Milton Hershey School

Milton Hershey School is one of the world's best private schools, where qualifying students in pre-K through 12th grade live on campus and receive an exceptional educational experience-with all costs covered.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Top Ranked PA School
  • Grades: Prekindergarten-12
  • Enrollment: 2,189 students
  • Average class size: 15 students
  • Application Deadline: None / Rolling
  • Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

Milton Hershey School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Pennsylvania for:

Category
Attribute
Sports offered
School History

School Overview

Religious Affiliation
Grades Offered
Grades Prekindergarten-12
Year Founded
1909
Summer School Offered
Yes
Summer Program Details

Student Body

Total Students
2,189 students
Student Body Type
Co-ed
Students by Grade
Milton Hershey School Student By Grade

Academics and Faculty

Total Classroom Teachers
252 teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
9:1
National avg.: 13:1
Average Class Size
15 students
Number of AP Courses
12 courses
List of Courses Offered
Classroom Dress Code
Casual
School-provided clothing

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

Admission Deadline
None / Rolling
Tuition Notes
Admission is based on criteria including household income, behavior, and academic potential. Learn more here: www.mhskids.org
Summer Program Cost Notes
Milton Hershey School’s campus is open year-round. Some students do return home over breaks and during the summer months. Many choose to stay at MHS. For these students, we offer the Year-Round Experiences (YRE) program. It operates when school is not in session.
Admissions Associate
MHS Communications

Sports

Extracurriculars

Total ExtracurricularsTotal Extra-curric.
46 extracurriculars
ExtracurricularsExtra-curric.
Club or Organization:
Amnesty International, Beef Club, Book Club, Chess Club, Community Service Related Clubs, Dairy Goat Club, Environmental Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Foreign Language Clubs, Horsemanship, Horticulture Club, Junior Chapel Leaders, Junior Firefighting Club, Mock Trial, Model U.N., National Honor Society, National Technology Honor Society, Photography, ProStart, Scouting, Sheep Club, SkillsUSA, Spanish National Honor Society, Student Government Association, Technology Student Association (TSA), Viva Diversity Club, Yearbook

Arts and Music Programs:
Art Club, Choir, Color Guard, Dance Club, Drama Club, Guitar Lessons, Indoor Drum Line, Instrumental Lessons, Intramural Sports, Jazz Band, Marching Band, National Art Honor Society, Orchestra Lessons, Piano Lessons, Show Choir, Strings Program, Voice Lessons

Recreational Athletic Programs:
Athletic Training, Fitness Classes

School Notes

  • Milton Hershey School is one of the world's best private schools, where qualifying students in pre-K through 12th grade live on campus and receive an exceptional educational experience-with all costs covered. Milton and Catherine Hershey founded the school in 1909 with money they earned from the chocolate company. Since then, the lives of more than 11,000 children from qualifying families have been transformed through high-quality education and structured home life.
  • Under the leadership of President Pete Gurt '85, MHS continues the work and proud legacy of our founders. Our employees lead by example, serving our students while enjoying careers worth every minute - and we are always searching for committed and qualified people to join our MHS community. We continue to grow and serve more children in need with a clear focus to continually enhance and expand upon the programs, resources, and services we offer so students can be their greatest selves.
Source: Verified school update

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Milton Hershey School offer a summer program?
Yes, Milton Hershey School offers a summer program. Visit their summer school page for more information.
What sports does Milton Hershey School offer?
Milton Hershey School offers 15 interscholastic sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cheering, Cross Country, Diving, Field Hockey, Football, Ice Hockey, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Track and Field, Volleyball, Winter Track and Wrestling. Milton Hershey School is ranked as one of the top 20% of private schools in Pennsylvania for most sports offered.
What is Milton Hershey School's ranking?
Milton Hershey School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Pennsylvania for: Largest student body, Most sports offered, Most extracurriculars offered and Oldest founding date.
When is the application deadline for Milton Hershey School?
The application deadline for Milton Hershey School is rolling (applications are reviewed as they are received year-round).

School Reviews

  5.00 out of 5  (2 reviews)
5  
My daughter began attending MHS in 7th grade and is currently in her sophomore year. We chose this school for the opportunities that my other children didn't have in our local area: challenging/quality academics, networking in their chosen career paths, college scholarships, safe community, etc. Over the course of her time there so far, we have seen upsides and downsides (mostly due to covid restrictions, which were very understandable.) It is a very structured environment with many positive role models surrounding the students. My daughter has always found favorite teachers whom she knows she can count on. The school has a great variety of extracurricular activities which exposes the students to new areas. My daughter has tried different sports that she may not have otherwise done here at home. Most recently she became a member of the Hershey Volunteer Fire Company and is enjoying that as well. As I've mentioned, there are negatives as well as positives, but the negatives are to be associated with the well-being of the entire student body as a whole in mind. I understand that, and although there are times when my daughter is frustrated, she understands and pushes forward to her goal of getting a great education, having opportunities most public school students wouldn't otherwise have, the support for her to better herself, and the scholarship at the end of it all. We have to keep in mind that life sometimes has frustrations and children need to learn how to deal with those frustrations: whether it's by working to make a difference by making the situation better, or by learning how to deal with something that can't be changed. I am always in awe of what this school does for the students. I will always be grateful for the opportunities it is opening for my daughter and wish I'd have looked into it earlier so my older children could have had the same opportunities.
- Posted by
5  
There are many music, arts, and extracurricular activities here including Concert Band, Jazz Band, String Ensembles( Violin, Viola, Cello, etc.) and guitar lessons. There is also Choir, Gospel Choir, Varsity Choir, and the New Horizons. We also have art and drama classes, and there is an annual play as well.
- Posted by

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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Top Ranked PA School
  • Grades: Prekindergarten-12
  • Enrollment: 2,189 students
  • Average class size: 15 students
  • Application Deadline: None / Rolling
  • Source: Verified school update

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Did You Know?

The average private school tuition in Pennsylvania is $10,972 for elementary schools and $16,451 for high schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).
The average acceptance rate in Pennsylvania is 86% (read more about average acceptance rates across the country).

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