Cocurricular Activities (3:45-6:00) Dinner (5:30-7:00)
Club & Alliance Meetings (6:45-7:45)
Study Hall (7:45-9:45)
Dorm Snacks
(9:45-10:15)
TUESDAY period 4 (8:30-10:00)
Extra Help (10:05-10:50) period 5 (10:55-12:25)
Advisory Lunch (12:40-1:15)
period 6 (1:20-2:50)
Flex Time (2:55-3:40)
Cocurricular Activities (3:45-5:45)
Sit-down Dinner (6:15-6:45)
Club & Alliance Meetings (6:45-7:45)
Study Hall (7:45-9:45)
Dorm Snacks (9:45-10:15)
WEDNESDAY period 1 (8:30-9:30) School Meeting (9:40-10:20) period 2 (10:25-11:25) period 3 (11:30-12:30) Lunch (12:35-1:30)
Cocurricular Activities, Interscholastic Competitions & Events (1:35-5:30) Dinner (5:30-7:00) Study Hall (7:45-9:45)
Dorm Snacks (9:45-10:15)
THURSDAY
period 4 (8:30-10:00)
Community Time (10:05-10:50)
period 5 (10:55-12:25)
Sit-down Lunch (12:40-1:15) period 6 (1:20-2:50)
Flex Time (2:55-3:40)
Cocurricular Activities (3:45-6:00)
Sit-down Dinner (6:15-6:45)
Club & Alliance Meetings (6:45-7:45)
Study Hall (7:45-9:45)
Dorm Snacks (9:45-10:15)
FRIDAY period 1 (8:30-10:00)
Advisory Time (10:05-10:50) period 2 (10:55-12:25)
Sit-down Lunch (12:40-1:15) period 3 (1:20-2:50)
Flex Time (2:55-3:40)
Cocurricular Activities (3:45-6:00) Dinner (5:30-7:00)
Weekend Activities & Events
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
visual and performing arts
Break the mold
Do you dream in watercolor? Relevé en pointe? Long for the bright lights of the stage? Whether you’re a seasoned performer or just beginning to discover your creative side, Deerfield is the place to be.
Here, we want you to try new things. Our teachers—many of whom are practicing artists— will guide your exploration and encourage your self-expression. From Beethoven and ballet to Banksy, every student takes at least two terms of visual and performing arts, providing boundless opportunities to develop your skills or discover new passions.
Beyond the classroom, the arts energize and engage our campus community. On a typical weekend, you can catch fellow students exhibiting their artwork in the von Auersperg Gallery or performing a solo in the Wachsman Concert Hall—or both—as friends and classmates cheer them on. Come join them, and let your imagination take flight!
Stephen Hannock ’70 came to Deerfield with the intention of playing ice hockey, but ended up discovering a passion for the arts. He went on to lead a successful career as a painter, winning an Academy Award for “Special Visual Effects” for the film What Dreams May Come
Make your mark
Whether you tap into your creativity in the studio or on the stage, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to make your mark as an artist.
Flying colors
Deerfield’s visual arts curriculum is designed for both emerging and advanced artists. Courses and cocurriculars encompass a wide range of media and forms, including drawing, painting, photography, graphic design, architecture, and videography. Whether painting a self-portrait, analyzing photographs that demonstrate human impact on the natural world, or designing the home of the future in one of our inspiring studio spaces, you’ll engage with meaningful topics and learn to express complex emotions and ideas visually.
Take to the stage
At Deerfield, you can choose from dozens of performing arts classes focused on dance, theater, and music. Students also benefit from individual coaching and mentorship as they learn to express themselves through voice and movement. Whether practicing a monologue with your acting teacher, performing “I Want You Back” with the Advanced Vocal Ensemble, or participating in a master class with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, students at all levels of experience benefit from the thoughtful guidance of our talented faculty and diverse visiting artists.
Deerfield offers more than 50 immersive courses in the visual and performing arts.
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
Studio Production
How is music produced and recorded? What path does a song take from the time it’s composed until it slides into your ears? This course will help you answer those questions, putting you directly in the recording studio, where you’ll learn about every aspect of production. Once you understand those foundational techniques, you’ll start doing that work yourself, handling every aspect of pre-production, recording, editing, and mixing.
Imagine your next artistic pursuit while looking through our course list.
Leave no page unturned
Although your English classes typically take place on campus, you’ll travel to places and perspectives far beyond the Pioneer Valley through readings and discussions.
In some of your classes, your surroundings will be the subject. River and Rock, for example, examines the local—and literary—landscape of Western Massachusetts throughout the seasons, combining selected readings with excursions to the Deerfield River and the Pocumtuck Ridge. In
all of your courses—which take place around discussion tables with other engaged learners guided by passionate teachers—you’ll master your writing skills and develop your expertise in literary analysis.
Author John McPhee ’49 wrote the definitive book on Frank L. Boyden, Deerfield Academy headmaster from 1902 to 1968. Mr. McPhee’s 32 other books include the Pulitzer Prize-winning Annals of the Former World.
Master your writing skills and achieve new levels of excellence in literary analysis.
SAMPLE COURSES
American Dreams
American Echoes
American Ghost Stories
Black Women’s Writing
The Reading and Writing Workshop
Future Shock: Contemporary Literature
Growing Up Girl
In the American Grain
Inside Out: Coming to Terms With Climate Change
Literature of Passing
Lost in Translation
Mystery, Madness, and Lies
Voices and Visions of Justice
Writer’s Craft
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
The Reading and Writing Workshop
In “The Workshop,” students engage with stages of the work of writing every time they meet. Through the patient, earnest practice of a year’s writing intensive, this course focuses traditional humanistic habits: seminar discussion, close reading, an expansive and iterative writing process, and peer and instructor critique toward the shared pursuit of meaning in critical and imaginative reading, thinking, and writing. This shared practice foregrounds revision at every step between informal response and final, considered drafting. It begins with attentive sentences and paragraphs. It results in discerning arguments.
You will immerse yourself in a space where experimentation, play, imagination, curiosity, listening, feedback, work process, and eventual mastery of form take priority. In The Workshop, you’ll feel and understand the connections between reading and thinking, thinking and writing, writing and reading through experience and shared conversation, and by the end of the year, you’ll be a skilled critical thinker and writer whose voice belongs in a wider community of thinkers and writers.
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
Voices and Visions of Justice
In this ninth-grade class, you’ll consider what an equitable society looks like, exploring lives and dilemmas depicted across a variety of literary genres. You’ll hone your writing style as you learn the fundamentals of English grammar, mechanics, and punctuation, all of which will complement the readings we complete as a class. Finally, you’ll deliver a literary reading and participate in a poetry contest.
Read more in the full course catalog for English.
“I pursued a boarding school education because I wanted to be in an environment that would push me. Deerfield is where I learned to believe in myself.”
STAGES OF DEERFIELD
During her first term at Deerfield, when Lily saw her schoolmates perform a production of Neil Simon’s satire Rumors, she found the actors’ comedic chemistry irresistible. Inspired, she auditioned for the next term’s play, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and was cast in a leading role as a ninth grader. “Our theater director sat me down and said, ‘This is your home,’” Lily remembers.
