2025 Best Private Schools in Philadelphia

College Admissions Highlights:  In a recent three year span, GFS graduates matriculated into Amherst, Barnard, BU, Brown, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, George Washington, Georgetown, Harvard, Hamilton, Johns Hopkins, Macalester, MIT, Middlebury, NYU, Northwestern, Princeton, Pomona, Tufts, UCLA, U Chicago, U Michigan, UNC Chapel Hill, Penn, UVA, Vassar, Villanova, WashingtonU, Wesleyan, Williams, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:  The student-to-teacher ratio is 5:1. 41% are students of color.  Over 20 advanced courses available. In one recent four-year period, GFS produced 5 National Scholars, 17 Finalists, and 27 Semifinalists.  70+ student led clubs and affinity groups. 159 FSL Athletic championship titles for 65 athletic teams.  11 visual art classes offered including furniture making.

College Admissions Highlights:  In the last five years, students have enrolled at the following schools: American, Baylor, BU, Brown, Case Western, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Drexel, Drexel, Georgetown, GaTech, Harvard, Howard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, NYU, Northeastern, Penn State, Pepperdine, Rice, Stanford, Tufts, UC Berkeley, U Chicago, U Michigan, Chapel Hill, Vanderbilt, Vassar, WashingtonU, William & Mary, and Yale.

College Admissions Highlights:  Over the last three years, The Baldwin School has had students accepted into the following schools: Barnard, BC, Brown, Bucknell, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Georgetown, Ga Tech, Harvard, Kenyon, MIT, Miami, NYU, Northeastern, Northwestern,  Penn State, Princeton, USC, Swarthmore, Tufts, Vanderbilt, Villanova, UVA, Wake Forest, Washington U, William & Mary, Williams, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:  Baldwin is an all-girls institution.  51% identify as students of color.  16 Advanced Topic courses are offered—these go beyond the traditional AP curriculum. There are 15 athletic teams and 45 clubs and activities.  35 upper school courses are offered in art, music and theater. 12th graders spend 3 weeks in individualized externship programs.

College Admissions Highlights:  The last five senior classes from the Shipley school have gone on to matriculate into the following colleges: Bates, Belmont, BC, BU, Brown, Bucknell, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Carnegie Mellon, UChicago, Columbia, Conrell, Davidson, Drexel, Duke, Emory, Georgetown, George Washington, Hamilton, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Miami, Michigan, NYU, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Princeton, USC, Tennessee, Tufts, UVA, Villanova, Wake Forest, Washington U, William & Mary, and Yale.

College Admissions Highlights:  Haverford graduates over the last six years have matriculated to these fine colleges and universities: Amherst, BC, Brown Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Georgetown, GaTech, Harvard, Howard, MIT, Middlebury, NYU, Northeastern, Penn State, Princeton, RPI, Stanford, Ohio State, UT Austin, Tufts, UC Berkley, UChicago, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn, USC, UVA, Vassar, VaTech, Wake Forest, Washington U, Williams, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:  Haverford is an all-boys school. 9:1 Student to faculty ratio. 75% of faculty members hold advanced degrees. 45 advanced level courses across all subjects.  31% students of color. 35 clubs and activities in the upper school, including the VEX World Champions in Robotics. 16 interscholastic sports and 10 art spaces.

College Admissions Highlights:  Students from Friends Select have enrolled in American, Brown, Cooper Union, Dartmouth, Drexel, Emerson, George Washington, Harvard, Howard, JMU, Morehouse, NYU, Northeastern, Penn State, RIT, SCAD, Swarthmore, UCLA, U Pittsburgh, UMichigan, Penn, and US Military Academy at West Point.

Academic Highlights:  41% identify as students of color in upper school.  8:1 student-to-faculty ratio.  About 88% of students are from the city of Philadelphia. Social Justice Week pauses classes to allow students a contemporary view of issues. 14 sports are offered. Decision Points is a chorus or instrumental ensemble with 3 concerts a year.

College Admissions Highlights:  The George School has at least 5 students from the last three years matriculate to: American, Bates, BU, Brandies, Bryn Mawr, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, Case Western, Cornell, Drexel, Duke, Emory, George Washington, Hamilton, Haverford, Kenyon, NYU, Northeastern, Oberlin, Penn State, Princeton, RPI, Skidmore, Swarthmore, Tufts, UCLA, U Mass, UMiami, Penn, USC, UVA, Villanova, Washington U, Wellesley, and William & Mary.

Academic Highlights:  Students come from 23 US states and 47 countries.  47% are boarding students.  38.5%% identify as students of color.  George School offers 19 AP subjects. There are 35 IB subjects; 95% IB diploma passing rate..  The average class size is 13.  130 years as a Quaker co-ed boarding and day school.

College Admissions Highlights:  Over the last five years, large numbers of students have achieved offers of admission to the following schools: Bates, BU, BC, Carnegie Mellon, Columbia, Duke, JHU, Kenyon, Lehigh, MIT, Middlebury, NYU, Northeastern, Princeton, Swarthmore, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn, UVA, Wake Forest, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:  The average class size is 13 students.  7:1 student to faculty ratio. 35% are students of color. They offer 23 AP.  87% of AP scores were 3 or higher.  95% of students participate in Community Service. 29 varsity sports with a high number committing to college sports.

College Admissions Highlights:  Over the last five years, two or more Hill students enrolled in each of the following colleges: Amherst, Barnard, BC, Brown, Bucknell, Carnegie Mellon, William & Mary, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Emory, Georgetown, GaTech, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Middlebury, NYU, Northeastern, Penn State, Pepperdine, Pomona, RPI, Tufts, UC Berkeley, U Chicago, UMass, Michigan, UNC Chapel Hill, Notre Dame, Penn, USC, Vanderbilt, Washington U, Wesleyan, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:  Boarding and day school with average class size of 11 students.  The student-to-teacher ratio is 7:1.  Students hail from 26 states and 17 countries.  43% identify as students of color and 15% are international.  20 college level and 21 AP Courses are offered.  32 interscholastic sports programs and 12 arts performances a year.

College Admissions Highlights:  A recent five year matriculation had William Penn graduates attending: Amherst, BC, BU, Bowdoin, Brown, Carnegie Mellon, William & Mary, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Drexel, Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Howard, Johns Hopkins, Lafayette, NYU, Northeastern, Ohio State, Penn State, Princeton, RPI, Stanford, Tufts, UCLA, U Chicago, Michigan, Penn, USC, UVA, Villanova, Va Tech, Wake Forest, Washington U, Wellesley, and Yale.

Academic Highlights:  School was founded in 1689.  6:1 student-to-teacher ratio.  The average class size is 14.  86% of classroom teachers have advanced degrees. 40 advanced courses with 3 certificate programs. 44 clubs and activities.  37% identify as students of color.  18 sports with multiple teams for 3 seasons. 13 visual art and design electives in the upper school.