Best Nashville Private Schools – 2024
February 16, 2024
As a parent in Nashville—or the surrounding suburbs such as Brentwood, Franklin, or Nolensville—you have a wealth of excellent private schools to choose from. Of course, having a ton of terrific options doesn’t make your selection any easier. After all, there are a multitude of considerations guiding your decision of which private schools in Nashville will be best for your child. Are you seeking a boarding or day school? Do you want your child’s private high school to have a religious affiliation? How long of a commute is right for your teen’s lifestyle? However, College Transitions’ list of the Best Nashville Private Schools will focus primarily on our area of expertise—college admissions. As such, we will highlight the job that each of the schools does at sending their graduates on to the region/nation’s premier 4-year schools.
Best Nashville Private Schools
Here’s a quick preview of the high schools that made our list. Detailed profiles and stats can be found when you scroll below.
1) University School of Nashville
2) Harpeth Hall School
3) The Ensworth School
4) Montgomery Bell Academy
5) Battle Ground Academy
6) Pope John Paul II Preparatory School
7) Christ Presbyterian Academy
8) Brentwood Academy
9) Lipscomb Academy
10) Franklin Road Academy
Please note that inclusion on our Best Nashville Private Schools 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 each of our top institutions, College Transitions will provide you with—when available—each school’s:
- Location
- Tuition (9-12)
- Enrollment (9-12)
- Average SAT Score
- Average ACT Score
- Senior Class Size
- College Admissions Highlights
- Academic Highlights
Now, let’s dive in and examine the profiled Nashville private schools.
University School of Nashville – Nashville
- 2000 Edgehill Ave, Nashville, TN 37212
College Admissions Highlights: Classes 2020-2023 have seen a number of students enroll at these fine institutions: Vanderbilt (21), WashingtonU (8), Tulane (10), Duke (9), Tennessee (9), Case Western (7), UChicago (7), Wake Forest (7), NYU (5), William & Mary (5), UMiami (5), Belmont (4), BU (4), Columbia (4), George Washington (4), Northeastern (4), USC (4), American (3), Carnegie Mellon (3), Georgetown (3), and Notre Dame (3).
Academic Highlights: The average class size is 14 students. 72% of faculty possess an advanced degree. 36% identify as students of color. Household represent 52 different countries. 12 AP & 21 MSON (Malone Schools Online Network) for advance level courses. 86 % scored a 3 or higher on AP exams. 6 National Merit semifinalists in the class of 2024. 19 sports programs with 85% participation grades 5-12.
Harpeth Hall School – Nashville
- 3801 Hobbs Rd, Nashville, TN 37215
College Admissions Highlights: Recent graduates (2020-2023) have gone on to matriculate into highly-selective schools such as: Barnard, Columbia, Colgate, Cornell, Amherst, MIT, BU, BC, UMich, UCLA, Caltech, UVA, Penn, Carnegie Mellon, Duke, Davidson, Princeton, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, UNC Chapel Hill, Yale, Stanford, NYU, Dartmouth, and Bowdoin.
Academic Highlights: Harpeth Hall is an all-girls institution. 80% of faculty hold masters or doctoral degrees. 19% students of color. 92% of AP test-takers earned a 3 or better on exams. The Class of 2023 included 7 National Merit Finalists and 13 Commended Students. 14 varsity sports in which 67% participate. 60 student received awards in writing and art in 2022-2023.
The Ensworth School – Nashville
- 211 Ensworth Ave, Nashville, TN 37205
College Admissions Highlights: From 2020-2023, Ensworth grads entered the following schools: American, Amherst, Barnard, Belmont, Brown, Colby, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Georgetown, Howard, NYU, Princeton, Pomona, Tulane, UC Berkeley, UChicago, UGA, UMich, Notre Dame, Penn, USC, UVA, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, and Washington U.
Academic Highlights: Average class size is 16, with 9:1 student/teacher ratio. 71% of faculty hold advanced degrees. 24 AP courses are offered. 86% scored a 3 or higher on AP exams. 83% of the class of 2024 participate in the more than 35 visual and performing arts courses. 86% of the class participate in the 18 sports teams with 4 alumni playing professionally.
Montgomery Bell Academy – Nashville
- 4001 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN 37205
College Admissions Highlights: From 2019-2023, students matriculated at many of the finest schools including: BC, Brown, Carnegie Mellon, William & Mary, Columbia, Dartmouth, Davidson, Georgetown, Harvard, Macalester, NYU, Northwestern, Princeton, Stanford, Tufts, UMiami, UMich, Notre Dame, Penn, UVA, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Washington & Lee, and Yale.
Academic Highlights: Montgomery Bell is oldest private all-boys school in state. The average class size is 14 students. 17% students of color. 70% of faculty members hold advanced degrees. There were 142 AP Scholars in 2023, 14 National Merit Finalists. 80+ clubs & activities. 17 Varsity sports with 16 state championships since 2014. 3725 hours of student service to 25+ non-profits.
