WRA Viewbook

WHAT WILL YOU PIONEER?

We are the Pioneers.

We are young and brave. Stronger together.

We seek respect, not attention. Obstacles fascinate us and roadblocks draw out our creativity. We work harder. We are disciplined but adventurous.

We are here to grow,

to learn,

to give and to evolve.

We ring the Victory Bell. We thank our teachers.

We extend open arms to those just beginning their journeys.

We are the next generation

to lead,

to challenge and to dream.

We are well rounded. Socially conscious.

Culturally aware. Compassionate.

We are in a place where everyone can be extraordinary. We are a family, connected by this spirit of innovation, pressing forward for nearly two centuries. And we advance. Onward and inward.

Always asking ourselves.

What Will You Pioneer?

LILY AND ELLIE DISCOVERED ADVENTURE. AND A FRIEND TO SHARE IT WITH.

PIONEER PROFILE:

LILY NICHOLSON AND ELLIE FRATO-SWEENEY

Lily Nicholson is from Exeter, New Hampshire. Ellie Frato-Sweeney is from a small town in Ohio. Where Lily is social and loves skiing, Ellie is quiet and enjoys political discourse.

These self-described opposites both longed for new experiences and adventure — and they found it at Reserve. They also found an abiding friendship. Students come from all over the world for benefits that can only be found at boarding school, where friendship and adventure are available around the clock.

Lily and Ellie choose WRA for the opportunities, academics and closeknit community that can be found nowhere else.

HISTORY HAPPENS HERE.

Hudson, Ohio, has long been a place where history is made.

Hudson was one of the earliest centers of the Underground Railroad, and even today underground tunnels lie below the streets. In 1826, pioneers in education founded Western Reserve College, which soon became known as “The Yale of the West.”

Western Reserve Academy was founded on that campus in the same spirit of forward thinking.

Named one of the 50 Great American Places by the Director Emeritus of the Smithsonian Institution, Hudson is regarded for its “enduring connection to smalltown values, ideals and traditions that shaped American democracy.”

This connection is in our DNA, as is the beauty for which our campus and Hudson are known.

It is a combination you won’t find anywhere else, and the perfect launchpad to the rest of your life.

PIONEER PROFILE:

AVERY BREWER

For Avery Brewer, hands-on learning has taken on a new meaning. She was part of an engineering team that designed a prosthetic capable of sensing flexes in the arm of an amputee and translating them into movements in a robotic hand.

At WRA, The Center for Technology, Innovation & Creativity gives every student access to cutting-edge equipment and the nurturing guidance of our experienced faculty.

But they’re not just here to help you make things. They can also help you make a difference.

AVERY IS PIONEERING BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES. AND A CAREER PATH.

OUR GREAT PURPOSE IS DISCOVERING YOURS.

WRA has been ranked as the top independent school in Ohio and high among the premier boarding schools in the nation. But the true measure of our success is your success.

That’s why, while our values endure, our academic program is undergoing the single largest transformation in the school’s history. Our new Independent Curriculum includes College Level courses, which surpass Advanced Placement (AP) courses in depth, rigor and opportunity; a daily schedule designed with fewer transitions and greater balance; and tailored courses at every grade level that emphasize the development of skills for life, like collaboration, resilience and self-esteem.

Our signature academic offerings also include our 6,000-squarefoot dream space, The Center for Technology, Innovation & Creativity; Saturday Academy; and our Compass course, which invites you to transform your personal passion into a yearlong project. WRA’s Beyond Reserve program, as well as domestic and international learning and service travel, give you the opportunity to trek through Iceland, visit the Badlands, intern in New York City, help market a Major League Baseball team and so much more.

The opportunities are boundless.

And it all starts with you.

MR. ONG IS BRANCHING OUT WITH A BOLD NEW APPROACH TO TEACHING GOVERNMENT.

PIONEER PROFILE:

MR. DICCON ONG

WRA has been named the best independent school in Ohio, and, true to our pioneering roots, we are the first school in our region to move beyond AP to an independent curriculum where Mr. Ong and other passionate faculty take learning to new levels — what we call College Level (CL). As our curriculum evolves, our campus does, too. Along our historic Brick Row, where students have been welcomed for almost two centuries, exquisite new learning spaces are coming to life — like elegant Seymour Hall, where Mr. Ong’s passion for politics and culture can be seen from the Presidential Seal on his floor to the items and artifacts that stretch all the way to the ceiling.

At WRA, the academic possibilities are without limits. Just like our teachers and students.

