Most Selective Boarding Schools

Among "Schools with < 200 Students", view the boarding schools with the lowest acceptance rates (2026).
Acceptance rates listed below reflect the average rate of acceptance for all applicants (boarding and day applicants) in the previous year.
Keep in mind that acceptance rates may be lower or higher than the average acceptance rate depending on: what grade you are applying for, whether you are a boarding applicant or day student applicant, and the time of year you are applying.
Schools typically have the most openings for freshmen and sophomores (many schools do not accept incoming seniors), so applying for entrance into 9th or 10th grade may improve your chances of admission.
Acceptance rates between boarding applicants and day student applicants may differ (i.e., schools in certain areas may a higher ratio of day student applicants to day student openings, versus boarding applicants to boarding openings; the acceptance rate of some schools will actually be lower for day applicants and higher for boarding applicants).
Many, but not all, schools will accept applications after application deadlines, but admission generally becomes more difficult.
The Greenwood School
THINK Global School
Wayland Academy
Oldfields School
Blue Ridge School
Dublin School
Northwood School
Besant Hill School
St. Timothy's School
Bridgton Academy
New York Military Academy
St. Thomas More School
Thomas Jefferson School
West Nottingham Academy
Westover School
Academy of the Holy Family
Asia Pacific International School Hawaii
Buffalo Seminary
Acceptance Rate Range: 15% 95% Avg. Acceptance Rate: 68%

Lowest Acceptance Rates

Among Schools with < 200 Students (out of 45 schools)

