Berkshire School

Beautiful campus. Excellent school leadership with a very clear vision. Strong Professors with broad backgrounds and interests. Expansive opportunities across academics, athletics, the arts. One of our children fell in love with photography and reading. Another of our children fell in love with writing and American sports like Football. A big enough school to find and focus on what matters most to you and a small enough school to know everyone's name. The Head of School will know everyone's name by week 3!
Berkshire students generally have a strong sense of community and an independent streak at the same time. Both are nurtured.

The school environment is beautiful, the facilities are complete, and the teachers are generally good, making it a suitable place for learning.

Berkshire School, founded in 1907, is a co-educational boarding school located in Sheffield, Massachusetts, enrolling students from grades 9-12. The school emphasizes fostering students' critical thinking, creativity, and leadership skills. It offers 17 AP courses, 36 advanced courses, 4 languages, and 140 academic courses. The school features 10 signature programs, including Advanced Math/Science Research (Economics, Engineering, and Science), Advanced Humanities Research, the Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize STEAM, Pro Vita Winter Session, Aviation Science, and Black Rock Scholars.

School Features:

1. All of Berkshire's electricity generation comes from renewable energy, with 50% of its power supplied by the school's self-installed solar panels. The school has a 2-megawatt, 8-acre solar field, accounting for 40% of its energy supply.

2. Berkshire Bear has strong athletic prowess. Its ice hockey rink is excellent, and its ice hockey team is very strong. Rugby, soccer, and squash teams are also quite good.

3. Mathematics and science subjects are particularly strong. Berkshire School is one of the few high schools in the United States that offers advanced mathematics and science research programs. The Berkshire Advanced Math/Science Research Lab is equipped with state-of-the-art scientific research tools and the latest biology labs, including a natural science project that reaches graduate-level standards.

It was a wonderful boarding school. The community is very welcoming and there is a very strong international student community. I didn't have any trouble adapting. The teachers are very open to feedback and helpful.

Headmaster Zhan's Review: Berkshire boasts a magnificent campus, friendly and proactive students, and a diverse range of courses. However, due to its stringent admission and classroom requirements, I believe its cultural and academic aspects are even more prominent.
The school provides professional mentors, comprehensive cutting-edge equipment, and authoritative platforms for display in STEM, arts, and sports, pushing students to achieve high standards. For excellent students eager to explore new interests, Berkshire is an outstanding choice.
Regarding cultural heritage, the school encourages students to lead healthy, balanced lives while upholding deeply rooted traditions, including Mountain Day, Winter Carnival, and Senior Dinner. These traditions help students quickly integrate and enhance their social and leadership skills.
In terms of academic cultivation, advanced courses are available in almost every subject. Students can participate in the Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize competition, a unique collaboration with the Yale School of Management and Environmental Center, best suited for students prepared for rigorous training.
For community building, the Community Service Program is an afternoon activity offered in the fall and spring semesters, allowing students to substitute community service for sports or arts, supporting the school or broader community, and providing aid for projects that interest children.
Regarding emotional support, the school's Health & Growth Program aims to cultivate students' mindsets and character habits, preparing them for success at all times. Through developmentally appropriate thematic workshops, speakers, and classroom lessons, it provides students with scientific tools to navigate adolescence and adulthood.

Berkshire School, founded in 1907, is located in Sheffield, Massachusetts, built into a beautiful hillside. Nearby Great Barrington was named "America's Best Small Town" in 2012 by Smithsonian Magazine. It is one of the old-brand "Ivy-equivalent" boarding schools, with a student acceptance rate of 10:1, a student-teacher ratio of 4:1, and a boarding student percentage of 90%. It emphasizes both liberal arts and sciences development, with an annual Ivy League acceptance rate of around 9%. Many students eventually attend prestigious universities such as NYU, Stanford, and MIT. The school emphasizes cultivating students' critical thinking, creativity, and leadership. It offers 17 AP courses and 36 advanced courses. Furthermore, its mathematics department collaborates with many universities in the United States, providing students with opportunities to conduct research projects with university math professors while still in high school. The school offers an aerospace science program, allowing students to receive flight training at Great Barrington Airport and even have the chance to pilot an aircraft themselves. All of Berkshire's electricity generation comes from renewable energy, with 50% of its power supply coming from the school's own solar panels. The school owns a 2-megawatt, 8-acre solar farm, accounting for 40% of its energy supply. Regarding admissions, the school tends to prefer students from international schools over those from public schools in mainland China. The number of Chinese students at the school is typically 4-5. There is also an excellent boarding middle school nearby called Indian Mountain. I personally suggest that students could first apply to Indian Mountain Middle School and then apply to Berkshire School; I have had students successfully follow this path.

