Why Thayer?

Dear Prospective Students and Parents,

Jeff Dwyer, Director of Enrollment Management

As Director of Enrollment Management, I meet with many prospective students and families who ask me what sets Thayer Academy apart from other Boston-area private schools. “What makes Thayer special?” is a question I love to answer. It begins with rigorous academics and inspiring teachers who spark an enduring love of learning and discovery. Students and teachers work hard here, in a true spirit of academic collaboration. Students are challenged in small, dynamic learning environments, designed to foster intellectual and personal growth, using traditional and technological methods, on our historic campus and in international locations that broaden students’ horizons and perspectives.

Our academic curriculum is built on the foundation of an accepting, affirming, and accessible culture. We have high academic standards, but we’re also warmly supportive. Students are also encouraged to try things they’ve never tried before, in all realms, with no pressure to conform. It’s not unusual around here to see the captain of the football team in the cast of our fall musical, or a student artist who is also a champion pole vaulter. At Thayer, students discover talents they never knew they had, and develop them into lifelong strengths.

Our students thrive in a vibrant, varied community rooted in tradition and enriched by socio-economic diversity and global fluency. Extraordinary young people with a wide range of backgrounds begin a shared and transformative journey, where they discover the courage, creativity, and confidence that will provide their own unique blueprint for future success.

At Thayer, results count, and the outcomes that count the most comprise our wide and growing network of 6,000 alumni – doctors, entrepreneurs, teachers, lawyers, filmmakers, scientists, politicians, artists, humanitarians, and often, parents of future Thayer alumni. Their Thayer experiences prepared them for success in college and graduate school, in industry and public service, and in productive professional careers and endeavors that are improving lives and strengthening communities across the nation and around the world.

I invite you to visit Thayer Academy and experience, firsthand, our outstanding learning environments, our vibrant community, and our culture that celebrates confidence, humility, and personal achievement. When you see Thayer for yourself, you’ll see more than what makes Thayer special. You’ll see all the possibilities that are here for you.

Sincerely,
Jeff Dwyer P '31
Director of Enrollment Management

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Thayer Academy embraces community as a core value and sees diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential to the Academy’s mission. From student organizations and activities to faculty development to our academic curriculum, Thayer seeks an affirming and supportive culture which promotes diversity in all its forms.

Transportation

Thayer is conveniently located off Routes 3, 93, and 128, and is two blocks from the MBTA Red Line T stop in Braintree. Thayer runs a shuttle between campus and the T stop.

Many juniors and seniors drive to campus, and many families carpool. The Thayer Directory lists families by town with their contact information.

Thayer runs six buses to surrounding communities, including Boston’s Back Bay.

Authenticity matters — in relationships, in learning, and in being vulnerable even when doing so is difficult — and it is foundational to student engagement.

Watch Head of School Chris Fortunato's Convocation 2023 address to learn more about Thayer's approach to learning excellence.