What Woodberry Forest School does

Woodberry Forest School is a private, all-boys, all-boarding college preparatory school for grades 9-12, founded in 1889 and located on a 1,200-acre campus in Woodberry Forest, Madison County, Virginia. The school serves families of adolescent boys (targeting those in grades 8-10 at the point of inquiry) and international families from over twenty countries, delivering a unified residential educational product that combines classroom academics, college counseling, athletics, arts, outdoor education, and a student-run honor system. More than 90% of faculty live on campus, creating a 24/7 living-learning community structured around dorm life, mentorship, and character development. The Headmaster is Byron C. Hulsey (since 2014), and the institution also runs the Kenan-Lewis Fellowship Program as a structured teaching talent pipeline.

The core academic product spans English, history, mathematics, science, foreign languages (Spanish, Latin), and computer science, supplemented by study abroad (France, Costa Rica), trimester exchange programs, the Smoot Center for Academic Development, library services, and a dedicated International Student Office that handles visa facilitation and orientation. The school's technology stack is operational rather than instructional: a myschoolapp.com learning management portal for parents, faculty, and students; Blackbaud for tuition billing; and standard communications platforms (Zoom, YouTube livestreams). No proprietary AI/ML systems, data flywheels, or differentiated technology assets are evidenced.

The revenue model is tuition-centric and recurring, with need-based financial aid, supplemented by fee-for-service summer programs (Woodberry Compass at $1,525 and Sports Camp at $4,650 per camper), public golf club memberships on the campus's Donald Ross-designed course, and a multi-tiered giving program (Amici Fund, Captains Club at $5,000+ with a threshold increase to $5,000 effective July 2026, 1889 Society, Walker Society planned giving). Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer admissions with event-driven top-of-funnel activity (Fall Open House immersive weekends, New Tiger Thursday virtual Q&A, Woodberry 101/201 sessions) feeding an online application portal.

Name

Woodberry Forest School

Legal name

Woodberry Forest School

Website

https://woodberry.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1889

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Woodberry Forest School is a private, all-boys, all-boarding college preparatory school for grades 9-12, founded in 1889 on a 1,200-acre Virginia campus. It serves U.S. and international families (20+ countries) with residential academics, athletics, arts, and summer camp programs funded primarily by tuition and philanthropy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Woodberry Forest

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition: Primary revenue from tuition for all-boys boarding school for grades 9-12. Financial aid and tuition assistance programs available.
2. Donations and Giving Programs: Annual giving through Amici Fund, The Rapidan Society (5+ consecutive years), Captains Club ($5,000+ leadership giving), The 1889 Society, and planned giving through The Walker Society. Includes stock gifts, matching gifts, and corporate volunteer giving programs.
3. Golf Club Memberships: Donald Ross-designed golf course offers memberships to the public, with clubhouse facilities and billing through the school.
4. Summer Camps: Woodberry Compass (summer adventure camp for rising 7th-9th graders) and Sports Camp (3-week sports camp for boys ages 10-14) generate revenue through camp fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Woodberry Forest School is a private, all-boys, all-boarding college preparatory school serving grades 9-12 on a 1,200-acre campus in central Virginia. It delivers residential academics, athletics, arts, and character development supported by a faculty where over 90% live on campus, and supplements its core program with summer camps, a teacher fellowship, international student services, study abroad, and a golf club.

Product overview

Woodberry Forest School is an all-boys, all-boarding private school for grades 9-12 offering a unified college preparatory educational product. The core academic program encompasses classroom instruction across core subjects, college counseling, athletics, arts, and residential life, all integrated within a community where over 90% of faculty live on campus. Beyond academics, the school offers supplementary programs including summer camps (Woodberry Compass and Sports Camp), the Kenan-Lewis Fellowship for aspiring educators, study abroad opportunities, and a private golf club. The institution serves students from over twenty countries through its international student program and provides extensive alumni engagement through publications and regional events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Woodberry Forest Summer Camps: Summer camps including Woodberry Sports Camp (boys ages 10-14) and Woodberry Compass camp (rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders) held on the 1,200-acre campus.
• Woodberry Compass
• Woodberry Forest Sports Camp
• Kenan-Lewis Fellowship Program
• Tiger Trivia Hour