Arriving at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Massachusetts, one is greeted by beautiful scenery and modern, grand architecture.
The admissions office was equally bustling with visitors, including many local and international student families. Our tour guide was a young man from New York City, and throughout the tour, we could see his recognition and pride in the school, indicating its popularity among American families!
Meanwhile, the school is also busy constructing new buildings, expected to open next year. This shows that the school is continuing to invest heavily in its development!
Looking at the classrooms, they are mostly small classes of about ten students, primarily conducted in a discussion format, sitting in a circle. The school's science and mathematics programs are excellent, and its academic structure is quite flexible, able to accommodate different students' personalized course needs, always providing sufficiently challenging courses!
The athletic prowess of Berkshire Bear goes without saying; the ice hockey rink is fantastic, and the ice hockey team is incredibly strong. Rugby, soccer, and squash are also quite good! The arts program is also excellent; the young man who gave us the tour took ceramics for a year and highly recommended this interesting course!
Feedback from Li Ge's former students who applied to and attended the school last year has also been fantastic. To the children applying to this school this year, keep up the great work!

Mathematics and science subjects are a particular strength, and Berkshire School is one of only a few high schools in the United States to offer the Advanced Math/Science Research (AMSR) program. The Berkshire AMSR Lab is equipped with state-of-the-art scientific research tools and the latest biology labs, including a natural science project that reaches graduate-level standards. Programs offered include Advanced Math/Science Research, Advanced Humanities Research, STEAM (Science, Mathematics, Arts, Engineering), and Pro Vita Winter Session.

Students interact with talented authors and thinkers during ASR (The A11-School Read), while considering given themes in a real-world context. Through this program, students' critical thinking skills are developed and honed, and opportunities for collective dialogue on campus are provided.

The school offers a rich curriculum, providing students with 17 AP courses, 36 advanced courses, 4 languages, and 140 academic courses, meeting students' academic learning needs. The student-teacher ratio is 1:4, over 62% of teachers hold advanced degrees, and 73% of teachers live on campus. At the same time, the school features 10 signature programs including Advanced Math/Science Research: Economics, Engineering, and Science; Advanced Humanities Research; Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize STEAM; Pro Vita Winter Program; Aviation Science; Black Rock Scholars; Independent Study; Sustainability; Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program; and STEM, fulfilling all student needs.

Berkshire's Aviation Science program prepares students for certification exams with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The course focuses on the study of aerodynamics, meteorology, navigation, radio communication, and instrumentation related to aircraft flight; each student receives 6 to 10 hours of flight training at Great Barrington Airport, approximately 5 miles from the Berkshire campus. In addition, Berkshire now has an on-campus aviation flight simulator, providing convenient training for students before they take to the air.

Flight Course Recording: https://youtu.be/CL2KyxWHsl8

Berkshire School is a co-educational school located in Sheffield, a southwestern suburban city in Massachusetts.
● Offers grades 9-12.
● Enrollment: 400 students; international student ratio: 17%; boarding student ratio: 90%.
● Ranked 34th among US private boarding high schools by FindingSchool.
● Ivy League acceptance rate: 4%.
● HYMPS (Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton, Stanford) acceptance rate: 1%.

Data for Berkshire School: student population 425, student-faculty ratio 1:4, international students 16%, boarding students 89%, offers 148 courses, 17 AP courses, 62% of teachers hold advanced degrees. Since its establishment, Berkshire School has focused on creating a good atmosphere of mutual respect and fairness for every student to learn in. The school provides a rich curriculum to encourage students to develop their imagination, creativity, and potential. The mission of Berkshire School is to provide boys and girls with academic and moral foundations, as well as leadership skills, preparing them to face the challenges of college and the future, becoming excellent members of society. To this end, Berkshire School offers very challenging academic programs and college preparatory courses to cultivate students' problem-solving abilities, thirst for knowledge, and critical thinking.

