Thornton Academy United States Flag

A- 4.9 Recommended Maine, US
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Admission Office admissions@thorntonacademy.org

School Overview

Data & methodology
Overall
A-
Matriculation B
Academics A
Extracurriculars A+
Community B+
Reviews A
26 AP courses Strong Arts Program Walk to city center #1 safest state Excellent Dorms 200+ courses
Thornton Academy is a co-educational, private boarding and day school serving grades 6–12. Located on Maine's southern coast, in the city of Saco, we are one of the nation's longest-operating independent schools.

Thornton Academy's commitment to excellence enables students to reach their full potential and flourish in a changing world. We offer a safe and secure family environment where every student can find his or her place. Here, students are free to express their own individual ideas, cultures, and dreams, and all students benefit from our unique campus environment and its global perspective.
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Thornton Academy With Reviews, Requirements 2025 | FindingSchool
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School Stats

Average
Current School
Tuition
$52300
Enrollment
1462
International Students
11%
Faculty with Advanced Degrees
87%
Teacher-Student Ratio
1:11
Endowment
$23.5 millions
AP
26
Average SAT Score
1285
Average ACT Score
28
Class Size
12
Boarding %
12

Matriculation

(2023)
Ranking University/College Students
#1 Princeton University 1 +
#2 Columbia University 1 +
#2 Harvard College 1 +
#2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 +
#5 Yale University 1 +
#9 Duke University 1 +
#9 Johns Hopkins University 1 +
#9 Northwestern University 1 +
LAC #2 Amherst College 1 +
#13 Dartmouth College 1 +
#14 Brown University 1 +
#14 Vanderbilt University 1 +
#17 Cornell University 1 +
#21 Emory University 1 +
#23 Georgetown University 1 +
#23 University of Michigan 1 +
LAC #5 Wellesley College 1 +
#27 University of Southern California 1 +
#28 New York University 1 +
#28 Tufts University 1 +
LAC #6 Bowdoin College 1 +
#34 University of Rochester 1 +
#36 Boston College 1 +
#38 Georgia Institute of Technology 1 +
#40 College of William and Mary 1 +
#42 Boston University 1 +
#42 Brandeis University 1 +
#42 Tulane University 1 +
#42 University of Wisconsin-Madison 1 +
#49 Pepperdine University 1 +
#49 Purdue University 1 +
#55 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1 +
#63 George Washington University 1 +
#68 Texas A&M University 1 +
#79 American University 1 +
LAC #17 Colby College 1 +
LAC #17 Smith College 1 +
LAC #25 Bates College 1 +
#136 Simmons University 1 +
#151 James Madison University 1 +
LAC #38 Bucknell University 1 +
LAC #38 Skidmore College 1 +
Bentley University 1 +
Berklee College of Music 1 +
Bryant University 1 +
California State Polytechnic University: Pomona 1 +
Maine Maritime Academy 1 +
Marist College 1 +
McGill University 1 +
parsons school of design 1 +
Savannah College of Art and Design 1 +
The Citadel 1 +
University of British Columbia 1 +
University of Cambridge 1 +
View all
Matriculation
Ranking University/College 2021-2023 2020-2022 2021 2015-2020 2015-2019 Total
All schools 34 34 73 33 31
#1 Princeton University 1 + 1 +admitted 2
#2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 3
#2 Harvard College 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 3
#2 Columbia University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#5 Yale University 1 + 1
#6 University of Chicago 1 +admitted 1
#9 Duke University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#9 Johns Hopkins University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#9 Northwestern University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#13 Dartmouth College 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#14 Vanderbilt University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#14 Brown University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#17 Cornell University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#20 University of California: Los Angeles 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 3
#21 Emory University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#22 University of California: Berkeley 1 +admitted 1 + 2
#23 University of Michigan 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#23 Georgetown University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#27 University of Southern California 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#28 New York University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#28 Tufts University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#28 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1 +admitted 1
