Top 6 Best Private Schools in America | 2017 Ranking | Top Private Schools to Enroll Your Child (Reviews)

2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
TOP RANKING PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Which of the Top Private Schools in the US Is Right for Your Child?

If you are in search of private schools offering the best education possible and widest opportunities for your child…and if sticking to a budget is not your top priority, we have the premier list of top private schools within the United States in 2017.

This is your 2017 guide to the best private schools in America. We will highlight:

• 3 top private schools for K–12
• 3 top private schools for high school only

Five of these best private schools are found on the East Coast, and one is on the West Coast.

Award Emblem: Top 6 Best Private Schools in America

All of these best private schools in America have been nationally recognized for their merit. So we will share some of those rankings with you. In addition, this review of best private schools will highlight important factors such as:

• Tuition cost
• Year founded
• Student/teacher ratio
• Average enrollment
• Campus offerings
• Other noteworthy information

By the end of this guide to the best private schools in America for 2017, you will have a better idea what the most ideal options are for top private schools in the US.

AdvisoryHQ’s List of the Top 6 Best Private Schools in America

List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the names of top private schools in the US below to go directly to the detailed review section for that school):

• The Harker School
• Horace Mann School
• Phillips Academy
• Phillips Exeter Academy
• St. Paul’s School
• Trinity School

Top 6 Best Private Schools in America | Brief Comparison & Ranking

Table: Top 6 Best Top Private Schools | Above list is sorted alphabetically

Factors to Consider When Choosing One of the Best Private Schools

One thing you will notice right away is how many similarities there are between the top private schools in the US.

• All of these private schools have small class sizes
• All of these best private schools send their students to prestigious universities
• All of these top private schools have a wide range of activities in the arts, athletics, etc.
• All of these private schools have high esteem and national rankings

Image Source: Pexels

So how is one to choose which of the best private schools in America is right for your child? Here are some differences to pay attention as you research these private schools:

• Boarding or Day? Do you want your child to live on campus or do you want them to come home after school?Some of the top private schools in the US offer both; some offer one or the other.
• Religious or Secular? Do you want your child to have mandatory chapels or do you prefer a secular environment?We have both options in this list of top private schools.
• Switching Schools? Do you want one school that can provide an education from the beginning all the way to graduation (by choosing one of the K–12 private schools)?Or do you want them to transfer in at high school?

AdvisoryHQ’s Selection Methodology

What methodology does AdvisoryHQ use in selecting and finalizing the credit cards, financial products, firms, services, and products that are ranked on its various top-rated lists?

Please click here “AdvisoryHQ’s Ranking Methodologies” for a detailed review of AdvisoryHQ’s selection methodologies for ranking top-rated credit cards, financial accounts, firms, products, and services.

Detailed Review—Top Ranking Best Private Schools in America

Below, please find a detailed review of each of the private schools on our list of top private schools in the US. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these best private schools to score so high in our selection ranking.

The Harker School Review

First up on our list of top private schools is the The Harker School in San Jose, California. As only one of only two best private schools on the list with a preschool, Harker also offers lower school (elementary), middle school, and upper school (high).

Image Source: Harker

Unlike many of the other private schools down the list, Harker is actually made up of four campuses in Silicon Valley (all minutes away from each other). Students take intercampus shuttles to move about to the various areas.

Harker prides itself in offering both a STEM focus as well as an arts focus. There are also countless after-school and athletic options. As one of the best private schools in America, here are some fast facts:

• Student/preschool teacher ratio: 8 to 1
• Student/K–12 teacher ratio: 11 to 1
• 100% of lower school students are active in performing arts
• 45% of upper school students are active in performing arts
• 55% of students participate in sports with 15 sports options

Top Private Schools: The Harker School Rankings

Here is one important ranking that adds to The Harker School being one of the best private schools in America.

• #2 in Niche’s “2017 Best Private K–12 Schools in America”

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Horace Mann School Review

Next up as we examine the best private schools in America, we will look at Horace Mann School in the Bronx, New York. Their five core values are:

• The life of the mind
• Mature behavior
• Mutual respect
• A secure and healthful environment
• A balance between individual achievement and a caring community

As the second of two private schools on this list that has a preschool (their nursery division), they also offer a lower division (elementary), middle division, and upper division (high).

Their total enrollment is 1,792 students with a 7 to 1 student/teacher ratio.

As one of the top private schools, the Horace Mann campus is actually a conglomerate of many campuses that includes:

• 18-acre campus for middle and upper divisions (in the Bronx)
• Historic brownstone for nursery (in Manhattan)
• 304-acre outdoor education center (in Connecticut)
• An art gallery
• A theater
• More than 60 student clubs

Horace Mann is a day school.

