2024 Best Schools in Seattle

• Seattle, WA•

• Private School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 4.44 out of 5  107 reviews

Sophomore: Most of the rumors and stereotypes you hear about this school and its students are true -- one reviewer mentioned the school's reputation as a pressure cooker and I could not agree more. Homework load is roughly a couple hours a day depending on your classes. As expected, the academic rigor is far greater than the average public school, however things are not perfect. Administration is thoughtful and seems to provide teachers with adequate support, but you'll begin to notice that student sentiment is sometimes disregarded, no matter how popular the idea is. Students are incredibly competitive as expected, and the school takes any sort of cheating incredibly seriously. Teachers can be quite accomodating, but it varies. You'll notice that friend groups are primarily based around race, with a few exceptions. In short -- almost the dream school for academics, and pretty average in the social scene.... Read 107 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 876

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Redmond, WA•

• Private School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 4.37 out of 5  95 reviews

Junior: Overlake so far has been an overall positive experience with great extracurriculars, with at least some opportunities in almost all fields, as well as mostly great teachers. However, because of the work load, making meaningful connections is increasingly hard, student culture is lacking, and kids willingly come to school sick even when infectious because they can't afford to risk a day of school off because of the amount of work they would need to make up, which puts others at risk.... Read 95 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 529

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Kirkland, WA•

• Private School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 4.52 out of 5  21 reviews

Parent: The teachers really care about each student's individual progress. The education is amazing, and there are so many opportunities to explore what are students interested in. They are taught by very qualified teachers who are clearly passionate about what they do. There are a lot of clubs ,plenty of sports you can try. Independent and self-driven students can really thrive here.my daughter loves and enjoy EPS.... Read 21 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 486

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Seattle, WA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.23 out of 5  75 reviews

Parent: UPrep has been such a great place for our family. Our sons began in 6th grade and while they are very different students, they each found great friends and lots of ways to engage and learn at UPrep. UPrep’s fantastic teachers have created a culture where kids feel free to experiment with new things. Academics are both rigorous and collaborative so it feels really positive rather than overly competitive. The school embraces cutting edge curriculum like their intensives program where kids spend 3 weeks focusing completely on one area of study. The athletics program has an inclusive no-cut policy. The parent/guardian community is welcoming and we have enjoyed volunteering and making lots of lasting friendships. Finally, the outstanding college counseling office expertly guided our son successfully through the college search process! So clearly we love UPrep and highly recommend it!... Read 75 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 660

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Seattle, WA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  112 reviews

Senior: Seattle Academy has provided me with not only the education of a life time, but the experience of one as well. Whether it’s through affinity groups that allow me to feel comfortable with my multiracial identity, clubs that are led by students to ensure you have peers who relate to you, or even just the basic electives run by the school, my time at SAAS has taught me so much and has allowed me to grow into the person I am today. Through the guidance of Seattle Academy, I have traveled out of the country to the depths of Yukon Canada, I have led clubs that required me to step out of my comfort zone and later allowed me to rediscover who I am, and finally, I was able to evolve through the school and make friends who I now consider my family. Overall, I have accomplished beyond anything that I ever imagined I could during my time at SAAS. Though my school is not perfect, there’s nothing I would change. My experience at SAAS has made me who I am, and my forever thankful for it.... Read 112 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,170

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Seattle, WA•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  84 reviews

Senior: Bush feels like a small liberal arts college in Seattle. And the academics feel like college too! Round table discussions, experience project learning, high teacher to student ratio.... Read 84 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 715

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Seattle, WA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.22 out of 5  72 reviews

Parent: Our youngest child is in the 4th year at NWS. Our oldest child is in a different school (senior) and that school has a very high rank with this site. The ranking is only as relevant as your child and family fit. NWS has a strong social justice and sustainability focus, integrated with a thoughtful curriculum. One distinction is their Humanities program. The curriculum integrates language arts, social studies, and geography in Middle School and history, English, philosophy, art history, and literature in Upper School. I did not realize the full meaning of the benefits until I was in a debate with my student with a very integrative argument! The real world is integrative, so why not educate our students that way. The teachers and administrators are passionate about building a whole child and cultivating a caring school culture. When a significant event happens in the real world, the teachers allow time for reflection. I love how they teaches through the child's eyes.... Read 72 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 452

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Redmond, WA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.96 out of 5  81 reviews

Parent: We joined the school in high school and were immediately and intentionally welcomed. The inclusive community allowed our child to branch out and to explore new interests. The teachers are amazing! The rich community allows the teachers to engage with the children outside of the classroom and many are also coaches and club mentors which has fostered growth intellectually, spiritually, socially and emotionally. My child and our family feels known and supported. With one of our children being a senior, we have received excellent guidance to prepare for college.... Read 81 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 908

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Mercer Island, WA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  19 reviews

Parent: NYHS has been a great choice for our son. We love the small class size, which enables each student to receive the full attention of every teacher. The teachers are excellent and the course offerings are challenging and adaptive to the interests of the students and faculty. In a small school, teachers are able to request and read multiple drafts of every essay, fostering the development of high level writing skills. The teachers make themselves available during lunch or after school, ensuring that students with questions are able to have them answered in a timely manner. The campus itself feels like comfortable home, with beautiful and inviting spaces both indoors and out, and even space to garden and raise chickens and bees! The school is deeply invested in college prep, and is highly interactive with parents in supporting the application process. We could not be more pleased with the education our son is receiving, both the Judaics and the general education components, at NYHS.... Read 19 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 57