Berkshire offers a wide array of advanced courses, such as the Advanced Math/Science Research (AMSR), a year-long program. It provides students with authentic independent laboratory experience to design and complete original research projects in their chosen fields of biology, physics, or social sciences. What makes Berkshire's program unique is its design: students intern with professional scientists, conducting real-world research in world-class facilities. The final outputs of this course will be a critical review paper and a research paper.

Students will present their research findings to members of the Math and Science Department and the Berkshire community. Based on their research interests, students will collaborate with mentors from institutions such as the College of Nanoscale Science & Engineering SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Albany Medical Center, Wadsworth Medical Center, Union College, UMass Amherst, Bucknell, Williams, and other organizations.

Berkshire School offers the Advanced Humanities Research (AHR) program, a one-year course. This course is designed for students interested in the humanities, enabling them to build their knowledge across various aspects of language, literature, history, philosophy, and art. The AHR curriculum is tailored for students who have already exhausted the learning opportunities available in AP courses, providing them access to college-level coursework and an experience akin to what top liberal arts college undergraduates encounter.
The course begins with a unit introducing different research methodologies in the humanities, where students utilize Berkshire's abundant resources to formulate an investigative study in a specific field and develop research questions. Subsequently, they are required to prepare a comprehensive literature review, in which they summarize and critically evaluate the theories of the most renowned modern researchers in that field. Finally, students receive guidance from mentors and university professors in the same field, and with the help of these experts, they write and revise a complete thesis paper to submit to the school.

Performing Arts at Berkshire School encompasses dance, music, and theater programs, each allowing students to explore their creative side while learning to express themselves confidently and effectively.
Berkshire School's dance program offers a diverse range of dance styles, including contemporary, modern, jazz, hip-hop, ballet, and tap. Students explore dance as a powerful tool for expression, creativity, and discourse, and participate in the creation process for three major stage dance concerts held annually.
The Berkshire School theater department is unique in that it is a fully hands-on, all-voices-heard, ensemble-first experience. While many students are eager for the opportunity to perform, the program also allows students to explore other theater-related interests, including directing, stage management, set building, costume design, and lighting. Recent productions include Ham, Romeo & Juliet, Grease, In the Heights, Metamorphoses, Into the Woods, and The Crucible. The theater department is a co-founder of the annual High School Improv Festival, and it also offers academic courses in improvisation, culminating in Berkshire Improv performances each semester.

Berkshire School was founded in 1907 and is located in Sheffield, Massachusetts. Since its establishment, the school has been dedicated to creating a fair and mutually respectful learning environment for its students. The school offers a variety of courses to students, stimulating their creativity and imagination, and developing their potential as much as possible. The school's mission is "to provide young men and women with the intellectual foundation, moral compass, and leadership skills that will enable them to meet with success the challenges of college and beyond as contributing members of their families and the wider community." To achieve this goal, Berkshire's curriculum is rigorously designed, including comprehensive college preparatory courses. The curriculum also emphasizes the development of critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a curiosity for knowledge.

Berkshire School was founded in 1907, and now has a history of nearly 120 years. It is located in Sheffield, Massachusetts, approximately a 2.5-hour drive from Boston and New York, and a 1.5-hour drive from Hartford. Berkshire School, nestled beneath the mountains, is uniquely surrounded by a circular cluster of pure white buildings with modern and advanced facilities, providing students with an excellent learning environment. Since its founding, the school has been dedicated to creating a fair and mutually respectful learning atmosphere for students. The school offers grades 9-12, is co-educational, and currently has 400 enrolled students, 90% of whom choose to board. Students come from 28 states and 35 countries. Currently, 17% are international students. The student-teacher ratio at the school is 1:4. The school has 97 teaching staff, 62% of whom hold advanced degrees, and 73% of the teachers live on campus. Nearby universities: Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, Williams College, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, SUNY University at Albany, Trinity College, Wesleyan University.

Berkshire's signature program, Pro Vita, lasts for one week and takes place every winter. Students choose two courses. The Pro Vita model is "Execute, Solve, Serve." Students explore courses in areas such as art and design, sustainability, philanthropy, and diversity.

