Best Private Schools in Virginia – 2023

February 2, 2023

Are you a Virginia parent actively searching for the best-fit private schools for your child or teen? If so, no matter the current age of your student, you are likely interested in the college preparation and counseling offered by each prospective school. Of course, in addition to that particular angle, you will also need to balance your teen’s academic, emotional, and social needs with financial and logistical considerations. However, College Transitions’ list of the Best Private Schools in Virginia will focus primarily on our area of expertise—college admissions. As such, we will highlight the job that each of the schools do at sending their graduates on to the region/nation’s premier 4-year schools.

Please note that inclusion on our Best Private Schools in Virginia list is a selective and criteria-based process. However, the order in which the schools appear is not representative of any further ranking; the numbering is solely intended to enhance the ease of navigating this resource. All of the schools profiled below have a history of sending graduates to the top colleges in the country. For the best private high schools in Virginia, College Transitions will provide you with each school’s:

Location
Tuition (9-12)
Enrollment (9-12)
Average SAT Score
Average ACT Score
Senior Class Size
College Admissions Highlights
Academic Highlights

Without further ado, let’s look at the best private schools in Virginia.

#1 Best Private Schools in Virginia

Basis Independent McClean – Virginia

8000 Jones Branch Dr, McLean, VA 22102

College Admissions Highlights: In the last three years, students have gained acceptance to Amherst, Bowdoin, Brown, Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Columbia, Dartmouth, Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, JHU, Middlebury, Northwestern, Pomona, Princeton, University of Chicago, UMich, Penn, Vanderbilt, WashU, Williams, and Yale.

Academic Highlights: The Class of 2022 boasted a 50% acceptance rate to top-25 colleges and an 87% acceptance rate for top-50 schools. 12% are accepted to Ivy League schools. 95% AP exam pass rate. 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Students begin AP coursework in 9th.

Tuition (9-12): $33,000
Enrollment (Pre-K-12): 556
Average SAT Score: 1458
Average ACT Score: 33

#2 Best Private Schools in Virginia

The Potomac School – Virginia

1301 Potomac School Rd, McLean, VA 22101

College Admissions Highlights: In the last four years, multiple students have attended the following schools: Amherst (4), BC (9), BU (7), Brown (8), William and Mary (8), Columbia (4), Cornell (3), Duke (7), Georgetown (9), Harvard (12), NYU (8), Northwestern (7), Princeton (4), Stanford (8), Tufts (8), UChicago (9), UMich (9), Notre Dame (5), Penn (9), UVA (30), Wake Forest (15), Washington & Lee (8), WashU (8), Williams (5), and Yale (3).

Academic Highlights: 71% of faculty have advanced degrees. The Class of 2022 had 34 National Merit Commended Scholars and 8 Semifinalists. The average class size is 15. 19 AP and 26 Honors courses are available. 80% of AP test-takers earned a 4 or 5.

Tuition (9-12): $47,150
Enrollment (9-12): 462
Average SAT Score: 1439
Average ACT Score: 31.3

#3 Best Private Schools in Virginia

Collegiate School – Virginia

103 N Mooreland Rd, Richmond, VA 23229

College Admissions Highlights: The institutions saw multiple members of the Class of 2022 enroll: NC State (5), UVA (11), UGA (6), Washington and Lee (5), Virginia Tech (6), Georgetown (4), and NYU (3). One member of the Class of 2022 enrolled in Boston College, Dartmouth, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Princeton, Notre Dame, UMich, Villanova, and Wake Forest.

Academic Highlights: 62 students received National Merit recognition between 2018 and 2021. 21% identify as students of color. 100% of grads enroll in 4-year schools. 234 faculty members possess advanced degrees. 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio.

Tuition (9-12): $29,630
Enrollment (9-12): 574
Mid-50% SAT Score: 1210-1420
Mid-50% ACT Score: 25-32

#4 Best Private Schools in Virginia

Episcopal High School – Virginia

1200 N Quaker Ln, Alexandria, VA 22302

College Admissions Highlights: Large numbers of students from the Classes of 2019 to 2022 have matriculated into: Columbia (4), Dartmouth (4), Duke (3), Georgetown (10), NYU (7), Princeton (3), Yale (7), Wake Forest (19), Washington & Lee (16), UVA (31), USC (4), UChicago (4), UNC Chapel Hill (33), US Military Academy (6), and Notre Dame (3).

Academic Highlights: Episcopal is 100% residential – all students are boarded. 83% of faculty live on campus. The average class size is just 11 students. The school employs three full-time college counselors. 33% are students of color.

Tuition (9-12): $66,360 (Includes Boarding)
Enrollment (9-12): 450
Mid-50% SAT Score: Not Reported
Mid-50% ACT Score: Not Reported

#5 Best Private Schools in Virginia

Norfolk Academy – Virginia

1585 Wesleyan Dr, Norfolk, VA 23502

College Admissions Highlights: Members of the last five graduating classes went on to enroll at Amherst, Bates, Boston College, Brown, Colby, Columbia, Duke, Dartmouth, Emory, Georgetown, Hamilton, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Princeton, Stanford, Tufts, UChicago, UMich, Notre Dame, Penn, UVA, Vanderbilt, Williams, and Yale.