#28 University of California: Santa Barbara 1 +admitted 1
#34 University of California: San Diego 1 +admitted 1
#34 University of Rochester 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#36 University of California: Irvine 1 + 1 +admitted 2
#36 Boston College 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#38 University of California: Davis 1 +admitted 1
#38 Georgia Institute of Technology 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 3
#40 College of William and Mary 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#42 Case Western Reserve University 1 +admitted 1
#42 University of Wisconsin-Madison 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#42 Tulane University 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 3
#42 Brandeis University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#42 Boston University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#47 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1 +admitted 1
#49 Ohio State University: Columbus Campus 1 +admitted 1
#49 Northeastern University 1 +admitted 1
#49 Lehigh University 1 +admitted 1
#49 Pepperdine University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#49 Purdue University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#55 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#55 Florida State University 1 +admitted 1
#57 Penn State University Park 1 + 1 +admitted 2
#59 Syracuse University 1 +admitted 1
#59 University of Maryland: College Park 1 +admitted 1
#59 University of Washington 1 +admitted 1
#62 University of Pittsburgh 1 +admitted 1
#63 University of Connecticut 1 +admitted 1
#63 Worcester Polytechnic Institute 1 +admitted 1
#63 George Washington University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#68 Texas A&M University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#68 Indiana University Bloomington 1 +admitted 1
#68 University of Massachusetts Amherst 1 +admitted 1
#68 Fordham University 1 +admitted 1
#68 University of Minnesota: Twin Cities 1 +admitted 1
#75 Loyola Marymount University 1 + 1 + 2
#75 Baylor University 1 +admitted 1
#75 Clemson University 1 +admitted 1
#79 American University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#83 SUNY University at Binghamton 1 +admitted 1
#83 Michigan State University 1 +admitted 1
#83 University of Iowa 1 +admitted 1
#83 Marquette University 1 +admitted 1
#83 Elon University 1 +admitted 1
#93 SUNY University at Stony Brook 1 +admitted 1
#93 University of Denver 1 +admitted 1
#93 University of San Diego 1 +admitted 1
#99 Auburn University 1 +admitted 1
#99 University of Oregon 1 +admitted 1
#103 Clark University 1 +admitted 1
#103 University of South Florida 1 +admitted 1
#103 Miami University: Oxford 1 +admitted 1
#103 Loyola University Chicago 1 +admitted 1
#103 University of Illinois at Chicago 1 +admitted 1
#103 Drexel University 1 +admitted 1
#103 University of California: Santa Cruz 1 +admitted 1
#103 Temple University 1 +admitted 1
#103 Saint Louis University 1 +admitted 1
#117 Rochester Institute of Technology 1 +admitted 1
#117 Arizona State University 1 +admitted 1
#117 University of Vermont 1 +admitted 1
#122 Illinois Institute of Technology 1 +admitted 1
#122 Chapman University 1 + 1 + 2
#127 Clarkson University 1 +admitted 1
#127 DePaul University 1 +admitted 1
#136 Drake University 1 +admitted 1
#136 Simmons University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#136 University of New Hampshire 1 +admitted 1
Rutgers University 1 +admitted 1
University of Colorado Boulder 1 +admitted 1
Matriculation
Ranking University/College 2021-2023 2020-2022 2021 2015-2020 2015-2019 Total
All schools 8 8 12 12 12
#2 Amherst College 1 + 1 +admitted 2
#5 Wellesley College 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#6 Bowdoin College 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#6 United States Naval Academy 1 +admitted 1
#9 Carleton College 1 +admitted 1
#11 United States Military Academy 1 +admitted 1
#17 Colby College 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#17 Colgate University 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 3
#17 Smith College 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#22 Vassar College 1 + 1 + 2
#25 Bates College 1 + 1 +admitted 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 5
#35 College of the Holy Cross 1 + 1 + 2
#36 Oberlin College 1 + 1 + 2
#38 Skidmore College 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#38 Franklin & Marshall College 1 + 1 + 2
#38 Bucknell University 1 + 1 +admitted 1 + 1 + 4
#46 Furman University 1 +admitted 1
#50 Dickinson College 1 +admitted 1
#50 Connecticut College 1 +admitted 1
#54 Gettysburg College 1 +admitted 1
#62 Bard College 1 +admitted 1
Union College 1 +admitted 1

