Asheville School

Asheville

North Carolina

United States

Overview

Founded in 1900, Asheville School is one of the few remaining true small boarding schools in America (295 students). This is a nurturing community, where our students and faculty genuinely know one another--thanks to family-style seated meals, senior chapel talks and century old traditions. We offer a rigorous college preparatory program. Many of our graduates are accepted to the most prestigious schools in the country. In fact, the majority of our recent graduates are attending colleges and universities Barron's rates as "highly selective" and "most selective." We teach 21st century and timeless skills--critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity--in a traditional setting, where students are known and loved. Our acceptance rate is 40 percent, and we have alumni in all 50 states and in about 35 countries around the world. Our 300-acre campus, with pastoral fields encircled by the Blue Ridge Mountains, is nestled in the city of Asheville, North Carolina. In fact, Architectural Digest names Asheville School the most beautiful private high school in North Carolina in 2018.

Academics

Summary: The academic work and intellectual pursuit of each student is essential to the Asheville School experience. Teachers and students thrive in small seminar-style classes that feature the Harkness Method: round table discussions that encourage critical thinking. Students also have access to one-on-one tutorial sessions, open office hours, and other supports that help them learn how to succeed. Asheville School has 62 courses, which include 22 Honors and 16 AP offerings. The academic capstone of the senior year is the Senior Demonstration, a project in which students read three books of their choosing, write two papers analyzing those books and sit for an oral defense.

Department Director Helen Plaehn

Student/Teacher Ratio: 5:1

Average Class Size: 13

Summer Programs: Offered

Full Time Teachers: 39

Number of AP Courses Offered: 16

Teachers Holding Advanced Degrees: 77%

Number of IB Courses Offered: 0

English

Classics
Honors
Literature

History

Classical History
European History
Honors
Medieval History
United States History
World History

Foreign Languages

Chinese-Mandarin
French
Spanish

Sciences

Anatomy
Biology
Chemistry
Environmental Science
Physics

Math

Computer Studies

Computer Programming
Computer Science

Music

Composition
Music Theory

Performing / Visual Arts

Dance
Drama
Drawing
Painting
Studio Art

Special Programs

Community Service
Outdoor Education

Distinctive or New Programs

Integrated Humanities Curriculum

Campus Life

Dorm Life

Number of Dorms: 4

Average Students Per Dorm: 70

Number of Girls Dorms: 2

Number of Boys Dorms: 2

Dorm Amenities

Laundry Facilities
Lounge
Vending Machines
Wireless Internet

Other Dorm Amenities

Common Room Kitchens

Student Life

Eighty percent of students are boarding students at Asheville School, which creates an immersive experience in which students learn and grow alongside their peers, teachers and mentors even after the academic day ends. Thirty percent of our students are considered multicultural; our community is truly diverse in background and committed to academic and personal excellence. We value academics at Asheville School, but we also value fun. Our Student Activities Director schedules plenty of entertainment during student downtime. On-campus pursuits include barbecues, athletic tournaments, game nights, movies, school dances and more. Students also take in concerts, plays and other art events, movies and sporting events in Asheville.

Facilities

All-Weather Track
Baseball Field
Basketball Court
Fitness Center
Football Field
Indoor Basketball Court
Indoor Pool
Volleyball Court

Other Facilities

Alpine Climbing Tower
Stables
Hiking Trails

Clubs & Organizations

Chess Club
Community Service
Debate Club
Diversity Club
Dorm Proctors
Environmental Club
FCA
Foreign Language Clubs
Honor Council
Horseback Riding
International Club
Investment Club
Literary Magazine
Math Club
Model UN
Newspaper
Peer Tutoring
Photography Club
Sexualities Club
Student Activities
Student Government
Student Publications
Theater Club
Weightlifting Club
Yearbook
Young Democrats
Young Republicans
Robotics

Arts & Athletics

Summary: Students at Asheville School complete extensive work in the arts and athletics. Athletics have been a rich part of the Asheville School tradition since the institution’s earliest days. Today, 19 interscholastic sports teams compete during three separate seasons over the course of the school year. The school’s athletic facilities are considered among the best in the Southeast. All freshmen and sophomores play on one interscholastic team during the year, and approximately 75 percent of the entire student body chooses to play sports in any given year. The seasoned coaches are committed to providing an activity that suits the skill level and interest of every student. Our students also have abundant ways to explore the arts. Many perform in our winter and spring drama productions, while others create thought-provoking sculptures, paintings or mixed-media work. Asheville School is also lucky to engage with the city's vibrant arts community. We host working artists on campus and collaborate with arts professionals, which allows our students to hone their creative skills and build solid portfolios.

