Admission Office
admissions@buffaloseminary.org
School events
(1 events)
Buffalo Seminary, 205 Bidwell Parkway Buffalo, NY
16:30-18:00 US & Canada Eastern Time
Website
Help reduce pre-test anxiety by registering for our Entrance Exam Prep Course on December 7 and 8, from 4:30-6:00PM. The course fee is waived for applicants who submit a completed application by December 11.
Show More
School Overview
Data & methodology
Overall
A-
Matriculation
B+
Academics
B+
Extracurriculars
A+
Geo & Community
A
Reviews
B
Excellent academic program with 19 APs, Harkness Table discussions, and a senior Capstone project.
New 9th grade integrated Biology and Chemistry class to accelerate advancement in the sciences.
Individualized pathways and support within a strong community.
Many strong sports, arts, and activity options at SEM and in partnership with nearby schools.
Fun traditions like our Hornet / Jacket competition.
The resources of the city of Buffalo, like our nearby park, art museum, medical center, and universities.
Founded in 1851, Buffalo Seminary is a small, selective, independent, college preparatory girls' residential and day school. Buffalo Seminary is dedicated to being a school where integrity, honesty, tolerance, and concern for others are dominant forces. Through implementation of a one-to-one laptop program, we integrate technology within our hands-on liberal arts curriculum. Within the humanities, we utilize the Harkness method. Harkness discussion is a teaching and learning method involving students seated in a large, oval configuration to discuss ideas in an encouraging, open-minded environment with only occasional or minimal teacher intervention.
Show more
1 of 88
Ranking
If you would like to add Buffalo Seminary to your favorites, compare it with other schools, or share it with friends, here are some quick links.
School Stats
Average
Current school
Tuition
$69,870
Enrollment
150
International Students
8%
Faculty with Advanced Degrees
77%
Teacher-Student Ratio
1:9
Endowment
$11 million
AP
14
Average SAT Score
1250
Average ACT Score
23.3
Class Size
11
Boarding %
8
School Materials
Matriculation
College Matriculation
(2025)| Ranking | University/College | Students |
|---|---|---|
| #34 | University of Rochester | 1 |
| #59 | Syracuse University | 2 |
| LAC #13 | Hamilton College | 1 |
| LAC #17 | Colby College | 1 |
| SUNY University at Buffalo | 1 | |
| SUNY University at Albany | 2 | |
| LAC #38 | Lafayette College | 1 |
| LAC #38 | Skidmore College | 1 |
| Bard College | 1 |
Login to view all
Academics
AP Scores
(2024-2025)Number of students who took AP tests
76
Number of tests taken
121
Score 5
Score 4
Score 3
Other scores
AP Courses
(14)|
Biology
|
Calculus AB
|
|
French Language and Culture
|
United States Government and Politics
|
|
Spanish Language and Culture
|
Psychology
|
|
Biology
|
Calculus AB
|
|
French Language and Culture
|
United States Government and Politics
|
|
Spanish Language and Culture
|
Psychology
|
|
Chemistry
|
Computer Science A
|
|
English Language and Composition
|
United States History
|
|
Physics 1
|
African American Studies
|
|
Human Geography
|
World History
|
View all
AP Equivalent and Beyond
(8)|
Geometry (*H)
|
Integrated Biology
|
|
Integrated Chemistry (*H)
|
Pre-Calculus (*H)
|
|
Advanced French
|
Advanced Spanish
|
|
Geometry (*H)
|
Integrated Biology
|
|
Integrated Chemistry (*H)
|
Pre-Calculus (*H)
|
|
Advanced French
|
Advanced Spanish
|
|
Junior Capstone
|
Senior Capstone
|
View all
Sports
(15)|
Basketball
|
Cross Country
|
|
Golf
|
Lacrosse
|
|
Soccer
|
Tennis
|
|
Basketball
|
Cross Country
|
|
Golf
|
Lacrosse
|
|
Soccer
|
Tennis
|
|
Bowling
|
Ice Hockey
