Bishop Ireton - Alexandria
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Anonymous
| There is a very varied student population at BI. Many, if not most would be willing to take a lesser tiered school with a good potential outcome, than more debt. Twelve years is a long time to pay tuition, especially for multiple kids. |
Anonymous
Family of rising 8th grader also interested in this question. |
Anonymous
| ^^I’ve heard very similar w/ the main difference being O’Connell being a larger class. Curious to hear from current parents |
Anonymous
| Bishop Ireton has been a great place for our kids. They are challenged academically and have a lot of opportunities. The size of the school is perfect (just over 900). They have boards in the school where it shows where the graduates have gone onto and keep them updated each year. We are always impressed. Friends of our kids will come back after graduation and say how prepared they were for college. |
Anonymous
DD attends BI and has close friends at O'Connell. There seems to be a greater emphasis on sports at O'Connell but that's not to say sports aren't a big thing at Ireton too. The schools are more similar than different so I would choose based on location, honestly. Traffic around BI is a nightmare (we're not sending DD's younger siblings there and that's one of the factors) so if O'Connell is more convenient I would go with that one. |
Anonymous
Will you send other siblings to O’Connell? Is traffic really that bad? |
Anonymous
This x2 |
Anonymous
Probably O'Connell, maybe public, it's going to be their choice. And yes, it's that bad and getting worse. If we lived within walking distance to BI, or in one of the neighborhoods around it, I would send them there in a heartbeat because it really is a great school, but it's not worth putting ourselves through that mess twice a day for many more years when we have other excellent options. |
Anonymous
| Alexandria traffic on Duke Street and Seminary Road is absolutely horrible. Hundreds of aggressive Maryland drivers trying to cut through local traffic to get to the beltway, and the single lane road diet makes for the worst traffic in the region. |
Anonymous
Has anyone’s child been waitlisted by BI and then they were offered a seat? Curious if there’s a chance we get off the waitlist or if there’s no chance. BI is more convenient for us 
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Anonymous
| My child was accepted to BI today and will likely attend. Would be interested in hearing more about the traffic situation! Is there a carpool drop-off lane? How do things usually flow? |
Anonymous
I’m sure there’s a chance once the initial enrollment deadline passes. Fingers crossed for your kid! |
Anonymous
| Definitely movement on the WL each year. Good luck! |
Anonymous
| The traffic is what it is. They’ve instituted right turn only out of the parking lot during drop off and pick up times, and that moves things along. Tons of kids are walking in the neighborhoods on their way to school in the morning, so I imagine they’re being dropped off outside the school parking lot and walking. |
Anonymous
| I would not be afraid of the traffic, or make it a deciding factor. Yes, the area BI is in is very congested but your kids schedule will be a moving target with sports, clubs and activities. Also, there is public transportation and soon enough the kids could be driving or carpooling with friends. I have several friends with kids at BI and they are all very happy with the education and community there. |