What is a Semester School?
	Semester school is a term used to describe a school that complements a student’s secondary education by providing them with the opportunity to step out of their regular school for half an academic year and step into a uniquely different educational setting while continuing their required academic studies. The academic curriculum at semester schools tends to be college preparatory, interdisciplinary, and experiential.

	Typical Semester School Characteristics
	Semester school curricula are built around themes including environmental sustainability, marine ecology, organic farming, ethics and leadership, visual arts, and others. The curricula tend to be place-based drawing on the resources and opportunities of each school's unique location. Semester schools are boarding schools. Community living is a key element of the experience. Through living closely with peers and teachers and working together to benefit the school community students develop their communication, leadership, and cooperative skills. Semester schools enroll college bound sophomores, juniors, and or seniors. Most semester schools focus primarily on students from just one grade level. Semester school programs run from 14 to 18 weeks. Semester schools tend to be small, enrolling from 15 to 60 students a semester with average class sizes ranging from 5 to 15 students. Semester schools are private schools that charge tuition and offer financial aid. Depending on the school and a student’s family situation the cost can range from no cost to several thousands of dollars. Most semester schools are located in the United States.

	Benefits of a Semester School
	Attending a semester school can: Intensify a student’s interest in and motivation for learning. Allow a student to pursue a special area of interest in depth. Complement a student's education with experiences that aren't available at their home school. Broaden a student’s range of skills and interests and increase their maturity level. Give students a head start on developing the independence, good judgment, and life skills necessary for living away from home before they leave for college. Provide students with a unique, eye-catching experience that sets them apart from other applicants when applying to colleges. Provide students from public schools a boarding school experience without the cost or time commitment of a four-year school.

	Examples of other Semester Schools
	CITYterm located in New York City, New York, United States. Chewonki Semester School is located near Wiscasset, Maine, United States. Coastal Studies for Girls is located near Freeport, Maine, United States. Discovery High School Semester at Sea Finding the Good is based out of Nevada City, California, United States The Island School is located at Cape Eleuthera, Bahamas. Kroka Semester School is based out of Marlow, New Hanpshire. The Mountain School is located near Vershire, Vermont, United States. The Outdoor Academy is located near Pisgah Forest, North Carolina, United States. Oxbow School is located near Napa, California, United States. HMI Semester is located near Leadville, Colorado, United States. The School for Ethics and Global Leadership is located in Washington, D.C., United States. Swiss Semester is located near Zermatt, Switzerland. Vermont Intercultural Semesters is an international semester program of cultural immersion and learning in the Himalayas. The Woolman Semester is located near Nevada City, California, United States.

	What other schools have to say about off campus study programs
	Visit these schools to see how they promote the benefits of off campus study to their students. Chadwick School - Palos Verdes Peninsula, California These programs complement Chadwick's curriculum, offering a first-person global perspective, deepening students’ understanding of the complexities of the modern world, and preparing students to “contribute positively to contemporary society,” as called for in Chadwick's mission statement. Deerfield Academy - Deerfield, Massachusetts Is your idea of fun studying marine ecology on the coast of Maine? Or learning about community organizing and tropical ecosystems on a tropical island? What about experiencing geology on a fourteen day backpacking trip in the Rockies? Consistent with its belief that learning is a lifelong process that is not necessarily confined to the traditional classroom, the Academy endorses a wide range of "Off Campus" programs. The Episcopal Academy - Newtown Square, Pennsylvania The Hotchkiss School - Lakeville, Connecticut Hotchkiss is affiliated with several off-campus programs that provide a blend of experiential learning with college preparatory classes. While offering students the courses that they need to complete their Hotchkiss studies, as well as access to standardized testing and college counseling, these programs provide distinctive experiences that are unavailable in Lakeville. Although it is often hard for students and parents to think of spending time away from Hotchkiss, students report that these programs provide them with a fresh perspective and new skills and often greatly influence their options after graduation.   The Lovett School - Atlanta, Georgia Milton Academy - Milton, Massachusetts Noble and Greenough School - Dedham, Massachusetts Nobles encourages students to take advantage of alternative education programs and believes they represent an important component in the educational development of our students. The Spence School - New York, New York These programs provide students with a wider range of experience in learning and the opportunity to meet and work with students from other schools.

	References
	Liebmann, David. "Semester Schools." NAIS. 2008. National Association of Independent Schools, Web. 17 Nov 2009. <http://www.nais.org/publications/ismagazinearticle.cfm?itemNumber=150703>.  Braun, Mark. "Semester Schools: Great Opportunities." Petersons. Petersons, Web. 17 Nov 2009. <http://www.petersons.com/common/article.asp?id=1171>. "Semester Schools." Private School Review. 12May2009. Private School Review, Web. 17 Nov 2009. <http://www.privateschoolreview.com/articles/145>. Daly Gay and Lovinger, Wendy. "Babe in the Woods." Natural Resources Defence Council. 1Sept2007. OnEarth, Web. 30 Nov 2009. <http://www.onearth.org/article/babe-in-the-woods-0>.