We started at Burke this fall and the transition has been going well. The teachers, parents, and kids have been very kind and supportive.

My husband and I loved the school and my kids were very impressed by their shadow day - but ultimately decided not to go because they wanted a bigger school. Definitely seems like a great school!

I think it’s great that it’s been so good for your family! IMO it is just like any school - perfect for some and not others. It was not a great fit for my kid. The teachers were all pretty great. Staff and admin seemed good. The cohort was just so small! My kid couldn’t find a good fit, so socially it was quite a lonely experience. A larger high school has worked out much better. More kids, more options for friendships, clubs, sports.

What a great thread! Our kid wasn't accepted and always feel a little bummed about that but really glad for our friends who have had a good experiences there.

Is Burke stronger in STEM or the humanities? Does the students participate in national competitions in either field?

The college counselors at Burke are AMAZING! They are knowledgeable, accessible, and organized. They make the process manageable and help take the stress level way down for the kids and parents. Very impressive!!

Anonymous wrote:What is the college placement process like at Burke?

Haven't experienced it yet, but outcomes are strong. This is from last year's senior class: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ4q9hbzDlT/

Anonymous wrote:What is the college placement process like at Burke?

It’s pretty personalized. They have two dedicated college counselors that get assigned to each class alphabetically (about 30-32 senior students per counselor based on class size).

Burke does ease into college counseling junior year and paces things. Placement outcomes seem strong and they’re focused and committed on helping students find the right fit (less focused in rankings and prestige).

We love Burke too, just a gem of a school!

Thank you for this! And, living in the world of the sporty private school monoculture, I'm glad there's a place for kids who aren't.

Our kid started this fall and we love it. I laughed when I saw the dismissive generalization in another thread that the kids at Burke are all artsy and weird. Maybe it was quirky and weird, whatever, you get the drift. The implication was that they're all nerdy, queer, neurodivergent theater kids at Burke. Um...yeah, that's a pretty good description of my kid. It also describes most of the interesting people I know--the preponderance of the high achieving ones too. This description doesn't actually apply to *all* the kids at Burke, or even to *most* of them, but if this sounds like your kid, they're going to be welcomed, accepted, and will find many friends at Burke. It's a genuine and kind place.

What is the college placement process like at Burke?

I really like the HOS at Burke. He has been such a positive presence at the school.

It sounds amazing. I wish my kid had gone there.

I love the no-cut sports. It lets kids just play for fun and exercise.

I have been meaning to write this for two years but am just now getting around to it! I'm hoping this is helpful to anyone embarking on the application process for MS or HS. I wish I had known more about the various schools we applied to for my DD for 6th beyond the "reputation" of the school. We stumbled upon Burke by sheer luck and I want to let other parents know what we love about it and what they should be thinking about as they look for a school for their kid:

- Teachers are awesome. Many have been around a long time and are actual adults who have children of their own so they get it. They've seen it all, they are steeped in reality, they want your kid to succeed. I regularly speak with one teacher in particular for my son and I never feel like I'm bothering her.

- Classes are small (around 24 kids per class in middle school and 50 kids per class in high school). This was amazing for our DD who would float in mediocrity because she wasn't a gunner and wasn't a behavioral problem so it's easier to just ignore those kids since they are doing just fine. At Burke, she was challenged to step up.

- They teach independence and self-advocacy. My DD now in high school just manages herself. It's pretty amazing. She is different from my DS who will need more guidance but I know he'll get there because the school expects it.

- They have all the sports and if your kid wants to try and learn but got a late start, the teams are no-cut so it gives them a fighting chance. True they don't win championships and its generally not a sports forward environment but if you want well-rounded, this is the place.

- Bell-to-bell no phones. Students do use iPads for assignments. This was a must for us.

- Academically challenging but not a pressure cooker. They teach kids how to study and they are expected to perform academically. But they will not leave here burnt out before heading to college.

- I was a little turned off by the "quirky, weird kid" description on here but, meh. Kids are just normal kids. No super star athletes, though, if that's what you're looking for. Lots of amazing artists, musicians, actors, class leaders, etc. if that's what you're looking for. Maybe that's code for quirky? I don't know.

We've been very pleased and it's been amazing so far for both of our kids. I'm writing this because we didn't even really consider it a top choice when applying and now I can't imagine sending them anywhere else.

Good luck!