Garrison Forest School (2026 Profile)

300 Garrison Forest Road
Owings Mills, MD 21117

Tel: (410) 559-3111

www.gfs.org

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Garrison Forest School Photo #1 - One of the entrances to Garrison Forest School.

Garrison Forest School Photo #2 - Marshall Offutt, one of the Upper School buildings.

Garrison Forest School Photo #3 - Students spend time together in one of the dorm rooms.

Garrison Forest School Photo #4 - Senior House is a residential boarding hall.

Garrison Forest School Photo #5 - Senior students prepare for Commencement, one of our long-standing traditions.

Garrison Forest School Photo #6 - One of Garrison Forest's turf fields.

Garrison Forest School Photo #7 - Garrison Forest has two indoor rings and two outdoor rings for riding and polo.

Garrison Forest School Photo #8 - A photo of the pond on Garrison Forest School's campus.

Garrison Forest School Photo #9 - An aerial view of Garrison Forest School.

Garrison Forest School Photo #10 - Upper Schools students work on their art projects during studio time.

A non-denominational private college preparatory boarding and day school located on a 110 acres campus in Owings Mills, Maryland. GFS offers kindergarten through 12th grade for girls as well as a co-educational program for pre-K. Garrison Forest School is dedicated to the intellectual, aesthetic, emotional, moral, physical and spiritual growth of its students.

The school seeks to develop within each student a strong sense of integrity, identity and self-esteem, reflecting its motto Esse Quam Videri: "To be and not to seem.".

Quick Facts (2026)

Grades: (Boarding Students) 8-12
Grades: (Day Students) PK-12
Enrollment: 548 students
Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $65,790
Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $33,080
Average class size: 15 students
Application Deadline: Jan. 15 / rolling
Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

Garrison Forest School ranks among the top 5 all-girls schools (out of 21 all-girls schools) for:

School Overview

| 2025 School Data

Garrison Forest School

Boarding School Avg.

School Focus

College Preparatory

Grades Offered (Boarding)

8-12

9-12

Grades Offered (Day)

PK-12

Pre-K-12

School Type

All-girls

Co-ed

Religious Affiliation

Non-denominational

Year Founded

1910

1909

Campus Size

110 acres

125 acres

School Calendar

View School Calendar

School Motto

Esse Quam Videri

Student Body

Enrollment

548 students

300 students

% Students of Color

33%

25%

% International Students

10%

20%

% Students Boarding

27%

70%

Average SAT Score

1202
(Out of 1600)

* National Avg. »View

SAT range (25th-75th percentile)

1130 - 1275

Average ACT score

27
(Out of 36)

*National Avg. »View

Offers Post-Grad Year

Academic Profile

Saturday Classes

Classroom Dress Code

Formal
School Uniform

Casual

Average Class Size

15 students

* National Avg. »18

Student-Teacher Ratio

9:1

7:1

# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered

ESL Courses Offered

Yes

% Faculty with Advanced Degree

78%

70%

Summer Program Offered

Yes

Summer Program Details

View Summer Program Details

# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered

Courses

Art HistoryArt Portfolio

BiologyCalculus AB

Calculus BCChemistry

EconomicsEnglish Language

Environmental ScienceFrench Language

French LiteratureLatin Literature

PsychologySpanish Language

U.S. HistoryWorld History

Tuition & Financial Aid

Endowment Size

$42 million

$25 million

Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)

$65,790

$59,900

Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)

$33,080

$33,500

Tuition international students

$71,560

$53,975

% Students on Financial Aid

47%

40%

Avg. Financial Aid Grant

$18,350

$25,000

Merit Scholarships Offered

Yes

Admissions

Application Deadline

Jan. 15 / rolling

Jan. 15

Director of Admissions

Catie Gibbons

Application URL

Online Application

Sports

# Interscholastic Sports Offered

Colors

Blue and Gold

School Mascot

Grizzly

Extracurriculars

Total Extracurricular Organizations

Extracurriculars

Saintly Speaking Newspaper

Club or Organization:

Academic TeamDebate Club

Fellowship of Christian AthletesForum (Student Government)

Green ClubHabitat for Humanity Chapter

Honor Council Advisory BoardInternational Relations Club

Math Study HallMS Book Club

MS Current EventsMS Keyboarding

MS Life SkillsMS Math Games

MS NewspaperMS Writers Circle

Oasis Literary Art MagazineOne Love

Peer Tutoring - EnglishPolitics Club

Riding ClubRobotics Team

Service LeagueService League (community service groups)

