The Taft School, founded in 1890 by Horace Dutton Taft — brother of President William Howard Taft — is one of the leading boarding schools in the United States. Located in Watertown, Connecticut — in the foothills of the Litchfield Hills, approximately 30 miles northwest of New Haven — Taft occupies a beautiful 220-acre campus of Georgian architecture surrounded by athletic fields, woodland trails, and gardens.
Taft enrolls approximately 600 students from 35 states and 40 countries in grades 9 through 12 and a postgraduate year. The school's international enrollment has grown significantly in recent decades, with students from Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa creating a genuinely global learning community. Approximately 40% of students receive some form of financial aid, reflecting the school's commitment to socioeconomic diversity.
The academic program is demanding and comprehensive. Taft offers over 200 courses, including a full AP curriculum and independent study opportunities at the highest level. The school has particular strength in the sciences: the Howard Taft Science Center — opened in recent years — houses state-of-the-art laboratories for biology, chemistry, physics, and environmental science, including a research-grade observatory for astronomy students. The Environmental Science program, which makes extensive use of the surrounding Litchfield Hills landscape, is particularly distinguished.
The arts are central to Taft life. The Bingham Auditorium seats 600 and is the venue for the school's major theatrical and musical performances, which regularly draw community audiences from across western Connecticut. The visual arts program produces work of impressive sophistication, displayed throughout the campus. Taft's writing program — centered on the school's literary magazine — has a strong tradition of developing student writers.
Athletics at Taft are pursued at the highest prep school level. The school fields teams in 30+ sports and has strong traditions in hockey, skiing, tennis, and squash. The Taft-Hotchkiss football rivalry is one of the most storied in Connecticut prep school history.
Beyond the academic calendar, Taft's location makes it an ideal base for exploring Connecticut's cultural and natural riches. The Litchfield Hills — often called Connecticut's Berkshires — offer exceptional hiking, cycling, skiing at Mohawk Mountain, and access to some of New England's finest restaurants and antique shops.
From New York City, Taft is approximately 2 to 2.5 hours by luxury SUV — a straightforward drive up I-84 into the Connecticut highlands. Bradley International Airport (BDL) is approximately 40–55 minutes from campus. Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN) is approximately 45–50 minutes. MyNYSUV provides reliable, comfortable luxury SUV service from JFK, Newark, and all New York-area airports to Taft's Watertown campus. We serve all school terms, exeat weekends, and holiday breaks, and regularly coordinate with families visiting nearby Choate Rosemary Hall and Yale University.