Groton School Viewbook 2014-15

W H A T

I F. . .

... there were a school that combined all the advantages of a tightly knit community with the highest standards of academic excellence?

... there were a school where relationships resembled those of an extended family, a place where self-confidence, achievement, and the spirit of discovery were instilled through the deep commitment of one to another, and of each to the whole?

... this “whole� were composed of people from all over America, and indeed the world, because the school was dedicated to offering its benefits based not on material circumstance, but on pure talent?

W H A T I F T H A T S C H O O L W E R E G R O T O N ?

Look closely. Groton is unique.

Here, you will find the lasting friendships and dedicated guidance of the small school and the resources, heritage, diversity, and curricular opportunities of the larger school.

The effect is powerful.

T H E

G R O T O N

C I R C L E

“The life of man is a self-evolving circle, which, from a ring imperceptibly small, rushes on all sides outwards to new and larger circles, and that without end.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Circles”

T H E

G R O T O N

C I R C L E

LIFE AT GROTON REVOLVES AROUND A CIRCLE...

A VAST, GREEN EXPANSE RINGED BY DORMITORIES, CLASSROOM BUILDINGS, A CHAPEL, and a vista toward playing fields, woodlands stretching to the Nashua River, and the distant mountains of Wachusett, Watatic, and Monadnock. With its reputation for academic might, its heritage of service to the nation, its architecture of Georgian red brick and medieval spires, Groton is grand. And yet the School is not large. It is intimate, an ideal place to start a journey.

We move around the Groton Circle rather than across it.

A Circle is whole. Groton develops complete people,

A Circle is continuous. The circular rhythms of each

This practice transforms the surrounding walkways into

not specialists. Devoted teachers and peers of great

day are engaging, invigorating, and reinforcing. Lessons

paths of communication: an advisee tells an advisor about

promise nurture each student’s academic growth. Our

learned here lead alumni to extend their relationships

a great success on a paper, soccer coaches remind players

sense of family and our Episcopalian tradition help instill

with the School far beyond the commencement

about a departure time, the headmaster compliments a

values. Everyone participates in the arts and athletics,

ceremony known as “Prize Day.” Alumni who return to

prefect for an effective act of leadership.

and many develop exceptional talents. Groton is not a

the Circle for reunions find that many of the traditions

spectator sport. The scale of the School allows for careful

and routines of the past are still important to Groton

attention to the development of each student’s mind,

students today. What’s past is prologue; an education

body, and spirit.

here continues to inspire a life that “rushes on all sides

Here, we sense the family spirit of the School. To join this community is to join a group small enough for relationships to be built with all, and large enough to include the many faces of the world. Through his conception of

A Circle is inclusive. The Groton Circle is open. To

the Groton Circle, Frederick Law Olmsted—the great

the northwest we see a majestic long view of the world

American landscape architect who designed New York’s

beyond the School. We feel this openness every day as

Central Park, Boston’s Public Garden, and Stanford

we look to the mountains in the distance and as we see,

University—transformed the grounds of Groton School

right before us, the different faces of people on campus.

into a metaphor that shapes the quality of our experience.

Groton is a diverse community that is welcoming to all people who seek the challenge, growth, and fulfillment of life at Groton.

outwards to new and larger circles.”

F A M I LY

“To understand Groton one must understand the importance of the family idea…where family life was wholesome and happy [founding Headmaster Endicott Peabody] believed that all would be well with the church and state; where family life was false or untrue or cheap, all human institutions failed. Therefore it was the most natural thing in the world for him to think of his school as being simply a large family…there was an intimacy at the heart of things that was peculiar to the genius of the place.

One can never understand Endicott Peabody’s school until he understands this.”

- Peabody of Groton: A Portrait by Frank D. Ashburn ’21

F A M I LY

SINCE ITS INCEPTION UNDER ENDICOTT PEABODY, Groton has thought of itself as a family.

Groton students know practically everyone on campus, and this familiarity moves relationships beyond respect and tolerance to mutual understanding. People with very different backgrounds and interests become the closest of friends at Groton.

The headmaster and his wife exude the warmth of family;

Like your own family, this community of talented peers and

they know students by name and often stop them in the

knowledgeable, caring teachers cannot help but shape you.

hallway to inquire about a recent game or project. They have

Groton students have played important roles in our nation’s

raised three boys, and they understand that good parenting

history, and many of them have attributed their success in

is part of a good boarding school.

part to the depth of relationships here. In the Groton family,

As in any family, trust is an essential ingredient at Groton; teachers know their students well, and their first instinct

we care about each other, and that does not stop after graduation. A Groton education lasts.

is to trust. The result of these close student-faculty

Daily challenges and opportunities vary for each student,

relationships is empowerment: the children who enter

but all can count on a shared, predictable experience at the

Groton graduate as young adults who have learned to

opening and closing of each day: the peace and reflection

collaborate with faculty, seek their advice, and talk with them

found in the Chapel when the entire community gathers

easily. Groton’s adults help students examine their emerging

each morning and the bond and reassurance of the

qualities as leaders and help them realize the value of making

handshake at day’s end in the dormitory. We are a unified

decisions based on principles. These principles may be

family as the day begins and when it is done.

reinforced in a classroom, but more often they are strengthened through ongoing conversations with mentors who care.