Offstage, Lily jumps into everything Deerfield has to offer—serving on the board of the Page Turners book club, making poetry selections for Albany Road, and singing with an a cappella group. In her English courses, she always sees an opportunity to hone her performance skills, like when she’s presenting a declamation in her Defining Literary Traditions class. “Through acting, I’ve learned to deliver every line with a clear motive,” she says.
Lily will be attending The Juilliard School in the fall!
LILY’S CLASS SCHEDULE
The Worlds We Build
Sun Tzu to Suicide Bombers
Acting and Directing for Stage 2
Precalculus and Statistics
Spanish 4
Acting Studio
Topics in Psychology
Writing as a Prof. Critic
CLUBS & ACTIVITIES
Theater (acting)
Deerfield Night Live (sketch comedy)
Page Turners (book club/literacy advocacy group)
The Reme-D’s (a cappella group)
Albany Road (literary magazine)
Speech and Debate
Be well
At Deerfield, you’ll be supported by teachers and mentors who focus not only on your academic success, but also on your health and well-being—a core value of our mission and curriculum.
Health and wellness classes will help you discover and practice habits of self-care, including stress management, nutrition, fitness, and mindfulness. They will also inspire you to look beyond yourself—challenging you to examine how different dimensions of health are influenced by the systems that surround us.
Courses focused on health and wellness are a requirement for your first two years at Deerfield. Alongside your peers and teachers, you’ll explore complex topics with the goal of enhancing your knowledge, strength, and resilience. Certain topics, such as relationships and sexuality, are covered in greater detail during the second year of health class in your tenth-grade year.
Deerfield’s Fitness Center offers spinning, Pilates, and yoga classes as extracurricular activities.
Learn more
Whether you’re discussing the effects of social media on mental health or writing a paper that explores substance use in the context of systemic racism, your health courses will encourage you to explore and deconstruct a wide range of concepts that influence health and wellness.
CENTER YOURSELF
SEMINAR HIGHLIGHT
Health Seminar 1
In this ninth-grade class , you’ll receive an introduction to the foundations of mental and physical health, healthy relationships, and substance use. You’ll examine specific mental illnesses, discussing the effects of nutrition, social media, and substance abuse on mental wellness. Additionally, you’ll learn how to access the robust network of supporting services available at Deerfield.
A team of professionals provides Deerfield students with comprehensive health care and counseling services at the D.S. Chen Health and Wellness Center. Staffed by a full-time physician, a nurse practitioner, and by registered nurses who are on duty 24/7, the Chen Center is well equipped to care for a majority of illnesses and injuries common to students. In the Counseling Center, you will find a team of licensed professional staff members specializing in adolescent mental health and dedicated to students’ emotional health, well-being, and resiliency.
Examine health and wellness classes in the course catalog.
Examine how different dimensions of health are influenced by the systems that surround you.
Uncover the past
Investigate the intertwined story of technology and democracy. Dive into the major achievements of women in sports history.
Connect European conflicts of the 20 th century to the forces impacting today’s geopolitical landscape.
Topics such as these, and many others, serve as the focus of Deerfield’s History and Social Science Department. In your study of the past, you’ll discover the perspectives of diverse historians and social scientists, and use varied media—from documentary films to popular music—to wrestle with ethical questions and develop novel research projects.
Your teachers, who have extensive knowledge in their subjects, will illuminate the actions and events of various eras in engaging, seminar-style courses. Through this thoughtful examination of the past, you’ll learn how to identify and contextualize the visible and unseen forces shaping our world today.
Deerfield Academy traces its roots to 1797, when Massachusetts Governor Samuel Adams granted a charter to found a school in the Town of Deerfield.
Stepping onto Deerfield’s campus is entering a world of possibilities—just ask Justin.
As associate editor of The Deerfield Scroll, Justin has published op-eds on subjects ranging from political tolerance to national elections. His tenure as vice president of the Speech and Debate club has taken him as far away as South Africa, where he placed in the top 10 percent of finalists in the World Debating Championships.
And that’s just the beginning. Justin also volunteers at a food distribution program in a neighboring town and competes on the basketball team. His passion for his history courses is reflected in his cocurriculars; as a member of Deerfield’s theater program, he wrote and produced a play on Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite. “I love this community,” Justin says. “We’re all an integral part of what makes Deerfield distinctive.”
“ The best part of Speech and Debate is the social element. We meet people from all over the world at conferences and competitions. The goal is never to crush the opposition—it’s to learn and improve alongside each other.”
JUSTIN’S CLASS SCHEDULE
Honors Biology 1
American Voices
Multivariable Calculus & Differential Equations
Chinese 5 Honors
Honors United States History
U.S. China Relations (fall and winter)
CLUBS & ACTIVITIES
The Deerfield Scroll
Speech and Debate Club
Theater (writing)
Basketball
Center for Service and Global Citizenship
• Travel to Washington, DC: Stories to Learn; Stories to be Told
• Activism and Leadership through the Lens of the American Civil Rights Movement
Identify and contextualize the visible and unseen forces shaping our world today.
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
Civics and Government
How can we act responsibly within the political communities of which we are a part? How can we cultivate our own civic identities and bridge differences in values in our pluralistic world? This course examines the historical development and modern manifestations of citizens’ rights and responsibilities in different political structures. Case studies from inside the United States and around the globe will empower you to understand how political frameworks at different levels of government make possible public participation.
Through the analysis of sources such as foundational national documents and critical political commentary produced over a long history of informed civic debate, you will study the organization and functions of electoral government, the rule of law, duties and privileges of citizenship, and the historical role of compromise in shaping democratic systems. Then you will apply this content to analyze current events playing out in real time, learning not only how to be a historical commentator, but also how to practice the art of expressive freedom as you discuss political questions and controversies.
SAMPLE COURSES
Ancient Civilizations
The Art of Political Argument
Asia in World History
Big History
Campaigns and Elections
Documentary Filmmaking
Gender in Sport
History of Opium
History of Capitalism
Civics and Government
Politics and Science of Memory
Protest and American Culture
Technology and Democracy
Understanding the Holocaust War, Ideology, and Revolution
Witchcraft in the Atlantic World
Discover more by exploring the full list of our History and Social Science Department courses.
Learn the language
Deerfield’s robust Language Department offers instruction in four modern languages—Chinese, French, Arabic, and Spanish—and two classical languages—Greek and Latin. Whichever language (or languages!) you decide to study, you’ll bolster your proficiency alongside your cultural literacy.
Learning a language is a challenging and rewarding process that demands engagement, flexibility, collaboration, and patience. If you strive to pursue advanced courses, several of our classes in both modern and classical languages will prepare you for the appropriate Advanced Placement Language Examinations, and progressive immersion is the norm in Arabic, Chinese, French, and Spanish.
All new students are required to take a language placement test to determine an appropriate class. If you’ve already taken a language that you wish to continue studying at Deerfield, that placement test will determine what level class you should join.
Among many opportunities, the Center for Service and Global Citizenship sponsors language-focused trips, in which students are immersed in the culture and language of a host family.
Communicate in new ways
Modern Languages
At Deerfield, learning a modern language goes far beyond memorizing vocabulary and conjugating verbs. You’ll immerse yourself in the culture, history, and traditions that enrich languages while building your multilingual proficiency—a vital skill in an increasingly global world. Whether you’re breaking the fast at the end of Ramadan with your Arabic teacher or debating the politics of el mundo hispanohablente contemporaneo, you’ll discover what it means to converse, argue, joke, and even dream in another language. Courses emphasize oral proficiency, competency in written expression, and cultural literacy.
