Views on Episcopal High school Alexandria?

[Anonymous]

DC Has only been at Episcopal for a few days, so I'll admit that I don't have much to go on yet. However, I've been really impressed with Charley Stillwell, the Headmaster, and his emphasis on developing the whole child. From what I hear, there has been a shift in culture over the past couple of years...more welcoming. Faculty I've meet are great--really thoughtful about how to teach and how to encourage each of their students. DC was at public for middle, and even though she went to a "good" school, her teachers/admin couldn't have cared less about her individually (too many kids), and the social culture was toxic.

So for now, super impressed with EHS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Episcopal is confusing. What you see on the website does not accurately represent what the school is about. If you are thinking about applying to EPH make sure you speak with a real person. The marketing of the school is very misleading and rather dishonest. It really is a southern school with international students thrown in to pay the bills. We are from NY and wished we had accepted the Lawrenceville School.

Umm EHS is a good school , but not Lawrenceville good. I'm calling troll on this one.

Me too. My reaction on rading this was WTH? Noone would pick Episcopal over Lawrenceville for any reason. Schools are not comparable. Lawrenceville much harder to get in to, much more rigorous, sends kids on to much more impressive colleges.

EHS is a middle of the road baording school. It does everythig okay, nothing outstanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It really is a southern school with international students thrown in to pay the bills.

This sums it up. A student body of rich white teens primarily from Virginia-from-south-of-NOVA, North and South Carolina, and a handful of Georgians. With an overlay of Chine$e $tudent$ who don't speak English well or even at all, and a few South Koreans.

What's with the $ signs? Resent wealthy Asian students?

[Anonymous]

My Daughter applied and attended for 11th and 12th grade. She has done very well there and will graduate with a 4.5 GPA haven taken very rigrous Advanced and Honors Classes. She is graduating in the top 10% of her class and got accepted into UVA, UNC, Tulane, William and Mary, UT Austin, Colgate, NYU and Yale. She will be attending Yale in the Fall at a cost that will be less than our Flagship State School, UVA. She loved Episcopal and did well academically and socially. She was allowed to nurture both her academic and artistic side. The boarding is going to pay off big as she attends college in the Fall as she has had experience living away from parents and has had to self manage her study time vs. social time. She made lifelong friends and will definitely be an ambassor and champion of the school in yearss to come. Highly recommend it for diversity (it has changed alot from when I was in High School in the late 80s). There are kids of every ethnic background and from all over the world. Financial aid was very generous and allowed her to experience overseas trips and study abroad that we likely would not have been able to afford in our family. My child attended public school all through 10th grade and her experience at a Loudon County High School is what led her to look for another place to attend. I'm glad we figured out how to afford it and I'm glad she was able to have the experience. It is controlled freedom - the kids have alot of freedom to make choices. I find the kids who do drugs, drink and are sexually promiscuous would be that way no matter where they attended school, so if thats your kid, you may want to keep a closer eye on them. Not my story and my child in on a trajectory to do exceedingly well into her future. Episcopal played a very huge part in that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Episcopal is confusing. What you see on the website does not accurately represent what the school is about. If you are thinking about applying to EPH make sure you speak with a real person. The marketing of the school is very misleading and rather dishonest. It really is a southern school with international students thrown in to pay the bills. We are from NY and wished we had accepted the Lawrenceville School.

Umm EHS is a good school , but not Lawrenceville good. I'm calling troll on this one.

No troll. NP. We scoped out Episcopal several years ago. Unfortunately, I sort of agree with some of the other posters. Good school, but very Southern feel throughout. Some very good resources, but not at the caliber of a top NE Board.I agree. Do your research on this one.

[Anonymous]

I don’t believe there is any five day boarding option as mention in a previous post. It is a full 7-day boarding program with limited weekends to go home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Episcopal is confusing. What you see on the website does not accurately represent what the school is about. If you are thinking about applying to EPH make sure you speak with a real person. The marketing of the school is very misleading and rather dishonest. It really is a southern school with international students thrown in to pay the bills. We are from NY and wished we had accepted the Lawrenceville School.

No one with any kind of sense would pick Episcopal over Lawrenceville. No way, no how. Academically Episcopal is absolutely mediocre. Not stellar in any way but not bad either.

The social life is very intense - party life is rampant (drinking, sex and drugs).

Agree with this poster about the social life—lots of unsupervised time and sex/drugs/alcohol/vaping very prevalent. Known by lots of area parents as a toxic social environment.

[Anonymous]

Hi, EHS alum and parent here. EHS is a great school for kids looking for the intersection between extracurricular interests and academics. Due to the school’s new zero-strike policy of substances on and off campus, I really doubt that the party culture will be able stand anymore. This may have been true three years ago, but I can assure you that the school is not a bunch of freeloader children with a bunch of freeloader parents who buy drugs and condoms for their children.

[Anonymous]

My DC just graduated. Avoid this school. Academics are okay, equivalent to nearby SSSAS. However, the social scene is a viper pit. It is like the worst, amped up version of high school stereotypes you can imagine (popular kids, geeks, jocks, artistic kids). The “popular” kids bully on social media unchecked and ostracize those they deem unworthy. Girls are judged by their weight and expensive clothing. The honor code is a joke. So glad my DC is out of there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Episcopal is confusing. What you see on the website does not accurately represent what the school is about. If you are thinking about applying to EPH make sure you speak with a real person. The marketing of the school is very misleading and rather dishonest. It really is a southern school with international students thrown in to pay the bills. We are from NY and wished we had accepted the Lawrenceville School.

Umm EHS is a good school , but not Lawrenceville good. I'm calling troll on this one.

I can’t even imagine it what universe someone would accept episcopa over L’ville?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC just graduated. Avoid this school. Academics are okay, equivalent to nearby SSSAS. However, the social scene is a viper pit. It is like the worst, amped up version of high school stereotypes you can imagine (popular kids, geeks, jocks, artistic kids). The “popular” kids bully on social media unchecked and ostracize those they deem unworthy. Girls are judged by their weight and expensive clothing. The honor code is a joke. So glad my DC is out of there.

It has become like a NE boarding school except with a Southern feel. Very status driven.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the 45 game streak is conference play only, but my son's team beat them in the Maroon and Black Invitational this fall.

Why, when considering a high school, would anyone care how strong the soccer/football/basketball/lacrosse team is unless their kid was a top level athlete in that sport?

[Anonymous]

hey, current student. yeah, I know this is an old thread. it really, REALLY, depends what kind of kid you have if you're considering Episcopal. in terms of academics, Episcopal is the best of the best. very small classes, teachers on call 24/7, lots of academic help. as a neurodivergent student, this is big for me. I really don't think the drugs/sex etc here is as bad as past parents have said, but again it depends on the kid. if your kid is gonna be mainstream popular, playing field hockey or lacrosse, then best of luck. socially it's really hard if your kid isn't pretty secure. honestly if your main focus is academics then you're pretty well off. just make sure your kid is ready for a totally wack social dynamic lol