F A M I LY

Residential Life Perhaps nowhere is the feeling of family more apparent at

By Upper School, structures and routines developed in the

Groton than in the dorm. Our dormitories are named

Second and Third forms have become ingrained, and Fifth

after the faculty members who reside there. Assisting the

and Sixth Form students manage their own time with a great

dormitory head are faculty affiliates and Sixth Form prefects.

deal of independence, a good preparation for college.

Beyond these seniors, Second Formers live with Second Formers, and Third Formers live with Third Formers. Living Go to www.groton.org/zebratales to meet our student bloggers.

together in Lower School helps each form gel as a distinct unit. Appropriate to their age, Second and Third Formers lead a more structured lifestyle, with closely supervised study halls and strictly enforced lights-out. Fourth Formers learn to handle greater freedom when they move into smaller dormitories with Fifth Formers and Sixth Form prefects.

Privileges increase in the Fifth Form year, and members of the Sixth Form take active roles in running the School.

Dormitories at Groton are comparatively small, ranging in size from 12 to 24 residents. While the quality of academic training at the School is superb, Groton recognizes that learning to live away from home with talented peers from around the world is a significant and differentiating part of a young person’s development.

The many time-honored traditions and practices of the School’s residential program provide Groton students with a home away from home.

O U R

S I Z E

I S

O U R

S T R E N G T H

“Where else could you find, on a typical April afternoon, the captain of the varsity football team, who is also president of the Gospel Choir, playing cello on the Circle? Why is one of my closest friends a terrific squash player, guitarist, and poet from Pakistan? I’ll never forget when my field hockey team reached the New England tournament and one-half of the School showed up on Oates Field, all the boys bare-chested in the 35-degree November weather, with the letters G-R-O-T-O-N spelled out in red paint on their chests. The place is so alive with passion.”

- Ann Collier ’99

O U R

S I Z E

I S

O U R

S T R E N G T H

OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND AT GROTON SCHOOL. Since the School’s founding, its leaders have intentionally limited the student population to ensure the character and impact of a Groton education.

Because of the School’s size, opportunities are

Groton’s early leaders modeled the School on a family,

We view adolescence as a time to explore and discover

plentiful—for scholarship, for friendship, for leadership.

with an emphasis on character and values that continues

new talents, to resist the contemporary insistence on

today. Life at Groton is characterized by a dynamic

specialization. Groton students can do it all.

Our purposeful course of study inspires great young minds. And students really get to know their teachers—that’s possible when classes average 12 students.

Students know virtually all their peers too, including those in different forms—a rarity at larger schools.

Groton students are bound to become close with people whose perspectives and backgrounds are quite different from their own, and they learn a great deal about themselves through these friendships.

camaraderie of inclusion. We frequently use that word—“inclusion.” In fact, we insist upon that value.

It’s hard work to create a School where everyone feels included, but the effort pays off in an intimate community like Groton’s.

Groton has always been known for producing leaders—thanks in part to our size, but also to our unique “prefect year.” Every member of the Sixth Form serves as a prefect in a dormitory, and many also serve as prefects in other areas, such as Admissions, the Chapel,

Exceptional resources combined with the size of

Communications, or the Music Department. All Sixth

Groton’s student body create opportunities for growth.

Formers play a substantive role in shaping the quality

One can be an actor and an athlete, a scholar and a

and direction of life at Groton, and importantly, all of

musician. The whole person develops at Groton.

them learn about their own style of leadership.

S C H O L A R S H I P

S C H O L A R S H I P

GROTON STUDENTS COME FROM MANY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, but they share one quality—intellectual curiosity. With an average class size of 12, each voice is heard. The early years at Groton involve a sequence of required courses that prepare students to think critically, to speak and write clearly, and to compare and reason quantitatively and spatially.

In the later years, students pursue their own interests with

In this age of increased specialization and information

a degree of intensity normally reserved for college-level

avalanche, we hope that our students will develop the power

work. As our students discuss developments in world affairs,

of discernment and the self-confidence to present their

they are developing a foundation in the cultural, social,

opinions. We hope we are still fulfilling Endicott Peabody’s

political, and religious backgrounds of ancient civilizations.

vision: a Groton education prepares people for “the active

Groton students benefit from the STEM approaches infused

work of life.”

throughout math and science curricula, yet also are expected to nourish their intellects with time-tested fundamentals, such as Latin and Greek.

S C H O L A R S H I P

THE HUMANITIES Philosophers of the ancient world and business leaders of the 21st century would agree on the benefits of study in the liberal arts.

Coursework in the humanities strengthens the ability to think critically and creatively, express oneself through writing, win an oral argument, and collaborate well. Groton’s courses in literature and history require students to develop an awareness of their own cultural roots. The emphasis on writing and research in these disciplines is particularly noteworthy. Through theses and term papers, Groton students are prepared well for the sort of independent projects faced in college and in the workplace. After studying a classical and a modern language, they graduate with a facility for communication that is useful in our global society. Of greatest importance, perhaps, is the cumulative effect of study in the humanities: heightened curiosity about people and places in the world beyond the Circle.

