How to Ace the Winchendon School Admissions: Your Ideal Guide

Overview

The Winchendon School ranking remains one of the top 20% of private schools in New York. Offering classes from Grades 9-12, this preparatory school has two campuses: a boarding school on a hilltop in Massachusetts, 60 miles away from Boston, and a campus at the center of Manhattan, New York. At Winchendon NY, the average class size is composed of around 7-9 students in line with a student-to-teacher ratio of 6:1. Micro-classes rarely have lectures or busywork, as students actively lead discussions and be engaged. Such an experience is a testament to the school’s personalized learning environment. In a tight-knit and supportive community, teachers are deeply familiar with a student’s strengths, weaknesses, and preferred learning styles. The Winchendon School NYC is also known for inspiring students to develop their interests outside of the classroom, whether by exploring the city or even pursuing job experiences. That’s the Winch Difference: delivering high-impact learning by shaping learning programs around students and their passions.

How hard is it to get into The Winchendon School? 

With personalized academics, extensive extracurriculars, and expert college counseling, The Winchendon School is highly sought after by parents and their children alike. One of the biggest highlights of the school is its small, intimate class sizes and the one-on-one sessions with advisors who help students learn both within and beyond the classroom. Furthermore, the Winchendon School as a private high school has a high success rate of sending graduates to elite institutions for higher education, particularly Ivy League colleges.

The two Winchendon School campuses vary in their acceptance rates depending on location, but both are relatively similar in being selective and difficult to get into. The Winchendon School MA has an acceptance rate of 35% in comparison to the national average of 71%. In addition, the Winchendon School NYC has a 50% acceptance rate. While this might seem high at first glance, it’s actually on the lower end of acceptance rates in comparison to the average New York private school acceptance rate of 79%.

Although the application process and admissions pool may seem daunting, you don’t have to worry when you have Cardinal Education on your side. We have extensive experience in helping families figure out the ins and outs of admissions to top-tier private schools. Our private school admissions consultants are here to help you formulate and execute high-quality strategies for your child to beat the odds and stand out!

The Winchendon School Application 

Before you begin the Winchendon School application process, take note that the school has several avenues for you to ask further questions before moving forward with your application. You may get in touch through the following:

1. Frequently Asked Questions – Ask a Question form
2. Chat Online
3. Call The Winchendon School
   1. MA: (978) 297-4476
   2. NYC: (347) 491-4440

Once you have had all your inquiries answered, you can follow this step-by-step guide to the application process:

1. Complete an application through any one of the following:
   1. The Winch Application
   2. Gateway to Prep Schools
   3. Standard Application Online
2. Schedule your visit/interview
   1. You can also contact the following staff to schedule your visit and/or interview
      1. Karen (MA): 978-297-4476
      2. Melissa (NYC): 347-491-4440
3. Submit official or unofficial transcripts for 2 full school years and current report card
4. Submit two recommendation letters:
   1. 1 Teacher recommendation letter
   2. 1 Character reference (a letter of recommendation from an adult other than a teacher)
5. Submit a Why Winch output through any of the following formats:
   1. Video
   2. Essay
   3. TikTok
   4. Music, Poetry, or any other creative form you’d like
6. Only submit the following materials if applicable:
   1. English Proficiency Test
   2. IEP/Neuropsych Evaluation
   3. Financial Aid Application

The Winchendon School Admissions 

Admissions Interview

Applicants are required to schedule a visit or interview with The Winchendon School, and we highly encourage going for both! By scheduling a campus visit, aspiring students can receive a firsthand experience of the learning environment and community they will potentially be a part of. Furthermore, visiting the campus gives students the opportunity to meet with faculty and admissions officers. 

The interview with an admissions officer is typically conducted face-to-face but it can also be arranged virtually according to the family’s convenience. This interview will help the Winchendon School gauge whether your child has the potential to be an ideal member of the school community. Admissions officers will be assessing not only how your child communicates their ideas, but also how they conduct themself in a formal setting and show their personality throughout the interview process. With interview preparation from our admissions consultants, your child will become an expert at authentically answering common interview questions and aligning with the Winch Difference.  

Transcript

Applicants to the Winchendon School are all required to submit transcripts of the previous two school years, and these can be official or unofficial. In addition, the student must also submit their current report card for the ongoing school year. 

Transcripts and report cards help admissions officers determine whether a potential student is capable of handling the Winchendon School’s rigorous curriculum. If your child’s grades are less than outstanding, we strongly recommend considering working with our expert tutors and coaches to level up their academics. Decent grades are not enough to guarantee your child is up to par with the Winchendon School’s standards, and we are here to develop your child not only academically but in terms of their soft skills as well!

Teacher Recommendation Letter and Character Reference

There are two kinds of letters a student must submit along with their application: one recommendation letter from any teacher, and one character reference from any adult other than a teacher. Recommendation letters are crucial and could make or break an application, given that they offer insight into your child’s character, work ethic, and demeanor both in and out of an academic setting. Furthermore, these anecdotes will come from an adult’s perspective, so admissions officers will be very particular in reading recommendation letters.

Building strong relationships with teachers and mentors outside of school is crucial if you want them to be able to provide strong recommendations. Their insights must also support other application materials when the time comes for them to do so.

