All-Girls School

National Cathedral School

#2 in Best High Schools for STEM in District of Columbia

grade A+
Overall Grade
Private, Episcopal, All-Girls
4-12
WASHINGTON, DC
Rating 4.32 out of 5 78 reviews

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A+

Overall Niche Grade

How are grades calculated?Data Sources

Academics
grade A+
Diversity
grade A
Teachers
grade A+
College Prep
grade A+
Clubs & Activities
grade A+
Sports
grade A

ncs.cathedral.org

(202) 537-6374

3612 WOODLEY RD NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20016

About National Cathedral School...

Applying

Application Deadline

January 12

Application Fee

$75

Interview Required

Yes

Required/Recommended Tests

ISEE, SSAT

Tuition

Yearly Tuition

$53,210

Tuition is for the highest grade offered and may have changed for the current school year. For more information, please contact the school.

Received Financial Aid

21%

Average Financial Aid

$36,000

From National Cathedral School

At NCS, an independent girls' school for grades 4-12, we believe in the power of young women. We are more than a place for skills-based learning; here you will also uncover and shape who you are, what you need, how you relate to others, and so much more.

Situated on the grounds of Washington National Cathedral, NCS offers a highly curated environment that helps each student believe in her individual power and actively engage in any pursuit with excellence, service, courage, and conscience. 

National Cathedral School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, ethnicity, cultural background, economic circumstance, human capacity, sexual orientation, or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law in the administration of its educational policies, employment policies, admission policies, financial aid and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs.

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National Cathedral School Rankings

Niche ranks nearly 100,000 schools and districts based on statistics and millions of opinions from students and parents.

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Academics

Average Graduation Rate

100%

Average SAT

1440

107 responses

Average ACT

85 responses

Niche College Admissions Calculator

Popular Colleges

Niche users from this school are most interested in the following colleges.

grade A+
University of Virginia
66 Students
grade A+
University of Pennsylvania
49 Students
grade A+
Princeton University
48 Students
grade A+
Duke University
47 Students
grade A+
Columbia University
46 Students
grade A+
University of Chicago
45 Students
grade A+
Yale University
43 Students
grade A+
Brown University
40 Students
grade A+
Georgetown University
40 Students
grade A+
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
37 Students

More About National Cathedral School Academics

Campus Life at NCS

Our campus—59 acres known as the Cathedral Close—is a dynamic place, full of curious and spirited individuals who come together to learn and live intensely, with purpose and passion.    Students traverse the Close frequently, on their way between NCS’s four classroom buildings, a service in Washington National Cathedral, a co-ed class at St. Albans, or our 90,000-square-foot Athletic Center. 

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Culture & Safety

Poll

93%

of students agree that they feel safe at their school. 14 responses

Poll

93%

of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there. 14 responses

Poll

What are your favorite school events or traditions?

Based on 35 responses

Lessons and Carols
23%
Music Day
20%
Flag Day
17%
Spirit Week
14%
Field Day
11%
Diversity Forum
6%
Homecoming
6%

Students

Diversity

Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents.

Students

599

81%

of students and parents agree that students at this school are competitive. 16 responses

94%

of students and parents agree that students at this school are creative and artsy. 16 responses

88%

of students and parents agree that students at this school are athletic. 16 responses

Teachers

Student-Teacher Ratio

8:1

National

17:1

Poll

94%

of students and parents agree that the teachers give engaging lessons. 17 responses

Poll

88%

of students and parents agree that the teachers genuinely care about the students. 17 responses

Poll

94%

of students and parents agree that the teachers adequately lead and control the classroom. 17 responses

Map

Homes For Sale

View Nearby Homes

Clubs & Activities

A+

Based on student and parent reviews of clubs and activities.

Girls Athletic Participation

Very High

Boys Athletic Participation

91%

of students and parents agree that there are plenty of clubs and organizations for students to get involved in. 11 responses

73%

of students and parents agree that clubs and organizations get the funding they need. 11 responses

82%

of students and parents agree that lots of students participate in clubs and organizations. 11 responses

Overall Niche Grade

How are grades calculated?Data Sources

Cost of Living
grade C minus
Good for Families
grade A minus
Housing
grade C minus

Median Household Income

$93,547

National

$69,021

Median Rent

$1,681

National

$1,163

Median Home Value

$635,900

National

$244,900

National Cathedral School Reviews

78 reviews

Absolutely top notch school . Our junior (11th grade) joined in 6th grade and it has been very socially fulfilling and academically rigorous but with support systems in place as needed. Over the last five years in this community we have seen our daughter become more confident, more motivated and focused while showing great kindness and humility to those around her. She loves NCS and we have made good friends in the parent community. She is surrounded by confident, kind, and very supportive peers. I have countless examples I could cite of seniors helping juniors just in the last few weeks alone! The college counseling preparation is also excellent. It is very easy to write this review because we have had a very good experience.

Review National Cathedral School

I love my friends and teachers, and the academics are rigorous and challenging. However, I stay up till 12 or later most nights trying to get my work done, and I feel an incredible amount of stress to do well.. Though I'm grateful for this experience, people who apply to this school should know what they're in for. The school definitely lies about how manageable the workload is, because even my friends who are exceptionally smart spend a lot of time studying and on homework, late into the night. I love NCS, but sometimes I feel as if I'm slowly being drained and cheated out of my childhood. I'm grateful for my opportunity to be at NCS and the benefits that it will bring later in life, however, right now its hard to focus on the positive... the lower school and middle school academics aren't too bad, I would say. but in upper school, prepare to disappear for a few months and then return in the summer. Sometimes all this studying feels like an out of body experience haha

I'm a rising senior at National Cathedral School and first came in 9th grade. From the beginning, NCS has done a great job at helping new students integrate and feel welcomed into the community through their one week of orientation in the middle of August known as Prep for Success, two weeks of preseason in the end of August, and any additional social gatherings organized by the PTA. In addition, the teachers always make it a priority to help their students by allowing them to stop by during office hours at the end of the academic day (they are of course flexible as I've even met with teachers before school too) and really take the time to get to know their students on a personal level as well (the low student to faculty ratio definitely helps with this!)

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National Cathedral School Rankings

Academics

Popular Colleges

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Map

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National Cathedral School Reviews

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