Wayland Academy (2026 Profile)

5.00 (4 reviews)

Tel: (800) 860-7725

101 North University
Beaver Dam, WI 53916

www.wayland.org

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Wayland Academy Photo #1 - Wayland Hall, the most historic buildings on campus, currently houses first-year and sophomore boys. The interior was remodeled recently and offers some of the nicest rooms and gathering spaces on any campus in America.

Wayland Academy is proud of its Midwestern roots and heritage, proud of our pleasant and safe campus, proud of our talented and dedicated faculty, and proud of our diverse and exciting student body.

The Academy's stand-out features are our Writing Initiative; excellent, personalized college-counseling; very diverse student body; and Opportunties for students to do the activities they enjoy, as well as new ones to try.

Quick Facts (2026)

Grades: 9-12, PG
Enrollment: 184 students
Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $66,250
Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $23,950
Acceptance rate: 21%
Average class size: 10 students
Application Deadline: Feb. 15 / rolling
Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

Wayland Academy ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 307 schools) for:

School Overview

| 2025 School Data

Wayland Academy

Boarding School Avg.

School Focus

College Preparatory

Grades Offered

9-12, PG

9-12

School Type

Co-ed

ADD/ADHD Support

Yes

Religious Affiliation

Non-denominational

Year Founded

1855

1909

Campus Size

55 acres

125 acres

School Calendar

View School Calendar

School Motto

Knowledge and Character

Student Body

Enrollment

184 students

300 students

% Students of Color

40%

25%

% International Students

25%

20%

% Students Boarding

82%

70%

Average SAT Score

1310
(Out of 1600)

* National Avg. »View

Average ACT score

32
(Out of 36)

*National Avg. »View

Offers Post-Grad Year

Yes

Academic Profile

Saturday Classes

Classroom Dress Code

Formal

Casual

Average Class Size

10 students

* National Avg. »18

Student-Teacher Ratio

6:1

7:1

# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered

ESL Courses Offered

Yes

% Faculty with Advanced Degree

80%

70%

Summer Program Offered

Yes

# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered

Courses

AP BiologyAP Calculus AB

AP Calculus BCAP Chemistry

AP Computer SciencesAP English Language & Composition

AP English Literature & CompositionAP European History

AP GermanAP Latin

AP MacroeconomicsAP Microeconomics

AP Physics "c"AP Spanish

AP StatisticsAP US Government

AP US History

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Tuition & Financial Aid

Endowment Size

$28.1 million

$25 million

Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)

$66,250

$59,900

Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)

$23,950

$33,500

Tuition international students

$66,250

$53,975

% Students on Financial Aid

50%

40%

Merit Scholarships Offered

Yes

Admissions

Application Deadline

Feb. 15 / rolling

Jan. 15

Accepts Standardized Application (SAO and/or Gateway)

Yes

Average Percentile SSAT

75%

Acceptance Rate

21%

58%

Director of Admissions

Joshua Labove, Ph.D.

Sports

# Interscholastic Sports Offered

Sports

BaseballBasketball

CheeringCross Country

FootballGolf

Ice HockeySoccer

SoftballSwimming

TennisTrack and Field

Volleyball

Colors

Red and White

School Mascot

Big Red

Extracurriculars

Total Extracurricular Organizations

Extracurriculars

Club or Organization:

Animal LoversBowling & Billiards

Ecology ClubForensics Club

Junior Classical LeagueModel UN

PEACE - Diversity CelebrationPing Pong Club

Robotics TeamStudent Government

Thespian Society

Arts and Music Programs:

DramaticsHandbell

Literary MagazinePep Band

Solo & Ensemble

Recreational Athletic Programs:

Backpacking ClubClub Hockey

Rock Wall

College Matriculation

10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled)

University of Wisconsin - Madison

University of Minnesota

St. Olaf College

Northwestern University

Boston University

Lake Forest College

Ripon College

Univ. of Wisconsin-Platteville

Wellesley College

Grinnell College

View Matriculation Data

School Notes

Writing Initiative; as cross-curricular as possible.
Model U.N.
Forensics (Conference Champions!)
Sixty-five acre campus located in a nice and safe community that offers an extraordinary amount of resources that enhances a student's experience.
A student body from "down the street, across the country, and around the world."
100% college/university students are accepted into a college of their choice.
A STEAM program that offers multiple lab spaces.
An observatory located in the science department.
Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- George E. Taylor - 1879. First African-American to run for the office of President of the United States.
- Zona Gale - 1891. First woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1921), for "Miss Lola Bett."
- Addie Joss - 1898. Pitcher; Cleveland Naps (AL); Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Ned Merriam - 1905. Competed at the 1908 London Olympics (400 Meters); coached track & field at: Iowa State, Texas A&M, DePauw, Yale, and U. of Chicago. Football & Track athlete at Chicago (coached by Amos Alonzo Stagg).
- Raymond Patterson - 1940. President/G.M., Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks (NBA), and Wayland Academy.
- Susan Peterson - 1963. First female TV correspondent assigned to the White House; Communications Consultant.
- Rick Fliehr - 1968. Professional wrestler (as Rick "Nature Boy" Flair).
- Mikki Hebl, PhD - 1987. Professor, Rice University; Motivational Speaker.
- Uzma Samadani, MD, PhD - 1988. Neurosurgeon, researcher, Manhattan Veterans' Hospital
- Kira Salak - 1989. Traveler, author, contributing editor to National Geographic

Source: Verified school update

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Wayland Academy cost?

Wayland Academy's tuition is approximately $66,250 for boarding students and $23,950 for day students.

What is the acceptance rate of Wayland Academy?

The acceptance rate of Wayland Academy is 21%, which is lower than the boarding school average of 58%. Wayland Academy's acceptance rate is ranked as one of the top boarding schools with low acceptance rates.

Who are famous alumni from Wayland Academy?

Wayland Academy famous alumni include: George E. Taylor, Zona Gale, Addie Joss, Ned Merriam, Raymond Patterson, Susan Peterson, Rick Fliehr, Mikki Hebl, PhD, Uzma Samadani, MD, PhD and Kira Salak.

What sports does Wayland Academy offer?

Wayland Academy offers 13 interscholastic sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cheering, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Ice Hockey, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field and Volleyball.

What is Wayland Academy's ranking?

Wayland Academy ranks among the top 20 boarding schools for Low acceptance rates, High SSAT scores and High ACT scores.

When is the application deadline for Wayland Academy?

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

Alumni Reviews Review School

Review

Description

Wayland Academy Alumni #1
Class of 2018
5.007/1/2019
Hiram College

I liked Wayland Academy because there are many students from different backgrounds. At school I was able to create friendships with my classmates from South Korea, Japan, China, and 28 more countries. They introduced me. . .

Wayland Academy Alumni #2
Class of 2010
5.007/8/2010
Creighton University

Wayland is a college-prep boarding school in the Midwest. That is not seen very often. Wisconsin only has 2 other boarding schools, and one being a Christian School, the other being a military school. That. . .

Wayland Academy Alumni #3
Class of 2009
5.004/29/2009
Stanford University

The school encompasses many of the qualities associated with the midwest. If you go to a restaurant nearby or order delivery on a semiweekly basis, the business will know you by name. The. . .

Show more reviews (1 review)

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