|
|
Swimming
|
Crew
|
|
Fencing
|
Field Hockey
|
|
Sailing
|
Squash
|
|
Flag Football
|
View all
Extracurricular Activities and Clubs
(32)|
Art Club
|
ASL Club
|
|
AV Club
|
Black Student Union (BSU)
|
|
Book Club
|
Chamber Ensemble
|
|
Art Club
|
ASL Club
|
|
AV Club
|
Black Student Union (BSU)
|
|
Book Club
|
Chamber Ensemble
|
|
Computer Science Club
|
ConnectLife
|
|
Crochet Club
|
Debate Club
|
|
Disney Club
|
Environmental Club
|
|
Film Club
|
French Club
|
|
Gender and Sexuality Club (GSA)
|
Glee Choir
|
|
Jazz Club
|
Jewish Cultural Club
|
|
Math Club
|
Morgan's Message
|
|
Muslim Student Association
|
Photography Club
|
|
Red Key Society
|
Science Club
|
|
Ski Club
|
SEM Music Collective
|
|
SEM Poet Society
|
Semachords
|
|
Seminaria (Yearbook)
|
Tea Club
|
|
The Monocle (Student Newspaper)
|
Writing Club
|
View all
Arts
(30)|
Music
|
Theater
|
|
Drawing
|
Painting
|
|
Printmaking
|
Art
|
|
Music
|
Theater
|
|
Drawing
|
Painting
|
|
Printmaking
|
Art
|
|
Design
|
Ballet
|
|
Chamber Choir
|
Chamber Orchestra
|
|
Choreography
|
Dance
|
|
Directing
|
Drama
|
|
Improvisation
|
Music Theory
|
|
Orchestra
|
Performing
|
|
Vocal
|
Ceramics
|
|
Digital Imaging
|
Film Production
|
|
Filmmaking
|
Graphic Design
|
|
Portfolio
|
Sculpture
|
|
Textile
|
Architecture
|
|
Costume Design
|
Documentary
|
View all
Contact Buffalo Seminary
Admissions Officer
School Link
Apply
Buffalo Seminary is a member of
SAO (The Standard Application Online) platform. Click the button below to apply.
Basic Info
Application Info
Reviews
A FindingSchool User
4 / 5
09/27/2023
Reviews from other languages
Buffalo Seminary data: 165 students, student-teacher ratio 1:5, international students 11%, boarding students 16%, 70% of teachers hold advanced degrees. Buffalo Seminary was founded in 1851, a girls' secondary school in Western New York with a long and unique educational history. Against the historical backdrop of traditional New England academies, some parents, desiring their daughters to receive a formal education just like boys, established this school. The school strives to make students proud of their capabilities in society, fostering strong convictions, the ability to handle affairs independently, and respect for others. Buffalo Seminary's mission is to provide an excellent education for vibrant and engaged girls, emphasizing their character development, independence, creativity, and service. Buffalo Seminary aims to cultivate students' intelligence, inspire their modes of thinking, broaden their horizons, and encourage their active participation in various social activities. It offers them opportunities in humanities, arts, and sciences, enabling them to adapt to a world of rapid technological change. Buffalo Seminary's uniqueness lies in cultivating students' comprehensive qualities, which distinguishes it from many other girls' schools in the United States.
View all
A FindingSchool User
5 / 5
09/08/2023
Reviews from other languages
【Location】Located in downtown Buffalo, New York's second-largest city, it's ideal for children who enjoy utilizing urban resources.
【Centennial History】A century-old prestigious girls' school that uses a round table teaching model, focusing on cultivating girls' self-confidence and independence.
【Academic Atmosphere】The school has a very strong academic atmosphere. Senior students often help junior students, and girls here form invaluable lifelong friendships.
【Round Table Teaching】We adopt the Harkness round table teaching model, guiding students to develop independent learning abilities. Everyone is a leader who needs to guide others in thinking about and discussing classroom issues.
