American College of Sofia
Encyclopedia
The American College of Sofia is among the top and most prestigious secondary school
s in Bulgaria
and the Balkans
, based in the capital city of Sofia
. The college, founded in 1860, is regarded as the oldest American educational institution outside the United States
. American pedagogical methods are used and the primary language of instruction is English
.
The American College of Sofia is considered to be the best high school in Bulgaria. The graduating classes of 2008, 2009 and 2010 achieved the highest average grade on the Bulgarian matriculation exams and the mean scores on SAT
and AP
examinations are in many cases far beyond the average. Students from the college have won numerous rewards in various fields of science at national and international level alike.
, it was initially a boys' school in Plovdiv
established by American missionaries of the Congregational Church
. By co-operating with a girls' school in Stara Zagora
founded by the same people, the American College was established and moved to Samokov
in 1871. The teachers were mostly Americans and many of the school's Bulgarian students went on to become ministers and important social figures.
As the Mission Boards decided to close the schools at Samokov and leave Bulgaria
, a decision met with protests and discontent among Bulgarian alumni and American donors alike, the schools were transferred to another organization, Sofia American Schools, Inc., merged and moved to Sofia
in 1926. The construction of a campus
in Simeonovo began the same year to start accommodating 119 girls in 1928, 63 boys in 1929, as well as the remaining 130 a year later.
With Bulgaria initially being on the side of the Axis Powers
during World War II
, many of the teachers left and only a handful had remained when Bulgaria
declared war on the United States
in December 1941. They continued to operate the college until ousted by the pro-Axis
authorities in the autumn of 1942. As the war ended and Bulgaria became a communist state
, the American College's entire property was confiscated in 1947 and the campus was used as the office of the Bulgarian State Police during the times of socialism.
The college was reopened in September 1992, enrolling 50 boys and 50 girls from over 3,000 that signed up to take the specified test. Much of the old campus and many of the pre-World War II
American College buildings have since then been given back to the college, yet parts of the campus are still occupied by the Police Academy. , the American College of Sofia has 606 Bulgarian and 33 foreign students and has enrolled over a thousand, with 848 graduating. Since June 2005, the college also offers the IB Diploma Programme
, only for the international students. The former president of the American College of Sofia is Thomas Cangiano, former Cleve Housemaster and History Master at the Lawrenceville School
. The current president is Dr. Paul Johnson, hailing from Bismarck, North Dakota, USA. The first class of the reopened school celebrated their 10-year reunion in June 2007.
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
and the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, based in the capital city of Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
. The college, founded in 1860, is regarded as the oldest American educational institution outside the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. American pedagogical methods are used and the primary language of instruction is English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
The American College of Sofia is considered to be the best high school in Bulgaria. The graduating classes of 2008, 2009 and 2010 achieved the highest average grade on the Bulgarian matriculation exams and the mean scores on SAT
SAT
The SAT Reasoning Test is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a nonprofit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service which still...
and AP
Advanced Placement Program
The Advanced Placement program is a curriculum in the United States and Canada sponsored by the College Board which offers standardized courses to high school students that are generally recognized to be equivalent to undergraduate courses in college...
examinations are in many cases far beyond the average. Students from the college have won numerous rewards in various fields of science at national and international level alike.
History
Founded in 1860 in the then-Ottoman EmpireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, it was initially a boys' school in Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
established by American missionaries of the Congregational Church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
. By co-operating with a girls' school in Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora is the sixth largest city in Bulgaria, and a nationally important economic center. Located in Southern Bulgaria, it is the administrative capital of the homonymous Stara Zagora Province...
founded by the same people, the American College was established and moved to Samokov
Samokov
Samokov is a town in Sofia Province in the southwest of Bulgaria. It is situated in a kettle between the mountains Rila and Vitosha, 55 kilometres from the capital Sofia...
in 1871. The teachers were mostly Americans and many of the school's Bulgarian students went on to become ministers and important social figures.
As the Mission Boards decided to close the schools at Samokov and leave Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, a decision met with protests and discontent among Bulgarian alumni and American donors alike, the schools were transferred to another organization, Sofia American Schools, Inc., merged and moved to Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
in 1926. The construction of a campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
in Simeonovo began the same year to start accommodating 119 girls in 1928, 63 boys in 1929, as well as the remaining 130 a year later.
With Bulgaria initially being on the side of the Axis Powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, many of the teachers left and only a handful had remained when Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
declared war on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in December 1941. They continued to operate the college until ousted by the pro-Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
authorities in the autumn of 1942. As the war ended and Bulgaria became a communist state
Communist state
A communist state is a state with a form of government characterized by single-party rule or dominant-party rule of a communist party and a professed allegiance to a Leninist or Marxist-Leninist communist ideology as the guiding principle of the state...
, the American College's entire property was confiscated in 1947 and the campus was used as the office of the Bulgarian State Police during the times of socialism.
The college was reopened in September 1992, enrolling 50 boys and 50 girls from over 3,000 that signed up to take the specified test. Much of the old campus and many of the pre-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
American College buildings have since then been given back to the college, yet parts of the campus are still occupied by the Police Academy. , the American College of Sofia has 606 Bulgarian and 33 foreign students and has enrolled over a thousand, with 848 graduating. Since June 2005, the college also offers the IB Diploma Programme
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
, only for the international students. The former president of the American College of Sofia is Thomas Cangiano, former Cleve Housemaster and History Master at the Lawrenceville School
Lawrenceville School
The Lawrenceville School is a coeducational, independent preparatory boarding school for grades 9–12 located on in the historic community of Lawrenceville, in Lawrence Township, New Jersey, U.S., five miles southwest of Princeton....
. The current president is Dr. Paul Johnson, hailing from Bismarck, North Dakota, USA. The first class of the reopened school celebrated their 10-year reunion in June 2007.