LIFE AT EMMA—What do you want to know?

COUNTDOWN OF THE TOP QUESTIONS20

Welcome to our E(mma)-book.

Interact with all things Emma, and see just how you’ll fit in .

www.emmawillard.org

What do future students want to know about

LIFE

EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL?at

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How would you describe an Emma Girl?

What is the campus like?

How does Emma compare to other schools?

Where do Emma’s graduates go to college?

Do day and boarding students get along?

What is the social life like—is there a lot to do?

What is the food like?

What are the favorite traditions at Emma?

What are the most important things new students should know?

What is it like having a roommate?

Why is a girls’ school cool?

What are the favorite spots on campus?

What opportunities are there for learning abroad?

What are the most popular classes at Emma?

How rigorous are the academics?

Practicum—what’s that all about?

How extensive are the arts, athletics, and other extracurricular activities?

What about boys?

What would you say all Emma alumnae have in common?

Why choose Emma?

CO U N T D O W N O F T H E TO P

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20How would you describe AN EMMA GIRL?

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Ask any of our students to describe an Emma Girl, and each response will be

unique. That’s because an Emma Girl is unique. Here, you’re encouraged to be

yourself—be your best self—and use your curiosity, creativity, and passions to

make a difference in ways that matter most to you.

“Someone who is super goofy at times . ”“Ready and able to take center stage . ”“Informed about the world around her.”“Someone who dares to try something new.”“Someone who is true to herself.”“Intellectual, non-materialist, fun-loving, and caring . ”

An Emma Girl is . . .

19What is the

CAMPUS LIKE?

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It’s like living in a castle with all the comforts and warmth of home—from

pizza Fridays to houseparents and even their pets. On the National Register

of Historic Places, Emma is one of the oldest schools for girls in the country,

dating back to 1814, but the school doesn’t feel old at all. The classrooms are

spacious and really comfortable—and equipped with all of today’s must-have

technologies. The science labs are just like those found in research universities.

Rooms in the residence halls are beautiful, ranging from cozy to colossal!

The campus also has an athletic facility with a large gym and indoor pool,

baseball fields, tennis courts, and a track. There is a student café, a store, a

spacious library, as well as art, music, and dance studios for practice or private

lessons. There is even a weaving studio and a computer programming

and design laboratory.

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Located in a secure, gated residential area, campus security patrols 24

hours a day, 7 days a week, and Emma staff are always present in the

residence and dining halls and at all activities—so you always feel safe.

With its Tudor Gothic buildings and expansive 137-acre campus, Emma has been featured in several films, including Scent of a Woman and The Emperor’s Club, and we get calls all the time for photo shoots and filming!

Schedule a visit

The best way to discover Emma is to visit campus for yourself.

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18How does Emma compare TO OTHER SCHOOLS?

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There are a lot of great prep schools out there, but Emma offers a truly

one-of-a-kind experience. Here are some reasons why:

“What makes Emma special? The true sense of belonging to something bigger than oneself.”

You first!It’s not just equal opportunity, but every opportunity.

Whether you love modern dance or mitochondrial DNA, at Emma, we

know that there is enormous potential and power in every girl. With our

individualized study, if you love it, the Emma faculty will find a way for

you to learn it!

We’re cosmopolitan.Emma Girls come from across the United States and more

than 30 countries—so we learn firsthand about the cultures,

traditions, and values that shape our world.

We’re inspired.Encouraged to discover our own “Emma voice,”

we make a difference in the ways that matter most to us. From supporting

animal rights to devoting an entire day to community service together

each winter, Emma Girls find ways to change the world around them.

17Where do Emma’s graduates GO TO COLLEGE?

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After Emma, our graduates continue on to some of the best colleges

and universities in the world. But, the real goal of an Emma education

is to help our students gain admission to colleges and universities that

best fit their interests and, most of all, their aspirations. At Emma, we

ask, “Whom do you hope to become?” Our college counseling team

does an amazing job of guiding, supporting, and advocating for our

students throughout the college process to find the best fit. It’s their

philosophy that “college is a match to be made, not a prize to be won.”

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16Do day and boarding students GET ALONG?

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Emma is one of the most supportive communities you’ll ever

experience! Whether a day student or a boarder, we are all part of

something wonderful here and are bonded together by the experiences

and traditions of Emma. We not only spend our days together, we

spend our nights and weekends together studying, hanging out, or in

extracurricular activities.

All day students are assigned to a residential hall and are invited to

participate in hall events. On Friday and Saturday nights, it’s not

uncommon for day students to stay for sleepovers with friends in the

residence halls and enjoy the weekend activities together.

Check out boarding student life

Check out day student life

A day in the life . . .

“Emma is home whether you come from a few miles away or a thousand.”

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15What is the social life like– IS THERE A LOT TO DO?