Why Winch Output

This is a part of the application where a candidate can get to be as creative as they’d like! The Winchendon School wants to get to know students—are they content creators, writers, or painters? Where do their talents lie? In the application form, the student must upload a file of an output that conveys their personality. There are no particular guidelines, so the submission can range from a brief TikTok video to a clip of someone playing their favorite instrument. A student must think out of the box, discerning how their skills show why the Winchendon School is the best fit for them.

The Winchendon School Alumni

1. Justin Dentmon – a professional basketball player, NBA D-League champion, and played for teams such as the Dallas Mavericks
2. Perry Dye – founder of Dye Designs Inc., one of the best-known course design companies in the industry of golf
3. Greg Selkoe – an American entrepreneur and CEO of XSET, a professional e-sports and entertainment organization
4. Francisco Garcia – a professional basketball player, played 10 seasons in the NBA
5. Michael Hardman – a professional hockey player, currently with the Rockford IceHogs in the American Hockey League (AHL) 
6. Bryan Perla – Stanford graduate, founder, and CEO of Little ELF Products Inc.
7. Sophie Jamison – also known as Sophie Lightning, was hired by Nerf as the first-ever Chief TikTok Officer, also appeared in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Marketing & Advertising (2024)
8. Malcolm Grant – a professional basketball player currently with Shahrdari Qazvin of the Iranian Basketball Super League
9. Jermaine Johnson – currently a politician and political advisor in the Democratic Party, representative for South Carolina’s 80th district, and formerly a professional basketball player
10. Jordan Henriquez – currently an assistant coach for the Northern Illinois Huskies men’s basketball team, and a professional basketball player for the Mexican Circuito de Baloncesto de la Costa del Pacífico (CIBACOPA)

Student Life at the Winchendon School

The moment a student joins the Winchendon School, they gain the freedom to shape their learning. Teachers act more like coaches or mentors who are ready to adapt programs to a student’s preferences and personal strengths. In the Winchendon School, a supportive and welcoming environment is considered the key to success! 

Students are assigned to advisors who lead small groups and conduct one-on-one sessions. This way, everyone experiences a healthy balance of collaborative education as well as independent, self-directed learning. No matter what subject areas, extracurricular activities, or niche interests someone wants to explore, the Winchendon School community is a support system that will be there for one another every step of the way.

The Winchendon School Academics

Students are the foundation of learning programs and activities—Winchendon academics puts learners at the forefront. To ensure classes are interdisciplinary, the school’s curriculum classifies subjects under three academic departments: Computational Thinking, Communications, and Global Systems. All of these offer AP classes such as Statistics and Modeling, Computer Science, Cases in Globalization, Psychology, and more. For Communications classes, juniors and seniors can choose electives such as 20th Century Literature and Transatlantic Literature, or even trimester courses in fields of study such as Music Theory and Digital Storytelling, to name a few. The Winchendon School fosters a supportive community while also challenging students to pursue diverse interests through a wide range of opportunities.

The Winchendon School iLab

The Winchendon School prioritizes students’ experiential learning with the iLab. This unique program was created to guide students in navigating real-world problem-solving and developing transferable skills for their college and career goals. Students venture beyond the classroom by pursuing internships, and all Winchendon School juniors have a job on or off campus. Through these opportunities, which the school highlights as impact learning, students develop critical thinking and curiosity. Most importantly, they are also able to discern their strongest areas of interest and challenge themselves to greater heights.

The Winchendon School Athletics

The Winchendon School follows an athletic philosophy of encouraging all its students to be involved in sports, whether through intramural or competitive programs. Furthermore, Winchendon Athletics offers strength and conditioning programs across 10 different sports to support students who want to compete at the highest level. 

Winchendon has teams in the following areas: baseball, basketball, ice hockey, lacrosse, softball, golf, soccer, cross country, volleyball, and tennis. The athletics program is open to both beginners and student-athletes aiming for recruitment to dedicate themselves as college athletes. Additionally, Winchendon supports students who pursue independent sports at national and international levels, especially as an alternative to the school’s offerings. This can range from water polo to gymnastics, and even rock climbing!

The Winchendon School Arts

At Winchendon, students are free to explore their passions in multiple areas or focus on deepening their experience in a particular niche. The options are limitless—Winchendon Arts combines practical problem-solving with creative freedom through its programs. In particular, the Winchendon School has offerings in both the Fine and Performing Arts that prepare students for further education and careers in what they love.

The Winchendon School offers opportunities in studio arts, digital arts, filmmaking, theater, and music. All of these areas also incorporate learning outside of the classroom, whether by visiting museums around New York City or performing onstage at local hubs and coffee shops.

Activities at The Winchendon School

When it comes to clubs, organizations, and activities at Winchendon, students have no limits. Someone could be a newspaper editor, club president, student government leader, and e-sports manager all at once! All of this and more is possible through the ever-evolving clusters: Leadership, Academic, Music, Athletic, and Affinity Groups. Much like Winchendon’s academic programs, activities continue expanding based on students’ preferences and newfound interests. Given this, student activities are unique to each campus and may not be offered regularly.

In addition to existing organizations, the Winchendon School conducts the Winchendon Speaker Series every year. The school invites guests on campus to present diverse topics and personal stories relevant to the student body and their needs.