Soup Kitchen (community service group)Spanish Club

Spirit BoostersSTITCH

Student Diversity Leadership CouncilThe Paw Print (student newspaper)

The Ragged Robin (yearbook)

Show More (15)Hide

Arts and Music Programs:

Musicale Event Club

College Matriculation

College Acceptance Rate

98%

10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled)

University of Maryland

University of Virginia

Syracuse University

Kenyon College

Cornell University

University of Richmond

Duke University

Johns Hopkins University

Georgetown University

Princeton University

View Matriculation Data

School Notes

Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) is an experiential research program for juniors and seniors in partnership with the Johns Hopkins University. WISE participants are paired with JHU faculty and work as a member of a research team. Placements are made in JHU`s Whiting School of Engineering, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Archeological Museum. The project culminates in a final oral and written presentation for JHU and GFS faculty.
The Jenkins Fellows Program empowers GFS students to promote and commit to global community service. Sophomores and juniors are invited to research opportunities and fellows are selected through a competitive application process. Jenkins Fellows immerse themselves in summer service and return to campus to present reflections on their experiences to the community. Jenkins Fellows serve as leaders of the student Service League Board for the remainder of their time at GFS. Recent projects include volunteering in an orphanage in Cambodia, working with Habitat for Humanity in Milwaukee, WI, volunteering in a hospital in the Czech Republic, mentoring children and working with tribal elders on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana and supporting young woman survivors of human trafficking in a Sicilian (Italy) community center.
Independent Senior Project (ISP) students complete a twoweek unpaid internship in a professional environment at the end of their senior year. Recent ISP sites include Smithsonian Institution, Under Armour, Roominate (Silicon Valley start-up), T. Rowe Price, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Special Olympics, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Baltimore Magazine, NASA`s Goddard Space Center, Walt Disney Family Museum and Habitat for Humanity, as well as schools and other non-profit organizations.
The Equestrian Institute is designed to give competitive riders the opportunity to advance their skills, expand their horsemanship knowledge and compete at a high level while enjoying the benefits and camaraderie of riding in a school program. Participation in the Equestrian Institute will combine an in-depth equestrian program with a full Garrison Forest academic curriculum uniquely customized for top riders. Students in grades 6-12 are eligible to apply for this rigorous and personalized program that prepares girls to rise to the academic and athletic challenge of being student-riders at Garrison Forest and in college.
Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Elizabeth Littlefield '78 - President and CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)
- Lara Schwartz '85 - Vice President of External Affairs for The American Association of People with Disabilities
- Helen Whitney '61 - Oscar nominated producer, director, and documentary writer
- Nicole Hansen '12 - Nationally ranked climber
- Rachel Pohl '74 - Help found ArtCorps, a health and human rights nonprofit
- Tiffany Thomas '85 - Set Director for HBO's Game Change
- Learic Cramer '96 - Northrup Grumman engineer and race car driver
- Julie Bowen '87 - Emmy Award-winning actress
- Beth Botsford '99 - Olympic Gold Medalist
- Adele Smith Simmons '59 - President of the Global Philanthropy Partnership, senior advisor to the World Economic Forum, first female dean at Princeton

Source: Verified school update

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Garrison Forest School cost?

Garrison Forest School's tuition is approximately $65,790 for boarding students and $33,080 for day students.

Who are famous alumni from Garrison Forest School?

Garrison Forest School famous alumni include: Elizabeth Littlefield '78, Lara Schwartz '85, Helen Whitney '61, Nicole Hansen '12, Rachel Pohl '74, Tiffany Thomas '85, Learic Cramer '96, Julie Bowen '87, Beth Botsford '99 and Adele Smith Simmons '59.

What sports does Garrison Forest School offer?

Garrison Forest School offers 20 interscholastic sports: Badminton, Basketball, Cross Country, Cross Country Running, Dance, Equestrian, Field Hockey, Golf, Indoor Soccer, Lacrosse, Mountain Biking, Polo, Riding, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Tennis, Track, Volleyball and Winter Track. Garrison Forest School is ranked as one of the top boarding schools for most sports offered.

Does Garrison Forest School offer a summer program?

Yes, Garrison Forest School offers a summer program. Visit their summer school page for more information.

What is Garrison Forest School's ranking?

Garrison Forest School ranks among the top 20 boarding schools for Large student body (number of students), Most sports offered and High ACT scores.

When is the application deadline for Garrison Forest School?

The application deadline for Garrison Forest School is Jan. 15 / rolling (applications are due on Jan. 15 but additional applications are reviewed year-round as space permits ).

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