S C H O L A R S H I P

STEM For decades, Groton has pursued innovative approaches to STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). The School demonstrated an early commitment to computer programming in the 1970s, developed an Applied Mathematics sequence in the ’80s, and launched an Environmental Science program in the ’90s.

After a recent, in-depth analysis of best practices in STEM education, the School has made it a priority to provide students with STEM-guided approaches throughout Groton’s math and science classrooms. Teachers are purposefully infusing technology and engineering lessons into a variety of science and math courses, and the School is demonstrating a firm commitment to computer science through dedicated programming courses, increased technological components of many math courses, computer-based modeling in Third Form science, and more. Groton expects every graduate to have a full command of STEM skills, such as data analysis, modeling, programming, experimentation, collaboration, and problem-solving.

In support of STEM, Groton is building a new wing on the Schoolhouse, which will give students state-of-the-art technology and facilities to support the highest levels of creative learning in science, technology, engineering, and math. This STEM addition, scheduled to open in Fall 2015, is part of a broad project that will bring numerous improvements to the Schoolhouse, while honoring the building’s history.

Groton graduates through the years have consistently tackled some of the world’s most challenging problems, and the STEM skills learned at Groton today will prepare our graduates to continue to discover, invent, and contribute important work that can better our world.

You can find Groton’s academic offerings at www.groton.org/coursecatalog.

S C H O L A R S H I P

GLOBAL EDUCATION

Explore Groton’s global education program at www.groton.org/students/globaleducation.

Nothing demonstrates Groton’s strength as a small

musicians perform overseas. Recent music trips have

school full of big opportunities more than our Global

showcased Groton talent in Cuba, Switzerland, Brazil,

Education initiative.

Japan, China, Australia, South Africa, and the UK.

For more than a decade, Groton students have traveled

Besides traveling outside the U.S., the global education

on School-sponsored trips, visiting six continents. Groton

initiative is committed to bringing visitors to the Circle.

students and faculty have engaged in experiential learning

Recent exchange students have come from France,

projects in Ollantaytambo, Peru, considered by many

from Orkeeswa School in Tanzania, from the African

to be the last living Incan town. In Africa, Groton has

Leadership Academy in South Africa, and from Doon

established relationships with communities in Tanzania,

School and Welham Girls’ School in India. As our global

Kenya, and Uganda. Recently, international travel has

program grows, students will have the opportunity to

included visits to schools in China, the Loire Valley,

participate in exchange programs and to incorporate

and Dehradun, India, and an art-focused trip to Bali,

their experiences abroad more directly into their

Indonesia. In addition, summer after summer, Groton

academic work.

A R T S

GROTON'S SIZE PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO PERFORM AND CREATE. Students who hadn’t considered themselves actors or artists when they arrived at Groton regularly showcase their newfound talents. A Second Former (eighth grader) recently starred in a musical, and Lower Schoolers play important roles in our choral and orchestral groups.

The visual and performing arts programs are unified

Groton’s hands-on approach emphasizes the value of

by the conviction that the arts provide essential

being actively engaged in a creative process. Drawing a

opportunities for self-expression and enjoyment, and

landscape, directing a play, and building a mahogany table

that they create more perceptive and disciplined students.

are as intrinsic to the artistic process as learning to critique a

Through teachers who are practicing artists and

photograph, practicing a cello sonata, evaluating a theatrical

performers, a wide assortment of course offerings

performance, or listening thoughtfully to a choral concert.

and opportunities to perform, two campus galleries,

Groton students have numerous opportunities to explore

accomplished visiting musicians, and a visiting

the arts through coursework and beyond the classroom.

artist-in-residence, the arts flourish at Groton.

Drama Groton students are actors, directors, playwrights, and choreographers. They design sets and costumes, mix sound, and master lighting. Some are accomplished when they arrive at Groton, but many discover their enthusiasm for theater while they are on the Circle.

Groton’s afternoon theater program exposes students to a wide range of styles and techniques, staging classical dramas, offbeat plays, and popular musicals (such as Hairspray, at left). Motivated students also may write and direct their own short plays and explore theater more deeply with faculty through one-on-one tutorials.

The Marion D. Campbell Performing Arts Center (CPAC) hosts events and student productions throughout the year in its two venues—the Asen Theater, a proscenium space that seats 466, and the McBaine Studio Theater, a black-box space that accommodates 120. Groton’s performers benefit from the professional-quality facility, which includes a fully equipped scene/paint shop, a costume shop, a trap and orchestra pit level, a 65-foot fly loft, and Equity-level dressing rooms. Recent student productions have included The Miracle Worker, Hairspray, Romeo and Juliet, The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, Pirates of Penzance, and The Odyssey.

A R T S

AT H L E T I C S

A T H L E T I C S

STUDENTS FIND MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO EXCEL IN ATHLETICS AT GROTON. Here, talented athletes take advantage of first-rate coaching, enviable facilities, a strength and conditioning center, and, in many instances, the chance to play at the varsity level early in their careers.

