Applicants to Portsmouth Abbey typically possess an academic record of high achievement, or a record of moderate achievement with the potential for greater success. The demanding academic curriculum at Portsmouth requires that the application process strictly enroll only students who possess the academic skills to succeed at the school. In the past years, Portsmouth has enjoyed a very fine college matriculation record, sending students to Harvard, Brown, Cornell, Yale, Stanford, Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, the University of Chicago, the College of the Holy Cross, Boston College, and Gettysburg, among others. A complete college matriculation list is available on the College Counseling Office homepage. Each student at Portsmouth is assigned a faculty advisor, a member of the faculty to oversee and direct their academic progress at the school.
Students meet with their advisors each week to insure that their learning is proceeding smoothly.
As a parent, you are encouraged to contact your child's advisor regularly to receive updates on their studies. The home phone numbers of all faculty members are listed in the student handbook, and both parents and students are encouraged to use them. The schedule for each academic class day contains a 40-minute conference period during which the entire school is free. The purpose of this common period is to facilitate the arrangement of extra-help sessions between students and faculty. These meetings can be for either voluntary or mandatory sessions, at the initiative of either the teacher or student.