How to Find a Private School in Arlington and Surrounding Areas

Finding the Right Fit: A Big (but Worthwhile) Puzzle 

Deciding on a local private school is a balancing act—matching your child’s needs with your family’s values, expectations, and finances.

Considerations:

• Academic fit: Small classes and strong support can be great for some kids, while others thrive in large, academically intense environments.

• Tuition & extras: Beyond base tuition, think about meals, books, activities, sports, transportation, and after-care. Some schools also expect annual giving or capital campaigns.

• Financial aid: Schools like National Cathedral, St. Albans, Sidwell, and Potomac often award significant need-based aid - sometimes covering 20–30% of the total tuition. 

• Culture & community: Is the community competitive, nurturing, artsy, or service-focused? These traits can deeply impact your child’s happiness.

• Logistics: Proximity matters for parents and students - commuting adds stress. 

Why Connecting with Families Matters

Numbers and stats are helpful, but chatting with current families or graduates offers the real insights:

• Behind-the-scenes reality: Readiness for transitions, approachability of teachers, and whether the school truly lives it's values.

• Unspoken trade-offs: How early does homework start? How much homework do they have? How competitive is sports or electives?

• Voices matter: Ask questions like, “How did your child adjust?” or “What surprised you about the community?”

Final Thoughts

• Match the scope to your child: Options vary from $10K to $72K+ - there are solid schools at every level.

• Prioritize what matters most: Classroom size? Emotional support? Arts or athletics?

• Talk to insiders: Visits, open houses, and parent networks are critical.

• Budget holistically: Remember tuition isn't the full cost—think extras and family sacrifice too.

Bottom line: Finding the right private school is challenging - but with smart research, community connections, and financial planning, you can find a place where your child will grow, and you’ll feel good about the investment.

Local Private School links:

Rivendell School, Arlington
https://www.rivendellschool.net/

The Sycamore School, Arlington
https://thesycamoreschoolva.org/

Bishop O'Connell, Arlington
https://www.bishopoconnell.org/

VINCI School Arlington
https://vincischool.org/arlington/

The Village School, Arlington
https://www.villageschoolnova.org/

Full Circle Montessori, Arlington
https://www.fullcirclemontessori.com/

Children's House Montessori, Arlington
https://childrenshousemontessori.com/

St. Thomas More, Arlington
https://www.stmschool.org/

Veritas Collegiate Academy, Arlington
https://www.veritasacademydc.com/

St. Agnes School, Arlington
https://school.saintagnes.org/

Congressional School, Falls Church
https://www.congressionalschool.org/

Basis Independant, McLean
https://basisindependent.comgclsrc=aw.ds

The Langley School, McLean
https://www.langleyschool.org/

St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School, Alexandria
https://www.sssas.org/

Episcopal High School, Alexandria
https://www.episcopalhighschool.org/

Flint Hill School, Oakton
https://www.flinthill.org/ 

You can also click HERE to get a list from Arlington Magazine of local Private Schools. Courtesy of Arlington Magazine.

Let me know if you'd like help contacting families, visiting, or modeling tuition+extras at [email protected] or 202-361-6098. I'd love to help you!