SAMPLE COURSES
Arabic 1–5
Chinese 1–7
Enquete Culturelle
French 1–7
Spanish 1–7
Spanish for Heritage Speakers
STUDY ABROAD
A bridge between cultures
Teachers will encourage you to take advantage of our travel and study abroad programs through the Center for Service and Global Citizenship, where your proficiency in Chinese, French, Arabic, and Spanish languages will come in handy in countries such as Singapore, France, Jordan, and Colombia.
Breathe life into ancient texts
Classical Languages
The study of Greek and Latin is a critical part of Deerfield’s heritage; both languages have been taught here since our founding in 1797, and although some associate classical languages with a distant past, you’ll quickly discover that they’re very much alive in our Classical Studies Program.
In your courses, you’ll explore the ancient Greeks and Romans and learn how their legacy continues to influence modern culture. Outside of class, you’ll come face to face with Roman history and culture through the program’s biennial trip to Italy, which includes visits to Roman, Etruscan, and Greek museums and archeological sites.
SAMPLE COURSES
Eat Like a Roman
Greek 1: Foundations in Ancient Greek
Latin 4: Leadership and Empire
Latin 5 Honors: Survey of Latin Literature
Seminar: Sanskrit and Indian Literature
The study of classics is as much about self-discovery as mastery: By learning the heritage of Greece and Rome, we come to know essential aspects of our history and ourselves. If you have an interest in the classics, Deerfield is the place to be.
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
Latin 4: Leadership and Empire “Fléctere si néqueo súperos Acheronta movebo” (“If I cannot move heaven, I will raise hell”). Explore the ethics of leadership and the burden of empire through the lens of Virgil’s epic Aeneid, one of the most enduring monuments of Roman civilization and a profound meditation on the human condition. In this advanced course, you’ll put your knowledge of Latin to the test—engaging directly with the text and interrogating the values surrounding classical literature.
Immerse yourself in our Language Department’s course catalog.
Solve problems
You’ll master diverse mathematical concepts at Deerfield, in courses ranging from geometry and precalculus to more advanced fields of study.
And you won’t go it alone. You’ll collaborate with classmates to untangle various problems and projects, working together to learn and probe the mysteries of binomial formulas and power functions. Your teachers will guide your understanding of exciting new concepts, from differential equations to the Fundamental
Theorem. If you’re interested in furthering your studies with college-level courses, we offer Advanced Placement classes in calculus and statistics. Throughout every lesson, you’ll develop the knowledge and skills that will enable you to solve problems and communicate your solutions clearly.
Statistically speaking, if 23 people are in the Louis Café, there is a 50% chance two of them will have the same birthday.
The answer awaits.
SAMPLE COURSES
Calculus
Data Science Senior Capstone
Geometry
Linear Algebra
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
Calculus
Calculus, the study of continuous change, is the foundation for a broad range of higher-level courses. Students are introduced to fundamental concepts such as limits, derivatives, and integrals, which are crucial for understanding more advanced mathematical topics. Teachers emphasize analytical thinking and problemsolving skills throughout the class, helping students break down complex problems into smaller, manageable components, then illustrating how to apply mathematical techniques to find solutions. As students learn more about the subject, they develop their confidence, expand their creative thinking, and apply their knowledge to real-world examples in the course.
Multivariable Calculus and Differential Equations
Precalculus and Statistics
Special Topics
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
Data Science Senior Capstone
Are you interested in using data sets to tell stories? Are you curious to learn why the field of data science is growing across so many industries? Do you want to design and execute a data project that aligns with your interests in social justice, environmentalism, or another real-world issue? If you answered yes to any of those questions, this is the capstone for you. You’ll learn to analyze the patterns in data, apply methods of data collection and sampling, and perform statistical analysis on data sets. The course culminates in a capstone project where you’ll use data analysis to explore a topic of interest, crunch the numbers using computational software, and present your findings to the class.
Calculate your future class schedule by checking out our full list of math courses.
THE PATH TO DEERFIELD
Lucia first learned about boarding schools in seventh grade during an event at her middle school in Chicago. That day sparked her curiosity, and in the following months, research, tours, and reflection ultimately led her to Deerfield. “What stood out to me is how deeply rooted Deerfield is in tradition, while still feeling so fresh and enthusiastic,” she shares. “There’s something really special about the culture here—sit-down meals, our heads-up campus, school meetings— it’s unlike anywhere else.”
Inside the classroom, Lucia finds herself most inspired by her Big History course. “It’s completely shifted the way I think—on both a massive and microscopic scale,” she says. The blend of discussion-based learning and diverse texts— from early political philosophy to critiques of modern consumerism—has helped her develop a stronger voice and wider perspective.
Outside of the classroom, Lucia is deeply engaged in campus life. She plays volleyball, basketball, and tennis; sings with the Rhapso-Ds and chorus, performs with the jazz band, and serves as an Associate Editor for The Scroll. She also serves on the “EcoReps” and Center for Service and Global Citizenship boards, and is active in the dance program. “There’s a wonderful rhythm to life here,” she says. “People are serious about what they care about, but they also know how to have fun. I’ve found so much joy in the creativity, the friendships, and the chance to grow alongside such passionate, talented people.”
LUCIA’S CLASS SCHEDULE
Big History
Geometry A
Physics 1A
Band
Latin 1: Foundations
English: Voices and Visions of Justice
CLUBS & ACTIVITIES
Volleyball, Basketball, and Tennis
Theater
Dance
Associate Editor for The Scroll
EcoReps
CSGC (Center for Service and Global Citizenship)
Rhapso-Ds
Choir
Jazz Band (guitar!)
“I was drawn to boarding school because I wanted to be surrounded by people who loved learning, performing, and competing as much as I do. Deerfield stood out from the beginning— for its energy, its sense of tradition, and its joy.”
Look within
Deerfield encourages you to ask great questions—to study unfamiliar modes of thinking and being, and to look deep within yourself. These exercises in mindfulness and the pursuit of knowledge lie at the heart of our Philosophy and Religion Department’s mission, where you’ll encounter courses and teachers that will stimulate your curiosity as never before.
The department’s curriculum examines the past, present, and future of human ideas and beliefs. You’ll investigate the centuries-old foundations of various cultures, such as the core tenets of Dharmic religions. You’ll also contemplate the forces shaping life today and tomorrow, such as the ethical implications of artificial intelligence.
Ninth- and tenth-grade level courses address the foundations of ethical decision-making and the role of religion in Eastern and Western cultures. Junior- and senior-level courses explore philosophical and religious ideas in greater depth, investigating their connection to modern cultures and political issues worldwide.
On the third floor of the Main School Building, you will find a quiet, non-denominational space for prayer or meditation.
See beyond
Sometimes you’ll exchange the classroom setting for the fields and woods surrounding our campus, as your teachers and classmates discuss how climate change will redefine our world, or explore the settings of Indigenous spiritual traditions in Western Massachusetts.
Throughout your studies, you’ll never shy away from asking big questions—or attempting to answer them. In the process, you may come to see the world—and your place within it— in an entirely new light.
