Meridian Academy

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Meridian Academy Photo #1 - Students in our 8th grade Marine Science class carry out original field research in the Charles River with Sea Perches -- remotely-operated submersible vessels designed at MIT and built by the students.
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Meridian Academy Photo #1 - Students in our 8th grade Marine Science class carry out original field research in the Charles River with Sea Perches -- remotely-operated submersible vessels designed at MIT and built by the students.
Meridian Academy mentors students in a small, vibrant community to become creative, questioning, analytical learners and thoughtful, involved citizens.
Our curriculum incorporates the best practices from both progressive and traditional schooling, encouraging students to embrace the joys and challenges of lifelong discovery. Students develop integrity, perseverance, compassion, courage, and a passion for learning and creating that they take with them to other places and stages of life.

Quick Stats (2024)

Top Rankings

Meridian Academy ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Massachusetts for:

Category
Attribute

School Overview

Religious Affiliation
Grades Offered
Grades 6-12
Year Founded
2004

Student Body

Total Students
69 students
Student Body Type
Co-ed
% Students of Color
25%
State avg.: 30%
Students by Grade
Meridian Academy Student By Grade

Academics and Faculty

Total Classroom Teachers
14 teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
5:1
National avg.: 13:1
% Faculty w/Advanced Degree
88%
Average Class Size
11 students
Number of AP Courses
8 courses
List of Courses Offered
Advanced Courses
Advanced Biology, Advanced Calculus, Advanced Capstone Research, Advanced Chemistry, Advanced Computer Science, Advanced English, Advanced French, Advanced Physics, Advanced Spanish, Advanced Statistics, Calculus, Mathematics Research
Average SAT score
1340
Average ACT score
28
Matriculation DataMatric. Data
Classroom Dress Code
Casual

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

Admission Deadline
Feb. 15 / Jul. 1 / rolling
Yearly Tuition Cost
Tuition Notes
Around half of Meridian Academy families receive financial aid support and we encourage all interested families to apply regardless of their ability to pay the tuition.
% on Financial Aid
50%
Average Financial Aid Grant
$22,000
Acceptance Rate
30%
National avg.: 85%
Admissions Director
Joshua Abrams
Admissions Associate
Hilary Law

Sports

Total Sports Offered
1 sport

Extracurriculars

Total ExtracurricularsTotal Extra-curric.
8 extracurriculars
ExtracurricularsExtra-curric.
Club or Organization:
Community Service Projects, Literary Magazine, Model United Nations, Yearbook Committee

Arts and Music Programs:
Band Program, Theater Program

Recreational Athletic Programs:
Climbing Club, Cross Country Running

School Notes

Achieving Our Mission
  • Our students and families reflect adiversity of backgrounds and beliefs. Family members are encouraged to support and participate in the school in ways that match their abilities and interests.
  • While the school facilities serve as the students' academic and social home base,Boston and its surrounding towns serve as an extended campus. The school is connected to the broader community through service projects and draws upon city resources and natural environments such as libraries, nature centers, and cultural institutions. This use of the city makes it possible for students to learn in a variety of ways and settings. An additional benefit of our use of the city is a more affordable independent school.
  • Our curriculum is based onaschedule that fosters in-depth disciplinary and interdisciplinary investigations. Through problem-posing and research, students pursue personal interests within this common structure. Student work on both applied and pure projects demonstrates their ability to put the skills and content of each discipline to use in a variety of new and meaningful situations.
  • Communication skills are central to all disciplines. Students practice speaking and writing persuasively, creatively, and technically in each subject.
  • Students learn to work togetherto establish and maintain respect for each other and to care for their school.
  • Students receive regular feedbackon the progress that they have made developing the essential skills and understandings identified for each course. They also learn how to assess their own efforts and how to work for constant improvement.
  • Students share their project work with the community through a variety of venues and build a portfolio of their accomplishments.
  • Students develop integrity, perseverance, compassion, courage, and a passion for learning and creatingthat they take with them to other places and stages of life.
Source: Verified school update

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Meridian Academy cost?
Meridian Academy's tuition is approximately $32,000 for private students.
What is the acceptance rate of Meridian Academy?
The acceptance rate of Meridian Academy is 30%, which is lower than the national average of 70%. Meridian Academy's acceptance rate is ranked among the top private schools in Massachusetts with low acceptance rates.
What sports does Meridian Academy offer?
Meridian Academy offers 1 interscholastic sports: Intramural Sports Only.
What is Meridian Academy's ranking?
Meridian Academy ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Massachusetts for: Lowest average acceptance rates.
When is the application deadline for Meridian Academy?
The application deadline for Meridian Academy is Feb. 15 / Jul. 1 / rolling (applications are due on Feb. 15 / Jul. 1 but additional applications are reviewed year-round as space permits ).

