About Us

Commonwealth School educates young people from diverse backgrounds to become knowledgeable, thoughtful, and creative adults, capable of careful analysis, fruitful cooperation, responsible leadership, and deep commitment. 

It’s an independent high school that feels something like a college and something like a home... 

   

What Makes Us Uncommon?

Academics that Challenge and Excite

Catering to curious students who enjoy intellectual adventures in classes often taught at a college level, Commonwealth’s curriculum is rooted in analysis, discussion, inquiry, and writing.

Close-Knit Community

Our small size—around 150 students—and 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio ensure strong relationships and personal attention from our extraordinary faculty.

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In the Heart of Boston

Two blocks from Copley Square, our Back Bay location gives students unparalleled access to Boston’s resources for scholarly research, independent projects, and community service.

Personal Advising and Support

Every student is paired with an advisor with whom they meet weekly—a teacher who will be a guide, an advocate, a mentor, and a fan.

Traditions that Bind

Our strong community is forged, in part, through unique traditions, like our twice-yearly all-school trips to a waterfront camp—the setting for some of our most vivid and lasting memories.

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Ample Options After Commonwealth

With dedicated faculty mentors and our Director of College Counseling guiding the way, students find themselves empowered and encouraged to follow the post-Commonwealth path that’s right for them.

A Culture of Creativity

Art permeates life at Commonwealth, and students choose from a variety of visual and performing arts options each semester—theater, orchestra, ceramics, chorale, printmaking, and more.

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Care for the Whole Student

Sports are an important route to self-knowledge and pride, which is why we require participation in a variety of engaging athletic options, including fencing, soccer, basketball, sailing, and yoga.

“Off the Charts” Student Engagement

Researchers from Stanford’s Challenge Success program surveyed Commonwealth students to assess their well-being and workloads. The results were striking...

   

There isn't really one prototype of what a Commonwealth student really is. If you want to be around a lot of other people who value learning but also have a lot of diverse interests, then Commonwealth is definitely the place for you.

Julian Alvarez
Class of 2018

  

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Equity and Inclusion

Commonwealth was founded to educate leaders who could bring expertise and empathy to bear on America’s problems, and to make this exceptional education accessible to students from Boston’s racially and socioeconomically diverse neighborhoods. Today, students of color represent more than half of our enrollment, and the school strives to live up to its founding mission by providing generous financial aid and academic support to ensure all students are prepared to excel.

   

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