SAMPLE COURSES
Ethics
Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
Inside Out: Coming to Terms With Climate Change Mind, Meaning and Reality
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
Ethics
What’s “the right thing to do?” How do you define “right” and “wrong?” In this course, you’ll explore and investigate your own moral reasoning while assessing the strengths and weaknesses of major ethical theories. Alongside your classmates, you’ll grapple with the ideas of Plato, Aristotle, Mill, Kant, and Hobbes, and apply their theories to everyday situations in your own life.
Search for answers in all our philosophy and religion course offerings.
Native American Spirituality Philosophy of Art Philosophy of Happiness
Political Philosophy
Religions of the World: Dharmic
Follow the science
Interested in learning how to code? Curious about the roots of medicine or chemical engineering? Fascinated by the worlds revealed through a microscope? All of the above?
At Deerfield, you will use an experiment and inquiry-based approach in your science classes, and follow a physics, chemistry, and biology core sequence. After that? Dive into exciting new areas of study, such as computer science and mechanical engineering. Your teachers will give you a problem and the tools to solve it—the rest is up to you.
When searching for a scientific breakthrough, collaboration and active participation are key. Whether you’re converting a vehicle with an internal combustion engine to electrical power, designing an interactive website from scratch, or collecting samples from the Deerfield River for an environmental science project, your classmates will be active participants in your lab assignments, research projects, and presentations.
The roof of our science building (the Koch Center) is covered in sedum, a large genus of flowering plants.
Your teachers will give you a problem and the tools to solve it—the rest is up to you.
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
Electric Vehicle Engineering
The electric car represents the future of automobile travel. Let’s take a look under the hood: In this course, you’ll spend the year learning about an electric vehicle’s inner workings through a hands-on process of deconstruction, design, and reconstruction. The goal: converting a vehicle with an internal combustion engine to run on electrical power. Along the way, you’ll add helpful phrases like gear ratios, thermodynamics, and variable resistors to your vocabulary.
COURSE HIGHLIGHT
Intro to Computer Science*
SAMPLE COURSES
Anatomy and Physiology
Biology
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Computer Science
Data Structures and Algorithms
Digital Logic and Computer
Architecture
Electric Vehicle Engineering
Environmental Science
Immunology and Disease
Intro to Computer Science
Mechanical Engineering
Molecules and Energy
Physics
Web Design
Knowledge of computer science is increasingly relevant across a wide range of industries. In this two-term course, students learn the elements of coding. They are equipped with a basic understanding of the world of technology and logical algorithmic thinking. They are introduced to core concepts and principles of programming, which are applied to different platforms and languages as they complete more complex programming exercises. The course stresses an analytical approach with an emphasis on independent problem solving.
Investigate all our science and computer science course offerings.
“When I arrived here, I felt for the first time in my life that I could truly be myself.”
DOWN TO A (COMPUTER) SCIENCE
For Myles, Deerfield is about participating in as many activities as possible rather than sticking to one specialty or niche. In his first three terms, Myles has tried his hand at theatrical tech, recreational basketball, and track and field. He finds Deerfield courses both reflect his eclectic interests and teach him vital new skills; this year, he learned to code in his Intro to Computer Science course. Myles is also a member of the Deerfield Men of Color Alliance, where peers chose him for a leadership position. “You learn from the help you receive,” Myles explains. “And the Deerfield community is extremely accepting— through things like sit-down meals and cocurriculars, I’m constantly making new friends, interacting with my teachers, and excelling in things I never would have even attempted before.”
MYLES’ CLASS SCHEDULE
Intro to Computer Science (fall and winter)
Geometry 202
Chemistry 1
Spanish 1
Defining Literary Traditions
Writer’s Craft (fall)
Health Seminar 2 (winter)
Ethics (spring)
CLUBS & ACTIVITIES
Deerfield Men of Color Alliance
Speech and Debate
Theater (tech)
Basketball
Track and Field
Mentors included.
At Deerfield, faculty advisors play an integral role in students’ experiences. They are knowledgeable, caring mentors and sources of guidance and support for students and families alike throughout their time at the Academy.
To ensure frequent opportunities for relationship-building, new boarding students are paired with members of their faculty dorm teams, and new day students are paired with one of their classroom teachers. In mid-November of junior year, each student also adds a dedicated college advisor to their support team.
After their first year at Deerfield, students are paired with an advisor of their choosing. This approach acknowledges that important and meaningful relationships between students and faculty can develop across a range of contexts, from the theater to a sit-down table, and what matters most is a natural connection between student and advisor.
Advisors at Deerfield also serve as resources for parents and guardians. Advisors communicate with families about academic planning and extra-curricular opportunities; they engage with students and their families through challenges, successes, and celebrations, and chances are you’ll stay in touch long after Commencement.
This must be your place.
The years you spend in high school will be some of the most exciting, important, and rewarding of your life. At Deerfield, you’ll have the chance to make the absolute most of them. Whatever subjects captivate you, whatever questions intrigue you, whatever activities exhilarate you— you can pursue them here.
We look forward to telling you more about the
great adventure that awaits you.
As we’ve been saying, this is a special place.
This is life at Deerfield.
coming soon:
Unforgettable experiences.
Boarding school is a place where you learn not only classroom lessons but also important life lessons. It’s a time to ask big questions, explore new terrain, and come into your own. At Deerfield, you’ll participate in cherished traditions, discover new passions, forge forever friendships, and stay up late (but hopefully not too late) talking about your hopes and dreams.
All of these moments—your triumphs, setbacks, laughs, struggles, and breakthroughs—will be shared with the teachers and classmates who will accompany you on this life-changing journey. Deerfield is a place where you will be fully immersed in the life of the community, and play an active role in building that community.
Strike out on your own— but never alone.
1 YEAR
Hop on a “green machine” and head to Camp Greylock for some bonding with your new classmates
Move into the Ninth Grade Village: It’s specifically geared towards you and your classmates
Hike to the Rock for panoramic views of the Pioneer Valley
Dip your toes into a new sport
Create a class cheer and get ready to shout it out at School Meeting
Wade in the River: An iconic Deerfield landmark
YEAR
Speak up when you deliver your junior declamation
Step up and become a peer counselor
Connect ideas across your academic experience
Find new, little-known places to study on campus
Get great advice from College Advising
Get psyched for junior prom
YEAR
Enjoy special senior privileges
Exercise your leadership skills as a dorm proctor
Choose a spring elective with a teacher you never had before
Enjoy your final Winter Term
Claim the front row at School Meeting
Follow the bagpiper down Albany Road at Commencement
Deerfield is a place where we live our values.
Deerfield Academy is a round-the-clock experience for boarding and day students alike. At every moment, and in every corner of our campus, there are opportunities to connect, questions to ponder, and a stream of fun and engaging activities and events to join. Best of all, throughout that daily journey, you’ll be surrounded by people who know, challenge, value, and respect you.
Our Core Values are the touchstone for who we are as a community. They provide clarity around what we aspire to be and do as individuals and as a school. (If this is the first time you’re encountering Deerfield’s Core Values, trust us—it won’t be the last.) They will give you direction at times of uncertainty. They will serve as a reminder of why you’ve chosen to be here, and of the spirit that unites our diverse community.
As part of our community, you’ll be encouraged to share and celebrate all that you are—your passions, your dreams, your perspective. Our motto, “Be Worthy of Your Heritage,” invites you to make the most of the amazing and unique talents you possess, because every Deerfield student is connected to a broader community— and we all have a role to play in shaping a better, brighter future.