Sorted by range (alphabetically within range)
The Greenwood School Photo - "Makers of Vermont" is a signature program at The Greenwood School in VT, where students learn to craft metal objects and tools in our blacksmith's forge.
Gr: 6-12
All-boys
14 Greenwood Lane
Putney, VT 05346
(802) 387-4545
THINK Global School Photo - THINK Global School is comprised of 41 high school students who hail from all over the world. It's an opportunity to live next to and learn from a truly global student body.
Gr: 10-12
1460 Broadway Street #4027
New York, NY 10036
(646) 504-6924
Wayland Academy Photo - 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.
#1(T1–T4)Wayland Academy
Gr: 9-12, PG
101 North University
Beaver Dam, WI 53916
(800) 860-7725
(4)
Oldfields School Photo - Oldfields School`s Mission is to embrace each student`s authentic self, educate through collaboration, empower the individual voice, and inspire confidence and continual growth, leading to a life of purpose.
#4(T4–T6)Oldfields School
Gr: 8-12, PG
All-girls (non-sectarian)
1500 Glencoe Road
Sparks Glencoe, MD 21152
(443) 662-1009
(12)
Blue Ridge School Photo - Our lake offers students a chance to relax, fish, canoe - in the center of campus.
#5(T5–T10)Blue Ridge School
Gr: 9-12
All-boys (Non-denominational Christian)
273 Mayo Drive
St. George, VA 22935
(434) 985-2811
(7)
Dublin School Photo - There`s dramatic beauty that is apparent on your first visit to Dublin. Surrounded by unspoiled forests, pristine lakes and Mt. Monadnock - the most climbed mountain in the world, our 500-acre campus supports a vibrant and supportive community of scholars, artists and athletes.
#5(T5–T10)Dublin School
Gr: 9-12
18 Lehmann Way, PO Box 522
Dublin, NH 03444
(603) 563-7075
(1)
Northwood School Photo
#5(T5–T10)Northwood School
Gr: 9-12, PG
92 Northwood Road
Lake Placid, NY 12946
(518) 523-3382
(1)
Besant Hill School Photo - Besant Hill School is located in the Ojai Valley, on 500 acres of private land with beautiful vistas in every direction. Facilities include four dormitories, outdoor sports facilities including a new aquatic center, indoor theater, atelier, and classrooms nestled along winding paths and oak trees. We also have an eight acre organic farm.
#8(T8–T14)Besant Hill School
Gr: 9-12, PG
non-sectarian
8585 Ojai Santa Paula Road
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 646-4343
(1)
Los Olivos, CA
#8(T8–T14)Midland School
Gr: 9-12
PO Box 8 / 5100 Figueroa Mountain Road
Los Olivos, CA 93441
(805) 688-5114
(4)
St. Timothy's School Photo - Completed in 2012, Dixon Hall is our state-of-the-art academic building. The technology-rich facility features the Taft Lecture Hall, the Coleman World Languages and Cultures Center, and a Center for Learning and Teaching.
Gr: 9-12, PG
All-girls (Episcopal)
8400 Greenspring Avenue
Stevenson, MD 21153
(410) 486-7401
(2)
Carbondale, CO
Gr: 9-12
500 Holden Way
Carbondale, CO 81623
(970) 963-2562
(8)
Bridgton Academy Photo - Our Humanities Center is one of two academic buildings on campus, and the hub for our academic administration, Focused Academic Coaching, Academic Support, and the Marcella/Sands Lecture Hall.
#12(T12–T28)Bridgton Academy
Gr: 12-12, PG
All-boys
11 Academy Lane
North Bridgton, ME 04057
(207) 647-3322
The Knox School Photo - Founded in 1904, The Knox School is Long Island's oldest established private school. Our inclusive environment serves grades 6-12 and Post-Graduate, providing students with a broad world perspective and a wide range of skills to prepare them for the next phase of their journeys.
#12(T12–T28)The Knox School
Gr: 6-12, PG
541 Long Beach Road
Saint James, NY 11780
(631) 686-1600
(1)
New York Military Academy Photo - New York Military Academy, established in 1889 in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York, is a private, international boarding school serving grades 7 through 12. NYMA is dedicated to a comprehensive and substantive process of developing young leaders who are `Set Apart for Excellence`. Our goal is to prepare our cadets for success and fulfillment in college and in life.
Gr: 7-12, PG
78 Academy Ave.
Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY 12520
(845) 534-3710
St. Thomas More School Photo - Beautiful rural campus located in Eastern Connecticut - just 2.5 hours from NYC.
Gr: 8-12, PG
45 Cottage Road
Oakdale, CT 06370
(860) 823-3861
Thomas Jefferson School Photo - TJ sits on 20 picturesque acres in suburban St. Louis, MO.
Gr: 7-12
4100 South Lindbergh Blvd.
Saint Louis, MO 63127
(314) 843-4151
(2)
West Nottingham Academy Photo
Gr: 9-12, PG
1079 Firetower Road
Colora, MD 21917
(410) 658-9224
(10)
Westover School Photo
#12(T12–T28)Westover School
Gr: 9-12
All-girls
1237 Whittemore Rd.
Middlebury, CT 06762
(203) 577-4521
(12)
Academy of the Holy Family Photo - Ambassadors Club
Gr: 9-12
All-girls (Roman Catholic)
54 W. Main Street Box 691
Baltic, CT 06330
(860) 822-6279
Asia Pacific International School Hawaii Photo
Gr: 5-12, PG | K-12, PG (day)
Christian
54-230 Kamehameha Hwy
Hauula, HI 96717
(808) 670-1909
(1)
Buffalo Seminary Photo - Our oldest tradition may be forward thinking but we are anchored in many other traditions too. Roses and white dresses for commencement. Our Social & Academic Honor Code. Morning Meeting to start the day. ..
#19(T19–T65)Buffalo Seminary
Gr: 9-12, PG
All-girls (non-sectarian)
205 Bidwell Parkway
Buffalo, NY 14222
(716) 885-6780
Colorado Timberline Academy Photo - Fall Trip in the Slot Canyons
Gr: 9-12, PG
454 Academy Drive
Durango, CO 81301
(970) 247-5898
(4)