ATHLETICS AT RESERVE. Each new day at WRA is an opportunity for you to learn, play and have fun in a supportive and compassionate community of teachers, coaches, mentors and friends.

Our traditions run deep.

We ring the Victory Bell when our teams win.

Inclusion, diversity and acceptance guide every day at WRA, and we purposefully blur lines on the path to well-roundedness. Our athletes are actors, our artists are analysts – and you are encouraged to fearlessly pursue your interests and dreams. Every year, approximately 20 percent of our students go on to collegiate athletics at the country’s most distinctive schools..

Our athletic philosophy is rooted in a century-old tradition that puts a premium on teamwork, physical fitness and sportsmanship. Every student participates in sports, every day of the school week and our weekends are filled with excitement and Pioneer spirit. Our athletic facilities are world class, including a 45,000-square-foot field house that rivals the facilities of the country’s best colleges.

ANDREW PIONEERED A NEW DEFINITION OF COURAGE.

PIONEER PROFILE:

ANDREW McCAFFREY

Andrew McCaffrey has always had a passion for sports. But at age 11, doctors diagnosed him with a rare bone cancer. At 14, his leg was amputated at the knee. Andrew lost his leg, but not his passion for athletics. After intense physical therapy — and even more intense determination — he chose to do what many people thought he never could.

He strapped on a Pioneer football helmet and proved them wrong.

At WRA, we encourage our students to work to overcome their challenges.

Andrew’s story inspires us all.

WRA’s commitment to the arts is unwavering. From pliés to painting, and from performances to photography, you are encouraged to express yourself artistically. Our Knight

THE ARTS AT RESERVE.

Fine Arts Center (KFAC) is the creative heart of campus, with beautiful workspaces, studios, galleries and stages. Our state-of-the-art dream space, The Center for Technology, Innovation & Creativity, provides cutting-edge production tools to take your ideas from concept to completion.

Here, you’ll have amazing opportunities to thrive and excel, and to become a true Pioneer.

KATIE PIONEERED A NEW LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE.

PIONEER PROFILE:

KATIE LY

When Katie Ly arrived at WRA, shyness often kept her from speaking up in class. But when she discovered dance, her confidence began to grow.

As she became more aware of her body’s movement, she started to walk taller, more assured. And she opened up in class.

At WRA, every student is encouraged to discover outlets for self-expression on their path to developing the confidence to excel in the world ahead. Katie is taking all the right steps.

A DAY IN THE LIFE.

7:30 a.m.

Ellsworth Hall opens for breakfast.

Many schools pack so much into a day that your head spins with countless class periods and endless commitments. At Reserve, our new schedule

8:20–9:35 a.m.

intentionally slows the pace of the day for deeper learning, more collaboration, special opportunities and ample time to simply love learning.

First period.

A TYPICAL WEEKDAY AT WRA

9:35–10:35 a.m.

Our new Academic Plus (A+) period for collaboration, guest speakers, extra study or enduring traditions, like our Monday and Friday all-school Morning Meeting.

11:50 a.m.–12:45 p.m.

Lunch! Our lunches are either buffets or sit-down meals with your friends and faculty advisor.

10:35–11:50 a.m.

Classes continue, second period.

3:45–5:45 p.m.

Athletic practices, fine arts, academic pursuits or community service.

12:45–3:30 p.m.

Afternoon classes – third and fourth periods.

WEEKENDS 6:00–7:00 p.m.

Dinner — buffet style or sit-down, family-style candlelit dinner with friends and faculty.

WRA has the best of both worlds: walking distance to a beautiful town center that we consider part of campus, and just a stone’s throw from bustling Cleveland and its big-city amenities.

Hudson is nestled in the lush woodlands of the Cuyahoga Valley, just minutes

8:00–10:00 p.m.

from the stunning Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

Study hours.

There’s never a shortage of weekend activities at Reserve. Imagine coming home from a soccer game on Friday and ringing the Victory Bell with your teammates. After a celebratory dinner in the dining hall, you head to your friend’s poetry reading at open mic night.

Saturday morning you solve a mystery in your Forensic Science Echo Module, then audition for a role in the play.

Later you head to downtown Hudson for coffee with friends, then catch a movie at the local theater. On Sunday, you visit the world-class Cleveland Museum of Art with your teachers and friends, and get back in time for dinner and

10:15 p.m.

Boarding students return to dorms and day students return home.

downtime in the dorm or a library study session to prepare for the week ahead.