Academic Highlights: Norfolk Academy was founded in 1728. 95% of students take 3 or more laboratory science classes. The mean GPA was 3.46. Many special programs including the Medical Scholars Program and a host of International Programs. 100% of graduates go on to enroll in a 4-year college.

Tuition (10-12): $26,100
Enrollment (1-12): 1,200
Average SAT Score: 1290
Average ACT Score: 26

#6 Best Private Schools in Virginia

St. Christopher’s School – Virginia

711 St Christopher’s Rd, Richmond, VA 23226

College Admissions Highlights: From 2017-2022, grads have attended the likes of Brown, Colorado College William and Mary, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Emory, Georgetown, Hamilton, Middlebury, NYU, Princeton, Stanford, US Air Force Academy, Notre Dame, UVA, Wesleyan, and Yale.

Academic Highlights: The average class size at this all-boys school is 17. 94% of the Class of 2022 took at least one AP exam. 120 colleges visit campus each year. 56% of students achieve AP Scholar status. 30% of graduates go on to play a sport in college.

Tuition (9-12): $30,950
Enrollment (seniors): 376
Average SAT Score: Not Reported
Average ACT Score: Not Reported

#7 Best Private Schools in Virginia

St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School – Virginia

1000 St Stephens Rd, Alexandria, VA 22304

College Admissions Highlights: The Class of 2022 enrolled in colleges such as Yale, Northwestern, UVA, UMich, Harvard, Oberlin, Denison, Bates, the US Air Force Academy, UChicago, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Miami, Lafayette, Colgate, Northeastern, Cornell, William and Mary, and Notre Dame.

Academic Highlights: They recently launched two certificate programs in World Language and STEM. The average class size is 15. 32% identify as students of color. 28 AP courses are on the menu. 100% are accepted into 4-year colleges.

Tuition (9-12): $49,030
Enrollment (9-12): 487
Average SAT Score: Not Reported
Average ACT Score: Not Reported

#8 Best Private Schools in Virginia

The Madeira School – Virginia

8328 VA-193, McLean, VA 22102

College Admissions Highlights: The 80 seniors in the Class of 2022 matriculated into schools such as: BU, Bryn Mawr, Carnegie Mellon (2), Cornell, Georgetown (2), Harvard, Caltech, Northeastern, Northwestern, MIT, Johns Hopkins (2), Trinity College Dublin (2), Tulane (3), Notre Dame, UVA (3), William & Mary (4), Yale, and NYU (2).

Academic Highlights: Madeira is an all-girls school. 4:1 student-to-teacher ratio. 91% of faculty hold advanced degrees. Students come from 38 countries and 19 states. 40% are students of color.

Tuition (9-12): $66,200 (Boarding)
Enrollment (seniors): 80
Average SAT Score: Not Reported
Average ACT Score: Not Reported

#9 Best Private Schools in Virginia

Flint Hill School – Virginia

3320 Jermantown Rd, Oakton, VA 22124

College Admissions Highlights: The Class of 2023 earned acceptances to the likes of Amherst, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, MIT, William & Mary, UGA, the University of Miami, Northeastern, Fordham, SMU, Virginia Tech, and UVA.

Academic Highlights: 70% of teachers possess advanced degrees. There are 24 AP offerings. 100 AP Scholars in 2022. Award-winning Robotics and Cybersecurity Teams. Languages Offered: French, Greek, Latin, and Spanish.

Tuition (9-12): $47,540
Enrollment (K-12): 1,033
Mid-50% SAT Score: Not Reported
Mid-50% ACT Score: Not Reported

#10 Best Private Schools in Virginia

Woodberry Forest School – Virginia

898 Woodberry Forest Rd, Woodberry Forest, VA 22989

College Admissions Highlights: In 2021, students enrolled at the following schools: Carnegie Mellon, William & Mary, Duke, Emory, McGill, Middlebury, NYU, Tulane, US Naval Academy, UMiami, UNC Chapel Hill, Penn, UVA, and Washington & Lee.

Academic Highlights: Woodberry is a boarding school for boys. 30 countries and 31 are represented. 40% of students are involved in music. 95% of faculty live on campus. The median GPA earned is 3.54.

Tuition (9-12): $63,450 (Boarding)
Enrollment (seniors): 101
Average SAT Score: Not Reported
Average ACT Score: Not Reported

Best Private Schools in Virginia – Other Resources

We hope you found our blog on the best private schools in Virginia to be helpful. All high school students and families may wish to explore further information regarding the college search and admissions process at our Dataverse, Blog, and List-Building Tool.

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High Schools

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).