The annual contests with our rival, St. Mark’s School, are surrounded by traditions worthy of schools that have been playing each other for more than a century. The challenge of playing opponents from larger schools within the Independent School League serves our athletes well. Groton alumni contribute to many college programs throughout the country. Both the athlete who aspires to play beyond secondary school and the novice who wants to learn a new sport find satisfaction and inspiration on Groton teams. As in other areas of the School, specialization is discouraged. Rather than sit out a season, Groton athletes often take on the challenge of a new sport.

Typically, more than 20 percent of a graduating form will go on to play intercollegiate athletics.

T H E

S P I R I T

O F

G R O T O N

T H E

S P I R I T

O F

G R O T O N

WHAT DOES IT REALLY FEEL LIKE TO BE AT GROTON? Groton is challenging, engaging, and inspiring. It makes you think—about the world, about how to treat others, about how to understand yourself.

Long known for excellence in the classroom, the School

service, the self-confidence that emerges through hard

is also full of surprises, opportunities, and an attribute

work, and the awareness of the wider world that evolves

rarely associated with a great education: Groton is fun.

through friendships made on the Circle. Many of the

Groton involves such varied emotions as the exhilaration of

manners and customs valued at the School’s founding are

games on St. Mark’s Day, the quiet satisfaction of finishing

with us today, alongside the underlying principles that have

a history term paper, the poignancy of a Lessons & Carols

always shaped the spirit of Groton.

KINDNESS Kindness is important to our community and to

Just as students know each other, so do the faculty

our graduates’ success in life. We seek people who

know most of the student body. Three times a year

will treat each other well and who will further that

the entire faculty meets to examine the progress

instinct in others. The School’s size means that

of every student in the School. These meetings

students know and interact with each other.

concentrate on the character of our students as well

Everyone matters at Groton; everyone affects

as their academic progress. Besides teaching the skills

everyone else. The community works because

expected in the 21st-century workplace, Groton aims

students learn the value of respecting one another.

to inspire a deep transformation in which learned

This expectation provokes a leap of understanding

and admired qualities become internalized instincts.

fundamental to adolescent development—the sense

We see evidence in our graduates that the

that the good of the whole both supersedes and

perseverance and kindness needed and nurtured

serves the good of the individual.

at Groton stay with students for a lifetime.

Read student Chapel Talks at www.groton.org/chapeltalks.

T H E

S P I R I T

O F

G R O T O N

SERVICE At Groton School, we define service as an act of leadership, a demonstration of responsible citizenship, a means of community building, and a part of one’s life-long learning and purpose.

Service to others was one of Groton School’s founding principles.

The School motto, Cui Servire Est Regnare, was in place by the turn of the 20th century. Throughout its history, Groton School has inspired students to serve their communities, the nation, and the world. Some alumni have built careers as public servants and political leaders. Many who do not serve the public or nonprofit sector consider service an important part of their lives, offering their time to a variety of worthwhile causes. For many graduates, this principled outlook took root at Groton School.

Here at Groton, service is not a requirement in which hours are counted,

CUI SERVIRE EST REGNARE (TO SERVE IS TO RULE) - Groton School Motto

but rather a community expectation. All students serve as community leaders—as prefects—during their Sixth Form year, and many take advantage of various opportunities to serve communities near campus, through Groton Community Engagement and our afternoon service program, and far from the Circle, through our global education trips.

T H E

S P I R I T

O F

G R O T O N

PERSEVERANCE Success in life can be attributed in part to natural abilities, in part to hard work. But people go further if they also have developed perseverance, what we sometimes call grit.

Groton students learn to persevere in the face of challenges they encounter as they pursue long-term goals. Winning a long-distance run rather than a sprint is a good analogy for success at Groton. The School insists that students learn good habits—for study, organization, prioritizing their busy lives, and enjoying their free time. These good habits are a significant outcome of a Groton education. Students emerge with an expanded capacity for success in college and in what our School founder called “the active work of life.�

T H E

A C T I V E

W O R K

O F

L I F E

Groton School is a diverse and intimate community devoted to inspiring lives of character, learning, leadership, and service.

- Groton School Mission Statement

T H E

A C T I V E

W O R K

O F

L I F E

WHAT IS THE INTENDED OUTCOME of the steady rhythms, intensive study, time-honored traditions, and deep bonds formed within the Groton Circle? We seek, in our singular way, to equip talented young people with the skills and values essential for success in the 21st century.

We will prepare you with proficient skills in languages

the best place for you to find your most authentic self.

and technology, an ability to write and speak clearly

Groton helps you look inward to know yourself so you

and convincingly, an appreciation of the thoughts and

can reach outward to serve the world. The totality of

achievements of people from many cultures, a high

the experience, rather than the merit of a particular

regard for teamwork, and a deeply imbedded respect

program, is the enduring strength of Groton School,

for the qualities of courtesy, honesty, and civility.

where a dynamic, lasting education inspires the

As a Groton student you will join talented classmates from widely divergent backgrounds. We aim to provide, not the mold for worldly success, but rather

curiosity and provides the tools for the continuing pursuit of a meaningful life.

H O W

The following steps are involved in the application process. We look forward to meeting you!