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Emma is all about friends and friendships. Outside of the classroom,

there are lots of things the girls do together at Emma. From clubs to

weekend activities like midnight bowling, campfires, and Six Flags

trips to community service and afternoons at the mall, there is always

something to do here. You can explore a range of fun options—both on

and off campus. From movies and concerts at the Times Union Center or

Capital Repertory Theatre to shopping or ski trips at Gore or Whiteface

mountains, there are plenty of options to keep you busy and having

fun. Emma has tons of clubs, sports teams (go Jesters!), and activities all

over campus. We also visit other local schools for dances and social get-

togethers such as hiking adventures or cultural events.

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“Some of the most essential parts of life at Emma take place at night, like the freshman hall dance parties and movie nights with your houseparent. You don’t have to go far to find something going on. Before long, the boisterous Emma nightlife will consume you.”

Shopping

Dinner out

Clubs

Sports

Movie nights

Skiing

Dance parties

Field trips

Community service

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14What’s the

FOOD LIKE?

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Eating here can be described in one word:

Well, maybe two words:

At Emma, the dining experience is more than great food, it’s a

community experience centered on fresh ingredients, healthy options,

and a sense of environmental and social responsibility.

As the first Fair Trade high school in the United States, we seek to

support the communities that grow and produce our food and we

locally source as much as possible. We also take special diets and food

allergies very seriously. Many of our students and staff are vegetarians

or are sensitive to nuts, gluten, dairy, and other foods, and we try

to accommodate those needs whenever possible. Faculty, staff, and

students all dine together and it is common to see teachers laughing

right along with their students from across the dining hall!

Learn more about Emma as a Fair Trade high school

Delicious!

Pizza Friday!

It’s good food that’s also good for your conscience.

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13What are the favorite

TRADITIONS AT EMMA?

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Here at Emma, traditions abound. Senior Triangle Takeover, May Day, Ring

Week, Morning Reports, Senior Tea, Revels . . . you quickly find that you are

part of something wonderful. From Freshman Retreat to Commencement—

when the entire campus shows up on the lawn to hug the members of the

senior class before they leave campus—these Emma traditions are yours

to share.

Find out more

Emma “Faves”RevelsNothing quite describes this unique and vibrant Emma tradition. Let’s

just say . . . monks dancing to Lady Gaga?

Ring WeekFrom creative activities to dress-up days, juniors receive their school

rings amid much ceremony and celebration.

Senior Triangle TakeoverThe moment when the junior class runs onto the Senior Triangle (the big

triangle of grass in the middle of campus—off-limits to all but seniors

and alumnae) for the first time and celebrates as the seniors head

off to Senior Retreat.

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12What are the most important things NEW STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW?

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Know that your potential is undeniable.

Don’t be afraid to use your voice to make a difference in

the ways that matter most.

Welcome all that’s about to change—a new school, new

friends, new challenges. It’s all good!

One more thing . . . Just be yourself. Please.

“My freshman year at Emma was indescribably enjoyable. There were so many new discoveries to be made, both about myself and about the world around me.”

11What is it like

HAVING A ROOMMATE?

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Sharing clothes

Coordinating room décor (matching bedspreads!)

Having a late-night study partner

Knowing she’ll wake you up if your alarm doesn’t

Always having someone to go places with

Think of it as having someone to confide in, laugh with, and share in

your Emma journey. Having a roommate makes everything more fun.

I my roomie!

Things to love about having a roommate:

10Why is a

GIRLS’ SCHOOL COOL?

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Focus more on learning, and in ways designed specifically for

how we learn.

Enjoy greater opportunities—both academic and extracurricular.

Spend more time building friendships—cliques and cattiness don’t

exist here.

Pursue areas of interest most often geared toward boys (like math,

science, and technology).

Be ourselves. With no one to try and impress, we dress and act how

we want.

Every part in the play. Every seat of the student government. Every

position on every team. At a girls’ school, there’s literally nothing

we can’t do.

Without the boys, we can:

Studies show that girls who attend girls’ prep schools have higher SAT scores and are more politically engaged.

The National Coalition of Girls’ Schools (NCGS) reports

on how all-girls’ environments empower girls.

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9What are the favorite SPOTS ON CAMPUS?

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Making smoothies and drawing silly pictures on the whiteboards

Playing croquet on the (as long as you are a

senior or Emma alumna!)

Celebrating birthdays in the

Designing something new in the

Developing pics in the

Diving into the during open swim

Sunbathing behind the

Enjoying ballet or Zumba in one of the

Tearing up the during a game

Senior Triangle

at the 2e-café

residence hall alcoves

pottery studio

photo lab darkroom

pool

chapel

dance studios

soccer field

8What opportunities are there for

LEARNING ABROAD?

