Get to Know The Mountain School

Who Comes to the Mountain School?

Students at TMS are academically successful and capable, but there are different ways that could look.

The students who come to the Mountain School might be a bit of an iconoclast or an activist, so to speak. Maybe it’s the student who feels like they’ve outgrown the school or classroom they’ve been in for a while. Or the student who’s asking questions of the teachers rather than the other way around. Sometimes there are students who feel a little bored or disengaged with the standard way things are taught, yet they love learning… they come here.

We have students who love the vibe of summer camp - of being in nature and enjoying simple pleasures, of giving up their cell phones and playing games. They can continue that spirit at the Mountain School.

And then there are the builders, who are making backyard villages with wood or repairing cars, the ones who learn hands on, who want more real making and doing of things. They're coming.

There are also students who have never heard of the Mountain School before a presentation or a chance mention or stumble upon our website, students who want to get out of the place that they grew up in - maybe they feel like their town is the only place they’ve ever known, and they want to see what other possibilities might be open to them. They’re coming.

Others are idealists, students who say to themselves, “It's not acceptable the way that our society treats the environment.” They come to the Mountain School and find a community who wants to not just understand but start to problem solve.

The biggest uniting factor for every one of the students who come to the Mountain School is that they have belief in their own agency, and a hope to discover a new perspective on how things could be.

How can I get to know TMS?

Getting to know our program, from our beautiful campus to our guiding values, is the best way to know if TMS will be a good fit for you.

You can get to know us in the following ways:

Whether you’ve been dreaming of a semester away since middle school or you just found out about us, we encourage you to wander our website and social media. You’ll find a wealth of information about each aspect of our program, from dorm life to academics, dish crew to Outdoor Program.
- Instagram
- Facebook
This year's virtual admissions programming includes themed panel discussions, general info sessions, and office hours. Throughout the fall and early winter, you'll get the chance to hear from students, faculty, and alumni, as well as TMS admissions staff, about what a Mountain School semester offers. We've designed these events to help you get a feel for the Mountain School no matter where in the world you live.
Our schedule of events is posted below. We apologize that our schedule is very East-Coast-centric, because we try to have a variety of TMS faculty & current students available to join in presentations.
If you are not able to join a session live, recordings will be posted within one business day for you to watch.
TMS visits 70-100 schools each year, depending on where we have been invited and the number of alumni volunteers we have.
The best way to find out if we already have a visit planned to your school is to email admissions@mountainschool.org or ask your dean of students/advisor.
We are always excited to build new relationships with partner schools! If we are not already visiting your school, we would be happy to connect with your administrators and plan a visit for the future.
Want to see TMS in person? Visit us in Vershire! We are able to provide tours on Wednesdays, Fridays, and some Saturdays and Sundays from August 21 through November 15, and February 7 through May 25, except Spring Break (March 16 - April 2).
A great way to come to campus is to arrive at 11:30am for a 30-minute tour and then stay for lunch with our community from 12:00-12:30pm.
Please contact admissions@mountainschool.org with your preferred day and time and we will do our best to set up a visit for you!
We are happy to answer any questions you have about our program! The best way to reach us is by emailing admissions@mountainschool.org or booking a meeting directly through Calendly. We can find a convenient time to talk on the phone or via Google Meet.
In addition to highlighting the perspectives of current students through our virtual programming, we are also happy to connect you with alums from your region or school. We can also connect parents/guardians of prospective students with parents/guardians of alums. Please email annie.janeway@mountainschool.org with your specific area of interest to discuss.