You’ve had a nagging feeling in the back of your mind for some time that your child just isn’t flourishing at your local public school academically, socially, or both. You think, maybe, in a different environment, your child could really excel.
Maybe it’s time to start thinking about private school.
A few Google searches later, you’re in way over your head. There are countless private schools in the D.C. metro area (more than 30 private and parochial schools in the Alexandria area alone), of all different varieties—same-sex, co-ed, religious, progressive, STEM-focused... and then there are the schools that cater to the likes of the children of presidents.
How are you supposed to pick the best one for your child?
Organizations like the Virginia Association for Independent Schools (VAIS) and the Private School Review say there are largely four main criteria that you can use to help evaluate nearby schools, and help you narrow down the list of options:
- practical needs
- specialized needs
- location
- cost
Evaluating Your Family's Needs
Practical needs include evaluating how your family will handle the school’s schedule, commute and routine around the needs of any other children you may have, as well as what kind of transportation your child will need and how it gels with the parents’ work schedules. If you and your spouse or co-parent will need before- and after-school care, does this school offer it? Or partner with any business or organization that does? Are you adverse to a school that requires uniforms, or would you welcome it? What other needs does your family have that the ideal school will need to satisfy or work with?
Then there are the specialized needs that you desire for your child. What will the ideal school for your child look like? Is it a school with a robust science or technology curriculum? Is it a school known for its music or performing arts? Is it a religious school? Do you think a same-sex campus or co-ed campus would be better for your child? Or is your child a budding sports star who needs a top-notch athletics program?
Location and cost are common-sense criteria that most families think of first—how far are you willing to travel every day to get your child to and from school, if they aren’t old enough to travel on their own? And, how much can your family realistically afford to pay per year to send your child to the right school?
How to Choose the 'Best' School
It’s no wonder that entire businesses have cropped up in our area over recent years that do nothing but help families find and choose the best schools for their children.
One such business is the Alexandria-based firm Independent School Options (ISO), founded by Leigh Cahill.
ISO employs a number of educational consultants who meet with families and learn more about their desires and needs, and help match them with the best schools in the area that fit the student, public or private. Families can pay for as much hands-on consulting as they desire, even having their consultant walk them through the entire application/admissions process from beginning to end if they choose.
Sometimes, Cahill explains, that service starts with teaching a family the difference between the “best school,” and the “best school for their child.”
For example—yes, Barron Trump attends The Potomac School in Maryland, and the Obama daughters attended (Sasha is still a student there) Sidwell Friends in D.C., so those schools are obviously very prestigious (and pricey)—but that doesn’t mean they’re the right fit for every child.
“The last thing you want is to place your child in an environment where the academics are too tough, and the pressure is too severe,” Cahill says. “It’s best to find out where your child’s true talents and passions lie, and find the best school to fit that niche.”
VAIS, which provides an accreditation program for independent schools in the Commonwealth, agrees.
“No two children are the same. Finding the right fit for your child means aligning the school’s mission and values with your own, as well as taking into account the temperament, interests, intellectual ambition and personality of your child as they relate to the school you’re considering,” the association recommends.
That is why Cahill and the other consultants at ISO say they like to meet with families and really get to know the child’s personality first—their interests, passions and strengths—to help them find the school or schools that will be the best “fit.”
“We want to know who their kid is, how they’re doing in school where they are currently, and what are their child’s interests,” she explains. “Then, we learn what their idea of the best school looks like. For example, do they want religious, progressive, traditional, and so forth. We also like to talk with the child and find out what they like and don’t like about their current school, or past schools they’ve attended.”
Cahill says ISO also specializes in special needs resources, such as for families with children in crisis, who need therapeutic placement, have autism or other learning disabilities, or who need individualized education plans (IEPs), and even kids in “school refusal mode.”
Cahill and her team can often match families with public schools in the area that have the best special education professionals and resources, or can even recommend independent schools that specialize in educating children with exceptional needs.
Next, Cahill and her team help families figure out the nitty-gritty details—those practical needs mentioned earlier—such as how much the family can afford in tuition and the maximum distance they’re willing and able to travel to get the child to school every day.
All of those discussions hopefully result in a list of potential schools that Cahill and her team recommend to the family.
Weighing Admissions and Affordability
Much like choosing a college, Cahill says it’s good to have at least a handful of schools the family is willing to consider rather than getting their heart set on one, since private school admission in the D.C. area can be rigorous and competitive.
“We want that list to not only include schools that we think will be a good fit for the child, but also include schools we think they have a good chance of getting into, as well as a few ‘safety schools,’ much like with college,” she explains.