CAMILA DISCOVERED THE POWER TO BRING SMILES TO THE FACES OF NEW STUDENTS.

PIONEER PROFILE:

CAMILA TOBON

When Camila Tobon came to Ohio from sunny Florida, she was greeted with WRA’s midwestern warmth.

“Everyone was so nice, and I wanted to find a way to be just as welcoming to others considering Reserve.” That’s when she decided to pursue one of the school’s dozens of leadership opportunities and become a Student Ambassador. At WRA, we work hard to provide unique experiences for students to learn to lead in high school and beyond.

For Camila, making a difference started with a kind heart and a gracious attitude — enviable qualities for any leader.

A WORLD AHEAD.

The world changes, but demand for people

Small classrooms are filled with big thinking.

like you — young people of excellence,

Our setting and curriculum mirror the world

integrity and compassion — remains.

we endeavor to create, a world where you live, learn and lead responsibly. At WRA, the

One hundred percent of our graduates attend

unique preparation you will receive for social,

four-year colleges and universities regarded

cultural and academic success goes beyond

as the best in the U.S.

what you learn. It becomes who you are. We are committed to igniting your passion as you

In our idyllic, small-town setting, we cultivate

envision a future with no boundaries, where

a global mindset, attracting top students from

you will embrace challenges with all the

across the country and around the world.

hope, strength and resolve of a true Pioneer.

DR. ROBERT AGUILAR AND HIS STUDENTS ARE PIONEERING VACCINES FOR CANCER.

PIONEER PROFILE:

DR. ROBERT AGUILAR

WRA biology teacher Dr. Robert Aguilar was integrally involved in breakthrough discoveries at Cleveland Clinic that could become the firstever vaccine to prevent breast cancer. Now he’s working on a similar vaccine for testicular cancer, inviting his students to contribute to the research.

At WRA, the opportunities to pioneer are as diverse as the imagination. We can’t wait to see where your imagination will lead you.

COLLEGE MATRICULATION FOR THE CLASSES OF 2012 TO 2017 ONE HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE CLASS OF 2017 WAS ADMITTED TO ONE OR MORE FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES AND/OR UNIVERSITIES.

The University of Akron

Colby College

University of Hawaii

The University of Alabama

Colgate University

High Point University

Allegheny College

College of the Holy Cross

Hiram College

American University

College of William and Mary

Hobart and William Smith Colleges

American University of Paris

University of Colorado

Howard University

Amherst College

Colorado College

University of Illinois-Chicago

Babson College

Colorado School of Mines

Baldwin Wallace University

Columbia College

University of IllinoisUrbana Champaign

Bard College

Columbia University

Barnard College

Concordia University

Bates College

Connecticut College

Bellarmine University

Cornell University

Bentley University

University of the Cumberlands

Berklee College of Music

Denison University

Binghamton University

DePaul University

Boston College

DePauw University

Boston University

University of Detroit Mercy

Bowdoin College

Drew University

Bowling Green State University

Drexel University

Bradley University

Duke University

Brown University

Elon University

Bucknell University

Emory University

Butler University

University of Florida

University of California, Berkeley

Florida Southern College

University of California, Irvine

Florida State University

University of California, Los Angeles

Fordham University

University of California, San Diego

Furman University

University of California, Santa Cruz

Gannon University

Carleton College

The George Washington University

Mass College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

Carnegie Mellon University

Georgetown University

Miami University

Case Western Reserve University

Georgia Institute of Technology

University of Miami

Centre College

Gettysburg College

University of Maine

College of Charleston

University of Glasgow

University of Michigan

University of Chicago

Grinnell College

Middlebury College

University of Cincinnati

Guilford College

Minerva Schools at KGI

The Citadel

Hamilton College

The University of Montana

Claremont McKenna College

Hampshire College

Mount Allison University

Clemson University

Harvard University

Mount Holyoke College

Cleveland Institute of Music

Haverford College

The New School

Illinois Institute of Technology Indiana University John Carroll University Johns Hopkins University Kent State University University of Kentucky Kenyon College King’s College London Knox College Lake Forest College Lee University University College London Loras College Loyola Marymount University Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Maryland Lynn University Macalester College Marist College Maritime College (SUNY)