OUR CORE VALUES
• Citizenship in a spirit of humility, empathy, and responsibility
• Face-to-face interactions characterized by joy and generosity of spirit
• Connectedness to our unique setting and the contemporary world
• Reflection and balance promoting intellectual vitality and self-understanding
• Pursuit of mastery built on a foundation of breadth and versatility
• Shared experiences, large and small, as sources of relationships, identity, and community
Make yourself at home.
Deerfield’s campus is more than just a beautiful backdrop for your educational journey. It’s literally the core of our welcoming, tight-knit community, and it’s where we study, play, dream, debate, and learn together.
You’ll take many a stroll down Albany Road, deep in conversation with a classmate or a teacher as you make your way to the dining hall or your dorm. Our Main School Building will be home to your history classes, meetings with class deans, and traditions such as Winter Term’s Friday Cookies and Cocoa. At the Hess Center for the Arts, you’ll bring your creative visions to life in our art studios, photo labs, practice rooms, and performance spaces. And you’ll pass hours in the Boyden Library, studying with peers and researching projects.
Dive into the River on a warm (or chilly) spring morning. Catch up with friends around a fire pit, or find some solitude on a quiet walk around the Small Loop. Grab a froyo and fries at the Greer during a study break, or help lead your team to victory on one of the athletic fields on the Lower Level. And don’t forget to take that final hike to the Rock before Commencement.
A breathtaking hike to the Rock Cookies and Cocoa in the Main School Building
Boarding, yes. Boring, never.
There’s nothing like boarding school— and no better place than Deerfield to experience it. What you can expect:
For most students, Deerfield is their first boarding school experience. Here are a few things to know about living at Deerfield, many of which also apply to our day students, who are a critical part of our inclusive community. With the exception of going home to sleep (except maybe on weekends!), day students fully participate in all aspects of school life.
You’ll gain a sense of independence.
Boarding school will help you develop important skills and habits you’ll rely on throughout your life—from managing your time to doing your laundry. For Deerfield students, the immersive nature of on-campus living creates a host of benefits—learning from others, leaning on them when needed, and developing a sense of agency and self-advocacy.
Your sense of the world will expand.
Deerfield students come from 32 states and 44 countries. Living in community with individuals from such varied backgrounds and perspectives is an education in and of itself. You’ll learn how to value and respect difference and acquire skills that build empathy, leadership, and good decision making.
You’ll never go it alone.
Deerfield faculty serve as teachers, mentors, and coaches; they guide you at every step of the way, and every hour of the day. Over ninety percent of faculty live on campus, and most live in the dorms, where they provide students with the structure and caring support they need to thrive.
Our campus is the core of our welcoming, tight-knit community, where we study, play, dream, debate, and learn together.
Kindred spirits everywhere.
You won’t be idle. While Deerfield’s rural setting is a big part of its charm, there’s always a wealth of activities happening on campus. From student productions and sporting events to concerts and dodgeball tournaments, we know how to have fun and stay active. While you’re welcome to get away for the weekend, the vast majority of Deerfield students prefer to stay on campus at the heart of the action.
You’ll eat well. Sit-down meals are an important and enduring Deerfield tradition. Everyone in the community —students, teachers, and staff— gathers seven times each week to eat at family-style tables, with menus that often feature locally sourced food.
You’ll be assigned to a different table every three weeks, allowing you to make new friends and get to know your teachers in a relaxed setting. In addition to the dining hall, you can also grab a bite to eat at the Greer or the Louis Café.
You’ll have a room of your own (soon). To ensure a smooth transition to life at Deerfield, all ninth-grade students live in doubles in Johnson-Doubleday dorm, aka The Ninth Grade Village, with an assigned roommate. And all residence halls have live-in faculty members who look after their students—helping you deal with your homework (and maybe a little bit of homesickness), organizing an impromptu movie night, or making cookies. In tenth grade and beyond, students live in singles. Your dorm will be the setting for some of your best Deerfield memories—from whipping up late-night snacks with friends in the common room to far-ranging philosophical conversations with your faculty resident.
You’ll be well looked after. We take the responsibility of caring for our community very seriously. Deerfield has a health center staffed by four counselors, a full-time physician, a nurse practitioner, and a team of nurses who specialize in adolescent care, along with a sports medicine clinic staffed by three full-time athletic trainers. To ensure the safety of our community members, we have several security measures in our buildings and dorms, and campus safety officers are on duty and available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
It’s all in a day’s
work (and play).
You’ll experience moments of togetherness every day at Deerfield— whether it’s in class, cheering your heart out in the stands on the Lower Level, hanging out in the Greer, or greeting friends and faculty as they pass you on Albany Road. Here’s a sampling of those shared experiences: JOIN
BEGIN YOUR DAY
Good morning, Deerfield!
The morning begins in your dormitory, where you wake up, get dressed, and greet the day. On some mornings, you’ll bump into your proctor— a senior who lives with you and helps you to adjust to dorm life by serving as a role model and sounding board. Need a quick bite before class? The dining hall opens for breakfast at 7:00 a.m.!
HEALTHY WAFFLES AND YOGURT IN THE BRICK (THE DINING HALL) 7:00 AM 8:20 AM OFF TO YOUR FIRST PERIOD CLASS, WHICH BEGINS PROMPTLY AT 8:30 AM
PERIOD 1
Class is in session
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday classes begin at 8:30 am with three periods running to 2:50 pm. Afternoons are dedicated to athletics and other cocurriculars. Wednesday’s three class periods also begin at 8:30 am, but they are each an hour long and everyone gathers for School Meeting in the morning; the academic day ends at 12:30 pm. Daily Community Time in the morning and Flex Time in the afternoon provide opportunities for meetings, studying, or getting an early start on co- and extra-curricular activities. With an average class size of 12, you’ll have opportunities to actively participate in your courses and get to know your teachers and the faculty advisor who will help guide your academic experience.
ENGLISH: VOICES & VISIONS OF JUSTICE
PERIOD 2 PERIOD 3
Sit-down with friends
Seven times each week, you’ll gather with classmates, faculty, and staff for family-style sit-down meals—one of our most important and distinctive traditions. Your table assignment changes every few weeks, so you’ll get to meet a broad cross section of students and teachers. Students take turns waiting on tables, and if it’s your birthday, prepare to be serenaded! On Wednesdays (game days!) and special occasions, a “walk-through” lunch or dinner is served buffet style.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
AUDITION FOR THE PLAY PERFORM AT THE “KFC” (KOCH FRIDAY CONCERTS) SIGN UP FOR A WEEKEND TRIP CLUB AND ALLIANCE FAIR COME SUPPORT JV SOCCER
Gather together
WHAT TO EXPECT
VOCAL AND MUSICAL PERFORMANCES COCURRICULAR AWARDS
MINDFUL MOMENTS THE CHEERING SONG
Every Wednesday, the community gathers at School Meeting. These weekly occurrences are a chance to open your mind, be heard, and contribute to a campus-wide discussion. They’re also an opportunity to hear guest speakers, watch performances, and address topics of local and global significance.
SOME RECENT SPEAKERS
KING ABDULLAH II, CLASS OF 1980 (PICTURED HERE)
PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR QUIARA ALEGRIA HUDES
FILMMAKER KEN BURNS P’23
PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING PLAYWRIGHT SUZAN-LORI PARKS
After school
The academic day ends at 2:50 pm
Deerfield provides ample opportunities to connect with students who share elements of your individual interests and background. Cocurriculars, extra-curriculars, student groups, and more give you the chance to try new things, learn about your classmates’ interests, and have a ton of fun in the process.
