Shady Hill School vs. Buckingham Browne & Nichols School
Should you attend Shady Hill School or Buckingham Browne & Nichols School? Visitors to our site frequently compare these two schools. Compare their rankings, scores, reviews and more to help you determine which school is the best choice for you.
School Overview
Top Rankings
Shady Hill School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Massachusetts for:
Category
Attribute
Acceptance Rate
Advanced Degrees
Student Body
School History
Buckingham Browne & Nichols School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Massachusetts for:
Category
Attribute
Student Body
AP Courses
Sports offered
Extra-curric.
Overview
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Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (BB&N) is a PreK-12 independent day school in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
School Mission: BB&N is an academically excellent, diverse, and inclusive community where students develop into lifelong learners who lead with kindness, curiosity, and integrity.
We prepare students to be responsible and open-minded as they engage with the world around them. Our Values.
Grades Offered
PK-8
PK-12
Blue Ribbon School
No
No
Offers Post-Graduate Year
n/a
No
Year Founded
1915
1974
Students Body
Total Students
530 students
1044 students
Student Body Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
% Students of Color
46%
49%
Students by Grade
Students by Grade
Pre-K Students
36
33
Kindergarten Students
44
40
Grade 1 Students
46
40
Grade 2 Students
48
40
Grade 3 Students
48
40
Grade 4 Students
51
40
Grade 5 Students
60
40
Grade 6 Students
68
60
Grade 7 Students
65
89
Grade 8 Students
64
90
Grade 9 Students
-
134
Grade 10 Students
-
133
Grade 11 Students
-
135
Grade 12 Students
-
130
Academics and Faculty
Total Classroom Teachers
100 teachers
156 teachers
% Faculty with Advance Degree
91%
58%
Average Class Size
16
15
Number of AP Classes
n/a
21
Student-Teacher Ratio
5:1
7:1
List of Courses Offered
n/a
Matric. DataMatriculation Data
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Classroom Dress Code
Casual
Casual
Finances and Admission
Admission Deadline
Jan. 15 / Jan. 4 / rolling
Jan. 10
Tuition Cost
$42,280
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Tuition Notes
2025-2026 tuition ranges from $42,280 for Beginners to $54,330 for Grade 8.
Tuition for 2025-2026
• Beginners (PreK) to Grade 3 – $49,000
• Grades 4 and 5 – $54,500
• Grade 6 – $67,200
• Grades 7 to 12 – $69,800
% on Financial Aid
20%
25%
Average Financial Aid Grant
$43,500
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Acceptance Rate
25%
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Admissions Director
Sandra Zuckerman
Julie Wadland
Admissions Associate
Cari Li
Amy Pratt
Sports
Total Sports Offered
12
19
Sports
Extracurriculars
Total Extra-curric.Total Extracurriculars
n/a
68
Extra-curric.Extracurriculars
Affinity LunchChamber Music
ChorusCommunity Council
Community ServiceJazz Band
Literary GroupLS Chess club
LS Orchestra
Club or Organization:
Activism ClubAnimal Rights Club
Arabic ClubArt for Social Change
Asian American Student AssociationBB&N Yearbook: Perspective
BeeBee&N Beekeeping ClubBest Buddies
BSAE (Brothers Seeking Academic Excellance)CHASM (Current Happenings Across STEM)
Chess ClubChinese Club
Christian ClubComedy Club
Community Engagement Leadership Board (CELB)Composition Club
Computer Science ClubCreative Writing Club
Drama ClubEcoReps
EMPOWEREntrepreneurship Club
FemCoFilm Club
French ClubGAINS (Girls Advancing in STEM)
GSAHistory Club
International & Humanitarian Business ClubInvestment Club
Jewish Cultural Club Knights SectionLatin Club
Literature ClubMath Club
Medical ClubMIND Club
Model UNMusic Club
Outdoor RecreationPing Pong Club
Point of View (political opinion magazine)Puzzle Club
Quiz BowlRobotics Club
Rocketry ClubRound Square Committee
Rugby ClubRussian Club
Scrabble ClubSHADES (Students Honoring and Accepting Differences and Embracing Similarities)
Spanish ClubSpeech & Debate
Spikeball ClubStudent Tour Guides
Surf ClubThe Spectator (art and literary magazine)
The Vanguard (School newspaper)Ultimate Frisbee Club
W.I.N.S. (Women in National Security)