1. COMPLETE THE INQUIRY FORM 2. SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW 3. COMPLETE THE CANDIDATE PROFILE 4. REGISTER FOR A STANDARDIZED TEST 5. COMPLETE THE APPLICATION 1. COMPLETE THE INQUIRY FORM If you would like to set up an interview or simply receive information about Groton, please visit our online Inquiry Form and complete Part One—Contact Information and Part Two—Special Interests. The information you provide in Part Two will help us connect you with people at Groton who share your interests. If you are sure you will be applying to Groton, you may skip the Inquiry Form and instead complete the more detailed Candidate Profile.

2. SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW Come and see us! Groton School invites families to visit at any time. Visiting while school is in session makes it much easier to envision yourself as a Groton student. To arrange a visit, call the Admission Office at 978-448-7510. You might find it helpful to consult the tour and interview schedule on our website.

Visits typically include a student-led tour and

an interview with an admissions counselor.

Students and their families should interview in the fall or early winter of the school year preceding their anticipated entry to Groton School. We interview throughout the year, including the summer, with the exception of school holidays and February 1—April 30.

Groton cannot satisfy every request for an off-campus interview; we prefer that our applicants visit the campus.

3. COMPLETE THE CANDIDATE PROFILE The Candidate Profile offers admission candidates a convenient way to provide biographical information to numerous schools with one form. You may access the Candidate Profile and the rest of our application online through our website or by visiting the Gateway to Prep Schools (www.gatewaytoprepschools.com), an online application system created by Groton School, Deerfield Academy, The Hotchkiss School, Phillips Academy, and St. Paul’s School.

4. REGISTER FOR A STANDARDIZED TEST The SSAT exam is preferred, though you may take the ISEE in place of the SSAT. For more information on testing dates and sites, visit www.ssat.org and www.erbtest.org. Be sure to list Groton’s code, 3598, when you register for the SSAT. We can only accept scores directly from the testing services. The

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G R O T O N

November or December test dates are preferable; the January date is acceptable.

If you have not been studying in an English-speaking school for the last two years, you should also take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) during the same time period. Groton’s TOEFL code is 8224.

School Report with Current Grades: No application can be considered complete without Current Grades. Include a current transcript with the first marking period or final grades for the fall term of this year.

5. COMPLETE THE APPLICATION To complete an application you must submit all forms to the Admission Office by January 15.

A complete application includes a Candidate Profile (see #3). The Candidate Profile should be submitted to initiate the application process.

Do not delay sending your Candidate Profile because you are waiting to determine whether or not you can add to your list of extracurricular activities or achievements. You may supplement your list later on the Candidate Statement.

Special Recommendation and/or Personal Recommendation

Candidate Statement: Complete the Candidate Statement online. These essays and short-answer questions are unique to Groton.

Parent Statement: Complete the Parent Statement online.

It helps admission offices immensely if you do not wait until the deadline to submit the Candidate Statement and Parent Statement.

Current English Teacher Recommendation Current Math Teacher Recommendation

Test Score Report Parent Financial Statement For candidates applying for financial aid only; due by January 31.

Arts or Athletics Multimedia (optional) You may provide links to music, artwork, or any other supplemental information through the Candidate Profile or Candidate Statement.

We do not accept original artwork, CDs, or DVDs. The School reserves the right to request additional information, including complete files from schools attended.

Go to www.groton.org/admission to learn more about our application process.

J O I N

U S !

AFFORDING A GROTON EDUCATION ONE OF THE MORE PERSISTENT MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT INDEPENDENT SCHOOL EDUCATION IS THAT IT IS NOT AFFORDABLE. In fact, financial aid awards granted by Groton are, by and large, significantly more generous than those offered

by American universities. Financial aid assessments at Groton are made with the assumption that families will eventually face the cost of a college education, too.

Do not assume you will not qualify for financial aid.

Since 2007, Groton School has waived tuition, room,

page provides a breakdown of what families at different

Families from many different income levels qualify for

and board for students from families with incomes below

income brackets were asked to contribute to their child’s

aid each year. Groton is committed to inclusion. The

$75,000. This policy reflects the School’s recognition

education at Groton this year. Please remember that

popular depiction of boarding schools as places that only

that the great resources of Groton and the promise

while income is the primary driver in assessing the family

the wealthy can afford continues to prevent people from

afforded by a Groton education should be available to all.

contribution, we also consider assets, tuition expenses

considering the option of this excellent form of educa-

Again, do not assume you will not qualify for aid.

at other schools, the size of a family, debts, and other

tion. At Groton, we want to ensure that the finest applicants can join our community regardless of their families’ financial situations.

To a family, the amount of financial aid that a school provides is less important than the amount they must contribute toward tuition. The chart on the opposite

factors. Groton’s full price may be higher than other schools’, but families qualifying for financial aid may find Groton to be their most affordable option!

F I N A N C I A L

It is important to consider a few points about financial aid: 1) The School does not offer scholarships based on particular talents or attributes. Financial aid is for families who have a demonstrated need for financial assistance.

2) If a family believes they will need financial aid at any point during a child’s time at Groton, they must apply for aid at the outset. Families will not be considered for aid if it is not requested during the admission application process. If a family’s financial circumstances change significantly, the School will make every effort to provide assistance.