“Cocurrics”
Each term, students are required to participate in a cocurricular activity
Unlike an extra-curricular activities that take place in the evenings and on weekends, cocurriculars are organized, out-of-class programs focused on everything from athletics and the arts to community service. Your “cocurric” might be varsity soccer in the fall, afternoon studio time in the winter, and service at a local elementary school in the spring. However you choose to engage, your cocurric will help you grow as a leader, teammate, community member, and collaborator—all while enjoying yourself and making new friends.
Sharpen your skills in the arts
Whether you’re appearing in a dance performance before the entire school, or you’re saving the winning goal at a hockey game, Deerfield’s arts and athletics programs will inspire you to bring your best.
Go Big Green
Deerfield student-athletes are dedicated, hardworking, and equally gracious in victory and defeat. They endure long hours of practice for the sake of the team. And when they take to the field (or the rink, or the pool, or the court), they’re energized by the cheers of teachers, classmates, and friends. That spirit of support and camaraderie is what Big Green is all about.
Deerfield’s athletics program embodies the highest ideals of teamwork and collaboration. What happens during practices and competitions is an extension of the classroom experience; every Deerfield studentathlete learns how discipline, sportsmanship, and humility are essential qualities of leadership. And as with almost everything else at Deerfield, we want you to step outside your comfort zone and move forward.
We provide appropriate levels of competition for every sport: whether you’re picking up that squash racquet or lacrosse stick for the first time or the thousandth time, you’ll have limitless opportunities to stay in shape, clear your mind, and be supported by your teammates and coaches.
20 SPORTS .
LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES.
Deerfield’s athletics program encompasses 69 teams that compete in 20 sports at the interscholastic level, including:
• Alpine Skiing
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Field Hockey
• Football
• Golf
• Hockey
• Lacrosse
• Rowing
• Soccer
• Softball
• Squash
• Swimming and Diving
• Tennis
• Track and Field
• Ultimate
• Volleyball
• Water Polo
• Wrestling
Deerfield Athletics—and Deerfield athletes—come in all shapes and sizes. Athletics is one of the most popular ways our students fulfill their cocurricular requirement. Whatever form your athletic participation takes, you’ll learn important lessons and reap lifelong benefits: Teamwork and collaboration. Leadership and sportsmanship. Greater mental and physical fitness. And the chance to have fun, achieve peak performance, and bleed Green.
WE TRAIN FOR SUCCESS. WE WIN WITH GRACE. AND WHEN WE LOSE, WE DO SO WITH OUR HEADS HELD HIGH. (BUT DON’T GET US WRONG— WE LOVE TO WIN).
OUR BOATHOUSE ON THE CONNECTICUT RIVER
Compete in facilities that are almost as impressive as your team! Of course where you play doesn’t necessarily change how well you play—but it sure feels good to have home-field advantage when these are your fields.
Fields of Dreams
SKIING AT BERKSHIRE EAST
LAX & FIELD HOCKEY TURF
THE TRACK
MULTI-SPORT TURF FIELD
HEADMASTER’S FIELD
FIELD HOCKEY & LAX TURF
OUTDOOR FACILITIES
• Major League-quality natural grass baseball field
• Multi-sport turf (including baseball)
• Eight-lane 10mm full pour track
• Dedicated field hockey and lacrosse turf fields
• Natural grass football and soccer fields
• 18 outdoor tennis courts (nine of which are covered and heated)
• Hammerschlag Boathouse on the Connecticut River
WACHSMAN ATHLETICS COMPLEX
THE LOWER LEVEL
Our teams are coached by faculty members, which means your teachers will also be your mentors, confidants, and biggest fans.
• Eight-lane pool and diving well
• Fitness center including free weights, yoga studios, and cardio
• Two gymnasiums
• Wrestling room
• 10 international squash courts
• Ice hockey rink
• Two rowing tanks
• Indoor elevated track
• Volleyball gym
• Golf simulator
Go Big Green ARTS
Turn your ambitious dreams into performances and productions. Transform a visual idea into a sculpture or lithograph. Discover how a rough sketch becomes an architectural rendering. Choreograph a modern dance piece for the first time, or compose the score that goes along with one. No matter the medium, the arts at Deerfield are as dynamic as our community. You’ll have many opportunities to put your creativity into motion from the moment you arrive on campus. Where will the journey take you?
Dream. Create. Share. Repeat.
Deerfield is home to a thriving collective of artists who make our campus hum with creativity. As part of that community, you’ll contribute your voice and vision to projects that will move and inspire your friends and teachers. Along the way, you’ll learn new techniques and collaborate with fellow artists, constantly improving and refining your craft.
Whether your passion lies in architecture, dance, film and video, music, photography, studio art, theater (or all of the above), you’ll benefit from the insight and influence of those around you. Your teachers—many of whom are practicing artists—will impart essential skills, pushing you to access the far corners of your imagination. And your friends and classmates will share ideas, critique your work, and lend a hand when you need a scene painter (or another alto).
It doesn’t matter if you’re a newbie or an old hand—our doors are open to experienced and novice artists alike. So come on in: Learn the ins and outs of silverprinting in our darkroom. Take a solo during a dance performance. Create a digital model of a skyscraper in our architectural design studio. Whatever you do, you’ll discover new connections between dreaming and doing.
Come Out and Play
Deerfield is proud of its award-winning and dynamic theater program.
In a typical year, more than 100 students participate as actors and technicians and more than 2,500 patrons attend three annual productions.
Theater provides a plethora of benefits to those who study it, including increased confidence, resilience, collaboration, discipline, and creativity.
TAKE THE STAGE
Theater and music collaborate once a year to produce a massive musical on the Hess Auditorium stage.
Sold-out performaces often take place in the Reid Black Box theater—a transformative and intimate theater in-the-round.
ALSO FEATURING
• A Green Room with live feed to performances
• Tech workshops
• Dedicated acting studio
• Costume shop
• Script room
Make Moves
Deerfield’s comprehensive dance program provides training in modern, jazz, ballet, pointe, hip-hop, and contemporary dance techniques as well as instruction in the craft of choreography and improvisation. Classes are tailored to meet the needs of all experience levels from complete beginners to pre-professional dancers. There are opportunities to perform in and choreograph for dance concerts that are presented each of our three terms.
SPACE TO FLY
Student Choreography Showcases and Family Weekend performaces fill the Hess Auditorium stage with everything from hip-hop to ballet, to tap and jazz, and more.
DANCE FACILITIES ALSO INCLUDE:
sq/ft studio
Appassionato
“an expression marking used to instruct performers to play with a passionate or emotionally intense quality, evoking a profound and fervent emotional response.”
The music program at Deerfield includes state-of-the-art facilities that rival those of the nation’s finest conservatories. Our wide array of music classes, ensembles, guest artist residencies, and off-campus music exchange tours provide students the opportunity to gain deep knowledge and direct experience in the many diverse facets of the modern musical landscape.
MUSIC FACILITIES
• Elizabeth Wachsman Concert Hall
• 14 rehearsal and practice rooms featuring Steinway pianos
• Professional-quality music production studio
TOOTING OUR OWN HORNS
From orchestra talent that’s Carnegie Hall performance worthy, to the wildly popular student-led rock band CODA, to the a cappella stylings of the Reme-Ds and Rhapso-Ds, we’re always making music at Deerfield!
