The Thacher School
Ojai
California
United States
Overview
Since 1889, Thacher has prepared gifted students from all backgrounds for top colleges and lives of leadership. Thacher's blend of rigorous academics and outdoor life is distinctive and distinguished. Nearly 20 advanced courses are offered. Students live by an Honor Code. In a community renowned for its warmth and unpretentiousness, a willingness to lend a hand is an everyday expectation. Forty seven percent of our students identify as students of color. Thirty one percent of students receive financial aid. Over 90 percent of graduates gain admission to one of their top three colleges. Extensive outdoor and horse programs and 28 competitive athletic teams are offered.
Academics
Summary: Deeply committed to the intellectual life and the development of its students, Thacher offers an academic program that is both rigorous and flexible. At its core, the program is designed to encourage the best mix of broad, general background and specialized study for each student. While our basic diploma requirements prepare our students for college-level study, all Thacher students move well beyond this minimum to pursue areas of special interest. Thacher offers a broad and rich array of Advanced Placement (AP) courses, as well as several courses beyond the AP level. Full engagement with a Thacher education means developing critical thinking skills and learning to communicate effectively, by listening, speaking, and writing well. In all disciplines the classroom experience is intimate—Thacher’s average class size is eleven—and largely discussion based, with students often collaborating on projects. Still, academic learning at Thacher isn’t confined to the four walls of a traditional classroom. Students and faculty often tackle their subjects elsewhere—exploring a creek to learn about its ecosystem, reading poetry on a grassy lawn, or trekking to the horse barns to practice hands-on veterinary medicine. Some students even choose to move beyond the bounds of the Thacher campus, spending a year studying abroad or with other programs in the U.S.
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Student/Teacher Ratio: 5:1
Average Class Size: 11
Summer Programs: Not Offered
Full Time Teachers: 60
Number of AP Courses Offered: 0
Teachers Holding Advanced Degrees: 80.0%
Number of IB Courses Offered: 0
Learning Support
- Study Skills Assistance
English
- Classics
- Creative Writing
- Honors
- Literature
- Poetry
History
- Asian History
- European History
- Honors
- United States History
- World History
- African History
Foreign Languages
- Chinese-Mandarin
- French
- Latin
- Spanish
Religion / Philosophy
- Ethics
- Mythology
- World Religions
Humanities / Social Sciences
- Economics
- Psychology
Sciences
- Anatomy
- Astronomy
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Environmental Science
- Marine Biology
- Physics
Math
Computer Studies
- Computer Applications
- Computer Programming
- Computer Science
- Robotics
Music
- Choral Music
- Composition
- Electronic Music
- Individual Instructions
- Music History
- Music Theory
Performing / Visual Arts
- Acting
- Art History
- Ceramics
- Dance
- Debate
- Painting
- Photography
- Pottery
- Public Speaking
- Studio Art
- Theater Arts
- Theater Design
- Woodworking
- 3-D Art
Special Programs
- Study Abroad
- Community Service
- Outdoor Education
Distinctive or New Programs
- Horse Program
Campus Life
Dorm Life
Number of Dorms: 6
Average Students Per Dorm: 43
Number of Girls Dorms: 3
Number of Boys Dorms: 3
Dorm Amenities
- Laundry Facilities
- Lounge
- Wireless Internet
Other Dorm Amenities
Facilities
- All-Weather Track
- Baseball Field
- Fitness Center
- Football Field
- Indoor Basketball Court
- Indoor Climbing Wall
- Pool
Other Facilities
Clubs & Organizations
Arts & Athletics
Arts Department Director: 003f400000GtDjuAAF
Athletics Department Director: 003f400000GtDjgAAF
Arts
- Acting
- Art History
- Ceramics
- Dance
- Debate
- Painting
- Photography
- Pottery
- Public Speaking
- Studio Art
- Theater Arts
- Theater Design
- Woodworking
- 3-D Art
Interscholastic Sports
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country Running
- Equestrian
- Football
- Lacrosse
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
Recreational Sports
- Camping
- Cross Country Running
- Dance
- Equestrian
- Hiking
- Horseback Riding
- Kayaking
- Mountain Biking
- Outdoor Education
- Rock Climbing
- Swimming
- Table Tennis
- Ultimate Frisbee
- Weight Lifting
Graduates
Summary: Thacher’s approach to college placement is based on early preparation and a thoughtfully plotted introduction to the complex issues and requirements of the search and application process. Figuring out the differences between early action and early decision, learning how to write effective college essays, taking the SAT or ACT with confidence and preparation, filling out applications or applying for financial aid, deciding which schools to focus on—all these tasks require levelheadedness and a sensible and methodical approach. These qualities are precisely what our team of college counselors aims to encourage as they help students establish goals, set timelines, and understand terminology. At Thacher, we believe that there is value in having time to process information, gain perspective, and achieve comfort with the various aspects of college admission. If students initiate this process in the junior year when there is less pressure about the final results, they can successfully establish a foundation of knowledge that will help them navigate the actual process as seniors. At that time, they can expend energy more effectively on the truly important issue: identifying the personal priorities that will contribute to a rewarding match with an appropriate college or university community.
College attended in the past 5 years by our graduates:
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Notable Alumni
Rukmini Callimachi
Class of 1991
After graduating from Dartmouth College and later earning her master’s at Oxford Rukmini Callimachi began as a reporter in New Delhi India filing stories with Time magazine and other news organizations. Before becoming a foreign correspondent for The N
Christine Carter
Class of 1990
A sociologist and senior fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center Christine Carter PhD is the author of The Sweet Spot: How to Find Your Groove at Home and Work and Raising Happiness. After receiving her BA from Dartmouth College Christine
Howard Hughes
Class of 1923
Howard Robard Hughes Jr. (December 24 1905 – April 5 1976) was an American business tycoon investor aviator aerospace engineer inventor filmmaker and philanthropist.
James Newton Howard
Class of 1969
After beginning his career as a session musician and touring with the likes of Elton John and Crosby Stills and Nash James found his forte as a composer of movie scores. His soundtracks—more than 100 to date—have earned him a Grammy Award an Emmy Awar
John Johnny" Myers"
Class of 1929
John Johnny" Wescott Myers (born Los Angeles California June 13 1911 – died Beverly Hills California January 31 2008) was a World War II test pilot who helped develop the P-61 fighter plane."
Thornton Wilder
Class of 1915
Thornton Niven Wilder (April 17 1897 – December 7 1975) was an American playwright and novelist. He won three Pulitzer Prizes for the novel The Bridge of San Luis Rey" and for the two plays "Our Town" and "The Skin of Our Teeth" and a U.S. Nationa
Quotes From Alumni
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Vital Information
Student Body Type: Coed
Total Boarding: 227
Total Day: 27
Total Enrollment: 254
Boys: 129
Girls: 125
Boarding Grades Offered: 9-12
Day Grades Offered: 9-12
School Type: High School
Dress Code: Casual
Applications Accepted: SAO, Gateway to Prep
Application Deadline: January 15th
Tuition & Financial Aid
7-Day Boarding: $62,810
5-Day Boarding: N/A
Day Tuition Fee: $46,920
Need-Based Aid: Offered
Payment Plans: Offered
Students Receiving Aid: %
Average Awarded: $52,652
School Finances
Merit Scholarships: Not Offered
Students Receiving Merit Scholarships: %
Average Merit Scholarship: $0
Current Endowment Amount: $176,000,000
Contact
Director of Admissions: Yung Roman
Admissions Phone: 805 640 3210
Fax: 805 640 9377
Email: admission@thacher.org
Website: www.thacher.org
