A legitimate
step forward
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The Academy at Watkinson
a Post-Graduate (PG) year
for students who are college-bound
but not yet college-ready
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“What people have told me that Watkinson is supposed to be, it actually is.”
Hannah Ortiz, Academy ’19, attending Clark University
Productive independence. That’s the whole point of college. But what if, for whatever reason, your high school years didn’t adequately prepare you? What if your transcript isn’t quite what you’d like it to be, or you don’t feel ready for the social, schedule, or academic pressure of college life?
Some parents consider a year at community college a viable option for students who feel any of these stressors. Research shows, however, that students who aren’t ready for the full academic load of college life often get frustrated and quit. Other students who are gifted, but struggle with one tricky content area, derail their own progress. And still others struggle through, but end up taking the five- or six-year route through college. All of these are costly options.
Instead, consider the Academy at Watkinson. An extension of Watkinson’s unique educational philosophy, The Academy is a pre-college year designed by you. Shape your own balance of studying the world and learning more about yourself.
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 “A”s 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.
Identified as a student leader at my college, I was chosen to be a student ambassador.
A year at the Academy isn’t a miracle year; you have to work for it. You cannot just skate by and expect to get what you want. 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. Watkinson offers so much more — you can travel the world to help countries that are less fortunate than we are, and even help your own community.
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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.
