Northwood School Photo #9 - Geographically and Environmentally, students can adventure in the timeless wilds of the Adirondacks while also enjoying the modern comforts and amenities of the vibrant village of Lake Placid. The greater Lake Placid/the Adirondacks and the nearby Olympic facilities are extensions of our classrooms and labs.

Northwood School

92 Northwood Road
Lake Placid, NY 12946
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Northwood School Photo #1
Northwood School Photo #2 - Academically, our students engage with a rigorous college preparatory curriculum while also engaging in intensive, hands-on learning experiences including Honors-level Independent Study, LEAP, Innovation Hub, Advanced STEM Research, Advanced Humanities Research, design thinking, robotics, entrepreneurship, Learning Center, and cross-pollination with partners.
Northwood School Photo #3 - Culturally, Northwood School's diverse student body consists of 190 students from every region of the United States and 25+ countries, bringing rich perspectives.
Northwood School Photo #4 - Northwood students have a unique connection and unparalleled access to the 6 million acre Adirondack Park. This includes actively exploring the mountains, lakes, and streams around us, but also connecting with the vibrant conservancy and scientific community in the area.
Northwood School Photo #5 - Whether they are playing the ukulele, making a stop motion video, or drawing a self-portrait, artists at Northwood are passionate. Northwood Art Department offers students a wide rand of courses in the visual and performing arts to engage creatively and explore their artistic talents.
Northwood School Photo #6 - Northwood School's Innovation + Design course follows the MIT School of Architecture and Planning`s model for collaborative problem solving in the form of a project-based curriculum that emphasizes an engagement in community, grows creative thinking, and supports the "building" of projects through a wide range of tools and materials.
Northwood School Photo #7 - Northwood School has a beach on Mirror Lake a short walk from campus. Students and faculty utilize the beach for a wide array of water activities. You'll also see our crew team setting off from what we call, Northwood Beach.
Northwood School Photo #8 - The Northwood School robotics program offers both academic courses for credit and co-curricular options for students who'd like to spend time outside of school learning about programming and problem solving through robotics design. Northwood participates in both the FIRST Robotics and VEX Robotics competitive circuits.
Northwood School Photo #9 - The LEAP Program provides Northwood School students with unique opportunities to experience firsthand learning in new, and often unfamiliar, environments. During our week-long intensive courses, students and teachers travel near and far to explore topics outside the realm of a traditional college preparatory program.
Northwood School Photo #10 - Geographically and Environmentally, students can adventure in the timeless wilds of the Adirondacks while also enjoying the modern comforts and amenities of the vibrant village of Lake Placid. The greater Lake Placid/the Adirondacks and the nearby Olympic facilities are extensions of our classrooms and labs.
Northwood School is an internationally recognized boarding and day school, pairing rich academics with elite sports to form confident, globally-minded students.
Situated in the world-renowned Olympic destination of Lake Placid, our campus is home to 190 students from every region of the United States and over 24 countries, who are eager to experience the location`s unique offerings.
Northwood students bring with them rich perspectives and graduate with the passion and know-how to immerse themselves in our ever-changing world.

Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • Grades: 9-12, PG
  • Enrollment: 190 students
  • Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $66,960
  • Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $46,170
  • Acceptance rate: 43%
  • Average class size: 10 students
  • Application Deadline: Jan. 31 / rolling
  • Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

Northwood School ranks among the top 10 schools with < 200 students (out of 86 schools) for:

Category
Attribute
Student Test Scores

School Overview

Definition of Terms | 2024 School Data
Northwood School
Boarding School Avg.
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
Grades Offered
9-12, PG
8-12
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
ADD/ADHD Support
Yes
Supports Learning Differences (LD)
Yes
Learning Difference Programs
Yes
n/a
Religious Affiliation
Non-denominational
Year Founded
1905
1906
Campus Size
85 acres
125 acres

Student Body

Enrollment
190 students
315 students
% Students of Color
17%
26%
% International Students
35%
20%
% Students Boarding
75%
70%
Average SAT Score
1146
(Out of 1600)
* National Avg. »View
SAT range (25th-75th percentile)
1030 - 1230
-
Average ACT score
23
(Out of 36)
*National Avg. »View
Offers Post-Grad Year
Yes
No

Academics and Faculty

Saturday Classes
No
No
Classroom Dress Code
Casual
Khaki pants, collared shirts
Casual
Average Class Size
10 students
12
* National Avg. »18
Student : Teacher Ratio
6:1
7:1
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
10
18
ESL Courses Offered
Yes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
50%
71%
Summer Program Offered
No
Yes

