Our Approach & History

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Our Approach & History

Maine Coast Semester: A Premier Semester School in Coastal Maine

A Collaborative and Rigorous Approach to High School Education

Since 1988, Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki in Wiscasset, Maine, has empowered high school students to take charge of their education through a collaborative learning environment. Our semester school provides rigorous Honors and AP-level classes, designed specifically for motivated, independent learners who are ready to excel academically and personally. Similar to a gap year or study abroad program, Maine Coast Semester is specifically designed for high school juniors seeking to amplify their education.

Experiential Education on the Coast of Maine

Located on a beautiful peninsula along Maine’s rugged coastline, Maine Coast Semester immerses students in hands-on, experiential learning. Each week, students spend at least four hours conducting scientific fieldwork along Maine’s coast, bringing their science curriculum to life. Classes such as Art and the Natural World and Environmental Issues leverage our unique geographic setting, encouraging students to explore the complex relationship between human and natural systems throughout coastal Maine.

In math classes, students apply their skills to real-world scenarios, such as modeling tidal changes in Montsweag Bay. Our signature English course, Literature & the Land, encourages students to delve into literature and writing that reflect deep connections between people, nature, and place—connections formed firsthand at Chewonki.

Sending Schools

More than 2,800 students from over 300 sending schools have attended Maine Coast Semester. In a typical semester, students come from 30+ high schools and 12+ states. Forty percent of students come from public schools and 60% come from private schools. Ten percent come from Maine. Some of our most common sending schools include:

Berkeley High School (CA)
Boulder High School (CO)
Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (MA)
Charlotte Country Day School (NC)
Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences (CA)
Crystal Springs Uplands School (CA)
The Dalton School (NY)
Ethical Culture Fieldston School (NY)
Francis W. Parker School (IL)
Greenhill School (TX)
Greensboro Day School (NC)
Harvard-Westlake School (CA)
Lakeside School (WA)
The Lovett School (GA)
Menlo School (CA)
Milton Academy (MA)
The Nightingale-Bamford School (NY)
Noble and Greenough School (MA)
Princeton Day School (NJ)
Santa Fe Preparatory School (NM)
Shady Side Academy (PA)
Sidwell Friends School (DC)
St. John’s School (TX)
St. Margaret’s Episcopal School (CA)
St. Paul Academy & Summit School (MN)
The Thacher School (CA)
Waynflete School (ME)
Webb School of Knoxville (TN)
The Westminster Schools (GA)
YES Prep Public Schools (TX)