【Arts and Sports】Abundant opportunities in arts and sports, with 18 sports teams and over 20 types of art activities.
【College Credits】The University at Buffalo, the largest public university in New York State, collaborates with our school on a college credit program.
【College Admissions】The school excels at helping students plan for top universities. Planning for college begins as early as 9th grade. Graduates annually receive numerous acceptances to Ivy League and other prestigious universities, including Yale, MIT, Cornell, NYU, and many more in the past two years.
【Centennial History】A century-old prestigious girls' school that uses a round table teaching model, focusing on cultivating girls' self-confidence and independence.
【Academic Atmosphere】The school has a very strong academic atmosphere. Senior students often help junior students, and girls here form invaluable lifelong friendships.
【Round Table Teaching】We adopt the Harkness round table teaching model, guiding students to develop independent learning abilities. Everyone is a leader who needs to guide others in thinking about and discussing classroom issues.
【Arts and Sports】Abundant opportunities in arts and sports, with 18 sports teams and over 20 types of art activities.
【College Credits】The University at Buffalo, the largest public university in New York State, collaborates with our school on a college credit program.
【College Admissions】The school excels at helping students plan for top universities. Planning for college begins as early as 9th grade. Graduates annually receive numerous acceptances to Ivy League and other prestigious universities, including Yale, MIT, Cornell, NYU, and many more in the past two years.
View all
A FindingSchool User
1 / 5
03/24/2022
Reviews from other languages
Finally, I can evaluate this school without bitterness, because at this point, I am no longer attending it and have said goodbye to high school life. I can say that my time in Buffalo was the most painful period of my life so far, but I also encountered some excellent teachers. My English and history teachers made me intensely regret my decision to transfer at one point, because they were truly amazing teachers, and I am incredibly grateful for their guidance in those two subjects. However, I can say that as long as the principal and vice-principal of this school are still those two women, this school will never be friendly towards Chinese people. I was targeted because I transferred, and these two 'principals' tried to give me major disciplinary actions for various baseless reasons. Their targeting made me extremely anxious and scared, almost leading to the point where I considered suing the school. Regardless of how these agencies manipulate reviews or how teachers try to whitewash the situation, I hope that some parents and students can see this message. You deserve better; please don't let your children grow up so fast. Sometimes, being precocious and sensible means having experienced too much. This age is for learning, not for experiencing these discriminatory difficulties that affect studies. Regardless, whether you choose this school or not, I wish you a bright future.
View all
A FindingSchool User
5 / 5
01/27/2022
Reviews from other languages
Buffalo Seminary, located in Buffalo, New York, is a rare urban boarding school with a 170-year history. The school focuses more on cultivating women's confidence and independence. I have visited the school, and some students I know have attended it; overall, the college placement rate is good.
School Advantages:
1. Inherits the Harkness Table teaching model, with small class sizes and extremely high individual attention.
2. Unique internship program: Under the school's arrangement, students can participate in a two-week internship program at institutions such as the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo Museum of Science, hospitals, other schools, etc.
3. Collaborates with the University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo) to offer college credit programs.
4. School's strong programs include: Visual Arts, Performing Arts, and Music Performance (offering the Westman Scholarship for piano).
5. Colleges accepting Chinese graduates in 2019 include Emerson College, UIUC, NYU, UCSD, and others.
School Advantages:
1. Inherits the Harkness Table teaching model, with small class sizes and extremely high individual attention.
2. Unique internship program: Under the school's arrangement, students can participate in a two-week internship program at institutions such as the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo Museum of Science, hospitals, other schools, etc.
3. Collaborates with the University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo) to offer college credit programs.
4. School's strong programs include: Visual Arts, Performing Arts, and Music Performance (offering the Westman Scholarship for piano).
5. Colleges accepting Chinese graduates in 2019 include Emerson College, UIUC, NYU, UCSD, and others.
View all
Frequently Ask Questions about Buffalo Seminary
Tell me a bit about Buffalo Seminary.