Products and services

• Woodberry Forest School Academic Programs College preparatory academic curriculum for grades 9-12 covering English, history, mathematics, science, foreign languages (Spanish, Latin), and computer science, taught by dedicated faculty with an emphasis on intellectual thoroughness.
• College Counseling Comprehensive college counseling program providing guidance through the college application and selection process, including college representatives visits and newsletters for students and families.
• Athletics Program Competitive athletic offerings including team sports (football, soccer, lacrosse, basketball, baseball, wrestling, track) and individual sports (golf, tennis, squash, swimming).
• Arts Programs Visual arts, music, drama, and student publishing programs including Baker Gallery exhibitions and theatrical productions.
• International Student Program Program supporting international students from over twenty countries with visa facilitation, international orientation, and advocacy services.
• Woodberry Compass Summer Camp Seven-day overnight camp for rising 7th, 8th, and 9th graders featuring activities including fly-fishing, engineering projects, drone coding, orienteering, and ropes courses led by Woodberry faculty.
• Woodberry Sports Camp Three-week summer sports camp for boys ages 10-14 offering instruction in team sports (basketball, football, lacrosse, soccer) and individual activities (golf, tennis, swimming, track).
• Kenan-Lewis Fellowship Program Two-to-three-year apprenticeship program for recent college graduates providing guided teaching experience, mentorship, and fully-funded pursuit of master's degrees at Woodberry Forest School.
• Woodberry Forest Golf Club Private golf club featuring a Donald Ross-designed course, available for members and public play, with clubhouse facilities and billing administered through the school.
• Residential Life Program All-boarding residential community where over 90% of faculty live on campus, featuring a student-run honor system and a comprehensive dorm life experience for boys in grades 9-12.
• Study Abroad Programs International programs including Woodberry in France and Costa Rica, as well as trimester exchange programs with partner schools for Woodberry students.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Phillips Academy Andover: Elite U.S. co-ed boarding school in Massachusetts with a similarly long history, college-prep curriculum, residential faculty model, and broad auxiliary programming. Closest comparable to Woodberry on prestige, scale, and revenue model.
• Phillips Exeter Academy: Elite co-ed boarding school in New Hampshire founded in 1781 with a Harkness teaching model, residential faculty, and large endowment. Directly comparable as a top-tier U.S. boarding school competitor for the same family segment.
• St. Paul's School: Elite co-ed boarding school in Concord, New Hampshire on a large rural campus. Closely comparable to Woodberry on residential, college-prep, and large-rural-campus dimensions.
• Choate Rosemary Hall: Elite co-ed boarding school in Wallingford, Connecticut with a long history, college-prep curriculum, and strong development office. Direct competitor in the same U.S. boarding school segment.
• Deerfield Academy: Elite co-ed boarding school in Massachusetts with a strong residential culture, ethics/character program, and college-prep focus. Directly comparable in mission and family demographic to Woodberry.
• The Lawrenceville School: Elite co-ed boarding school in New Jersey with a signature house system, residential faculty, and college-prep focus. Comparable in scale, pricing tier, and breadth of programming to Woodberry.
• The Hotchkiss School: Elite co-ed boarding school in Lakeville, Connecticut with a long-standing college-prep and international-student tradition. Comparable in admissions funnel, residential model, and donor structure.
• Groton School: Elite co-ed boarding school in Massachusetts emphasizing character, small residential community, and Episcopal heritage. Closely comparable to Woodberry in size, mission, and family demographic.
• Taft School: Elite co-ed boarding school in Watertown, Connecticut with a college-prep curriculum, residential life program, and active development office. Comparable peer for admissions, programming, and philanthropic structure.
• Middlesex School: Elite co-ed boarding school in Concord, Massachusetts with a small, close-knit residential model and college-prep focus. Comparable in size, residential culture, and student-body profile to Woodberry.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/woodberryforest
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/WoodberryTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/108626515827893
• Instagraminstagram.com/woodberryforestschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/woodberry-forest-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Woodberry Forest School