American College of Sofia

American College of Sofia Американски колеж в София
Ostrander Hall One of the seven academic buildings on campus
Location
Floyd Black lane, Mladost 2, Sofia Bulgaria
Information
Type	Independent, Day and Boarding
Established	1860
Head	Richard T. Ewing, Jr.
Number of students	c. 700
Campus	53 acres/21 ha
Colour(s)	Indigo
Accreditation	MSACS, IBO
Publication	College Life, ACS Newsletter, ACS Alumni Magazine
Website	www.acs.bg

Coordinates: 42°37′54″N 23°21′59″E / 42.63167°N 23.36639°E / 42.63167; 23.36639

The American College of Sofia (Bulgarian: Американски колеж в София, Amerikanski kolezh v Sofiya; abbreviated as ACS) is among the top and most prestigious secondary schools 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, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 achieved the highest average grade on the Bulgarian matriculation exams and the mean scores on SAT and AP examinations are far beyond the average. Students from the college have won numerous awards in various fields of science at national and international level alike. Graduates of ACS pursue higher education in some of the world's most prestigious universities such as Ivy League universities, Russell Group universities and other top institutions.

Founded in 1860 in the then-Ottoman Empire, 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.