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Best private high schools in Connecticut

Written by:
April 10, 2024
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Best private high schools in Connecticut

As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a '96 commencement address at Wellesley College, "Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead." If that's the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.

It's a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, education is key: 1.4 million students enrolled in private high schools in fall 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. There were about 3,600 private secondary schools nationwide as of 2020.

For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these private high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to send their kids to better schools. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.

Stacker compiled a list of the best private high schools in Connecticut using 2024 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students.

A class of high schoolers as viewed from the rear.
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#30. St. Thomas More School

- Location: Oakdale, CT
- Enrollment: 170 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A student filling out a scantron form for a multiple choice test.
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#29. Sacred Heart Greenwich

- Location: Greenwich, CT
- Enrollment: 729 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A student talking to a teacher in the hallway.
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#28. Watkinson School

- Location: Hartford, CT
- Enrollment: 220 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A student standing next to their backpack as seen from the knee down.
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#27. South Kent School

- Location: South Kent, CT
- Enrollment: 150 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

Students walking down a hallway with their backs facing the camera.
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#26. Westover School

- Location: Middlebury, CT
- Enrollment: 184 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A high school student doing a chemical experiment.
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#25. The Ethel Walker School

- Location: Simsbury, CT
- Enrollment: 228 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A high school student sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper.
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#24. Cheshire Academy

- Location: Cheshire, CT
- Enrollment: 365 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A student raising their hand in class.
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#23. Greens Farms Academy

- Location: Westport, CT
- Enrollment: 713 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

An empty school hallway lined with red lockers.
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#22. Canterbury School

- Location: New Milford, CT
- Enrollment: 325 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A student solving a math equation on a whiteboard.
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#21. The Williams School

- Location: New London, CT
- Enrollment: 195 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

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#20. Westminster School

- Location: Simsbury, CT
- Enrollment: 435 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A hallway lined with green lockers.
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#19. Kingswood Oxford School

- Location: West Hartford, CT
- Enrollment: 501 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A side view of a person using a laptop in the school library.
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#18. King School

- Location: Stamford, CT
- Enrollment: 709 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

An empty classroom as viewed from the back.
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#17. St. Luke's School

- Location: New Canaan, CT
- Enrollment: 603 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A pencil case full of pens, pencils, and highlighters spilling on a table.
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#16. Avon Old Farms School

- Location: Avon, CT
- Enrollment: 406 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A group of students walking down the hall with their backs facing the camera.
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#15. Salisbury School

- Location: Salisbury, CT
- Enrollment: 310 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

An overhead view of high school pupils in group study sitting around circular tables.
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#14. Pierrepont School

- Location: Westport, CT
- Enrollment: 116 (3:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

Students using microscopes in science class.
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#13. Brunswick School

- Location: Greenwich, CT
- Enrollment: 1,044 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

High school students studying and reading together in their school library.
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#12. Greenwich Academy

- Location: Greenwich, CT
- Enrollment: 832 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

Students raising their hands for class participation.
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#11. The Frederick Gunn School

- Location: Washington, CT
- Enrollment: 325 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A stack of textbooks with pens on top of them next to an open notebook.
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#10. Pomfret School

- Location: Pomfret, CT
- Enrollment: 350 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

Two students sharing a book.
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#9. Hamden Hall Country Day School

- Location: Hamden, CT
- Enrollment: 624 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A high school student doing classwork on their laptop.
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#8. Miss Porter's School

- Location: Farmington, CT
- Enrollment: 335 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A teacher writing an equation on a blackboard using chalk.
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#7. Suffield Academy

- Location: Suffield, CT
- Enrollment: 410 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

Students' backpacks sitting on a hallway floor.
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#6. Kent School

- Location: Kent, CT
- Enrollment: 520 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

Bookshelves at a high school's library.
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#5. The Taft School

- Location: Watertown, CT
- Enrollment: 580 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A stack of spiral noteboooks in front of a wooden background.
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#4. Hopkins School

- Location: New Haven, CT
- Enrollment: 715 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

Two rows of red lockers.
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#3. The Loomis Chaffee School

- Location: Windsor, CT
- Enrollment: 736 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

Empty desks in a high school classroom.
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#2. The Hotchkiss School

- Location: Lakeville, CT
- Enrollment: 599 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

A closeup of a student taking notes in class.
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#1. Choate Rosemary Hall

- Location: Wallingford, CT
- Enrollment: 861 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
- Niche grade: Grade A+

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Emma Rubin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

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