The goal of this program is to give students the opportunity to explore the larger world around them and to embody the school's motto: Pro Vita Non Pro Schola Discimus, "We learn—not for school, but for life." Pro Vita offers over 50 courses, including lunch workshops, field trips, and lectures, allowing students to discover new talents and lifelong pursuits.

Berkshire focuses on igniting students' curiosity and passion for lifelong learning. A unique manifestation of this is the school's Pro Vita Winter Program. Every winter, students spend a week participating in two courses, choosing from over 50 available options covering diverse fields such as art and design, sustainability, philanthropy, diversity, and regionality. The aim is to give students the opportunity to explore the larger world around them and better understand the school's motto: 'Learning - not just for school, but for life.'

The school offers many distinctive science programs, such as the Aviation Science course, where students receive 6 to 10 hours of flight training at Great Barrington Airport, approximately 8km from the school. Additionally, students also have the opportunity to design courses of their own interest.

The overall academic difficulty is moderate, with a strong emphasis on science subjects. The school also favors students who excel in science and biology. It offers distinctive science programs, including guidance for participating in ISEF, and even airplane flying classes, making it ideal for students who enjoy hands-on exploration.

Overall Situation:
- Relatively strong in sciences/STEM, rich in AP courses.
- Course levels are divided into Regular, Advanced, and AP. Advanced courses are equivalent to what is commonly known as Honors courses, with difficulty greater than Regular courses but generally less than AP courses. There's a wide range of course selection, so students are advised to communicate frequently with the school to choose courses suitable for them.

Academic Strengths/Features:
- Advanced Math/Science Research: A year-long course for 11th and 12th-grade students. The school collaborates with nearby research institutions, universities, medical centers, etc. Students receive guidance from both in-school teachers and external experts, then design and execute independent research projects. Those who perform exceptionally well can participate in competitions.
- Pro Vita Program: During the winter term, students participate in a week-long special course and activities. Some projects take place at school, while others are off-campus, for example, the most popular course involves going to Texas to learn to fly a plane. This program allows students to engage in various courses and activities, encouraging them to explore.

Shangxue Mingde Student Feedback:
- The school is very supportive of students. If a student has the desire, they can even apply to the school to self-study a certain AP course outside of regular classes, complete the assignments and tasks given by the teacher, and then take the AP exam.
- The school's Pro Vita program is very interesting. If students don't find a course or activity they're interested in, they can even design their own. Once approved and passed by the school, it can be implemented.

Addendum:

4. ASR: The All-School Read: Students have the opportunity to interact with talented authors and thinkers while considering a given theme in a real-world context. This promotes critical thinking and provides opportunities for collective dialogue on campus.

5. Berkshire's Solar Field: The school owns a 2-megawatt, eight-acre solar field that supplies 40% of the school's energy. This solar field is part of an energy master plan developed by students in Berkshire's sustainability program, and in 2012, it was the largest solar installation in Massachusetts and the largest such solar facility at any private secondary school in the United States.

Berkshire School's 400+ acre campus is home to over 400 students in grades 9-12. It is located in Sheffield, Massachusetts, 2.5 hours from Boston and downtown New York City, and approximately 1.5 hours from Albany and Hartford. Nearby is Great Barrington, Massachusetts (named "America's Best Small Town" in 2012 by Smithsonian Magazine).

School Highlights:
1. 10 signature programs: Including Advanced Math/Science Research (Economics, Engineering, and Science), Advanced Humanities Research, Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize STEAM, Pro Vita Winter Session, Aviation Science, Black Rock Scholars, Independent Study, Sustainability, Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program, and STEM, meeting all student needs.

2. Pro Vita Winter Session: A one-week program held every winter, Pro Vita offers over 50 courses, including lunchtime workshops, excursions, and a variety of speakers, enabling students to discover new talents and lifelong pursuits.

3. Football and ice hockey are strong sports programs. The school has the most professional ice hockey facilities in the entire East Coast, with two ice rinks, one of which is Olympic-sized.

