- How qualified are Dawson teachers?
- What is the student to teacher ratio?
- What is the average class size?
- What are the facilities like?
- Is financial assistance available?
- Are all the grades in the same building?
- How much does it cost to go to Dawson?
- Is Dawson cutting back on the arts?
- Do you have a competitive sports program?
- Is Dawson an open or closed campus?
- Is Dawson very diverse?
- How does Dawson handle special needs?
- When do you start Computer Science?
- When is the best time to apply?
- How do I know my child will fit in?
- How hard is Dawson?
- What colleges do Dawson graduates go to?
- Do Dawson students get college scholarships?
- Does Dawson offer Honors, IB, or AP programs?
How qualified are Dawson teachers?
Very. When there is an opening, we conduct a national search, attracting some of the best teachers from coast to coast.
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What is the student to teacher ratio?
A very individualized 7-1.
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What is the average class size?
A very teachable 15.
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What are the facilities like?
There is a 95 acre campus with five soccer and lacrosse fields, six tennis courts, two baseball diamonds, two full gyms, weight room, a swimming pool, and an arts complex with a full theatre, and separate studios for dance, pottery, ceramics and jewelry, woodworking, painting and drawing, and photography.
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Can we get Financial Assistance?
Absolutely. Nearly $700,000 is awarded each year and the average award is over $10,000.
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Visit our Tuition and Financial Assistance page for more information.
Are all the grades in the same building?
No, it isn't developmentally sound to mix teens and ten-year olds. Each division has its own building, Lower School(k-4), Middle School(5-8), Upper School(9-12).
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How much does it cost to go to Dawson?
The full tuition for 2007-2008 is $16,950.
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Is Dawson cutting back on the arts?
No, not at all! The arts are strong, and are part of the curriculum four days a week.
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Do you have a competitive sports program?
Do we ever. Dawson offers 15 varsity sports,
and sent 9 teams into post-season play last year. 35 athletes earned All-State or All-League recognition, and 11 merited Acadmeic All-State honors.
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Is Dawson an open or closed campus?
Closed, for safety. Once you come to school in the morning, you are expected to stay until your day is done, unless you are a Senior who has received special permission to be off campus.
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Is Dawson very diverse?
Yes, there are 21 different nationalities represented on the Dawson campus.
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How does Dawson handle special needs?
We provide extra academic help and tutoring in and out of the classroom, during and after school, and have faculty advisors and a Counseling Resources Coordinator, but we do not offer on-campus behavioral services or treatment.
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When do you start Computer Science?
The curriculum starts in first grade.
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When is the best time to apply?
October through January, although applications are accepted throughout the year.
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How do I know my child will fit in?
Dawson is a very personal, welcoming place, with curious students who share interests and an engaging outlook on life. Students quickly feel at home and form new and lasting friendships.
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How hard is Dawson?
It is not as hard as it is effective. Dawson high school students have the highest college SAT scores in the area, and all classes, K-8, regularly test a year or more above grade level.
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Ultimate Outcomes
What colleges do Dawson graduates go to?
Dawson students are accepted at many of the top colleges and universities in the nation, including MIT, Princeton, Dartmouth, Pomona, Stanford, Northwestern, Johns Hopkins, Bryn Mawr, Williams, Chicago, Kenyon, Duke, Colby, Cornell, Penn, Tufts, Middlebury, Rice, Carleton, Reed, Wellesley, West Point, and many others of equal quality.
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Do Dawson students get college scholarships?
Our College Counselor advises seniors on scholarship opportunities. Typically seniors earn over $2,000,000 in merit-based scholarships.
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Does Dawson offer Honors, IB, or AP programs?
Yes, Dawson offers a very full curriculum of Honors in every subject, and 13 AP courses in the sciences, math, English, foreign language and history. At 90% Dawson students' AP pass rate is 50% higher than the national average.
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For more information, or call the admissions office at 303-665-6679.