Fishburne Military School Photo
Gr: 8-12 | 6-12 (day)
All-boys
225 S. Wayne Avenue
Waynesboro, VA 22980
(540) 946-7706
(7)
Freeman, SD
#19(T19–T65)Freeman Academy
Gr: 7-12 | K-12 (day)
Christian
PO BOX 1000 748 S. Main St.
Freeman, SD 57029
(605) 925-4237
Hargrave Military Academy Photo - Hargrave is first and foremost a college preparatory boarding school. Our objective is to develop our cadets into leaders of character prepared for lifelong success.
Gr: 7-12, PG
All-boys (Christian)
200 Military Drive
Chatham, VA 24531
(800) 432-2480
(6)
Hillside School Photo
#19(T19–T65)Hillside School
Gr: 4-9
All-boys
404 Robin Hill Street
Marlborough, MA 01752
(508) 485-3483
The King's Academy Photo
#19(T19–T65)The King's Academy
Gr: 6-12, PG
212 E Main Street
Lititz, PA 17543
(717) 626-8512
Lake Tahoe Preparatory School Photo - Lake Tahoe Prep is a coeducational boarding school for students in grades 9-12 located in Olympic Valley, California. With a student body of 70 and student to teacher ratio of 7:1, we lead a program built upon personalized attention. Our students benefit from our robust curriculum approved by the University of California.
Gr: 9-12, PG
255 Olympic Valley Road | P.O. Box 2180
Olympic Valley, CA 96146
(245) 582-8690
Lustre, MT
Gr: 9-12
Christian high school
4 Lustre High Circle
Lustre, MT 59225
(406) 392-5735
Maharishi School Photo - Maharishi School is a non-sectarian, PS-12, day and boarding school with students from over 30 countries. The School offers a rigorous college preparatory curriculum and programs that expand a student's consciousness. Students start and end each day with yoga and meditation.
#19(T19–T65)Maharishi School
Gr: 9-12 | PK-12 (day)
804 Dr Robert K Wallace Drive
Fairfield, IA 52556
(641) 472-9400
(2)
Marvelwood School Photo - We offer a wide variety of competitive athletics each season.
#19(T19–T65)Marvelwood School
Gr: 9-12, PG
476 Skiff Mountain Road
Kent, CT 06757
(860) 927-0047
(1)
Massanutten Military Academy Photo - Massanutten Military Academy is proud to be one of the only 16 co-ed military schools in the country with cadets hailing from 28 different states and 7 countries.
Gr: 8-12, PG
614 South Main Street
Woodstock, VA 22664
(540) 459-2167
(5)
Michigan Lutheran High School Photo - Michigan Lutheran High School opened its best-in-class dormitory in August 2014. We are only one of six boarding schools recognized by the state of Michigan.
Gr: 9-12
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
615 East Marquette Woods Road
St. Joseph, MI 49085
(269) 429-7861
North Cedar Academy Photo - Welcome to North Cedar Academy!
#19(T19–T65)North Cedar Academy
Gr: 9-12, PG
1500 Port Arthur Road
Ladysmith, WI 54848
(715) 609-1723
(3)
North Country School Photo - North Country School's 220-acre campus is located in the Adirondack Mountains near Lake Placid, New York, a popular resort town and the site of two Winter Olympic Games. Many of our buildings use solar energy and biomass heating to help reduce the school's carbon footprint and to teach and model responsible and sustainable living practices.
#19(T19–T65)North Country School
Gr: 4-9
4382 Cascade Road
Lake Placid, NY 12946
(518) 523-9329
Oak Hill Academy Photo
#19(T19–T65)Oak Hill Academy
Gr: 8-12
Baptist-affiliated
2635 Oak Hill Road
Mouth of Wilson, VA 24363
(276) 579-2619
(1)
Oak Ridge Military Academy Photo - At ORMA, our cadets don't just make friends -- they find a family!
Gr: 7-12
2317 Oak Ridge Road
Oak Ridge, NC 27310
(336) 515-8040
The Orme School Photo - Caravan offers a unique outdoor adventure and academic program for students. Led by faculty, class-sized trips explore Southwest's stunning landscapes, diverse cultures, and rich history. Camping in National Parks or wilderness, students gain outdoor skills and delve into the region's natural and human history. Caravan grants academic credits for graduation.
#19(T19–T65)The Orme School
Gr: 8-12, PG
1000 E. Orme School Road,
Mayer, AZ 86333
(928) 632-1566
(2)
Pillsbury College Prep Photo
Gr: 6-12
315 South Grove Avenue
Owatonna, MN 55060
(507) 214-2200
Rock Point School Photo - Our Beautiful Building: on the shores of Lake Champlain and minutes from downtown Burlington, Vermont
#19(T19–T65)Rock Point School
Gr: 9-12, PG
1 Rock Point Road
Burlington, VT 05408
(802) 863-1104
St. Margaret's School Photo - College Preparedness: Challenge yourself with a collaborative STEAM curriculum and rigorous academics, including Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment courses to start earning college credit. Our college counselor will help you to navigate the different colleges and degree fields to best prepare you for life after graduation from St. Margaret's.
#19(T19–T65)St. Margaret's School
Gr: 8-12, PG
All-girls (Episcopal)
PO Box 158, 444 Water Lane
Tappahannock, VA 22560
(804) 443-3357
(7)
Spring Street International School Photo
Gr: 8-12 | 6-12 (day)
505 Spring Street
Friday Harbor, WA 98250
(360) 378-6393
(1)
Subiaco Academy Photo
#19(T19–T65)Subiaco Academy
Gr: 7-12
All-boys (Catholic)
405 North Subiaco Avenue
Subiaco, AR 72865
(479) 934-1000
(1)
Lake Wales, FL
#19(T19–T65)The Vanguard School
Gr: 6-12
22000 Hwy 27
Lake Wales, FL 33859
(863) 676-6091
Verde Valley School Photo - World class rock climbing and hundreds of hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding trails near our campus keep our afternoon activities program varied and exciting.
#19(T19–T65)Verde Valley School
Gr: 9-12
3511 Verde Valley School Road
Sedona, AZ 86351
(928) 284-2272
(12)

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