Of course, affordability is often a factor as well.
When it comes to schools in the D.C. metro area, there are what Cahill likes to call a few “price tiers” or “subsets” in terms of tuition costs.
Cahill said parochial and archdiocese schools are often “in the teens” per year, but other independent religious schools can sometimes range from the high teens up to the low $20,000s annually.
Small, exclusive schools like Merritt Academy, Pinecrest, The Sycamore School and others are often around the high teens to low twenty-thousands per year.
In the City of Alexandria and surrounding areas you'll find tuition between $6,200 and $11,000 at Immanuel Lutheran School; $20,000 at Grace Episcopal for grades K through 5; $27,500 to $29,800 for Alexandria Country Day School; $28,000 to $32,000 at Burgundy Farm Country Day School; and around $30,000 at Browne Academy. At St. Stephen's and St. Agnes, tuition rises into the $30,000s, Fusion Academy is in the low $40,000s with less expensive options for part-time or single classes, and Episcopal High School's tuition and fees add up to more than $50,000 per year. There are dozens of others, as well. All offer tuition reimbursement, financial aid and payment plans, and many offer scholarships.
Most of the schools offer some sort of financial aid packages and tuition payment plans.
Cahill says, every family’s needs are different, and therefore families tend to come to her for all sorts of assistance.
“Some have already done their own research and really just want a sounding board to help them solidify their decision in terms of the impression they got from a certain school,” she said. “Others truly come to us from square one, knowing nothing. It can be overwhelming, truly, looking at all the different options out there.”
Sometimes, parents even call from locations all over the country or the world, once they find out they’re moving into the D.C. metro area. Cahill says, if having the best school for their child is really their top priority, some parents will want to choose the school first, and then decide where to live based on that.
“Overall, for the most part, most parents just truly want to find the best school that fits their child, and their family. And we are delighted to help them do that.”
See the list of Alexandria area private, parochial and independent schools here.
Five Questions to Ask Yourself When Choosing a School for Your Child
There are many aspects of a school families should consider, when trying to determine which may be the best fits for your individual child. Here are five questions to ask yourself, that may help you create a “short list” of schools to apply to, or consider further. The questions and answers have been compiled from a number of sources, including the Virginia Association of Independent Schools and the Alexandria-based firm Independent School Options.
What type of student is your child?
Does your child have an insatiable thirst for knowledge, and get excited about learning new facts? Does your child welcome the pressure and challenge of writing an essay, completing a project or taking a test and getting the best score possible? If so, your child may thrive in an advanced academic environment. On the contrary, if your child is bright, but not necessarily fascinated by facts and figures, a more hands-on, progressive school may be best.
What are your child’s main interests and strengths?
Is your child a clear tech whiz or science enthusiast? If so, a school that focuses on STEM (science, technology, math and engineering) may be best. Or, is your child more into the performing arts, liberal or literary arts, or music? If so, a school with a special focus on the arts may be best. Browse through school options to find one that really speaks to your individual child’s passions and personality.
Is a religious school important to your family? Boarding or day school? Single-sex or co-ed?
There are a wealth of options open to D.C.-area families. Once you have the type of academic environment down that is best suited to your child, as well as any special needs or interests figured out, there are additional factors to consider such as whether an all-boys or all-girls school may benefit your child, and whether boarding or lodging may help your family. There are also a number of religious schools in the D.C. area that serve all grades, from pre-school up to high school.
How far are you willing (and able) to travel to get your child to school every day?
We wish it wasn’t, but distance is an important factor when choosing a school for your child. If you live in Alexandria and you’re considering a school in Maryland, that could be a prohibitively tough commute for your family; be sure to come up with a potential plan for commuting around job schedules and the needs of any other children before deciding to apply. On the other hand, if you’re looking at a public or magnet school, it may be all but impossible to get your child in due to districting issues.
How much can you afford to pay in tuition and other costs?
Another make-it-or-break-it factor that all families must consider ahead of time is how much tuition the family can reasonably afford. As we mention in our article, tuition can be anywhere from the teens on up annually for private school in the D.C. metro area. One need also keep in mind that is just the base cost – many schools also require a certain amount of fundraising per year from every student’s family, as well as lunch costs, commuting costs and potentially supply costs for uniforms, sports equipment, books and more. Be sure you have the full picture of a school’s total costs firmly in hand before applying (and remember there may be an application cost too, which is not refunded if your child isn’t accepted). Be sure to ask about financial aid.
