Deeply committed to the intellectual life and the development of its students, Thacher offers an academic program that is both rigorous and flexible. At its core, the program is designed to encourage the best mix of broad, general background and specialized study for each student.

While our basic diploma requirements prepare our students for college-level study, all Thacher students move well beyond this minimum to pursue areas of special interest. Thacher offers a broad and rich array of Advanced Placement (AP) courses, as well as several courses beyond the AP level.

Full engagement with a Thacher education means developing critical thinking skills and learning to communicate effectively, by listening, speaking, and writing well. In all disciplines the classroom experience is intimate—Thacher’s average class size is eleven—and largely discussion based, with students often collaborating on projects.

Still, academic learning at Thacher isn’t confined to the four walls of a traditional classroom. Students and faculty often tackle their subjects elsewhere—exploring a creek to learn about its ecosystem, reading poetry on a grassy lawn, or trekking to the horse barns to practice hands-on veterinary medicine. Some students even choose to move beyond the bounds of the Thacher campus, spending a year studying abroad or with other programs in the U.S.