Frequently Asked Questions

List of 13 frequently asked questions.

• Q. What are the advantages of an all-boys' school?

  A. As a school for boys, we focus on what makes boys tick, both individually and together. We believe that boys' schools can support boys particularly well. Here boys study, think, and achieve in the classroom without embarrassment or apology. They captain teams and star in plays, score goals and write musical scores, win debates and win games.
  
  We work hard to ensure that students leave Belmont Hill as ethical young men of integrity who will become responsible citizens — who will have a passion for learning and a willingness to work hard, take risks, and make a difference.
  
  Many educators believe that single-sex education offers students significant benefits. We endorse that which is positive about boys' schools, while striving to make certain that our students are sensitive to and well prepared for the world in which they live.
  
  Here are links to some resources that affirm the value of single-sex education:
  
  International Boys' School Coalition
  
  About.Com: Private Schools
  
  Boston Globe: The Wonders of a Single-Sex Education
  
  National Association for Single Sex Public Education
  
  
  While Belmont Hill is an all boys' school and has been since 1923, we interact with girls' schools in many different ways. Our students benefit from long-term relationships with two girls' schools in particular: The Winsor School in Boston and Dana Hall School in Wellesley.

• Q. Are school-related expenses other than tuition covered by financial aid?

  A. Yes! Depending on the amount of financial aid you receive, your son may be eligible for aid for books, transportation, technology needs (computer, graphing calculator), school trips (both global and domestic), and many other things. When in doubt, ask the Director of Financial Aid.

• Q. Does Belmont Hill offer AP courses?

  A. Students throughout the Upper School take Advanced Placement tests in 14 different subjects.  In May of 2019, 66 students in Grade 12 completed 219 AP tests, earning 202 scores of 3 or better (92%).

• Q. Is there financial aid available?

  A. Belmont Hill has a long history of socio-economic diversity, and is committed to bringing the best boys in the metro Boston area to its campus regardless of a family's ability to pay. Currently, Belmont Hill provides almost $5.1 million in aid and 32% of the boys enrolled receive some financial assistance. Families may request financial aid information and must submit applications by January 15. For more information on Belmont Hill's commitment to financial aid visit the financial aid homepage.

• Q. Where do students go after graduating from Belmont Hill?

  A.
  Colleges Accepting Members of the Class of 2019
  
  

  Amherst College	UMass Lowell
  Assumption College	University of Miami
  Babson College	University of Michigan
  Bates College	Middlebury College
  Boston College	Morehouse College
  Boston University	New York University
  Bowdoin College	Nichols College
  Brandeis University	Northeastern University
  Brown University	Northwestern University
  Bucknell University	University of Notre Dame
  Butler University	University of Pennsylvania
  University of Chicago	Pepperdine University
  Colby College	Princeton University
  Colgate University	Providence College
  University of Colorado at Boulder	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  Connecticut College	University of RI
  Cornell University	University of Richmond
  Dartmouth College	University of Rochester
  Davidson College	Saint Anselm College
  Denison University	University of San Francisco
  Duke University	Sewanee: University of the South
  Elon University	Southern Methodist University
  Emory University	St. Lawrence University
  Florida Institute of Technology	Syracuse University
  Fordham University	University of Tampa
  George Washington University	University of Texas
  Georgetown University	Trinity College
  Hamilton College	Tufts University
  Harvard College	University of Vermont
  Haverford College	Villanova University
  Hobart and William Smith	University of Virginia
  College of the Holy Cross	Wake Forest University
  Johns Hopkins University	Wesleyan University
  Kenyon College	College of William & Mary
  Lafayette College	Williams College
  Lake Forest College	Worcester Polytechnic Institute
  Mass Maritime Academy	Yale University
  UMass Amherst

  
  
  
  

• Q. Does Belmont Hill have a bus service?

  A.

  Belmont Hill runs six different bus routes through the city of Boston and the surrounding metropolitan area. Please follow this link for more information.

• Q. What languages can I take at Belmont Hill School?

  A. For a small school we are fortunate to offer a fairly wide range of languages. All seventh and eighth grade students are required to take Latin, and then have the option to take any of our modern language offerings: Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese. New ninth grade students have the option of taking any of the four language offerings mentioned previously. Students who complete Latin 4 and take the Latin AP exam have the option of taking Ancient Greek.