WE SING. WE PERFORM. OFTEN.
Performing Ensembles
The Deerfield Orchestra (65-piece ensemble open to the entire community)
The Deerfield Chorus (55-piece ensemble open to the entire community)
Instrumental and Vocal Chamber Ensembles
Concert Band
Jazz Big Band
Jam Band
Musical Theater Productions
The Other Doors (Cocurricular Pop/Hip-Hop/ Jazz House Band)
CODA (student-led pop ensemble)
Three A Capella groups (girls, boys, and co-ed)
OFF-CAMPUS MUSIC TRAVEL
• Student ensembles perform at Carnegie Hall and other renowned venues
• Cultural Exchange Through Music international travel program
• Annual trip to the Metropolitan Opera
• Music Community Service trips every term
Partnerships with concert presenters across the Northeast: Boston Symphony Orchestra, Marlboro Music Festival, Music at Amherst College, Springfield Symphony, UMass Amherst, The Drake, Bombyx, and more.
VISUAL ARTS
The visual arts play a significant role in the life of the school. Vibrant academic courses, unique cocurricular options, and substantive exhibitions captivate our students and inspire the community. Our course offerings provide an essential creative outlet and a means by which students can apply their artistic scholarship to real-world applications.
Where Dreaming Meets Doing
The Hess studios are truly inspiring spaces where creativity flourishes. Students thrive as they engage in individual and collaborative projects, constantly challenging themselves and each other and expanding their creative horizons. These studios come alive with energy every year, producing over 2,000 sketches, drawings, and paintings—a testament to our vibrant creative community.
BUILD YOUR VISUAL VOCABULARY
Learn architecture in William Platt-designed academic buildings. Head outdoors to practice perspective sketches—or head inside to model your ideas in three dimensions.
FACILITIES
“REEL” LIFE
Deerfield has a dynamic film/video program, with students working in a range of genres. There are introductory courses and advanced tutorials, and students have produced award-winning documentaries and feature length films.
The recently-renovated videography studios are loaded with resources: There is one room for presentations and critiques, a studio of props and pull-down screens, and another studio with additional backdrops and studio lighting. Our fleet of DSLRs, lenses, tripods, sound equipment, and advanced editing software is available for every student enrolled in the program.
• Photography studios and wet darkrooms for processing film
• Videography studios that include spaces for presentations, props, backdrops, and studio lighting equipment
• A state-of-the-art recording studio
Clubs and Alliances
Clubs and alliances play a big role in making our campus a place that buzzes with activity. You’ll see classmates hard at work assembling The Deerfield Scroll and other student publications. You can help organize a fundraiser for a great cause, or spend time volunteering in the local community. When you hang out on the quad during the weekend, you can join a game of chess, gaze at the stars with the Astronomy Club, or play Ultimate.
Whether you want to sharpen your debating skills or your fly fishing skills—or both—you’ll find a club that interests you, or maybe you’ll start a new one!
Arabic Club
Archery Club
Asian Student Alliance
Christian Fellowship
Classics Club
Deerfield Black Student Alliance
Deerfield Mixed Student Alliance
Deerfield Radio
Deerfield Women of Color
Diversity Alliance
Drone Club
Fire Department Volunteers
Fly Fishing Club
Food Committee
French Club
Gender Sexuality Alliance
Improv Club
International Student Alliance
Investment Club
Jewish Student Alliance
Latin American Student Alliance
Math Club
Model UN
Mountain Biking Club
Native American Student Alliance
Rhapso-D’s
Robotics Club
Student Activities
Student Council
Student Rock Band
Young Democrats / Young Republicans
And many more!
MORE THAN WORDS
Whether you find creativity through the written word, the lens of your camera, or by drawing, painting, or sculpting—or more than one of the above—there are many outlets for sharing your art with the Deerfield community:
AlbanyRoad, our premier literary and arts magazine, is a student-run publication that appears three times each year.
Established in 1925, The Deerfield Scroll is the official student newspaper of the Academy. With a mission to encourage informed discussion of pertinent issues of concern to the Academy and the larger world, each edition is lively and thought-provoking.
Deerfield’s yearbook, The Pocumtuck, chronicles student life and honors each year’s Senior Class.
The Little Brown House Review, named after—you guessed it— a little brown house on Albany Road, highlights the best student writing produced in Deerfield’s English classes.
Serving others is in our DNA.
Deerfield has long celebrated community service and the importance of supporting those in need.
Our Center for Service and Global Citizenship (CSGC) is the hub for these activities on campus—a resource for students seeking to give back through global opportunities, service projects, and mentoring.
On and off campus, our community members devote their efforts to help curb hunger, address inequality, educate the next generation, and more. You’ll find students helping with homework at the local elementary school, lending a hand at Second Helpings, or volunteering with the Special Olympics. Every term, each of our athletics teams performs a service project. And there are times throughout the year when the whole school comes together—for a blood drive, the Relay for Life, Move for Love, or an impromptu fundraiser.
The CSGC embodies the spirit of Deerfield’s motto— “Be Worthy of Your Heritage”—by serving others and forming meaningful relationships with community members beyond campus.
ALL ABOARD
Our annual Spring Term Community Event is the best-attended service event of the year. In recent years, the event has benefited the American Cancer Society and Cancer Connection of Northampton (MA).
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County is the service program with the largest participation. Approximately seventy juniors and seniors serve as mentors and role models to local children on Friday evenings.
Every year on Arbor Day,
Ms. Nichols’ French class plants a tree on campus as a visceral reminder of hope and sustainable living.
Travel abroad.
Deerfield is uniquely connected to the wider world. For students looking to expand their horizons, we offer a range of travel and study abroad programs.
Some of our most popular programs are the one- to two-week trips organized by the Center for Service and Global Citizenship. Alongside intrepid classmates and under the experienced guidance of faculty members, you could learn about marine ecosystems in the Bahamas, immerse yourself in the culture and language of Singapore, or contribute to a sustainable development project in Tanzania.
Outside of the Pioneer Valley—and outside your comfort zone— you will build the skills and perspective of a global citizen, while also preparing for success in an ever-more interconnected and interdependent world. (You’ll also have an amazing time!)
Where to?
Washington, D.C. / Quebec / Tanzania / Southern U.S. / Costa Rica / Jordan / Panama / Oaxaca, Mexico
The Bahamas / Dominican Republic / France / Colombia / Italy and Sicily / Singapore / South Korea / Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina / China / Jordan / Spain / and more!
Stay a while
In addition to shorter trips throughout the academic year, Deerfield students can also take advantage of semesteror year-long study abroad programs. These experiences enable students to immerse themselves in another language, culture, and people, often with a component focused on community service.
Deerfield students often participate in the Cambiado Vidas program in the Dominacan Republic— where they build a home from the ground up!
<<<< Your doorway to adventure.
Petra, Jordan
Our network of 12,000+ ALUMNI is distributed across more than 80 countries.
650 students countries 44 75 DAY 575 BOARDING 38% RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID Deerfield is dynamic, ~50% boys ~50% girls states 32 = $16,000,000 +
12 student average class size
0 SATURDAY CLASSES 15% acceptance rate
2,145 applicants live on campus
faculty members 62% coach at least one sport 123 live on campus
Our faculty members include Rhodes Scholars, Klingenstein Fellows, and Fulbright Fellowship holders.
