Head-Royce School is a top-rated, private school located in Oakland, California. Founded in 1887 by Anna Head, the forerunner of Head-Royce was the Anna Head School for Girls in Berkeley. It is an independent K-12 school focusing on children’s holistic education. Most students belong to over 30 communities in and around the East Bay area, primarily from Oakland, Berkeley, Orinda, and Almeida.
The School relocated to its current position in 1964; the Anna Head School for Girls merged with the adjacent Royce School in 1979 to form today’s Head-Royce School. Tuition costs around $45,600 per year. After graduation, 100% of students from Head-Royce School go on to attend college. Many of them have also made the National Merit Scholarship finals.
Riverdale Country School - Yearly Tuition: $45,050
With a sprawling 27.5-acre campus, Riverdale Country School is the largest in New York City. With notable alumni like director Joss Whedon, actor Chevy Chase, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, and actress Sarah Michelle Geller, their tuition doesn't seem that expensive.
The 2018 Private School Rankings ranks Riverdale Country School as the 5th best private high school in all of New York City and the 28th best private high school in the entire country. It is among the most premier Pre-K to Grade 12 independent schools in the city. One of the biggest draws is the school’s extensive range of programs across subjects like the humanities, STEM, and the arts with community and character building at the heart of it all.
National Cathedral School - Yearly Tuition: $45,440
National Cathedral School is a private Episcopal day school for girls located on the Washington National Cathedral grounds in Washington, D.C. NCS is the oldest of the organizations constituting the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation. A belief in “the power of young women” is what drives the school’s mission.
As a Cathedral school, its proximity to federal Washington provides students with many opportunities to engage with a larger world. The grounds are exceptionally beautiful and some of the buildings have architecture that speaks to the school’s Episcopal roots. With many notable alumnae, NCS proves to be an exceptional choice for those who can afford $45,440 per year.
Greens Farms Academy - Yearly Tuition: $45,690
Founded in 1925, Greens Farms Academy has graduated thousands of compassionate and enterprising individuals - the school was first established as The Bolton School for girls but has since converted to a co-educational system in 1969, still keeping many of its traditions. With a stunning 44-acre waterfront campus in Westport, CT, Greens Farms Academy has three ecosystems - a salt marsh, Audubon woodlands, and the Long Island Sound - along with distinct architecture.
The school prides itself on maintaining small class sizes - 1 teacher to 15 students on an average. Its academic program builds in student mentoring programs and Signature Programs across all grades in World Perspectives, Human Ecology and Sustainability, and STEM.
Choate Rosemary Hall - Yearly Tuition: $45,710
Choate Rosemary Hall is a top-rated, private boarding and day school in Wallingford, Connecticut. With 867 students, their student-teacher ratio remains at 7 to 1. Tuition is quite pricey at $61,760 for the highest grade offered. Choate is one of the most prestigious and oldest schools in the United States and one of the most advanced.
Choate strives to hold on to its reputation of quality education, excellent faculty, and a tight-knit community. According to the school, the Choate experience interweaves rigorous curriculum with building character, where students and teachers live with and continually learn from each other in ways that matter. Sustainability is built into school life, operations, and curriculum.