The Outdoor Academy enrolls up to 30 10th- and select 11th-graders each semester from schools across the country and abroad. Students applying for OA admission should be enthusiastic learners who demonstrate a high academic standard and are looking to build upon their success in a new and challenging setting.
Who Should Apply
The Outdoor Academy has accepted high school sophomores, as well as select freshmen and juniors, from over 200 public and private schools. We welcome students from both our member and non-member private and public schools. We seek students who are looking for an exciting experience, who have demonstrated a commitment to high academic standards, who are ready to be challenged, and who seek new ways of learning and working with others. Our students desire a unique experience of living and learning in a community-centered environment in the rich natural world of the Southern Appalachians.
Acceptance
Decisions for applications submitted by February 15, 2011 will be announced by March 15, 2011. After February 15th admissions will be made on a rolling basis. If you are applying from a non-member school, please let us know if you would like an Outdoor Academy representative to be in touch with your school to address questions or concerns.
Tuition
Tuition, room and board for the 2010-2011 school year is $18,500 per semester ($10,750 tuition, $7,750 room and board). This is equivalent to approximately one-half of most boarding schools' annual tuition. Upon acceptance, students are asked to return a signed Enrollment Agreement form. A $750 deposit (which is applied to the tuition and is non-refundable) is due two weeks after acceptance. Tuition does not include the required tuition refund insurance fee, which is 4.0% of tuition. Contact The Outdoor Academy office for further details.
Financial Aid
We wish to make The Outdoor Academy available to the widest possible range of students. Therefore, we strive to allocate an equivalent of approximately 10% of our total annual tuition income for financial aid, in addition to funds generously provided through endowment. Financial aid applications are reviewed after a student is accepted, and are awarded based on need.
In order to fairly estimate a family’s ability to pay, The Outdoor Academy uses the forms and analysis system of the School and Student Service for Financial Aid (SSS). SSS forms are available in many independent school admissions offices, online at
https://sss.ets.org or contact us to request a financial aid application. Any student regardless of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin may apply for financial aid. We base our decisions on your need as demonstrated by 1) your personal statement regarding your need and reasons for need; 2) your PFS; 3) and the desirability of your child at The Outdoor Academy as demonstrated in his or her application process.
In addition to financial aid, we offer no-fee payment plans and are registered with Your Tuition Solution, which offers low-interest laons for private K-12 education.
Other Expenses
Each student will establish a $350 school store account with The Outdoor Academy to cover the cost of books (about $150), and other personal, school, and miscellaneous expenses.