Tuition Cost

Endowment Size
$10 million
$28 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
$66,960
$66,250
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
$46,170
$35,600
Tuition international students
$66,960
$57,650
% Students on Financial Aid
41%
40%
Avg. Financial Aid Grant
$27,000
(FA Granted Based on Need-Based Process)
$25,000
Merit Scholarships Offered
No
No

Acceptance Rate

Application Deadline
Jan. 31 / rolling
Jan. 15
Average Percentile SSAT
50%
-
Acceptance Rate
43%
60%
Director of Admissions
Gino Riffle
Associate Director of Admissions
Carrie Wardlaw

AP / Advanced Courses

# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
10
18
Courses
A.P. English Language and Composition, AP Biology, AP Literature & Composition, Calculus A/B, Humanities Research, Psychology, Statistics, Stem Research, US History

Sports

Extracurriculars

Total Extracurricular Organizations
8
23
Extracurriculars
Club or Organization:
Community Service Club, Newspaper, Northwood Outing Club, Outdoor Leadership, Reading Club, Student Government, Sustainability Club

Arts and Music Programs:
Yearbook

College Matriculation

Year: 2019 - 2021
10 Most Popular College Choices  (# Enrolled)
St. Lawrence University
9
Universtiy of Nebraska at Omaha
6
Cornell University
4
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
4
Clarkson University
3
Skidmore College
3
Dartmouth College
2
Middlebury College
2
Trinity College
2
Union College
2

School Notes

  • The Northwood Difference - At Northwood, no one is anonymous. The Northwood experience begins with strong personal faculty-student and peer-to-peer relationships, instilling students with the confidence and maturity to engage with the outside world. We leverage our environment to create a high-touch, comprehensive educational experience. While focusing on place-based learning, students engage with nature, Olympic facilities, and the local community with an impact that extends well beyond our intimate pastoral grounds.
  • LD types supported: Yes
  • Northwood School accreditations: N.Y.S.A.I.S.
  • Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
    • Eleanor Powell '80 - Executive Director, Investor Relations at The Estee Lauder Companies Inc
    • Theodore Davidge Lockwood ‘42 - Former President of Trinity College, 1968-1981
    • Mike Richter '85 - 1988, 1998, 2002 Olympics, Ice Hockey
    • Dr. Amanda Donohue ‘94 - Cardiologist with Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center
    • Darcy Prime ‘73 Owner - Darcy Prime Consulting, Former Assistant Director of Admissions, Stanford University
    • Thomas Vonn '94 - 2002 Olympics, Alpine Skiing
    • Nancy Kirhoffer ‘82 - Post Production Supervisor, Hollywood Film Industry
    • Andrew Weibrecht '03 - 2010, 2014 Olympics, Alpine Skiing
    • Craig Randall '61 - Mayor Lake Placid, NY
    • Brad Olch '69 - Former Mayor, Park City, Utah
Source: Verified school update

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Northwood School cost?
Northwood School's tuition is approximately $66,960 for boarding students and $46,170 for day students.
What is the acceptance rate of Northwood School?
The acceptance rate of Northwood School is 43%, which is lower than the boarding school average of 60%. Northwood School's acceptance rate is ranked as one of the top boarding schools with low acceptance rates.
Who are famous alumni from Northwood School?
Northwood School famous alumni include: Eleanor Powell '80, Theodore Davidge Lockwood ‘42, Mike Richter '85, Dr. Amanda Donohue ‘94, Darcy Prime ‘73 Owner, Thomas Vonn '94, Nancy Kirhoffer ‘82, Andrew Weibrecht '03, Craig Randall '61 and Brad Olch '69.
What sports does Northwood School offer?
Northwood School offers 16 interscholastic sports: Alpine Skiing, Climbing, Crew, Freestyle Skiing, Golf, Ice Hockey, Indoor Soccer, Kayaking, Mountain Biking, Mountaineering, Nordic Skiing, Riding, Rock Climbing, Ski Jumping, Snowboarding and Soccer.
What is Northwood School's ranking?
Northwood School ranks among the top 20 boarding schools for Large student body (number of students), Low acceptance rates and High SSAT scores.
When is the application deadline for Northwood School?
The application deadline for Northwood School is Jan. 31 / rolling (applications are due on Jan. 31 but additional applications are reviewed year-round as space permits ).

Alumni Reviews Review School

Review
Description

Class of 2017
5.00
Northwood
The academics are very challenging. The professors really care about the success of each student. They will offer assistance to ensure the rigorous material is thoroughly understood. The classes are very small, perfect for serious. . .
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Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • Grades: 9-12, PG
  • Enrollment: 190 students
  • Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $66,960
  • Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $46,170
  • Acceptance rate: 43%
  • Average class size: 10 students
  • Application Deadline: Jan. 31 / rolling
  • Source: Verified school update

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