Battle Ground Academy – Nashville
- 336 Ernest Rice Ln, Franklin, TN 37069
College Admissions Highlights: College acceptances between 2019-2023 have included: American, Belmont, BC, BU, Bucknell, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Emory, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Northwestern, Pepperdine, Tufts, UCLA, UGA, UMiami, UNC Chapel Hill, UVA, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Washington & Lee, WashingtonU, and Yale.
Academic Highlights: 83% of the 40 faculty members possess advanced degrees. 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio with an average class size of 12 students. 20 AP courses. 86% of AP test-takers scored a 3 or above. Visual and performing arts with 31 courses. Over 40 athletic teams and 60+ clubs, organizations & honors societies. Greers & Platos literaty society is a year long competition within the school.
Pope John Paul II Preparatory School – Nashville
- 117 Caldwell Dr, Hendersonville, TN 37075
College Admissions Highlights: Recent students have enrolled in schools such as American, Belmont, Clemson, William & Mary, Davidson, Embry-Riddle, FSU, Georgetown, GaTech, Hofstra, Macalester, NYU, Northeastern, Purdue, Sewanee, Syracuse, Tennessee, UMichigan, UMiami, Notre Dame, UVA, Vanderbilt, Vassar, Villanova, and Wake Forest.
Academic Highlights: 12:1 student-to-teacher ratio. 80% faculty have advance degrees. 22% students of color. 50 AP, Honors, and Dual Enrollment courses offered. There were 77 AP Scholars in the Class of 2022. 79% of AP test-takers scored a 3 or better; 58% scored a 4 or 5. 24 varsity sports. 20+ clubs & student organizations. 4 art concentrations.
Christ Presbyterian Academy – Nashville
- 2323-A Old Hickory Blvd, Nashville, TN 37215
College Admissions Highlights: From 2022-2023, students matriculated into Belmont, BC, BU, William & Mary, Dartmouth, Davidson, Duke, FSU, George Washington, Pepperdine, Purdue, Sewanee, Texas A&M, Tennessee, US Air Force Acad, UGA, UMass, UMiami, UNC Chapel Hill, USC, UVA, Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, and Washington & Lee.
Academic Highlights: 10:1 student-to-teacher ratio. 47% of faculty hold advanced degrees. 41+ honors/AP courses. 48 AP scholars with distinction. 89% scored a 3 of higher on the AP exams. 58 athletic teams have produced 151 college athletes. Over 15 arts performances a year and 37 classes offered. 50+ clubs, honors societies, publications, and enrichment opportunities.
Brentwood Academy – Nashville
- 219 Granny White Pike, Brentwood, TN 37027
College Admissions Highlights: From 2020-2023, students matriculated into the following schools: Baylor, BC, Dartmouth, Davidson, FSU, Furman, George Washington, Georgetown, UGA, Howard, UMiami, UMichigan, NYU, Northeastern, Oberlin, Pepperdine, Purdue, Rice, Sewanee, Tulane, US Naval Acad, Vanderbilt, UVA, Tennessee, and William & Mary.
Academic Highlights: 9:1 student-to-teacher ratio. 24 AP and 28 honors courses are offered. 36 AP Scholars in the Class of 2023. The Robotics program has won 9 state championships and 15 VEX world championships awards. In the last 10 years, they have won 40 individual & team state championships in athletics. 8 fine arts disciplines with over 20 performance opportunities.
Lipscomb Academy – Nashville
- 3901 Granny White Pike, Nashville, TN 37204
College Admissions Highlights: Graduates frequently gain acceptance to and enroll in schools such as Vanderbilt, Cornell, GaTech, Northeastern, Wake Forest, Johns Hopkins, BC, UT Austin, Rice, Duke, Penn State, Penn, UNC Chapel Hill, UVA, and US Military Academy.
Academic Highlights: 10:1 student to teach ratio. 70% of teachers have advanced degrees. 30 courses are available every day through Lipscomb University. Lipscomb produced 6 National Merit scholars & finalists. Over 30 athletic teams. The benefits of fine arts support multiple opportunities in the theatre, music and visual arts.
Franklin Road Academy – Nashville
- 4700 Franklin Pike, Nashville, TN 37220
College Admissions Highlights: Members of the Class of 2023 were accepted into Baylor, Belmont, BU, Columbia, Colorado School of Mines, DePaul, Furman, George Washington, IndianaU, Pace, PennState, Purdue, Rice, SCAD, Sewanee, Tennessee, Tulane, UGA, USC, Vanderbilt, VaTech, Wake Forest, WashingtonU, and William & Mary.
Academic Highlights: 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio with an average class size of 17.3 students. 19% student of color. 70% of faculty members hold advanced degrees. FRA offers 23 AP courses which 85% of the students take at least 1. 59 sports teams. 20+ art shows throughout the year. Mission trips are part of the curriculum for 9-12. 2800+ hours of community service.
Final Thoughts – Best Nashville Private Schools
We hope you found our blog on Nashville private schools 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.
