Emma Willard School is a place to discover what it means to look within yourself and see your future on the horizon. By seeking out a school where you belong, you already show that you are ready for something more than the high school experience.
Emma Hart Willard founded her school on the basis of providing girls with a first-class education equal to that of men—one that challenged, inspired, and enabled them to serve and shape their worlds.
More than 200 years later, Emma Willard School proudly continues to carry on this mission.
Emma Willard School's curriculum focuses on three pillars: Intellectual Flexibility, Purpose & Community, and Equity & Justice. Our academic program offers more than 140 courses, including Emma's own unique Advanced Studies options. Personalized study programs enable students to dive deep into a topic or field of their choosing, and gain hands-on experience.
Education at Emma isn’t limited to the classroom—it’s woven into the fabric of our community. With students from around the world and across the United States, and faculty and staff with a wide breadth of life experiences, you will broaden your perspective the moment you walk onto campus.
Bonds created in the residence and dining halls, while practicing for an athletics match or arts performance, at one of our many cherished traditions, and all the little moments in between, define the Emma experience.
Residential faculty Gemma Halfi and her family make students feel at home at Emma.
The students really appreciate being a part of the communities that we create, which are essentially like little families.
Day students make up 40 percent of Emma’s campus community. They are immersed in every aspect of the Emma Willard School experience.
Each day student has her own centrally located locker. Day students enjoy the dining hall for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and often stay late to work with friends on projects and study sessions. They are also assigned to a residence hall where they benefit from our Wellness Advocate and Proctor support network and get to know girls from around the world.
Friendships formed between our girls make it nearly impossible to tell who is a day student or boarder. Day students are always welcome to stay overnight with friends, participate in evening and weekend events, and host boarding friends for a home-cooked meal or sleepover.
Welcome to Emma Willard School, a private day and boarding high school for girls in Troy, NY, and a leader in girls' education for over 200 years.
PLEASE NOTE: All visitors to campus must check in with Campus Safety, which can be found at the red flag entrance to Sage Hall (Pawling Ave. entrance).