3) Groton actively seeks students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. We allocate $6 million toward financial aid for our population of 380 students, and 38 percent of our students receive some degree of assistance.

4) Be sure to apply for financial aid in a timely manner.

The deadline is January 31. All candidates for aid must complete the School and Student Service Financial Aid Form (SSS). An online version of the SSS application can be accessed at www.sss.nais.org or www.groton.org/financial-aid. We encourage you to submit this form to SSS as soon as possible and no later than January 31, 2015. Groton School’s SSS code is 3598.

A I D

2014 - 15 FAMILY CONTRIBUTION TOWARD TUITION AT GROTON SCHOOL 2014 - 15 FA RECIPIENTS

HOW MUCH A FAMILY IS PAYING FOR A CHILD TO ATTEND GROTON SCHOOL

BASED ON 2013 REPORTED INCOME

FC = 0-5,000

FC = 5,00110,000

FC = 10,00115,000

FC = 15,00120,000

FC = 20,00130,000

FC = 30,000+

TOTAL # WHO RECEIVE AID

Total income: 0-80,000

41

1

2

2

2

0

48

Total income: 80,001-120,000

18

6

3

0

2

1

30

Total income: 120,001-160,000

7

8

3

1

1

0

20

Total income: 160,001-200,000

3

7

4

1

0

0

15

Total income: 200,001-300,000

0

2

3

3

6

3

17

Total income: 300,001+

0

0

2

0

1

11

14

The purpose of this chart is to provide families with a rough idea of how much they may be expected to contribute toward a Groton education.

Other factors such as additional assets are also considered, but income is the primary means of developing an expected family contribution.

FA = Financial Aid

FC = Family Contribution

C O L L E G E

C O U N S E L I N G

THE OFFICE OF COLLEGE COUNSELING REPRESENTS ANOTHER COMPONENT in the educational life of a Groton student. We believe that the process serves as an opportunity for personal growth, self-reflection, and self-discovery, as students begin to think about leaving the Groton School community, entering adulthood, and choosing a college where they will continue their education.

At Groton School, we are aware of both the excitement and challenges at this critical juncture in our students’ lives, and we seek to provide the necessary tools so that our students can navigate the many pathways of college admissions. While outcomes are important, the College Counseling Office believes that the college admissions process is about discovering good matches between students and colleges.

This is the student’s personal journey, and the role of the college counselor is therefore to support, guide, and educate our students and their families as they explore the changing world of college admissions.

Groton’s College Counseling program is comprehensive and student-centered. We begin working with Fourth Formers, guiding them to build an academic foundation from which they

can best move forward. Group meetings focus on standardized testing, making the most of college visits, college interviews, and completing applications, while multiple one-on-one meetings help students create their own unique paths toward achieving their future aspirations. With a low college counselor-to-student ratio, Groton provides personal care and service to our families and students.

Since 2010, three or more Groton graduates have matriculated to each of the following colleges and universities: Harvard College ............................................................................ 19 Georgetown University ............................................................... 18 Trinity College ............................................................................... 16 Bowdoin College........................................................................... 14 Yale University............................................................................... 14 Dartmouth College ...................................................................... 13 Princeton University .................................................................... 11 Brown University .......................................................................... 10 Colby College ................................................................................ 10 University of Virginia .................................................................. 10 Stanford University ...................................................................... 8 University of Chicago .................................................................. 8 University of Pennsylvania ......................................................... 8 Middlebury College ..................................................................... 7 Williams College .......................................................................... 7 Columbia University.................................................................... 6 Northeastern University ............................................................ 6

Tufts University ............................................................................. 6 Boston College .............................................................................. 5 Davidson College ......................................................................... 5 Duke University ............................................................................ 5 Hamilton College - NY ............................................................. 5 McGill University ......................................................................... 5 New York University.................................................................... 5 Wellesley College .......................................................................... 5 Bucknell University ...................................................................... 4 Carnegie Mellon University ...................................................... 4 College of the Holy Cross .......................................................... 4 Connecticut College .................................................................... 4 Elon University.............................................................................. 4 Franklin and Marshall College .................................................. 4 George Washington University ................................................ 4 Northwestern University ........................................................... 4 University of California at Berkeley ........................................ 4

Vanderbilt University .................................................................. 4 Amherst College............................................................................ 3 Babson College .............................................................................. 3 The College of Wooster.............................................................. 3 Cornell University......................................................................... 3 Fordham University...................................................................... 3 Kenyon College ............................................................................. 3 Massachusetts Institute of Technology .................................. 3 Santa Clara University................................................................. 3 Sewanee: The University of the South ................................... 3 St. John’s College........................................................................... 3 Tulane University ......................................................................... 3 University of Connecticut .......................................................... 3 University of Edinburgh.............................................................. 3 Villanova University..................................................................... 3 Washington and Lee University................................................ 3 Wesleyan University..................................................................... 3

F A C U L T Y

TEMBA T. MAQUBELA University of Ibadan, Nigeria, B.S.; University of Kentucky, M.S. Headmaster

PRESTON J. BANNARD Princeton University, B.A.; University of Virginia, M.A. Classics

KATHERINE L. BRADLEY University of Michigan, A.B., M.A. Assistant Head for Faculty and Students, Classics