School Reviews

  5.00 out of 5  (9 reviews)
5  
My child just started at this school, and it was the best decision we could ever have made. He took the ISEE last year, and we toured all the Boston Emam school, not finding a good fit in these huge schools. At those big public schools, we really felt a "one-size-fits-all" approach in the biggest Boston Emam school. My son was also not impressed with the language options, as he is fluent in Spanish. One public school told him that he could not start Spanish until 9th grade and they would put him into level 2 only! That was the straw that broke the camel's back, as they say! We were done with public schools and wanted a school community where his love of learning would be fostered and appreciated! He really loves math and science, and at his old school, kids were starting to pick on him for being such an avid learner. At the Meridian, it is a family, and everyone supports each other. The younger kids have older mentors. There are community groups and other activities that include all ages of kids. I cannot say enough about how amazing this school has been for my son! He comes home every day raving about all he learned. As a 7th grader, he is already learning about physics and says the math, science and technology classes are the best classes he has ever had. They are so hands on! Additionally, they learn the reason for learning math like Algebra. Imagine! Most schools teach subjects as separate-unrelated silos of information. At the Meridian, the subjects are TIED TOGETHER AND INTEGRATED. You learn math by doing hands-on physics projects. His humanities class is also integrated with ceramics. Every day he has ceramics, he is so excited. They are learning Greek Mythology and went to a Harvard Museum to learn about the history through the artwork. They are now creating their own Greek myths, and designing pottery with their myths depicted on their pots. The school is small so that they can customize your learning. Even is in a Spanish class with one other student, as it is advanced Spanish for the younger kids. Languages are 1 of 3 pillars of learning, so learning a foreign language is paramount every year at this school. There are no loud bells going off, the teachers communicate with each other to integrate subjects, and the kids are able to be totally involved in their learning. They don't need an external reward system like grades, as the kids want to learn and do their best. For example, you don't just slack off and write a report to get by with a C grade. You actually learn to write, revise and master your topic. It is not about getting by, it is about loving what you do and revising your work until you are proud of it. Colleges have commented on what good writers the Meridian students are, and this is why. I could keep going on and on. We have followed this school for years, ever since my child was 5 years old and playing with the robots on their info table at the Wake Up The Earth Festival in Jamaica Plain! Lastly, I really appreciate how the kids can be fully self expressed and not be afraid to do so. Bullying would never even be considered by this tight-knit amazing school community. The school fosters the kids' overall development too and, for example, kids can feel comfortable using gender neutral pronouns at this very inclusive school.
- Posted by
5  
My child has grown dramatically as a student in the three months since we made the switch to Meridian. In our previous school, the day was mostly defined by worksheets and white-board lectures. Now, the day is filled with hands-on activities and meaningful discussion. If the class learns a math concept, they quickly apply that concept to real-world applications. For example, as they learned ratios, they began putting together gear-based machines. Before Meridian, my child was an indifferent student. School was something to get through. Now we hear comments like, "The work here is more challenging, but it's also more fun. And now I know why I'm learning it." On the social side, we knew it was a risk to switch from a big school to a small school, but that gamble has paid off. The school has a true community spirit and many of the ugly aspects of middle school life simply don't exist there. Kids really get to know each other, even when they don't initially think they have much in common. Older kids mentor younger ones. In short, Meridian is exactly what we'd hoped it would be.
- Posted by
5  
My daughter loves the supportive community of teachers, fellow students and staff. I love how art is incorporated in the curriculum. For a small school, it is quite diverse which is important to our family.
- Posted by
5  
Meridian Academy is inclusive, engaging, and equity-minded school that provides my daughter with fun and exceptional strong academic explorations. Students are supported to follow their interests and teachers work with them to pursue these in just about any area that sparks their curiosity and desire to learn. It's a close knit community of independent thinkers - wholeheartedly recommend it!
- Posted by
5  
Our experience has been wonderful; it's like my child has a chance to shine bright at the Meridian! I'm the parent of a 6th grader; we moved from another local private school so it's not our first private school experience. She is learning so much and feels motivated about her work in Humanities and Math/Science/Tech. The art program is integrated with what they're learning academically. The teachers make time to meet with her 1:1 when she needs help. The school feels like a community in a way that her last school did not. The only down side - I'm not allowed to enroll as a student!
- Posted by
5  
Meridian is an educational gem, a relatively young treasure among Boston-area independent schools. Its small size means that students get exceptional and unlimited attention from teachers. The educational philosophy is truly interdisciplinary- the core academic program combines Math/Science and English/Social Studies. Good writing is practiced everywhere! The community is open-minded, progressive, and warm.
- Posted by
5  
I have attended Meridian for 4 years after transferring out of Boston Latin School. Meridian's small, friendly, and supportive community is unmatched in schools throughout Boston, and at Meridian, I have learned to enjoy going to school every day and be excited about learning.
- Posted by
5  
Meridian is a great way to learn and have fun. I have grown as a student tremendously through-out my years at Meridian. Its unique learning environment and small classroom size makes it easier to get the attention from a teacher that you need. It's truly an incredible school filled with incredible people.
- Posted by
5  
Both of my sons have attended Meridian and have grown as creative, independent learners with tremendous initiative. The faculty are bright, enthusiastic and caring and students get lots of attention and are known well. Communication with parents is excellent. Students have an evening exhibition of their projects (papers, experiments, art work, etc.) three times a year so you can really see the quality of their work.
- Posted by

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Quick Stats (2024)

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Did You Know?

The average private school tuition in Suffolk County, MA is $22,273 for elementary schools and $28,720 for high schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).
The average acceptance rate in Suffolk County, MA is 69% (read more about average acceptance rates across the country).

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