Best Private Schools? (Phoenix, Surprise, Cave Creek: environment, work, universities)

[nolagirl]

The previous post focuses mainly on public schools, but I'm just curious about the private schools. I don't think I will be able to afford them, but for the sake of this post let's assume money isn't an issue and they are all free, which one is best? I hear a lot about Brophy, Xavier, Country Day, Rancho Solano, Teseract, Episcipal Dat, etc - which do you think it the best and why?

[frogandtoad]

I loved the sound of Phoenix Country Day...that would be my first pick

What about the public schools in Carefree/Cave Creek or is that too far away for this conversation? My understanding is that they have an IB program and the students go on to excellent universities...that's hearsay--I have not done extensive research (yet! It's one of our top picks for places to move late this summer so I need to do more research!)

[nolagirl]

I'm really just curious about private schools, there are tons of posts on public schools, but you never hear anything about private schools. Like I said, they are out of my range, but let's pretend I win the lottery .

[Maroon197]

well, if you're male, Brophy is the best school (academically) in the state. Not only that, but the campus is one of the prettiest places in the entire Phoenix Metro area, and certainly one of the nicest high school campuses in the west. Other than that, I wouldn't waste the money on a private school, as the others don't offer nearly as much. Xavier, the girls school counterpart to Brophy, pales in comparison, sadly.

[GilbertMom]

Originally Posted by Maroon197

well, if you're male, Brophy is the best school (academically) in the state. Not only that, but the campus is one of the prettiest places in the entire Phoenix Metro area, and certainly one of the nicest high school campuses in the west. Other than that, I wouldn't waste the money on a private school, as the others don't offer nearly as much. Xavier, the girls school counterpart to Brophy, pales in comparison, sadly.

On what do you base your comment about Xavier College Preparatory? The schools share a campus compound, teachers and classrooms. 100% of their graduates go on to college; many go to prestigious out-of-state schools on full scholarships. Additionally, almost 70% of their students participate in AIA sanctioned sports. Their golf, swimming, tennis and volleyball teams regularly dominate their division teams.

I sense some sour grapes in your response. Why the negative comment about Xavier?

[nolagirl]

Maroon - you are the 2nd person I have heard say that, care to share the reasoning? &, where would you send a girl if you decided to stick w/ private schools?

[azriverfan.]

If money is no object, the best school in the valley in terms of pure academics is Phoenix Country Day. Even the Brophy/Xavier kids will admit that. Brophy and Xavier are the older, more established schools. However, Brophy also has a little bit of a social rich kids party element to them and they are also really big into their sports programs. Their football team is one of the best in the state. It's fashionable to say you go to Brophy or Xavier because they are recognized as socially popular schools in addition to being great academic schools.

Phoenix Country Day is much more of a quiet nerdy school. It doesn't really care about it's social prestige or sports. Unlike Brophy, PCD doesn't have a football team or an amazing looking campus. Their focus is academics and their classes are smaller. It's much more of a nerdy school that's focused on sending their graduates to competitive universities whether that's an Ivy League school, Stanford, Duke or some competitive small liberal arts college like Williams, Amherst. I've seen too many Brophy kids go to ASU and other public schools where none of the PCD students I know go to any of the colleges in Arizona. It's the most expensive private school and it's considered the school for the richest kids in the valley but their students are much more focused and less into the social/party element that Brophy/Xavier kids are into. I don't think there is anything wrong with going to a public school but the reason you pay 13 K a year is so that you can get your kid into a competitive college otherwise there are many great public schools that offer a great education but lack the network connections these private schools have with the Ivy Leagues and other big named schools.

I think Brophy's campus and tuition are better. If I wanted my kid to have a more normal high school environment that is much more balanced, I would send them to Brophy/Xavier. If I was wanting to send my kid to an Ivy League school, without a doubt I would send them to PCD if money was no object.

[Maroon197]

Xavier is run by nuns, and is a much more oppressive overall environment in my experience. Surprise, surprise, I went to Brophy and knew several Xavier girls, as well as a few former Xavier teachers. Almost every single one that I talked to spoke negatively about Xavier (shockingly enough, the former teachers especially) and the academic and social environment that exists there. Xavier also has an alcohol problem (they were #1 in the state in alcohol abuse a few years ago) and they pay their teachers very, very poorly. Brophy, conversely, while right next door to XCP and likewise a catholic school, is run by Jesuit priests whose primary focus as an order is education. It is a much more open and liberal environment with a strong familial overtone.

As for where I would send a girl, I really don't know. Country day is astronomical in cost (more than double Brophy, last I checked), and I would never pay that much for anything short of an Ivy League university. St. Mary's is a decent choice for co-ed private education, but again, it's a notch below academically. I'd also check out Notre Dame Prep. It's newer, but rising quickly in stature.

[frogandtoad]

Sounds like everything good other than Country Day is religious?? Maybe that's why the can charge double--anyone agnostic/atheist/any religion other than Catholic only has PCD to look to for great academics??

[nolagirl]

I don't know how they stack up, trying to find out, but I don't think Rancho Solano or Teseract are religious.

Just re-read my original post, sorry about the typos.