Info on Secular Private Schools: Harding Academy, Ensworth, BGA, USN (Brentwood: appointed, home)

[wheretoTTKK]

Hi!
We are considering an offer from a company based in Brentwood. Our first priority is school for our boy.
We have decided on private school for various reasons and would love any info on- Harding Academy, Battleground Academy, University School, and Ensworth.

- Are those the only non-religious private schools?
- What is your knowledge, impression, etc. on them. i.e., who is the "winner" academically, for the arts, sports, etc.
- Although we are set on private school, we are a mixed race, non-religious, non-conservative couple so any element of diversity would be great!

We will indeed be flying out to tour if possible but community insight is powerful and very helpful.

Thanks so much in advance!
I will be be posting soon on communities, where to live, etc. but school deadlines are closing in so I was hoping for your help.

[Spikett]

I can't give you much info on any individual school but I can tell you this - generally speaking, private schools in Nashville are almost all white. These are the schools where the kids of the upper-middle class and upper classes go. Most of these folks are very conservative politically and tend to be religious as well (most everyone is conservative and religious, regardless of class - it's just the way it is here). If you are looking for open minded diversity I think you'll be disappointed.

[BirdieBelle]

^^^^ Spoken like someone who has never set foot in one of the private schools mentioned.

Based on the OP, I am guessing USN would be a better fit for you.

Here are the quick "stereotypes" you will be most likely to hear about your choices:

Harding Academy is like prep school for MBA. Most boys there go on to MBA (Montgomery Bell Academy).

BGA probably keeps the lowest profile of all these. Longest tradition, rigorous academics, less "diversity."

Ensworth was started when one rich man had a grudge because MBA wouldn't break their 140-year tradition and accept his massive donation on the condition they allow girls (he had a daughter). So he started his own private school. It's the newest of these, but appears to have and endless pool of donations from which to draw, and it shows in their athletics and their facilities.

USN is known for being more diverse, probably on the nerdy side. Rigorous academics balanced with arts. Often the school of choice for offspring of Vanderbilt profs.

A visit would be the only way to choose, though. How old is your son?

[septimus]

USN is very good probably the most academic focused. Lots of professor kids. Very hard to get into. I know lots of people who have applied but very few actually get in.

Harding- Sweet school. People love it, we toured there and were turned off by our tour guide who kept mentioning "cliques"

BGA- Former military school and still run like it in some ways. Silent lunches, very regimented. Not a lot of deviation if your kid is super smart or a little slow.

Ensworth is a much older school that used to be the feeder for MBA and Harpeth Hall. The high school was started fairly recently because of the reason WMsn mentioned. Ensworth seems like a good school with a balanced approach to arts, sports and academics (big enough for something for everyone). Ensworth has a lot of music industry artist and exec kids along with a good amount of old Belle Meade.

[nashvols]

Probably important to note there is a difference between non-sectarian and non-religious.

[wheretoTTKK]

Thank you so much Wmsn4Life and septimus- very helpful and exactly what I was looking for. I read the first response and spent my entire drive home trying to figure out what to say to that... very glad for your insightful responses.
Anyone else with anymore insight please chime in!

Wmsn4Life- my boy will be trying to get into Kindergarten- will be 5 Jan. 23. Good to know it won't be easy but we are certainly up for trying!
Also important to us is differentiation within grade level as we got our son assessed to get him into a gifted school we thought we'd be going to (when we thought we were moving elsewhere) and he would definitely fall into the 'super smart' category.

[citymama]

The only non-sectarian school I've toured was Abintra Montessori. It's a k-8 and a beautiful school with a great philosophy. They have individual learning plans for each student and the multi-age classrooms standard for the Montessori approach.

[BirdieBelle]

Well, since he's not even in kindergarten yet, you've got a long way to go.

Most of my responses were geared toward the high schools.

Has he been in a preschool-type program at all?

Here they don't typically test for giftedness until third grade. Of course, I'm sure the private schools can do whatever whenever.

Is religion an absolute deal-breaker? If you cross them off completely, you are really limiting your choices and leaving out some of your best academic options. Some of the best schools in the area are affiliated but non-denominational. Some are church affiliated but open to those from different faiths or no affiliation at all.

At any rate, i still think USN will be able to give you the more personalized approach you seem to want.

[brentwoodgirl]

Metro Nashville Public Schools has a gifted preschool for 3-4 year olds. Many of the children in that program end up going to private school for Kindergarten and beyond. When my children were completing that preschool, the private schools most often considered by the parents were Oak Hill, Ensworth, and Harding- with most of them ending up at Oak Hill and Ensworth.
I didn't hear as much about USN from the gifted preschool families, but it is an excellent school. We know a lot of families that have children there. USN seems to be the most diverse of the top private schools.

If I were picking right now, my top picks would be USN, Oak Hill, and Ensworth. Oak Hill is based at a Presbyterian church, but I would at least give it some consideration. USN sounds like the best fit from what you described, but it's also good to have some options.

[wheretoTTKK]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

Well, since he's not even in kindergarten yet, you've got a long way to go.

Most of my responses were geared toward the high schools.

Has he been in a preschool-type program at all?

Here they don't typically test for giftedness until third grade. Of course, I'm sure the private schools can do whatever whenever.

Is religion an absolute deal-breaker? If you cross them off completely, you are really limiting your choices and leaving out some of your best academic options. Some of the best schools in the area are affiliated but non-denominational. Some are church affiliated but open to those from different faiths or no affiliation at all.

At any rate, i still think USN will be able to give you the more personalized approach you seem to want.

Hi Wmsn4Life- all the schools I named start in Kindergarten so the info you gave helps.
And yes, he is in a Pre-K program now.

Yes, the gifted school we tested for and got into was Pre-K through 8th. He took the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI-III) and scored in the top .01%. But he is also very social and creative so we'd like something well rounded.

Yes, about religion being an absolute deal-breaker. Are USN, Ensworth, BGA, or Harding "affiliated but non-denominational?"