Day & Boarding School in New York State

Houghton Academy:
Situated in Houghton, Allegany County in western NY state, Houghton Academy is a Christian boarding and day school enrolling students in Grades 6-12. Most boarding students at Houghton Academy live in one of the two residence halls.

College-prep Boarding and Day School Offering Grades 6-12:

College Course Opportunities:
Juniors and seniors (and the occasional sophomore) at Houghton Academy may take classes at Houghton College for both high school and college credit. In many ways, we consider this a better option than AP.

Students who are successful in a college course at Houghton College may transfer credits earned to other colleges, and success in a class at a reputable college enhances a student’s college application.

Advanced Placement (AP):
Advanced Placement is a for-profit program sponsored by The College Board. Through this program, high school students take high school courses and potentially earn high school and college credit. Houghton Academy offers AP courses in:
- United States History
- English Literature and Composition

College Placement:
Houghton Academy has a guidance office and staff who are dedicated to assisting students in the college placement process. College representatives visit regularly to recruit college-bound students. The guidance program incorporates all high school grade levels, but focuses especially on juniors and seniors.

SAT preparation course:
A formal SAT preparation course is taught during Winterim. Computer-based SAT preparation courses are available to all students. As formal practice for the SAT, the Preliminary SAT is offered each year to the sophomore and junior classes. A TOEFL preparation course is required for all students with low English proficiency.

Extra-curricular activities:
One of the more popular structured activities is interscholastic athletics. Joining a sport’s team is not only a lot of fun, but it allows students to practice some of their life-lessons in the crucible of competition.

Some students enjoy music or drama; many of the opportunities in these areas are also structured, falling under the purview of the Music Department. Our Ski Club is very popular, and makes weekly visits to Holiday Valley during the winter months (weather permitting).

Unstructured activities include many opportunities in the outdoors, such as cross-country skiing, hiking, biking, or hunting.

Full-residential program:
Most boarding students at Houghton Academy live in one of the two residence halls, the Fancher women’s dorm or the Tysinger men’s dorm. Both dorms offer a traditional residential setting. Two students most often share a room, there are shared common areas for relaxation and recreation, and the buildings are staffed by full-time employees.

ESL:
We offer a limited number of ESL-based classes each year.