STEPHEN D. BELSKY Swarthmore College, B.A.; University of Michigan, M.S. Head of the Science Department, Kendall W. Foster Chair in the Sciences

CRAIG N. GEMMELL Trinity College, B.S.; Duke University, A.M.; Antioch University, Ph.D. Assistant Head of School for Program, Science BRIAN P. ABRAMS Fitchburg State University, B.S. Science HAROLD W. ANDERSON III Trinity College, B.A. Director of Financial Aid, Modern Languages Dillon Chair of the Humanities MONIKA ANDERSSON Massachusetts College of Art, B.F.A.; Yale University School of Art, M.F.A. Assistant Director, de Menil Gallery, Art MARY FRANCES BANNARD University of Virginia, B.A.; Bryn Mawr College, M.A. Dormitory Head

DAVID H. BLACK, JR. ’80 Harvard College, A.B.; University of Kent, Ph.D. Science Geoffrey deC. Gund 1960 Teaching Chair DOUGLAS V.D. BROWN ’57 Harvard College, A.B. Archivist, Art Independence Foundation Chair, Woodworking JOHN B. CAPEN Haverford College, B.A.; Harvard University, M.Ed.; Middlebury College, M.A. English ARTHUR W. CHEEKS Springfield College, B.S. Director of Sports Medicine/ Head Athletic Trainer

JONATHAN CHOATE ’60 Colby College, B.A.; Bowdoin College, M.A. Mathematics Paul W. Wright Chair in Mathematics JOHN T. CONNER Amherst College, B.A.; University of Wisconsin, M.A. Modern Languages E. Roland Harriman Chair JON A. CREAMER Brown University, Sc.B.; Bard College, M.F.A. Co-Head of the Mathematics Department CATHERINE A. CROWLEY Massachusetts Institute of Technology, B.S. Science NISHAD R. DAS Delhi University, B.A.; Cambridge University, M.A. Co-Head of the Mathematics Department, Director of Global Education KATHERINE E. DENNISON Wheaton College, B.A.; University of Michigan, M.A.; Boston University, M.S.W. Academic Support Services, Classics

RONALD P. DIXON Dartmouth College, B.A. Assistant Director of Admission RANDI E. DUMONT Middlebury College, B.A.; University of Southern Maine, M.S.Ed. Assistant Director of Admission STEPHEN M. FERNANDEZ Universidad de Educacion a Distancia, B.A. Modern Languages CATHY FOLTS Wellesley College, B.A. Head of the Modern Languages Department HAROLD M. FRANCIS Hobart and William Smith Colleges, B.A.; Northeastern University, M.A. Assistant Director of Athletics JONATHAN D. FREEMAN-COPPADGE St. John’s College, B.A.; Middlebury College, M.A. English GAIL R. FRIEDMAN Northwestern University, B.S. Director of Communications

PETER McD. FRY Yale University, B.A.; University of Vermont, M.A.T. English JAMES H. FUNNELL Amherst College, A.B. Associate Director of Admission KIMBERLY A. GERIGHTY State University of New York at Albany, B.A. Director of Parent Programs D. SCOTT GIAMPETRUZZI Colby College, B.A.; Fordham University, M.A. Head of the Classics Department Sherrard Billings Chair of Classics ELIZABETH Z. GINSBERG Brown University, A.B. Director of Major Gifts THEODORE G. GOODRICH Colby College, B.A.; Middlebury College, M.A. English Malcolm Strachan Chair of English Literature IAN M. GRACEY Tufts University, B.A.; New York University, M.F.A. Director of Admission

F A C U L T Y

MARTHA J. GRACEY Bates College, B.A.; Trinity College, M.A. English LIN GU Capital Normal University, B.A. Modern Languages ALBERT L. HALL Worcester Polytechnic Institute, B.S.; University of Wisconsin, M.S. Science MEGAN KEMP HARLAN Middlebury College, B.A.; Villanova University, M.S. Director of College Counseling ELSON T. HARMON Princeton University, A.B.; Duke University, M.A., Ph.D. English Malcolm Strachan Chair of English Literature JOHN K. HEISE Dartmouth College, B.A. Spanish Intern NANCY M. HUGHES Connecticut College, B.A.; Duke University, A.M.; Middlebury College, M.A. English

M. BETH HUMPHREY University of Alabama, B.S.; University of North Carolina, Ph.D.; University of the South, M.Div. Chaplain John Crocker 1918 Chaplain’s Chair SHANNON JIN Inner Mongolia Normal University, B.A.; University of Minnesota, M.Ed. Modern Languages NIHAL KAYALI Yale University, B.A. History JULIE A. KEELING Iowa State University, B.S.; University of Iowa, M.A. Mathematics JULIA C. KELLY Bryn Mawr College, A.B.; University of California Santa Cruz, M.S. Mathematics SANDRA L. KELLY University of Indianapolis, B.S.; Washington University, Ph.D. Science W. Homer and Helena P. Smith Chair in Chemistry

SALLY H. KLOSE Colby College, B.A. History Intern

TIMOTHY J. LEROY St. Lawrence University, B.A. Director of SAC, Mathematics

FRANCK KOFFI University of Michel de Montaigne, B.A., M.A. Modern Languages

CATHERINE W. LINCOLN Connecticut College, B.A.; Dartmouth College, M.A.L.S. Mathematics LuAnn S. Polk Coeducation Chair

THOMAS S. LAMONT II Harvard College, A.B.; Oxford University, M.Phil.