From here, you can go anywhere.
Deerfield is nestled in the picturesque Pioneer Valley—a land of rolling hills, small farms, and great natural beauty. We make the most of our surroundings by swimming in the Deerfield River, hiking to the Rock, and sledding in the winter months. But there’s far more to the Valley than the outdoors.
The nearby communities of Greenfield, Amherst, and Northampton offer cafés, bookshops, movie theaters, performance halls, and restaurants for students and their families to enjoy. Our location in Western Massachusetts also provides access to a range of larger cities that are just a car ride away, including Hartford, CT, Boston, and (a bit further afield) New York City.
VACATIONS
Deerfield students are never away from their families for more than six weeks at a time. We host four extended vacations per year: Thanksgiving, Winter Vacation, Long Winter Weekend, and Spring Break. We also host Family Weekends in the fall and spring, and Deerfield families are always welcome on campus—to cheer at the big game, catch a performance, or simply spend time with their child.
AIRPORTS
Bradley International Airport (BDL)
Windsor Locks, CT
55 miles
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Boston, MA
100 miles
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
New York City, NY
175 miles
TRAIN
AMTRACK
Greenfield and Springfield, MA
BUS
We provide charter bus service to Boston, New York City, and Fairfield, CT, during vacations.
Our campus is a hub of activity, but there’s plenty to explore outside it!
2 HOURS west of Boston.
<<<
3 HOURS northeast of New York City.
>>
LOCAL TOWNS:
Greenfield, Turners Falls Amherst, Hadley, Northampton>
Beyond Deerfield.
Wherever you go after Deerfield, you’ll live the values you encountered here. You’ll be able to connect across differences, and engage in meaningful dialogue during your college years and beyond. You’ll take on whatever challenges the world has in store, strengthened by the abiding friendships you forged here and the lessons you learned during your time in the Valley.
And you’ll be in good company. Upon graduating, you’ll join a thriving community of alumni who represent leadership in a wide range of fields, from business and government to medicine and the arts. These people are here for you, and they stand ready to offer insight and advice whenever you need it.
Though you’ll leave Deerfield, you’ll always carry a piece of this unique place with you. We can’t wait to see what you accomplish.
Just
a few of our notable alumni:
FORMER MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY
ROBERT MORGENTHAU ’37
66TH GOVERNOR OF RHODE ISLAND
JOHN CHAFEE ’40
WRITER AND EDITOR
WILLIAM ZINSSER ’40
AUTHOR
JOHN MCPHEE ’49
ARTIST
STEPHEN HANNOCK ’70
WORLD LEADER
KING ABDULLAH II ’80
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT TODAY / NBC NEWS
LIBBY LEIST ’97
OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST
JAMIE HAGERMAN PHINNEY ’99
ACTOR
DOMINIC SESSA ’22
PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE
ELIC AYOMANOR ’22
Our graduates go on to amazing places.
Colleges most frequently attended in the past five years:
Amherst College
Boston College
Boston University
Bowdoin College
Brown University
Colby College
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Georgetown University
Hamilton College
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Middlebury College
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Affordability and Access
$16M +
For the 2025–26 academic year, Deerfield students will receive over $16 million in financial assistance.
“Deerfield’s commitment to affordability and access in the form of need-based financial aid is historic, deep, and central to its educational mission. It is founded on the idea—beautifully articulated over a century ago when Frank L. Boyden asked families to ‘pay what you can’—that the Deerfield Experience should be accessible to all young people of promise regardless of means.”
—HEAD OF SCHOOL DR. JOHN AUSTIN
For more than 40 percent of prospective families, applying to Deerfield Academy also means applying for financial aid. Our Financial Aid Office works with families throughout the application process and, for those who enroll, throughout their Deerfield Experience. We strive to make the process simple, streamlined, and completely confidential.
Deerfield is a possibility for you.
In 2025-26
• 30% of out financial aid population pays $0
• Percentage of students receiving financial aid: 38%
• Average boarding school grant: $64,300
In addition to our current program, families may qualify for our new initiative:
DOMESTIC FAMILIES
MAKING UP TO $150,000 WILL PAY $0
DOMESTIC FAMILIES MAKING ABOVE $150,000 WILL PAY 10% NO MORE THAN OF THEIR TOTAL INCOME FOR TUITION AND FEES.
Qualifying families must live and work in the U.S. and have two years of verifiable W-2 (only) income with assets consistent with their income profile. All families, including international and non-W-2 income earners, are eligible to receive need-based aid, and if admitted will receive 100% of demonstrated need.
DO YOU PROVIDE PERFORMANCE-BASED AID?
Deerfield provides grants based on financial need only. We do not offer financial aid on the basis of athletic or academic performance, or any other merits.
WHAT IF MY FAMILY’S FINANCIAL SITUATION CHANGES?
Financial Aid grants are reviewed annually. Once admitted, we strive to assist a family at a consistent level throughout their time at Deerfield. If things change and a family has an
unexpected circumstance. we review each case on an individual basis and, budget permitting, adjust accordingly. Likewise, we will decrease grants when families have a change in circumstance that allows for an increase in the family contribution.
WILL APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID EFFECT MY ADMISSION TO DEERFIELD?
Possibly. Deerfield has a very generous financial aid budget. However, it is limited and, therefore, we cannot always accept all admissible financial aid applicants.
WILL DEERFIELD REQUIRE A FAMILY TO TAKE OUT LOANS?
No. Deerfield grants are outright awards based on financial need. There is no repayment required.
DOES DEERFIELD PROVIDE ASSISTANCE BEYOND TUITION GRANTS?
Yes. Some students receive assistance with additional expenses such as airfare, books, health insurance, and laptops. Other benefits may include music and dance lessons as well as Athletics and Global Studies travel.
DOES DEERFIELD PROVIDE FINANCIAL AID FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS?
Yes. If admitted we meet the full need of international students, up to 100% of tuition and fees. Currently 14% of our financial aid population is international students.
WHAT IF MY FAMILY HAS A BUSINESS AND DOES NOT HAVE W-2'S?
You are still eligible for financial aid and will receive a grant based on our broader methodology that meets 100% of demonstrated need.
Apply yourself
If you’re prepared to embark on a transformative educational experience, consider applying to Deerfield.
Application Checklist
Step 1: Request our viewbook. (If you’re reading this, you’re already ahead of the game.)
Step 2: Start your application. Our online application can be found at gatewaytoprepschools.com; application fee waivers may be granted based on financial need.
Step 3: Explore the Deerfield admission portal and your application checklist. On the Deerfield Portal, you can submit additional application materials and complete required items.
Step 4: Meet us in person . We can’t wait to get to know you better through your interview!
Step 5: Take the standardized test. Fee waivers may be granted based on financial need.
Step 6: Complete your application. Our priority application deadline is January 15.
Admission Timeline
July 1 – September
Submit Application Part I: Candidate Profile Schedule interview and tour
October 1 – November Submit Application Part II: Essays
December – January Complete outstanding application requirements
January 15
Priority application deadline: Submit completed application by this date
March 10
Admission and financial aid decisions available to applicant
April 10
Enrollment contracts due for newly admitted students
Ready to start your application? Here’s where to begin.
