"Forbes" singled out four girls' private schools in its list of "America's Best Prep Schools" as of 2010: Brearly School, Spence School, Winsor School and Chapin School. Statistics about each school were collected and used to create a ranking. "Half of the ranking was weighed equally between student/faculty ratio, percentage of faculty that possess advanced degrees and size of the school's endowment. The other half was based on percentage of graduates, over the last five years, that matriculated into 10 top colleges."
Every school has a specific mission. For Brearly School, it is that "students discover their individual passions while learning to value multiple perspectives and to work with people who have diverse points of view." According to Spence School, its mission is " to educate girls and young women to the highest academic and personal standards necessary for responsible, effective citizenship and for the successful pursuit of higher education." The Winsor School mission states, "Winsor prepares young women to pursue their aspirations and contribute to the world." Chapin School is "committed to preparing young women to thrive and lead in an increasingly complex world through the pursuit of academic excellence, personal integrity, and community responsibility."
The academic curriculum is different for each school. The Brearly School curriculum emphasizes critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Girls are encouraged to use multiple approaches to solve problems. Spence School has an inquiry-based approach that builds self-confidence. Students also take part in a rigorous study of the liberal arts and sciences. Winsor School has a connected curriculum, where ideas, skills and experiences are reinforced across all disciplines. Students bring their own experiences into learning and build from there. Chapin School has a strong liberal arts curriculum and an academic program that encourages freedom and exploration.
Brearly School has dedicated rooms for art, computer facilities throughout the school, two gymnasiums, a gymnastics room, a fitness area and a dance studio. Spence School has an Outreach and Public Purpose program. Students donate their time and talents to helping the community. Winsor School has a mentoring program called SISTERS (Sharing Individual Stores Through Everyone's Roots). An older girl is matched as mentor to a younger girl. It is designed as a support system for those from African-American, Afro-Caribbean, Cape Verdean and Latina backgrounds. Chapin School has a fine arts program that encourages student self-expression. The fine arts facilities include a drawing and painting studio, an art room, a darkroom, a woodworking room and ceramics studio, a dance studio, a state-of-the-art black-box theater and a choral room.