St. Anselm's Abbey High School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is interested in the school for high school. Can people tell me how it compares to SJC or Gonzaga for workload, sports, and social? How about transportation?

In response to the initial question, there is probably a heavier homework load in general, less high-level sports, and a smaller tight-knit community at St Anselm's when compared to SJC and Gonzaga.

There is a fall open house 11/2/2025 from 12 noon to 3pm. You can also have your son do a shadow day (at all three schools).

Our new to the school 9th grader has from 1-3 or 4 hours of homework most nights (with breaks). Lots of opportunities to play on sports teams, lots of clubs, and friendships. School dances, plays/musicals, arts, gym/intermural sports for all.

There are shuttles from some areas, and there are shuttles to/from a nearby metro. There are city bus stops right by the school and parking on campus.

If your son applies, the admissions team will really get to know him/your family with interviews etc. That should also give you and your family a sense of the school. Gonzaga and SJC did not do interviews. If you are Catholic, you might find it interesting to learn more about the Benedictine values. It's a welcoming place. I don't think a kid needs to be a "nerd" -- but the school likes to push kids academically with the aim of being well rounded (in subjects of study, physical fitness, and spiritually).

The classes the boys take in high school, at least in the first couple of years, seem pretty set. Everyone, from what I can tell, takes a foreign language (Spanish, Arabic, or French), Latin, math, etc with an arts elective. At other schools (including SJC and Gonzaga) you usually wouldn't take a foreign language and Latin, but anyway it's worth getting a sense for the curriculum requirements and options at all the schools you're considering.

[Anonymous]

Nobody mentioned that if your kid wants to actually play sports...well you can easily do that at Anselm's while it is common knowledge that SJC and Gonzaga are powerhouses producing tons of D1 athletes.

The teams aren't any good in the grand scheme, but they may win their conference every now and then. They play schools like Burke, Field...other small privates.