The Putney School (2026 Profile)

5.00 (14 reviews)

Tel: (802) 387-6201

418 Houghton Brook Road
Putney, VT 05346

www.putneyschool.org

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The Putney School Photo #2 - The Putney School is located on a working dairy farm. We value the dignity and relevance of physical work, which shows through our Work Program. Students carry out daily chores, collaborate in teams, learn skills, and sometimes lead crews various areas: Barn, Kitchen, Land-Use, Dining & Maintenance.

The Putney School Photo #3 - We are not a "prep" school. While many of our students head off to the top colleges in the country, their experiences at Putney are about engaging material, expanding interests, and gaining tools, not "preparing" to be somewhere else.

The Putney School Photo #4 - Art is a part of every student's daily life. We take the arts seriously while supporting a spirit of discovery. We offer 20 art forms, including blacksmithing, ceramics, chorus, creative writing, dance, drama, fiber arts, jazz, jewelry, orchestra, Latin dance, photography, sculpture, stained glass & woodworking.

The Putney School Photo #5 - The community at Putney is warm, open, mutually respectful and rousing. We come together as a whole school three times per week. Every Thursday is All School Sing (pictured here), a tradition dating back to Putney's founding in the 30's, which spans a fun and eclectic assortment of styles from early American folk music to sea chanteys to Korean traditional

The Putney School Photo #6 - Putney is a co-educational boarding and day school for Grades 9-12 founded in 1935 by Carmelita Hinton. We are a progressive school, in that we value the idea that education is something to be actively pursued rather than passively received. Our commitment to Ms. Hinton's fundamental beliefs have have put Putney at the leading edge of education in America.

Conventional education is not enough. For you, for us, or for the world.

We are an independent 912 private boarding and day school situated in southeastern Vermont that has spent 89 years on the forefront of progressive education.

We work to set up students for their own success. And the way we work, works.

Quick Facts (2026)

Grades: 9-12, PG
Enrollment: 232 students
Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $77,500
Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $48,400
Acceptance rate: 60%
Average class size: 12 students
Application Deadline: Jan. 15 / rolling
Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

The Putney School ranks among the top 10 schools with 200-400 students (out of 107 schools) for:

School Overview

| 2025 School Data

The Putney School

Boarding School Avg.

School Focus

College Preparatory

Grades Offered

9-12, PG

9-12

School Type

Co-ed

Supports Learning Differences (LD)

Yes

Dual Language Immersion Program

Yes

Secondary Immersion Language

Spanish

n/a

Religious Affiliation

Non-denominational

Year Founded

1935

1909

Campus Size

600 acres

125 acres

School Calendar

View School Calendar

School Motto

Truth and Honor

Student Body

Enrollment

232 students

300 students

% Students of Color

13%

25%

% International Students

17%

20%

% Students Boarding

81%

70%

Average SAT Score

1320
(Out of 1600)

* National Avg. »View

Offers Post-Grad Year

Yes

Academic Profile

Saturday Classes

Yes

Frequency of Saturday Classes

Weekly

Classroom Dress Code

Casual

Average Class Size

12 students

* National Avg. »18

Student-Teacher Ratio

3:1

7:1

ESL Courses Offered

Yes

% Faculty with Advanced Degree

73%

70%

Summer Program Offered

Yes

Summer Program Details

View Summer Program Details

Tuition & Financial Aid

Endowment Size

$28.1 million

$25 million

Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)

$77,500

$59,900

Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)

$48,400

$33,500

Summer Program Cost

$8,750
(Cost is for applications received before January 15)

% Students on Financial Aid

37%

40%

Avg. Financial Aid Grant

$23,000

$25,000

Admissions

Application Deadline

Jan. 15 / rolling

Jan. 15

Accepts Standardized Application (SAO and/or Gateway)

Yes

Acceptance Rate

60%

58%

Director of Admissions

Donnie Smith

Application URL

Online Application

Sports

# Interscholastic Sports Offered

Sports

Alpine SkiingBasketball

CrewLacrosse

Mountain BikingNordic Skiing

Rock ClimbingSnowboarding

SoccerUltimate Frisbee

Colors

Blue and Gold

School Mascot

N/A

Extracurriculars

Total Extracurricular Organizations

Extracurriculars

Club or Organization:

LiteraryYearbook

Arts and Music Programs:

ChamberInternational Theater Company

Pocket Players

Recreational Athletic Programs:

Alpine Skiing & SnowboardingHorseback Riding

Kundalini Yoga

College Matriculation

College Acceptance Rate

98%

10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled)

Smith College

Bard College

Barnard College

University of Vermont

Marlboro College

Sarah Lawrence College

Carnegie Mellon University

Dartmouth College

Mount Holyoke College

Rhode Island School of Design

View Matriculation Data

School Notes

Conventional education is not enough. For you, for us, or for the world. We are an independent 912 private boarding and day school situated in southeastern Vermont that has spent 89 years on the forefront of progressive education. We work to set up students for their own success. And the way we work, works.
This is a place of constant growth where students find their full selves. Taking control of their education through project and experience based learning, embracing their creativity on a campus constantly making, leading and becoming active community members through our work program - Our way of learning can't be found anywhere else.
The result of a Putney education is a person who is adaptable, resilient, and prepared. Ready to do right by themselves and the world around them.
Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Ted Osius - U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam
- Wally Shawn - Writer, actor, director
- Jonathan Schell - Author, The Fate of the Earth
- Errol Morris - Documentary filmmaker
- Kerry Kennedy Cuomo - Director Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Hum. Rights
- Tea Leoni - Actress
- Tim Weiner - Pulitzer Prize winning journalist
- Tim Daly - Film, television, and theater actor

Source: Verified school update

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does The Putney School cost?

The Putney School's tuition is approximately $77,500 for boarding students and $48,400 for day students.

What is the acceptance rate of The Putney School?

The acceptance rate of The Putney School is 60%, which is higher than the boarding school average of 58%.

Who are famous alumni from The Putney School?

The Putney School famous alumni include: Ted Osius, Wally Shawn, Jonathan Schell, Errol Morris, Kerry Kennedy Cuomo, Tea Leoni, Tim Weiner and Tim Daly.

What sports does The Putney School offer?

The Putney School offers 10 interscholastic sports: Alpine Skiing, Basketball, Crew, Lacrosse, Mountain Biking, Nordic Skiing, Rock Climbing, Snowboarding, Soccer and Ultimate Frisbee.

Does The Putney School offer a summer program?

Yes, The Putney School offers a summer program. Visit their summer school page for more information.

What is The Putney School's ranking?

The Putney School ranks among the top 20 boarding schools for Low student-teacher ratio.

When is the application deadline for The Putney School?

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

Alumni Reviews Review School

Review

Description

The Putney School Alumni #1
Class of 2016
5.001/13/2020
Earlham College

Putney is a vibrant community where teachers and students are actual friends. It’s conducive to personal growth and a place where I and other students found our passions. Everyone is excited and working on something. . .

The Putney School Alumni #2
Class of 2011
5.004/10/2018
Colgate University

The unique thing about Putney is that there is a fully working dairy farm on campus. There is a big work program than instills work ethic and responsibility in the students and this includes working. . .

The Putney School Alumni #3
Class of 1987
5.004/10/2018
American University of Rome

Unique is a term that is often used to describe Putney. As it is located on a gorgeous working dairy farm with sustainable gardens, all students learn agricultural skills on top of advanced academics, sports. . .

Show more reviews (11 reviews)

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