Student Life

Residential Life

Home Away from Home

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  • Living and Learning at Gould

    Gould's residential experience fosters independence, personal growth, and a strong community spirit. By living on campus, students cultivate lifelong friendships and discover their authentic selves. Dorm parents and student leaders play a crucial role in nurturing a close-knit, supportive community, ensuring every student can thrive and feel deeply connected.

    Living on campus also empowers students to develop essential life skills like time management and healthy living practices. Each day presents valuable learning opportunities bolstered by comprehensive academic and personal support. Engaging with peers from diverse backgrounds enriches students' perspectives, preparing them for college and their future beyond Gould.

A Day in the Life at Gould

Hazel ’27

“I love living in the dorm. It’s like a sleepover with your friends every night and you create really close bonds with the people that you are with every day.”

Dorm Culture

Dorm living at Gould is vibrant and fun and creates a tight-knit community. Weekly dorm meetings and check-ins with dorm parents and student leaders give students the support they need while providing a structured home away from home. Dorm mates develop lasting friendships and enjoy a variety of activities together like cooking meals together, forming study groups, and kicking back for movie nights. There is always something happening in the dorm!
    • Dorm Life

Residential Life Highlights

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  • Residential Buildings

    There are three residential dorms (Davidson, Gehring, and Holden Halls), where students live with roommates in doubles or quads. Single rooms are also available. Each room has a closet, dresser, desk and chair, and a twin bed.

  • Evening Study Hall

    Supervised evening study halls with regular help centers for Math, Science, English, and World Languages provide a dedicated and quiet space for students to focus on their studies with access to expert help and peer learning opportunities.

  • Student Leaders

    Student Prefects make dorm life better by being leaders, helping other students, creating a friendly community, keeping rules in place, and planning fun activities, making the dorm a nice place to live.

  • Community Spaces

    Each dorm has a shared kitchen, several lounges, and laundry facilities to promote independence and community.

  • Robust Weekend Activities

    Dorm residents can hang out with friends and join in fun weekend activities. They can go shopping and eat in Portland’s Old Port or enjoy on-campus events like open mic nights.

  • Campus Traditions

    Formal Dinners are a tradition that brings the entire community together for family-style meals and we celebrate together regularly at dances like Snowball and Spring Fling and in spirited “Notch” competitions.

“Maine’s Most Beautiful Mountain Village” 

Gould is nestled in the mountain community of Bethel, Maine. Along with nearby Sunday River Resort, Bethel is home to an independent movie theater, an alumni and parent-owned cafe, a world-class gem and mineral museum, and numerous restaurants and shops, all within walking distance of campus. Gould students often become regulars at many of these establishments while they are here. 

Besides being a bustling mountain community, Bethel is a veritable outdoor playground packed with rivers, lakes, swimming holes, and mountains, and Gould students explore them all!

You Belong at Gould

At Gould, we seek to build a diverse and inclusive community. Your voice is welcome and needed. Diversity makes us stronger, and we strive to create an environment where everyone feels safe to be their true selves.

More to Explore

39 Church Street P.O. Box 860 Bethel, Maine 04217  |  Phone: 207-824-7777
Independent High School for Boys and Girls | Grades 9-12, Postgraduate and Winter Term for Grades 7-8 | Boarding School in the Mountains of Maine

Gould Academy guides students to be creative, courageous and resilient and to lead lives of fulfillment and purpose.