Top Private Schools: Horace Mann School Rankings

Here are two more reasons why Horace Mann is considered one of the best private schools in America.

• #1 in Niche’s “2017 Best Private K–12 Schools in America”
• #4 in Best School’s “The 50 Best Private Day Schools in the United States”

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Phillips Academy Review

To continue on our list of top private schools in the US, Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, must be mentioned. Out of all the other best private schools in America for high school only, Philips Academy has been around the longest.

As one of the best private schools for high school students in the world, here are some student fast facts:

• 5 to 1 student/teacher ratio
• 2016–2017 year has seen 1,150 students
• Of those students, 842 board and 308 are day students
• Average class size: 13

Academics are not the only offering at Phillips. You can find extensive art programs as well as unbelievable athletic offerings, another reason it is one of the top private schools. On the Phillips Academy campus, you can find the following sport opportunities:

• 2 hockey rinks
• 1 swimming pool; 1 diving pool
• 8 squash courts
• Fitness center
• 2 basketball courts
• 2 dance studios
• 18 tennis courts

As mentioned in the student facts, Philips Academy offers both boarding and day school options.

Top Private Schools: Phillips Academy Rankings

Here are two more reasons why Phillips Academy is considered one of the best private schools in America.

• #1 in Niche’s “2017 Best Private High Schools in America”
• #1 in Business Insider’s “Best Private High Schools In America”

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Phillips Exeter Academy Review

Next on our list of 2017 best private schools is Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH. This private high school shares a name with another on this list of top private schools (Philips Academy) because members of the same family opened each in the 1700s.

However, each of these private schools is independent.

As one of the best private schools in America for high school students, here are some fast facts about their program:

• Student/teacher ratio: 12 to 1
• Enrollment: 1,085
• Focuses on service and community outreach
• Awards $22 million in financial aid
• Initiates sustainability matters
• Offers more than 150 student clubs
• Hosts authors, artists, and industry leaders

Philips Exeter Academy offers both boarding and day school options.

Top Private Schools: Phillips Exeter Rankings

Here are two more reasons why Phillips Exeter is considered one of the best private schools in America.

• #2 in Niche’s “2017 Best Private High Schools in America”
• #2 in Business Insider’s “Best Private High Schools in America”

St. Paul’s School Review

Now we will mention our last high school only option our list of the top private schools in the US: St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire. This is the most expensive of the best private schools, but it also has the smallest enrollment (531 for 2016–2017).

Image Source: St. Paul’s School

As one of the best private schools in America, St. Paul’s has an unbelievably low student to teacher ratio: 5 to 1. You can rest assured that your child will receive plenty of individualized care.

Here is an overview of what you will find on campus:

• 18 dorms
• Library
• Art center
• Performing arts center
• Astronomy center
• Chapel
• Center for math and science
• Athletic and Fitness center
• Indoor pool
• Climbing walls
• Hocking rinks
• Squash and tennis courts
• Rowing course
• Athletic fields

St. Paul’s is a boarding school. It has a chapel requirement as well.

Top Private Schools: St. Paul’s School Rankings

Here are two more reasons why St. Paul’s is considered one of the best private schools in America.

• #4 in Business Insider’s “Best Private High Schools in America”
• #5 in Niche’s “2017 Best Private High Schools in America”

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Trinity School Review

The final school to make our list of 2017 best private schools in America is Trinity School in New York City. Trinity is the longest-standing education center on our list of top private schools in the US.

As one of the best private schools, Trinity offers Kindergarten through high school education. However, most students either enter in Kindergarten or enter in high school. Sometimes there are openings to enter in middle school.

Like many of the other private schools, the student body is small, and the faculty is strong. The average enrollment is 960, and the student to teacher ratio is 7 to 1.

As you will see, there is a wide range of educational, artistic, and athletic campus amenities:

• Science and computer labs
• Art and photography studios
• Music rooms
• A garden
• Rooftop playing field
• Dining room
• Chapels
• Two theaters
• Two libraries
• Two swimming pools
• Three playgrounds
• Weight room
• Three gyms

Though Trinity started as a religious school, it is “no longer sponsored by a specific religious body.”

Top Private Schools: Trinity School Rankings

Here are two more reasons why Trinity is considered one of the best private schools in America.

• #1 in Best School’s “The 50 Best Private Day Schools in the United States”
• #3 in Niche’s “2017 Best Private K–12 Schools in America”

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Conclusion—Top Private Schools

Now that you have a closer look into the best private schools in America for 2017, you can begin:

• Choosing which of the best private schools may be right for your child
• Starting the admissions process to one of the top private schools

There is no doubt about it, however, any of these six top private schools in the US will offer the highest quality of education to set your child up for unlimited success in their college and career experiences.