Anonymous
Post 11/19/2025 18:20     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Homework in HS is optional and not graded at Maret. Students take two assessments a year, but it is to prepare students for assessments for college testing/admissions. They also have a free period starting in 9th.
Anonymous
Post 11/19/2025 12:30     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:And, as often stated in this forum, Field families report a comfortable homework/downtime balance that still results in great college outcomes.


Current Field parent. Agree with this and would also mention that there is a lot of emphasis on executive function and how to plan for assignment timing and how to balance homework with other extracurricular commitments. The advisor structure at Field has been helpful to us.
Anonymous
Post 11/19/2025 07:44     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:I think, more than the school itself, the classes that a student chooses to take drives the amount of homework that they will have each night. If your child chooses to take advanced, honors, and AP classes, they are going to have hours of work each night (even with a block schedule). If they choose to not take the more rigorous courses, they will have a lot less homework. They will still have to do a lot of reading and labs, i.e. but the amount with be significantly lighter. I have noticed that my child's friends who are taking lighter loads have a lot more time for hanging out and doing other activities. My child, who chose to pursue the most rigorous classes she could test into, has very little free time each evening (again, she was aware of what her homework load was going to be and chose to move forward with the difficult classes anyway). I hope this helps!


This! One student’s homework load can be completely different from another student’s at the same school depending on the classes they choose to take.
Anonymous
Post 11/19/2025 07:41     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Exams before Christmas has not been an issue for my kids.

+1 My kid much prefers getting exams out of the way before Christmas.


Same for my kid. It’s a push but Christmas break will actually be a REAL break with time to rest/travel/do fun things, with midterms taking place before vacation starts. It’s healthy to have some real downtime.

DC is in several honors classes at SJC and has a heavy homework load, but has loved the block schedule which spreads out the work. Some nights are better than others, with math being the biggest time-suck. DC came from a Catholic K-8 so they are used to frequent tests and quizzes with no retakes.
Anonymous
Post 11/19/2025 07:29     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
I think, more than the school itself, the classes that a student chooses to take drives the amount of homework that they will have each night. If your child chooses to take advanced, honors, and AP classes, they are going to have hours of work each night (even with a block schedule). If they choose to not take the more rigorous courses, they will have a lot less homework. They will still have to do a lot of reading and labs, i.e. but the amount with be significantly lighter. I have noticed that my child's friends who are taking lighter loads have a lot more time for hanging out and doing other activities. My child, who chose to pursue the most rigorous classes she could test into, has very little free time each evening (again, she was aware of what her homework load was going to be and chose to move forward with the difficult classes anyway). I hope this helps!
Anonymous
Post 11/19/2025 07:27     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
And, as often stated in this forum, Field families report a comfortable homework/downtime balance that still results in great college outcomes.
Anonymous
Post 11/19/2025 06:56     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Which independent high schools (VA & DC; co-ed or girls) have the lightest workloads? Recognize this will be by reputation only since it's difficult to compare.

Looking for a HS that might be lower stress than some of the most competitive schools. Strong counseling program also a plus.


I would recommend checking out Madeira -- they have an unusual schedule where they are taking only a couple subjects at a time during a 6-week or so block. I believe one of the major reasons for that is to diminish the homework load.


Current Madeira parent here. The girls take 3 classes in five week mods, and it’s very intense. Lots of work and the classes move very quickly (most classes are broken up into 3 mods, so the girls get a trimester’s worth of material in five weeks for three classes at a time).

+1
It’s not necessarily less homework, it’s just fewer subjects to focus on at a time, but it’s more intense and fast-paced.
Anonymous
Post 11/18/2025 22:14     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
My kid did not end up at Burke but from talking to parents and students it sounded like not much homework until Junior year, at which point there could be a lot (or not) depending on how many hard classes you take. Plus all kids get a free period they can use for homework.
Anonymous
Post 11/18/2025 22:06     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Which independent high schools (VA & DC; co-ed or girls) have the lightest workloads? Recognize this will be by reputation only since it's difficult to compare.

Looking for a HS that might be lower stress than some of the most competitive schools. Strong counseling program also a plus.


I would recommend checking out Madeira -- they have an unusual schedule where they are taking only a couple subjects at a time during a 6-week or so block. I believe one of the major reasons for that is to diminish the homework load.


Current Madeira parent here. The girls take 3 classes in five week mods, and it’s very intense. Lots of work and the classes move very quickly (most classes are broken up into 3 mods, so the girls get a trimester’s worth of material in five weeks for three classes at a time).
Anonymous
Post 11/18/2025 21:49     Subject: Re:Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why in the world would anyone ask this question? Nuts. Its a troll alert to say the least.


I would love for my kids to go to a school with really smart kids *and* good quality of life. I think OP asks a great question.


+1. By and large, I think high schoolers have too much homework. As adults, if we went to work all day, were expected to participate in sports or extracurriculars as part of our work and then had work we brought home at night that took 3-4 hours, we would be burned out in a matter of weeks.
Anonymous
Post 11/18/2025 21:37     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Not OP and not a troll—would love more answers to this question.
Anonymous
Post 11/18/2025 20:30     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
SR high schooler easily has 3-4 hours per night
Anonymous
Post 11/18/2025 19:42     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:Exams before Christmas has not been an issue for my kids.

+1 My kid much prefers getting exams out of the way before Christmas.
Anonymous
Post 11/18/2025 19:38     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:St John's College High School

With the changes they made to finals before Christmas, my kid feels under constant stress.
I would not recommend SJC unless your child will be a recruited athlete and you need a school that will support them through this journey.
I have spoken with the school counselor and they have flagged the issue to school leadership and the school knows it is a problem but has not done anything to address it


Mine too. The actual homework is solid but manageable but there are loads of tests which puts my kid in a state of never being able to relax. No late work (which is good IMO) and no retakes so there is pressure to do well. Exams can also completely derail your semester grade if you don't do well. I do hear that the kids in Benilde have a study hall and take a class over the summer which lightens their load some.
Anonymous
Post 11/18/2025 18:00     Subject: Least amount of homework (high school)?
Exams before Christmas has not been an issue for my kids.