Buffalo Seminary is All-girls private boarding school located in New York, US. It was founded 1851 , and currently has about 150 students, 8.00% of whom are international students.
For more official information, please visit http://www.buffaloseminary.org.
For more official information, please visit http://www.buffaloseminary.org.
Does Buffalo Seminary have rigorous academic requirements?
Buffalo Seminary is offering 14 AP courses.
In recent years, 36 of their students score 4 and 5 in AP exams.
Buffalo Seminary also have 77% of faculties whose degrees are master and above.
In recent years, 36 of their students score 4 and 5 in AP exams.
Buffalo Seminary also have 77% of faculties whose degrees are master and above.
Where do Buffalo Seminary students typically go for their colleges?
Based on the most recent matriculation data, 15.15% go to top 50 US universities and colleges*, 1226.06% go to top 25, and about 2.42% go to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and MIT.
*Ranking is based on the 2024 US News College Ranking.
*Ranking is based on the 2024 US News College Ranking.
What is the application requirement for Buffalo Seminary?
Similar to most private schools in the US, Buffalo Seminary’s typical admission requirements include school transcript, recommendation letter, application essay, and interview (often optional, but highly recommended).
What is the Boarding Tuition for Buffalo Seminary?
The total fee for Buffalo Seminary in 2024 is
$69,870 which typically includes tuition, boarding fee, student management fee and a few other fees associated with managing international students.
For more information, please contact school’s admission team at admissions@buffaloseminary.org .
For more information, please contact school’s admission team at admissions@buffaloseminary.org .
Where is Buffalo Seminary located?
Buffalo Seminary is located in the State of New York of USA. The closest major city is Buffalo, which is about 2 miles away from school. Most families can choose to travel in and out of school.
How popular is Buffalo Seminary on the FindingSchool network?
Based on FindingSchool monthly traffic data as well as onsite search record, Buffalo Seminary is among the most popular schools, within top 238 for all schools on FindingSchool.
Also Buffalo Seminary has been favorited by 86 users.
Also Buffalo Seminary has been favorited by 86 users.
How do I complete an application for Buffalo Seminary?
The first stop is to carefully review the school profile on FindingSchool to learn more about Buffalo Seminary. Most of them are directly provided by the school.
Also it is highly recommended to visit Buffalo Seminary’s official site: http://www.buffaloseminary.org or call them at 716-885-6780.
Also it is highly recommended to visit Buffalo Seminary’s official site: http://www.buffaloseminary.org or call them at 716-885-6780.
Are there additional schools that are located close to Buffalo Seminary?
Yes, here are few:
The Gow School, Robert Land Academy and Fort Erie International Academy.
The closest major city is Buffalo. You can find out more schools near Buffalo here.
The closest major city is Buffalo. You can find out more schools near Buffalo here.
What is the FindingSchool rating for Buffalo Seminary?
The overall rating for Buffalo Seminary is A-.
The section ratings of Buffalo Seminary are:
B+ for Matriculation
B+ for Academics
A+ for Extracurriculum
A for Community
B for Students and Parents reviews
The section ratings of Buffalo Seminary are:
B+ for Matriculation
B+ for Academics
A+ for Extracurriculum
A for Community
B for Students and Parents reviews
Nearby City
Buffalo, located in western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, is the state’s second-largest city. Once a booming industrial and shipping hub in the Great Lakes region, Buffalo today is known for its diverse economy, cultural institutions, and strong educational presence. Just a short drive from Niagara Falls, the city serves as a gateway for millions of visitors each year. Highlights include the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the Buffalo Zoo, and historic architectural landmarks. Buffalo is also famously the birthplace of the Buffalo chicken wing.
Campus 360° Tour
Explore the campus through a Virtual Tour (powered by 
).
).
FindingSchool collects its data from a variety of reliable sources, including schools, advisors, official U.S. statistics, and feedback from actual parents and students.