Head of the History Department Lawrence Family Chair in History and World Affairs

ROBERT T. LOW Plymouth State College, B.A.; Middlebury College, M.A. Director of Athletics

MARY ANN LANIER Oberlin College, B.Mus.; Boston University, M.Mus. Director of Instrumental Music

JOHN L. LYONS Middlebury College, B.A.; Georgetown University, M.A. History John Hay Whitney Chair of History and Public Affairs

ELIZABETH W. LAWRENCE ’82 Trinity College, B.A. Director of the Annual Fund KRISTEN C. LEATHERBEE Gettysburg College, B.S.; Harvard, M.A. Mathematics KATHARINE LEGGAT Dartmouth College, B.A. Academic Dean, Mathematics Thomas S. Williams Chair

LAURA J. LYONS Fitchburg State College, B.A.; Columbia University, M.A. Mathematics ALLISON S. MACBRIDE The College of William and Mary, B.A. Director of Recent Graduate Relations

JOHN D. MACEACHERN Harvard College, A.B. Director of Alumni Affairs and Development MARK MACHAN Union College, B.A.; Boston College, M.A. Associate Director of College Counseling WILLIAM F. MAGUIRE Boston State College, B.S.; University of Massachusetts, Amherst, M.Ed.; Columbia University, M.A. Mathematics VUYELWA MAQUBELA University of Fort Hare, B.A.; Lesley University, M.A. English STEPHEN T. MARCHAND Bowdoin College, A.B.; Boston State College, M.Ed.; Simmons College, M.L.I.S. Library Director PAULA J. MARKS Connecticut College, B.A. Science

F A C U L TY

Amy L. Martin-Nelson University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, B.A.; University of Georgia, M.A. Classics

Robert F. O’Rourke Georgetown University, B.A.; Harvard Divinity School, M.T.S. Associate Director of College Counseling

William Mees Bates College, A.B.; Institut de Touraine, Dip.; Middlebury College, M.A.; Universidad de Salamanca, Dip.; Fitchburg State College, M.A. Modern Languages

Elizabeth L. Petroskey Gibbs College, A.S. Associate Dean of Students

Sarah J. Meyer Wheaton College, B.A. Art Daniel J. Moriarty Villanova University, B.A.; Curtis Institute of Music, Diploma Organist and Director of Choral Music W. David Nelson University of Virginia, B.A.; Hebrew Union College, M.A., Ph.D. Religion Michael F. O’Donnell Dartmouth College, A.B.; Boston College, M.A. Dean of Students

R. Corttis Pomeroy Hamilton College, B.A.; Boston College, M.Ed. Senior Associate Director of Admission Lauren A. Posillico Connecticut College, B.A. Mathematics David J. Prockop Williams College, B.A.; Tufts University, M.A.T. Science Lathrop Brown Chair Timothy H. Reed Bates College, B.S.; Northeastern University, M.S. Science Ellen Rennard Princeton University, B.A.; Middlebury College, M.A. English

Andres T. Reyes ’80 Harvard College, A.B.; Oxford University, M.Phil., D.Phil.

Classics Charles C. and Ann W. Alexander Faculty Chair

Sravani Sen-Das Delhi University, B.A., M.A.; University of London, M.A.; Oxford, P.G.C.E. Head of the English Department Peter B. Camp Chair in English

William J. Riley Colby College, B.A.; University of Southern Maine, M.S.Ed. Associate Director of Admission and Financial Aid

Jordana Shaw Middlebury College, B.A.; Simmons College, M.A. Library Director

David O. Ross Yale University, B.A.; Harvard University, M.A., Ph.D. Classics L. Hugh Sackett Oxford University, M.A., Dip.Ed., F.S.A. Classics E. Roland Harriman Chair Laurie C. Sales Northwestern University, B.S. Director of Theater Jane S. Santinelli Duke University, B.A.; Harvard, M.Ed. Assistant Director of Admission

J. Hale Smith Colorado College, B.A.; Harvard University, M.B.A.; Massachusetts C.P.A. Chief Financial Officer Ryan H. Spring Bates College, B.A.; George Washington University, M.A. History Rebecca H. Stanton Universite Rene Descartes, B.A.; University Pantheon-Sorbonne, L.L.M.; Boston University, L.L.M. Modern Languages Melinda E. Stewart Wellesley College, B.A.; Smith College, M.S.W. Director of Counseling

Elizabeth Van Gelder University of Massachusetts, Amherst, B.A. Director, Brodigan Gallery, Art Fanny Vera de Viacava Inca Garcilaso de la Vega University, B.A.; Middlebury College, M.A. Modern Languages Luis M. Viacava Inca Garcilaso de la Vega University, B.A.; Middlebury College, M.A. Modern Languages Jennifer B. Wallace Georgetown University, B.S.F.S., M.S.F.S. History

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