New York University

Roanoke College

Tufts University

The University of North Carolina

Robert Morris University

Tulane University

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

University of Rochester

United States Military Academy

Rochester Institute of Technology

United States Naval Academy

Rollins College

University of Utah

Royal Holloway, University of London

Vanderbilt University

Savannah College of Art and Design

Vassar College

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

University of Vermont

Sewanee: The University of the South

Villanova University

Smith College

Virginia Commonwealth University

University of Southern California

Virginia Tech

Southern Methodist University

University of Virginia

University of St Andrews

Viterbo University

St. Lawrence University

Wake Forest University

St. Olaf College

Walsh University

Stanford University

Washington and Jefferson College

Stark State College of Technology

Washington University in St. Louis

University of Sunderland

Wellesley College

Swarthmore College

Wesleyan University

Syracuse University

Wheaton College

Temple University

Willamette University

Tennessee Technological University

Williams College

Northeast Ohio Medical University Northeastern University Northwestern University Oberlin College Occidental College Ohio Northern University Ohio University The Ohio State University Ohio Wesleyan University University of Oregon University of Oxford The University of Oklahoma Pennsylvania State University University of Pittsburgh Pomona College Pratt Institute Principia College Providence College Purdue University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhode Island School of Design Rhodes College Richmond, American Intl University in London University of Richmond

Texas A&M University Texas Christian University The University of Tampa The University of Texas Trinity College University of Toledo

University of Wisconsin The College of Wooster Wright State University Xavier University Institutions with five or more matriculants are listed in bold print.

PIONEER PROFILE:

SARA WROBLEWSKI

Sara Wroblewski proves that you don’t have to be a certain age to make a timeless impact. One Bead, the company Sara founded in her college dorm room with the help of a Reserve classmate, connects students to leadership programming through the profits generated from the sales of glass-bead jewelry handmade in Nairobi, Kenya.

Many Reserve alumni have gone on to great destinations — in college, careers and life. But as they move forward, we are proudest of their passion for giving back.

SARA STARTED A BUSINESS. AND IGNITED A MOVEMENT.

STRENGTH IN RESERVE. When you choose Reserve, you choose more adventure, more empowering academics and an environment with more diverse friends and experiences. All of these advantages give you an edge in college, life and everything you choose to pioneer.

AVERAGE SAT SCORE WRA students:

All college-bound students:

1360 1083

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; Education at a Glance; 2011

PERCENTAGE OF NATIONAL MERIT FINALISTS

FACULTY WITH ADVANCED DEGREES

All applicants:

7.0175 0.9375 %

%

National Merit Scholarship Corporation; 2016

65

%

THAN

As ranked by Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges; 2017

33

%

100

%

National Association for College Admissions Counseling; 2015

All applicants:

100% 55.5%

WRA: Average U.S. high school: U.S. News & World Report, High school sports participation; 2011

4-YEAR COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE RATE 2017 WRA graduates:

U.S. Department of Education; National Center for Education Statistics; 2009

SPORTS PARTICIPATION

Average acceptance rate:

LESS

92% 56%

WRA: Average U.S. high school:

GRADUATES ADMITTED TO “MOST COMPETITIVE” SCHOOLS 2017 WRA graduates:

12 23.1

WRA: Average U.S. high school class:

The College Board; Understanding SAT Scores; 2016

2017 WRA graduates:

AVERAGE CLASS SIZE

65.8

%

PERCENTAGE TO CONTINUE SPORTS IN DIVISION I SCHOOL 2017 WRA graduates: Average U.S. high school: NCAA; Probability of Competing Beyond High School; 2017

6.14035% 2.296%

WHAT WILL YOU PIONEER?

PREPAREDNESS FOR COLLEGE: As reported by students.

PUBLIC

PRIVATE DAY

BOARDING

23%

36%

78%

The first step begins here.

If you would like to learn more, complete our inquiry form at WRA.net/inquire.

Once you let us know of your interest, we’ll send you more information and a guide to visiting and applying.

PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO EARN ADVANCED DEGREES: PUBLIC

PRIVATE DAY

BOARDING

Visit us!

At WRA we meet with every applicant and

21

%

36

%

50

%

family. If you haven’t already had a tour of campus and an interview, we would love to meet you. Contact our Admission Office at 330.650.9717 or admission@WRA.net.

PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WITH HIGH-QUALITY TEACHERS: As reported by students.

PUBLIC

PRIVATE DAY

BOARDING

51%

62%

90%

The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)

Founded in 1826, Western Reserve Academy is one of the country’s top-ranked independent boarding and day schools, offering a dynamic and distinctive college preparatory curriculum on one of America’s most beautiful campuses.

WRA.net | 115 College St. Hudson, OH 44236