Groton Essentials

Scenic woodlands wrap Groton’s campus, long lawns invite contemplation, and state-of-the-art buildings provide facilities for a world-class education. Less obvious, however, are the ambition of Groton's motivated students, the tone of serious academic pursuit, and the caring attitudes that have distinguished the School throughout its history. The following facts and characteristics will help you understand the Groton experience.
Family
Close relationships are integral to Groton’s identity and the major point of emphasis in the school’s approach to the education of adolescents. Great mentors and peers are essential at this stage of life. Students regularly meet for “Parlor” at the Headmaster’s House to play board games and hang out, reinforcing the feeling of family. Every night ends with students shaking hands and saying good night to faculty members supervising dormitories, a warm, eye-to-eye, one-on-one moment to tie up the day. Like members of a close family, Groton students learn that commitment to the well-being of others is mutually beneficial.

Opportunity
Groton students are talented, and the size of the community permits development in a variety of activities. The football player, like the musician or hockey player or service activist, is not only permitted to participate in other fields, he is encouraged to do so. Groton insists on the development of the whole student, not specialization.
Intensity
Talented teachers and students committed to each other’s education and well-being create an atmosphere infused with and fueled by passion. Whether they are studying physics or playing Ultimate Frisbee, Groton students pursue their activities with intensity. Each student contributes to Groton’s standing as a school of academic excellence.

Joy
Groton sees joy as an end-all in its own right. Deep joy comes from many things, among them adhering to principles and maximizing one’s potential. Numerous opportunities allow Groton students to fulfill their potential—and to realize the joy that that brings.
 
Tradition
An emphasis on tradition provides a freedom from transience and a respect for that which has come before. Tradition does not involve an aversion to change, but realizes that Groton at its best embraces 21st-century technology and pedagogy while still celebrating its rich traditions.
The Campus
Groton's beautiful and bucolic 400-acre campus is about 35 miles from Boston. A commuter train to the city leaves from the town of Ayer, just two miles from campus. On the Groton School campus, many key buildings border the Circle, including St. John's Chapel, the Schoolhouse, Brooks and Hundred House Dormitories, the McCormick Library (60,000 volumes), the Campbell Performing Arts Center, the Dining Hall, the Dillon Art Center, and the De Menil Gallery. Other facilities include the Alumni House, the Athletic and Recreation Center, the Pratt and O'Brien Rinks and Tennis Center, the Bingham Boathouse, and many faculty homes.
Cui Servire Est Regnare
The School’s motto, translated as “to serve is to rule,” embodies the principle that commitment to others is critical to personal fulfillment. Groton graduates have built a legacy of service to the nation and the world.

Commitment
At Groton, tests are referred to as “commitments.” One learns the value of maintaining a firm commitment to one’s obligations, personal principles, and the community. The commitment of one to another and of each to the whole is an engendered habit of mind at Groton.

A Circle, Open
The Circle is a landmark at the heart of the Groton campus and a metaphor for the Groton experience. A Circle’s wholeness represents the total development Groton students strive for; its continuity represents the deep and lasting connection between graduates and their school. The concept of openness is critical to this Circle: Groton is open-minded and welcoming. Generous financial aid resources underscore this commitment, making the Circle open to many students who might otherwise not be able to attend.

Facts at a Glance
Faculty: 92
Students: 372
Boarding: 88 percent
Day: 12 percent
Average Class Size: 11

Applicants: 1,172
Accepted: 179
Acceptance Rate: 15.3 percent
Accepted for Second Form (eighth grade): 31 students
States/Countries Represented: 32/17
States with Greatest Representation: MA, NY, NJ, NH, CT, CA, NC, TX, FL
Students of Color: 32 percent
International: 12 percent
Distinctive Traits (Academic): High-achieving students, two languages required, six classes/semester, tutorials, renowned teachers
Distinctive Traits (Student Life): Prefect year, Chapel, advising program, summer service trips, Parlor, small student body/big opportunities

Tuition/Financial Aid
2011 - 2012 Tuition/fees: $51,800 boarding, $40,150 day
Financial Aid Budget: $5.1 million
Number of Students Receiving Financial Aid: 137
Number of Full-Pay Students: 235
Percentage on Financial Aid: 37 percent
Average Grant: $34,600

Endowment
Endowment Total: $305 million
Endowment per Student: $824,000
Resources available to Groton students are among the best in America.

Facilities
Acres: 400
Athletic and Recreation Center: Built in 1998; 250,000 square feet with 12 international squash courts, eight indoor tennis courts, three indoor basketball courts, two ice rinks, weight and training rooms, elevated indoor track, multi-purpose/dance studio, 25-meter pool
Outdoor Athletic Facilities: Fields for football, soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse, plus two baseball fields, 10 outdoor tennis courts, and a boathouse
Theater: Marion D. Campbell Performing Arts Center (with main stage and black box stages), built in 2004
Music: Edward B. Gammons Recital Hall, renovated in 2005
All facilities are wheelchair-accessible.

Beyond the Circle
Average SAT Scores: 702 critical reading, 688 math, 702 writing
Careers of Graduates after 10 Years: Business, 40 percent; Law, 20 percent; Medicine, 10 percent; Education, 10 percent; Government, 5 percent; Other: 15 percent
Alumni Participating in Community Service: 95 percent
Sample of Prominent Alumni: Dean Acheson, Ayi Kwei Armah, Hugh Auchincloss, James Auchincloss, Louis Auchincloss, Francis Biddle, McGeorge Bundy, William Bundy, Jim Cooper, Peter Gammons, Joseph Grew, Fred Gwynne, W. Averell Harriman, Stephen Hill, Joseph Medill McCormick, Robert R. McCormick, Daniyal Mueenuddin, Alexandra Paul, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Sarah Sewall, Sam Waterston