• Q. How many spaces are available in each grade?

  A. Our two largest matriculation years are the 7th and 9th grade (Form I and Form III). In the seventh grade we generally seek a class of roughly 52 boys while in the ninth grade we have about 20-25 spaces. We also have 12-15 openings in our 8th grade (Form II) and 3-5 openings in grades 10 and 11 (Forms IV and V).

• Q. Are there opportunities for Belmont Hill students to interact with girls at nearby schools?

  A.

  While Belmont Hill is an all-boys' school, we interact with girls' schools in many different ways. Boys benefit from our long term relationships with two girls' schools in particular, The Winsor School in Boston and Dana Hall School in Wellesley:

   

  The Winsor School Connection

  Since 1973, Belmont Hill and Winsor, an all-girls’ school in Boston, have collaborated on a number of projects, most notably in drama and choral music. Middle Schoolers perform together in fall and spring plays, and Upper Schoolers perform together in fall and winter plays. The two schools also share a school newspaper (called The Panel), a boathouse, and a track program. Annual “Coordination Days” have brought students together for a mixture of service projects and the examination of current issues. The schools plan dances together, including Junior and Senior Proms. An annual holiday concert, held in early December, brings together the two schools’ choruses and a cappella singing groups. The seventh grades of both schools also spend a day together at the “We Lead Conference,” a program facilitated mostly by the schools’ Peer Leaders (seniors) which tackles relevant social and health issues.

   

   

  The Dana Hall School Connection

  Belmont Hill and Dana Hall enjoy a variety of joint activities, including dances that bring together girls from Dana Hall and boys from Belmont Hill. The schools combine efforts for a spring musical and collaborate on community service projects. Last year, students from both schools traveled to Selma, Alabama during spring break to help with the construction of homes and to do outdoor work for individuals and churches. Some years, the schools combine forces to create a Haunted House at the Watertown Mall during Halloween to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

• Q. Why is the ninth grade a part of the Middle School?

  A. One of the things that makes Belmont Hill distinctive is that our 9th grade is a part of our Middle School. Whereas in many environments "freshmen" are relegated to the periphery, our 9th graders are expected to be leaders. For new students, this means that they will enter our school able to take an active role in many extra curricular activities while still receiving the nurturing academic support that our younger boys receive. Ninth grade students attend one proctored study hall a day and learn valuable study and organizational skills as they learn the valuable lessons of time management that is necessary for success in the Upper School.

• Q. What is the most important part of the application?

  A. While no one piece of the application process is more important than another, boys must demonstrate that they can excel in a rigorous academic program. Thus, a boy's transcript, recommendations and test scores are carefully reviewed by the admission committee. Though a strong academic record is important, we seek to enroll boys with widespread interests and talents. As a school we ask boys to take part in a whole host of academic, athletic, and extra-curricular activities, and boys who have the energy and interest to challenge themselves in different ways can have an outstanding impact on our campus. Finally, Belmont Hill faculty and students pride themselves on being a "character school," and the admission office is always aware of boys who demonstrate both leadership and outstanding character development.

• Q. What standardized tests do I need to take?

  A. All seventh and eighth grade (Forms I and II) applicants are required to take the Independent School Entrance Exam (ISEE). All ninth and tenth grade applicants (Forms III and IV) are expected to take the Secondary School Admission Test (SSAT).
  
  Test Dates on Campus:
  
  ISEE (Code: 220120)
  Saturday, November 23, 2019
  Saturday, December 7, 2019
  
  SSAT: (Code 1564)
  Saturday, December 14, 2019
  Saturday, January 4, 2020
  
  

• Q. Why do you have a dress code?

  A. A dress code is one of the most valued traditions at Belmont Hill, but it is not without purpose. We feel that a dress code has a democratizing effect on our student body. Here, one cannot define or separate himself from the community by the manner in which he dresses. We are all one community, sharing similar goals, purposes, and even attire. However, this does not keep students from expressing themselves, as a quick visit to our campus will show boys wearing a vide variety of jacket styles and colors, wild ties, and interestingly matched shirts. Although the majority of our students wear khaki pants and blue blazers, boys are free to wear any colored or patterned slacks and jackets of their choosing.