Concord Academy
Concord Academy, established in 1922, is a coeducational, independent college preparatory school for grades nine through twelve in Concord, Massachusetts. The school enrolls 378 boarding and day students as of 2013–14. In 1971, Concord Academy became the first all-girls' boarding school in New England to shift to a coeducational model. Academics. Concord Academy ranks in the top fifteen U.S. boarding schools for student SAT scores and SSAT scores. To foster love of learning and a noncompetitive environment, the school does not compute class rank and awards no academic, arts, athletic, or community awards during the school year  or at graduation. The school eliminated all AP courses several years ago due to the lack of depth in their curricula. They were replaced by advanced courses designed by teachers, though the school still offers AP exams. Eighty percent of the students taking an AP exam score a 4 or 5. Concord Academy – according to Niche 2022 rankings – is ranked the 10th best boarding school in the United States as well as the most diverse in its area. For the 2020-2021 admissions cycle, Concord Academy had an acceptance rate of 17%, with over a thousand applicants and a 60 % yield rate. Demographics. The demographic breakdown of the 378 students registered for the 2013–14 school year was: Athletics. Concord Academy students play on 28 teams in 23 sports; about 75 percent of students play on at least one team each year. Teams compete in the Eastern Independent League (EIL). Student life. The dress code at Concord Academy is casual. Boarding students live in three girls' houses and three boys' houses, each holding an average of 25 students. A little more than a third of the day students commute to school on the MBTA Commuter Rail. Day (commuting) students comprise 60 % of student population and boarding students 40%. Students participate in a variety of clubs, performing arts groups, and other activities. The campus is a short walk from restaurants and shops in Concord and students have easy access to Cambridge and Boston via the MBTA Commuter Rail. Campus. Concord Academy's primary campus is on between Main Street and the Sudbury River in the center of Concord, Massachusetts. The campus includes eleven historic houses on Main Street, all built as family homes between 1780 and 1830. It is a three-minute walk from the center of Concord and a five-minute  walk from the MBTA Commuter Rail stop in Concord. Among the campus buildings are the PAC (Performing Arts Center), the SHAC (Student Health and Athletic Center), the main school, the newly built CA Labs, and the MAC (Math and Arts Center). The Elizabeth B. Hall Chapel is a 19th-century meetinghouse that was transported to Concord from Barnstead, New Hampshire in 1956. It serves as a meeting place three times per week for the entire Concord Academy community. The new 13-acre Moriarty Athletic campus, a mile from the main campus, includes six tennis courts, a baseball field, a field  hockey field, and two soccer/lacrosse fields. A field house contains changing rooms, a training room, and a common room with fireplace. These new facilities freed up space on the main campus for expansion of academic and arts facilities. History. Concord Academy was established as a school for girls in September 1922. Enrollment grew gradually from three in 1924 to 20 in 1948. The school's headmistress for the first 15 years was Elsie Garland Hobson, followed by Valerie Knapp (1937–40) and Josephine Tucker (1940–49). Tucker imposed the advisor system and ended the giving of prizes at commencement. Under Elizabeth  Hall (1949–63), student population increased.