A legitimate
step forward
College bound, but not yet college ready?
The Academy at Watkinson School will help you get there.
about the academy at watkinson
The Academy is a highly personalized post-graduate year that maximizes the skills and interests you already have, while teaching you the skills and habits you need to succeed in college.
Key elements of an Academy year include:
- deepening your critical reading and honing your skills with both the written and spoken word in Watkinson’s humanities electives. English is required and history is strongly encouraged.
- working with Watkinson’s exceptional faculty. Here, student-teacher relationships are characterized by deep mutual respect. 97.4% of our students say their teachers treat them with respect and encourage them to learn. *
- pursuing what interests you. As high school graduates, you may already have a strong idea about your future career. If so, we will work with you to find an internship and/or help you find the right balance if working while in school is desired. Or maybe you need a structure to help weigh your career options. If that’s the case, Academy students are encouraged to participate in the Senior Process and Project.
- earning college credit from the University of Saint Joseph or the University of Hartford. Academy students may take college classes; while experiencing the rigor of college academics and the larger social environs of college, while still being supported/guided by a Watkinson advisor. If Academy students enroll at Watkinson early enough, they can even take a summer class at USJ prior to the start of the academic year at Watkinson.
Alumni of The academy
Lee Block ’16
American University ’20, BA in International Studies and Russian Language
John Strycharz ’17
Rochester Institute of Technology ’22, BS in Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Jacquelyn Collas ’17
Emmanuel College ’21, BA in Graphic Design
Kayla Henry ’23
Central CT State University ’27
Jack Marzi ’23
Sacred Heart University ’27
Mason Battle '22, currently in a pre-veterinary program at the university of maine '26
“The Academy helped me to become a more thoughtful individual; it helped me to take the next step in my maturity.”
Hannah Ortiz, Academy ’19, Bachelor of Arts in english, Professional Writing and New Media concentration from UMASS Boston '22
“Watkinson allows you to build your entire image; they see you as a person holistically.”
Learning Skills Program
& The Academy
A flagship program in the education field, Watkinson’s Learning Skills Program serves students with high motivation and academic potential who need support in academic and/or study skills. The goal is for every student to develop compensatory skills to become a self-advocate through understanding their strengths and needs. Learn more here.
International students
& The Academy
The Academy at Watkinson welcomes international students from all over the world. International students enjoy a real American immersion experience, living either on campus or with an American host family. The Academy offers tremendous learning and leadership opportunities through internships, high school as well as university classes, athletics, the arts, and our excellent ELL (English Language Learners) program. Our outstanding college guidance program will assist you with the entire college application process and will help you find the perfect fit.
Through developing my academic skills, I honed in on a career choice — namely teaching. Through the Academy, I now feel confident in my abilities to take on whatever college — or life in general — has to throw at me.
I came to America a gifted math student, but I needed to improve my spoken and written English. I needed to improve my skills in the Humanities in order to go to an excellent American school. My year at the Academy did that and so much more... I now have a family at Watkinson School.
The post-graduate option was perfect for me. I got to take college level courses in communications (my intended degree) while strengthening some core academics in the small, supportive setting of Watkinson. I got “As" across the board and feel totally ready to move on to college. Plus, I was accepted at every college I applied to, which was a great feeling.
After about a week in college, I was identified as a student leader...I was chosen to be a student ambassador. In large part, I credit The Academy.
A year at the Academy isn’t a miracle year; you have to work for it. But that makes it a miracle year; it teaches you to grow up, to be responsible, to prepare for college and to learn how to be a scholar. I took classes at the University of Hartford and I worked with middle school kids on their athletics and academics.
reasons to choose the academy at watkinson
For more than three decades, our PG program has been the right fit for students who don’t want to head straight to college from high school. The reasons students choose The Academy range from:
- anxiety about traveling away from home
- stress about communal college living
- worry that the experience won’t be what they hoped for.