Arts Department Director: Kathy Leiner

Athletics Department Director: Carl Boland

Arts

Dance
Drama
Drawing
Painting
Studio Art

Interscholastic Sports

Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country Running
Equestrian
Field Hockey
Football
Horseback Riding
Lacrosse
Nordic Skiing
Soccer
Swimming
Tennis
Track and Field
Volleyball
Wrestling

Recreational Sports

Aerobics
Alpine Skiing
Alpine Ski Racing
Basketball
Camping
Canoeing
Dance
Equestrian
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Ice Climbing
Kayaking
Mountain Biking
Nordic Ski Racing
Outdoor Education
Rafting
Rock Climbing
Skateboarding
Snowboarding
Ultimate Frisbee
Weight Lifting

Graduates

Summary: In our work with students and their families, we seek to provide an informed and organized program that educates and guides. The college process is most effective when school, parent and student work together toward a common objective: the right match.

College Information

Percentage of graduates who attend college: 100%

Middle Percentile of SAT Scores	Reading	Math	Writing
25th percentile	600	550	31
75th percentile	700	680	34

College attended in the past 5 years by our graduates:

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: 36

University of the South, Sewanee: 15

Davidson College: 12

Elon University: 9

Furman University: 8

University of Colorado at Boulder: 8

Centre College: 7

George Washington University: 6

Columbia University: 5

Northeastern University: 5

Duke University: 5

Georgia Institute of Technology: 5

Wake Forest University: 5

University of North Carolina at Wilmington: 5

Wofford College: 5

Southern Methodist University: 5

Bates College: 4

Boston University: 4

High Point University: 4

Emory University: 4

Northwestern University: 4

Appalachian State University: 3

University of North Carolina at Asheville: 3

College of Charleston: 3

North Carolina State University: 3

University of Florida: 3

The University of Georgia: 3

University of South Carolina: 3

Texas Christian University: 3

University of Houston: 3

The University of Texas, Austin: 3

School of the Art Institute of Chicago: 2

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: 2

New York University: 2

Amherst College: 2

Colorado School of Mines: 2

Williams College: 2

Georgetown University: 2

Oberlin College of Arts and Sciences: 1

Vanderbilt University: 1

Cornell University: 1

University of Pennsylvania: 1

Notable Alumni

Dr. Ralph Millard

Class of 1937

One of 10 surgeons nominated “Plastic Surgeons of the Millennium” in 2000 by the American Society of Plastic Surgery.

Allen C. Mayer

Class of 1940

Former Vice President and Chairman of Oscar Mayer & Co.

Pete Dye, Jr.

Class of 1944

World-renowned golf course designer

Leigh H. Perkins

Class of 1946

President, CEO and owner of The Orvis Company

Samuel C. Johnson

Class of 1946

Former Chairman of S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., noted philanthropist and environmentalist, founder and head of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Charles Ries

Class of 1968

Former U.S. Ambassador to Greece, and US Minister for Economic Affairs in Iraq

Ralph E. Garner

Class of 1970

President of T.W. Garner Food Company, primarily known for the hot sauce “Texas Pete.”

Marisha A. Pessl

Class of 1995

Writer of Special Topics in Calamity Physics, New York Times “Top 5 Best Books of 2006 – Fiction”

Jennifer Pharr-Davis

Class of 2001

Set the record for the fastest thru hike of the Appalachian Trail (46 days), and writer of "Becoming Odyssa"

Quotes From Alumni

“My best and closest friendships in life originated at Asheville School.”

-, Class of 1977, Co-owner White Oak Financial Management in Asheville NC

“Asheville School really woke me up. It was the first place where I saw that you could actually be cool if you wanted to be smart. That was something I had never experienced before.”

-, Class of 1990, Literary Director of the Texas Book Festival in Austin TX

“There was an intensive focus on rounding out the entire person at Asheville School. The leadership opportunities and the academics all really prepared me well to enter college and be successful.”

-, Class of 2009, Bates College Class of 2013 All-American/Divison III Three-Time NCAA Champion

“My best and closest friendships in life originated at Asheville School.”

-Laura C. McCue, Class of 1977, Co-owner White Oak Financial Management in Asheville NC

“Asheville School really woke me up. It was the first place where I saw that you could actually be cool if you wanted to be smart. That was something I had never experienced before.”

-Clay Smith, Class of 1990, Literary Director of the Texas Book Festival in Austin TX

-David Pless, Class of 2009, Bates College Class of 2013 All-American/Divison III Three-Time NCAA Champion

Merit

Merit Scholarships: Offered

Students Receiving Merit Scholarships: 4%

Average Merit Scholarship: 12,500

Current Endowment Amount: $48,825,000

Interested in Asheville School?

Vital Information

Student Body Type: Coed

Total Boarding: 207

Total Day: 84

Total Enrollment: 291

Boys: 137

Girls: 154

Boarding Grades Offered: 9-12

Day Grades Offered: 9-12

School Type: High School

Dress Code: Formal

Applications Accepted: SAO

Application Deadline: Rolling

Tuition & Financial Aid

7-Day Boarding: $57,650

5-Day Boarding: N/A

Day Tuition Fee: $33,975

Need-Based Aid: Offered

Payment Plans: Offered

Students Receiving Aid: 25%

Average Awarded: $31,000

School Finances