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At Emma, we do much more than the routine trips to Paris or London. At

Emma, we explore the entire world from Mongolia to Ethiopia. Students

have the opportunity to take their education far outside the classroom

by traveling abroad. With trips abroad, Emma Girls gain exposure to the

world’s environmental, economic, and political issues from a regional

perspective. And nearly every trip includes service to our world whether it is

visiting an orphanage in Thailand or teaching English to students in China.

7What are the most popular

CLASSES AT EMMA?

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PracticumJazz Dance

BalletWoven StructuresFilm and Video

Literature of Conflict: War, What Is It Good For?History of the Middle East

The Eagle in the World: U.S. Foreign PolicyLatin

NeuroscienceGlobal Climate Change

Forensic ScienceScience Internship

Introduction to EngineeringOpen Source Hardware and Computer Programming

Our average class has 13 students.

Read campus newsKeep up with what’s happening at Emma.

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6How rigorous are the

ACADEMICS?

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Emma is all sorts of fun, but the school part is all about challenging you and expanding what you can learn and achieve.

Emma’s rigorous college preparatory program provides each of our

students a strong foundation in all major academic areas, and Advanced

Placement (AP) is offered in all disciplines.

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Course load: • All students have schedules that include at least five

courses each semester.

— Most classes meet four times each week for

50 minutes. The schedule allows for extended

periods of study twice a day to accommodate

labs or special projects or to provide students

with opportunities to meet with faculty members.

With over 120 classes from which to choose, the Emma curriculum allows each girl to find her passion and excel . • There are two grading systems in use at Emma.

For most courses the grading system ranges from

A to No Credit.

• Freshmen receive grades of Credit/No

Credit for their first semester. In the second

semester, they receive letter grades.

See how Emma’s grading system works GO

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5Practicum–

WHAT’S THAT ALL ABOUT?

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Learn more

Practicum is individualized study where you get to create the “you” you

want to be. Practicum allows you to pursue your passions and to explore

virtually any activity that interests you. Guided by mentors, faculty

advisers, coaches, and other students, you’ll be able to explore your

strengths and stretch the boundaries of what you think you can do, and

who you think you are.

What I did for my practicum . . .Took tango lessons

Interned in hotel management

Competed in fencing

Rode in an international horseback riding championship

Did musical theatre

Studied Korean sword training

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4How extensive are the arts, athletics, and other EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES?

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Learn more

At Emma, arts, athletics, and other extracurricular activities are as important to our

education as our academic classes.

The artsThe arts department offers a variety of courses in music, theatre, dance, and visual arts.

Course offerings are designed for students of all levels of interest and proficiency so that

girls are able to explore new areas as well as study a particular art form in depth.

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Learn more

Athletics & physical educationWhether you play on an interscholastic team or want to maintain your

personal fitness through Zumba, yoga, or Ultimate Frisbee, every girl

at Emma benefits from a rigorous program of sports, aquatics, fitness,

health, and wellness. Our athletics and physical education offerings

range from levels that are just for fun to highly competitive.

Emma athletes on our junior varsity and varsity teams are serious

competitors with all the commitment and teamwork it takes to play

near the top of our league in a variety of sports. A certified athletic

trainer and strength and conditioning coach are on staff to help our

athletes perform at their best.

Our tennis team was crowned New York State, Section II, Class AA champions for the second consecutive year!

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3What about

BOYS?

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Just because you’re thinking about going to a girls’ school doesn’t mean

you have to give up boys. There are many events throughout the year

where we welcome our guy friends—including prom! Boys are welcome

on campus and can often be found hanging with girls in the common

areas or at lunch and dinner in the dining hall. Sophomores, juniors, and

seniors who are given permission from their parents can also go on

dates off campus and frequently enjoy movies, hayrides, and other cool

nights out with boys.

2What would you say all Emma alumnae

HAVE IN COMMON?

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Emma Girls are BFFs not just for high school, but for life. Seriously.

Our alumnae in their eighties still get together for girls’ nights. Emma

alumnae are women of passion, vision, initiative, generosity of spirit,

and humor (seeing the silly side of life is totally Emma). Emma is what it

is today because of those who passed through its halls, who served and

shaped the world, and who continue to lead its future.

What have Emma girls gone on to become?U.S. Senator

Human rights activist

Academy Award®-winning actress

Academy Award®-winning digital artist

Playwright

Restaurant owner

Professional dancer

Documentary filmmaker

Pediatrician in sub-Saharan Africa

Architect

AIDS researcher

Bookstore owner

Winemaker

Emmy®-nominated costume designer

Hear their storiesSee how Emma alumnae have shaped and served our world.

“I am, and forever will be, an Emma Girl.”

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1Why choose

EMMA?

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No other school in the country lets you choose your path quite the way we do at Emma.

Whomever you are—or dream of becoming—Emma will inspire your curiosity, intellect,

creativity, and passion.

to reach your undeniable potential, to make a difference, to dare to succeed .

Apply now

Now’s the time to challenge yourself—

YOU BELONG AT EMMA.

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