| Commonwealth School | |
|---|---|
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| Location | |
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151 Commonwealth Avenue , Massachusetts 02116 United States | |
| Information | |
| Type | |
| Motto | Uncommon community. Uncommon curiosity. Uncommon opportunity. |
| Established | 1957 |
| Founder | Charles E. Merrill, Jr. |
| CEEB code | 220222 |
| Head of School | Jennifer Borman |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Enrollment | 163 (2025-2026) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 5:1 |
| Campus | Back Bay |
| Colors | Red and white |
| Song | "The Spacious Firmament" |
| Athletics conference | NEPSAC
|
| Mascot | Imogene theMermaid |
| Nickname | Mermaids |
| Accreditation | New England Association of Schools and Colleges |
| Newspaper | The Chronicle Helicon (literary) |
| Tuition | $60,075 (for 2025-2026 school year) |
| Average Financial Aid Grant | $46,260 (for 2025-2026 school year) |
| Total Financial Aid Granted | $1.8M (for 2025-2026 school year) |
| Range of Financial Aid Grants | $6,900-$54,900 (for 2023-2024 school year) |
| Website | commschool.org |
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Commonwealth School, often referred to simply asCommonwealth, is aprivate, co-educationalhigh school of about 160 students and 35 faculty members located in the downtownBack Bay neighborhood ofBoston, Massachusetts, United States. It is accredited by theNew England Association of Schools and Colleges.[1]
Charles E. Merrill, Jr., son of thefounder ofMerrill Lynch, and brother of the prominent American poetJames Merrill, founded the school in 1957, locating it in Boston's Back Bay to "restore good secondary schooling to the city."[2] The school's name is derived directly from the officialCommonwealth of Massachusetts and its namesakeCommonwealth Avenue that stretches across downtown Boston, which the school resides on. Merrill encouraged Commonwealth students to be "decent, socially responsible, generous people," actively engaged in public affairs.[2] For some decades after his retirement, Merrill returned to the school once a year to give a speech on a topic of his choice, and his books are on display in the school library alongside those of Commonwealthalumni.
Merrill insisted that the school has only one rule: "No rollerskating in the halls,"—an exhortation that students should not "act like a damn fool, but think about your actions and how they affect others."[3] While the school keeps a student handbook, this has prevailed as the school's only official rule since its foundation and embodies the school's core value of student engagement and responsibility.
Merrill retired in 1981, and his memoir of the first 23 years of the school's history and his experience as headmaster,The Walled Garden, was published the following year.[2]
There have been six heads of school:[4]
Commonwealth is commonly compared to aliberal arts college or university in its curriculum. It places a strong emphasis on academics, both in theSTEM andhumanities fields, as well as creative expression and arts. It does not emphasize athletics and sports as much, though doing a sport or other form of physical exercise is required for the fall and winter semesters.[5] Due to the small physical size of the school building, it is unable to host any recreational athletic facilities, instead using the "Cafegymnatorium" in the lower level, next to the kitchen, for all-school gatherings and meetings.[6]
All non-art classes at Commonwealth are either Honors-level orAdvanced Placement-level (or an equivalent). Students are required to take the following courses at minimum:
Ninth-graders are required to take a ninth-grade seminar and a City of Boston class during their foundational first year, eventually receiving all final grades at the end of the year as Pass/Fail. Students typically are placed into appropriate levels for mathematics and language courses and follow linear tracks for art, history, and science courses.[7]
Students can choose to take additional elective courses beginning in their sophomore year, with the available electives varying each year. Electives offered traditionally include courses discussingEuropean History,economics,psychology,neuroscience,Bible history,art history,computer science,materials science, and advanced mathematics. Available language classes includeFrench,Spanish,Latin, andMandarin, and available arts courses includephotography,ceramics,drawing andpainting,life drawing, chorus/chorale,jazz band,orchestra, andacting. Students traditionally supplement courses that aren't offered officially through student-run clubs.[6]
Commonwealth describes itself as having a diverse student body. 56% of the student body identifies as aperson of color, and the school supports a strongLGBTQ+ population. Students come from all across Massachusetts, representing over 40 different cities and towns.[8] Because of the school's location in downtown Boston, it is very accessible by public transit, so for students who do not drive or live in the vicinity, manybike or takethe T. With a short walking distance, Commonwealth is directly serviced by light rail through theGreen Line atCopley station (betweenArlington andHynes) or by theCommuter Rail andOrange Line atBack Bay station. Commonwealth does not have a traditional official school campus. Instead, students treat nearbyBack Bay as its campus and often visit many local attractions during free periods without classes, lunch, or after school. It is next to many restaurants and shops alongNewbury Street and Boylston Street, and is a quick walk away fromthe Public Garden.[9][10]
The average class contains 12 students, with each grade typically containing upwards of 30 students.[8] Each student is paired with an advisor at the school and meets weekly, and the school offers additional social and emotional support through in-house professional counseling.[11] Students are the primary organizers of clubs and all-school events, and are expected to dedicate considerable time to community service and studying under the advisory of a professional mentor each year. In addition to variousaffinity groups, some student-run clubs includeChess,Go,Model UN,Debate Team,Dungeons & Dragons,Engineering, Environmental Club, Math Team, andQuiz Bowl. There are no requirements for a student to start their own club.[12]
Niche has ranked Commonwealth as the second-best private high school in the state in 2024, as well as the fifth-best private high school in the entire country.[13] A significant portion of the senior class is recognized each year by theNational Merit Scholarship Program. As of 2025, the averageSAT composite score was 1470.[14]
Commonwealth holds an assembly every Thursday.[15]
While the Cafegymnatorium has a singularbasketball hoop and its annex hasping-pong tables, it is not large enough for students to exercise or play sports, and instead, the school uses local facilities in downtown Boston, such as the East BostonYMCA orTennis & Racquet Club for student sports.
Each year students participate in a competitive sport or organized exercise activity in at least two out of three seasons. Competitive sports includesoccer,basketball,fencing,cross-country running, andultimate frisbee. Exercise programs includerunning,fitness,sailing,squash,dance,ballroom dance, andyoga.[16]
Twice a year—once in September and once in May—all students and faculty take a three-day long trip to "Hancock." Originally held at founder Charles Merrill's estate in its namesakeHancock, New Hampshire, Hancock is now held at a retreat location, currently in lakeside campgrounds located in New Hampshire or Rhode Island.[17]
Each day includes "Recess," when all students and faculty gather in the school's multi-purpose "Cafegymnatorium" for a snack and to hear announcements.[18]
Another tradition is "passing the clay," where all students take part in passing boxes of clay from the first to the fifth floor. This event happens twice a year.[19]
There are several student-run publications at Commonwealth. They include:
The school producesCM, a twice-yearly magazine for alumni/ae and parents.[21]
In June 2016, theBoston Globe reported that Commonwealth School sued Commonwealth Academy, a high school inSpringfield, Massachusetts, over the use of the name "Commonwealth". It had trademarked "Commonwealth School" in 2012.[23] The Springfield school is now known as Springfield Commonwealth Academy.[24]
42°21′16.14″N71°04′42.43″W / 42.3544833°N 71.0784528°W /42.3544833; -71.0784528
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