AP Scores

(2022-2023)
Number of students took AP test
256
Number of tests taken
451
41%
24%
32%
Score 5
Score 4
Score 3
Other scores

Academics

AP

(26)
Biology
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
Chemistry
Chinese Language and Culture
European History
Biology
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
Chemistry
Chinese Language and Culture
European History
Latin
English Literature and Composition
Music Theory
Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
Statistics
United States History
Computer Science A
French Language and Culture
Macroeconomics
Microeconomics
Spanish Language and Culture
United States Government and Politics
English Language and Composition
Physics 1
Psychology
Physics 2
Computer Science Principles
Human Geography
Environmental Science
Studio Art: 2-D Design
View all

Sports

(16)
Baseball
Basketball
Cheerleading
Cross Country
Field Hockey
American Football
Baseball
Basketball
Cheerleading
Cross Country
Field Hockey
American Football
Golf
Ice Hockey
Lacrosse
Soccer
Softball
Swimming
Tennis
Track and Field
Volleyball
Wrestling
View all

Extracurricular Activities and Clubs

(46)
ANGLERS SOCIETY
CYCLING CLUB
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE CLUB
SKI CLUB
ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
ANGLERS SOCIETY
CYCLING CLUB
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE CLUB
SKI CLUB
ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
ANIMAL RIGHTS GROUP
BLACK STUDENT UNION
CIVIL RIGHTS TEAM
COMMUNITY LEADERS CLUB
GAY STRAIGHT TRANSGENDER ALLIANCE
SEXUALITY AND GENDER EQUALITY
TED CLUB
UNIFIED CLUB
STUDENT COUNCIL
TA TOUR GUIDES
ACTION TEAM
AMBASSADOR CLUB
INTERACT CLUB
RIBBON CLUB
ROBOTICS CLUB
NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY
MATH TEAM
NEUROSCIENCE CLUB
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD
MODEL UNITED NATIONS
NATIONAL HISTORY DAY
SPEECH TEAM
DEBATE TEAM
INK
CLASSICS CLUB
FRENCH CLUB
GERMAN CLUB
CHINESE CLUB
ARABIC CLUB
SPANISH CLUB
TABLE TOP GAMERS CLUB
ANIME CLUB
CHESS CLUB
VISUAL ARTS CLUB
TAP & HIP HOP DANCE CLUB
TATV CLUB
TA PLAYERS
TECHNICAL THEATER CREW
STUDENT MARKETING TEAM
TRIPOD YEARBOOK
View all

Arts

(23)
Acting
Chamber Choir
Choir
Choreography
Dance
Jazz
Acting
Chamber Choir
Choir
Choreography
Dance
Jazz
Music Theory
Performing
Piano
Songwriting
Stagecraft
String
Wind Symphony
Ceramics
Digital Art
Digital Photography
Drawing
Film
Film Production
Painting
Sculpture
Design
Digital Design
View all

Contact Thornton Academy

Admissions Officer
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School Link

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Thornton Academy is a member of SAO (The Standard Application Online) platform. Click the button below to apply.

Contact Info

http://www.thorntonacademy.org
438 Main Street Saco, ME 04072
207-282-5383
admissions@thorntonacademy.org
Maine

Basic Info

Co-ed
Boarding Grades: 6-12
Rural
IB: No
ESL: Yes
Year Founded: 1811
Campus Size: 80 acres
Boarding Rate: 12%
Religious Affiliation: No Religious Affiliation

Application Info

Deadline: Rolling
Interview: Skype, On Campus, International Admission Visits, Others, WeChat
Other Accepted Scores: TOEFL, TOEFL Junior, SAT, PSAT, SSAT, IELTS, ELTIS
School Code:
TOEFL: 1000
SSAT: 7665

Frequently Ask Questions about Thornton Academy

Tell me a bit about Thornton Academy.
Thornton Academy is Co-ed private boarding school located in Maine, US. It was founded 1811 , and currently has about 1462 students, 11.00% of whom are international students.

For more official information, please visit http://www.thorntonacademy.org.
Does Thornton Academy have rigorous academic requirements?
Thornton Academy is offering 26 AP courses.

In recent years, 24 of their students score 4 and 5 in AP exams.

Thornton Academy also have 87% of faculties whose degrees are master and above.
Where do Thornton Academy students typically go for their colleges?
In 2023, some students attended Princeton University, Columbia University, Harvard College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University.
What is the application requirement for Thornton Academy?
Similar to most private schools in the US, Thornton Academy’s typical admission requirements include school transcript, recommendation letter, application essay, and interview (often optional, but highly recommended).
What is the latest tuition for Thornton Academy’s Co-ed student?
The total fee for Thornton Academy in 2024 is $52,300 which typically includes tuition, boarding fee, student management fee and a few other fees associated with managing international students.

For more information, please contact school’s admission team at admissions@thorntonacademy.org .
Where is Thornton Academy located?
Thornton Academy is located in the State of Maine of USA.
How popular is Thornton Academy on FindingSchool network?
Based on FindingSchool monthly traffic data as well as onsite search record, Thornton Academy is among the most popular schools, within top 144 for all schools on FindingSchool.

Also Thornton Academy has been favorited by 171 users.
How to start with an application with Thornton Academy?
The first stop is to carefully review the school profile on FindingSchool to learn more about Thornton Academy. Most of them are directly provided by the school.

Also it is highly recommended to visit Thornton Academy’s official site: http://www.thorntonacademy.org or call them at 207-282-5383.
Please share a few nearby schools that are close to Thornton Academy?
Yes, here are few: Brewster Academy, Hyde School and Wolfeboro: The Summer Boarding School.

What is the FindingSchool rating for Thornton Academy?
The overall rating for Thornton Academy is A-.

The section ratings of Thornton Academy are:
B for Matriculation
A for Academics
A+ for Extracurriculum
B+ for Community
A for Students and Parents reviews

Nearby City

Boston, Massachusetts
Boston, the capital and largest city of Massachusetts, is the cultural and financial heart of New England. With a rich history dating back to the American Revolution, it is home to iconic landmarks such as the Freedom Trail, the Boston Common, and the Massachusetts State House. The city boasts prestigious universities like Harvard and MIT and is known for its vibrant arts scene, diverse neighborhoods, and thriving economy. Boston's blend of historical significance and modern innovation makes it one of the most influential cities in the U.S.
Population (2022) 609,023
Cost of Living Higher than average 54%
Nearby Airport Logan International Airport

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