We are very familiar with Berkshire School; two of my own children attend Berkshire. The school is small and warm, with 400 students. Both arts and sciences are excellent. Through the AHR and AMSR research projects, students have opportunities to conduct research with teachers and professors. University matriculation is also very good. This year, three Chinese students graduated and will attend Columbia University, Dartmouth College, and Northwestern University, respectively. The university matriculation for Chinese students who graduated last year was also exceptionally good. More importantly, although there aren't many Chinese students (12), every child is very nice, and every Chinese family is very supportive of each other. The teachers are also very caring towards the children. It's a school nestled against a mountain, with beautiful surroundings, and the school buildings and facilities are all new, making it a place where one can study with peace of mind.

Signature Program
In STEM courses, students are required to use an interdisciplinary approach that combines science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM), and art to identify and solve real-world problems, and to design solution-based prototypes.
Specialized courses include engineering, 3D design, iOS app development, and the integration of subjects like biomathematics, environmental studies, sustainability, and digital music. It is a place full of creativity, fostering a true spirit of writing and teamwork. From humanoid robots to interactive art installations, students are always able to turn their ideas into reality, pursue innovation, and realize their potential.

Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize
Compete as a team to create a business plan.
Annually, Berkshire students compete for the Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize.
The Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize is a prestigious honor awarded to the team with the best viable business plan for financial products, services, solutions, or projects that can also contribute to real-life communities.
Through collaboration with Yale University's Center for Business and Environment, participating students meet with professionals from the business and environmental fields to develop their plans.

Berkshire School was founded in 1907 in Sheffield, Massachusetts, a world-renowned destination for art, culture, and wellness.
The school emphasizes fostering students' creativity and imagination, developing their potential, and focusing on cultivating critical thinking, immediate problem-solving skills, and intellectual curiosity.
The school offers 17 AP courses, 33 honors courses, 4 language courses, and 144 academic courses.
The school has approximately 400 students, with a boarding rate of 91%. The student-teacher ratio is 4:1, 61% of teachers hold advanced degrees, and 81% of teachers live on campus.
The school offers programs such as advanced mathematics/science research, advanced humanities research, STEAM, aerospace science, and sustainability studies, aiming to develop students' minds and provide real-world practical experience.
The school boasts advanced facilities including an observatory, baseball fields, a basketball arena, and a library. The campus spans 500 acres, offering a beautiful environment.
Football and ice hockey are among the school's strongest sports programs. The school features the most professional ice hockey rink in the entire Eastern region.

【On-site Report: 2019 China Admissions Fair】
Located in western Massachusetts, the school has over 400 students, 90% of whom are boarders, and 17% are international students. There are 12 Chinese students currently enrolled, with half of them from Shanghai.

The school covers an area of 400 mu (approximately 66 acres) and is highly environmentally conscious. All electricity generation comes from renewable energy sources, with 50% of the power supplied by the school's self-installed solar panels. The school offers 10 signature programs. Its integrated STEM exploration and integrated humanities research programs are excellent. Its drama program is considered “best in the country,” and its aircraft piloting program is particularly unique, with the school even having its own flight simulator.

The world's No. 1 ranked squash coach teaches on-site at the school for 6 weeks each year, providing online guidance the rest of the time.

In 2019, Chinese students were admitted to universities such as Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University.

Visited the school three times this month to update some information. 1. Signature Programs: AMR/AHR (Advanced Math/Humanities Research), STEAM, Pro Vita, Sabin Entrepreneurial Prize, Aviation Science, Independent Study, Black Rock Scholars, Sustainability, and the Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program. The school has vigorously developed environmental science and sustainability studies. 2. Squash Program. Former world No. 1 squash player Nick Matthew started coaching at the school last year, establishing four teams (Advanced, Intermediate, Progressive, Beginner). Regardless of a student's level, even if they have no prior experience, as long as they are interested in trying, there's always a suitable training team for them to join. This is a great hook for students who are good at squash! 3. Chinese students' university placements have been excellent in the past two years, with acceptances to Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Cornell University, Northwestern University, and Carnegie Mellon. 4. The school prefers very outgoing and highly integrated students. In recent years, it has admitted several students from Shanghai's YK Pao School, not only due to sibling legacy connections but also because these students themselves are excellent. Besides YK Pao, last year, the school also admitted a female student from our Shanghai Foreign Language School Affiliated High School.