The Taft School is an elite private coeducational school located in Watertown, Connecticut, United States. Taft is known for its rigorous academics and selective admissions process. The school was initially founded by Horace Dutton Taft, the brother of President William Howard Taft.

The Taft School
Address
Map
110 Woodbury Road

,
Connecticut
06795

United States
Coordinates41°36′16″N 73°7′27″W / 41.60444°N 73.12417°W / 41.60444; -73.12417
Information
TypePrivate, day and boarding, college-prep
MottoNon ut sibi ministretur sed ut ministret
(Not to be served but to serve)
Established1890 (134 years ago) (1890)
FounderHorace Dutton Taft
CEEB code070880
Head of schoolPeter Becker
Faculty124
Grades912
GenderCo-educational
Enrollment600[1]
Average class size11
Student to teacher ratio5:1
Campus size224 acres (0.91 km2)
Color(s)Maroon and navy blue
  
MascotRhino,Big Red
NicknameRhinos, Big Red
National ranking14
Annual tuition$69,500 - Boarding $49,500 - Day
Websitewww.taftschool.org

Overview edit

The Taft school houses 85% of its students on campus, with 15% living nearby. The total school strength is 580 students. The school boasts of a diverse student body. As written on the website, "Students come from over 61 countries".[2] Students from the Taft school have occupied many congressional and gubernatorial seats in New England.[citation needed]

The Taft School has a $415 million endowment.[citation needed] Its acceptance rate is 16%.[citation needed] The school first started educating pupils in 1890 and remains amongst the oldest prep schools in the New England Area. The current head of school for the Taft school is Peter Becker.[citation needed]

In 2021, it ranked 14th on the Business Insider list of the top boarding schools in America.[3]

The school has a rivalry with the Hotchkiss School. The schools compete on the last Saturday of the winter and compete in every sport. The rivalry is similar to the Choate-Deerfield rivalry, or the Exeter-Andover rivalry.

Campus and facilities edit

The campus includes The Lady Ivy Kwok Wu Science and Mathematics Center, Pinto Language Lab, Moorhead Academic Center, Hulbert Taft Jr. Library, Belcher Reading Room, Mortara Academic Wing, Pailey Dance Studio, Tremaine Art Studio, Gail Wynne Art Studio, Potter Gallery, two theaters, an 18-hole golf course, 16 tennis courts (four indoor), eight squash courts, two field houses, two ice hockey rinks (one Olympic-sized and one NHL-sized), and more than 10 fields around Potter's Pond.[4]

Athletics edit

Taft's athletic teams are known as the Rhinos and their colors are cardinal red and navy blue. The following sports are offered at Taft:[5]

  • Baseball (boys)
  • Basketball (boys & girls)
  • Crew (boys & girls)
  • Cross country (boys & girls)
  • Equestrian (boys & girls)
  • Field Hockey (girls)
  • Football (boys)
  • Golf (boys & girls)
  • Ice hockey (boys & girls)
  • Lacrosse (boys & girls)
  • Sailing(boys & girls)
  • Skiing (boys & girls)
  • Soccer (boys & girls)
  • Softball (girls)
  • Squash (boys & girls)
  • Tennis (boys & girls)
  • Track (boys & girls)
  • Volleyball (girls)
  • Wrestling (coed)

Taft is part of the Hotchkiss–Taft rivalry.

Tuition edit

Tuition for the 2023-2024 academic year is $72,000 for boarding students, and $53,500 for day students.[6]

Notable alumni edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Taft by the Numbers". Taft School. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  2. ^ "Taft School: Private Connecticut Boarding School". www.taftschool.org. November 24, 2023.
  3. ^ "The 50 most elite boarding schools in America". Business Insider. July 26, 2021.
  4. ^ "About - Taft School". www.taftschool.org.
  5. ^ "Taft Sports". www.taftschool.org. THE TAFT SCHOOL. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  6. ^ "Variable Tuition - Wooster School". www.woosterschool.org. Retrieved January 1, 2024.

External links edit