• Student-teacher ratio 3:1

• Highline School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  167 reviews

Senior: My favorite thing about Raisbeck Aviation High School is the diversity and the resources that my teachers provide. Their are kids from all over the area whether they live on an island or right in the school area. They are all welcome here. I see kids from from so many cultures and environments in school, but no matter the differences we all get along. And if someone is being picked on then they are free to tell a teacher and that teacher will help them work it out. At Raisbeck, the students are given so many opportunities to expand their minds and hearts. And our teachers are a great recourses to go to. Just ask for help on anything that a student might me having trouble with and they will answer any questions you may have. And if they specifically don't have that answer then they will direct you to another recourse that will. Here at my school everyone is welcome here. We have clubs and activities to join. We have a sports team. We even have our own mascot, a Friday the Phoenix. Bye!... Read 167 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 402

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Bellevue School District, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.94 out of 5  210 reviews

Junior: Good school with a strong performing arts program and lots of resources for students. I'm in band and jazz band and we perform, travel, and compete often. There's a specialized college and career counselor who's very helpful to talk to. I transferred starting junior year and I found it pretty easy to make friends, largely because of my involvement in band. Also, this school is very committed to sports. Multiple teams made it to state tournaments this year. However, BHS is very clique-y. Imagine you're in a high school movie surrounded by rich kids who care immensely about popularity and football. SO many girls are bleach blondes. I found it jarring to move into this social environment. Also, BHS seems to have low standards for their teachers. Multiple teachers display rampant favoritism and some are incompetent. The social studies department will either overwork you and grade unfairly or slack off for the entire year.... Read 210 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,514

• Student-teacher ratio 1514:1

• Seattle, WA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.97 out of 5  104 reviews

Parent: Our daughter was very well prepared for college and was supported by the administration and faculty to get accepted and attend her first choice university. This school is academically rigorous. Students tend be be high achievers with high intellectual capacity. The athletic program is strong. The athletic program supports high performing athletes. Socially, it is not for the faint of heart for girls.... Read 104 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 720

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Bellevue, WA•

• Private School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 3.64 out of 5  78 reviews

Parent: My daughter came from a "rigorous" priv. hs in Seattle-she was shutting down. She is gifted/high achieving but was not thriving in a grade/test-driven environment. She was lucky to be accepted to Forest Ridge as a soph. & it has been transformative for her. The teachers are top notch & kind, the atmosphere is supportive, & the classes are intrinsically interesting and developmentally appropriate. The subjects are just as challenging as other school & graduates go to great colleges. There is a poster that says "Reject Dystopia" in the Eng. class- the school is realist while also being upbeat/kind. The uniforms at first were big detractor, but she actually likes it. The admin team is top notch--recently from top East Coast/and top local schools. FR reminds me of UCDS- (daughters went for pre-K through 5th) &L-Dub (before it moved). My daughter actually said, "I am excited to go to school now!" She easily made friends. I see lots of happy kids across all grades & exceptional teachers!... Read 78 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 300

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Seattle, WA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  222 reviews

Senior: The words, "time flies when you're having fun" truly apply to my time. All I heard growing up is, "Live in the moment, high school flies by". Now that it is senior year, I actually understand what everyone was telling me. Throughout my time at Blanchet, I have been in multiple clubs. I participated in our Ski and Snowboarding club freshman year. Although classes were online, this was a great opportunity to meet new friends. I am also involved in the Girls Who Code club, which is awesome because I love computer science and want to pursue this in college. Something I have been involved in is our school class cabinet. I have been elected for two years by my peers to help organize school events and lead our class as a whole for a fun and memorable school year. I think one of the best things that has happened to me at Blanchet is going to retreats with my grade every year. It has made so many friendships and created trust within my community. A change I would want to see are more retreats.... Read 222 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 854

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Seattle, WA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  25 reviews

Parent: We have a 9th grader at the Seattle Waldorf High School, and it is a hidden gem! Our bright kid with learning differences, for whom we struggled for years to find a good school fit, is at long last thriving. I am impressed with the ability the SWS teachers to creatively integrate high level concepts and hands on learning in order to offer a rich curriculum across the arts and sciences. Although we were not specifically seeking out a Waldorf learning environment, we appreciate the school's underpinning in the humanities and the nurturing environment which values the contributions of each student. Instead of approaching academics in a cookie cutter fashion, SWHS teaches students to integrate and synthesize knowledge across disciplines, setting them up to become curious lifelong learners. There is also a genuine respect and appreciation for diversity of expression, which helps all the kids feel accepted. I am so happy to have found this school for our kid!... Read 25 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 318

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Seattle, WA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.21 out of 5  264 reviews

Senior: My experience with Holy Names Academy has overall been a positive one. I found that an all girl environment created a more secure and comfortable atmosphere to share my opinions, be more confident, and learn more about myself. Academics at HNA are competitive, but also very collaborative with many available resources to aid the students in their learning and school work, as well as very flexible teachers. The social environment is awesome, I found a great group of friends while also having many friends outside of that group. Athletics were also competitive and I learned to work well with others. One part of the experience that leans more to the negative side is that it's not a traditional high school experience. Since it's an all girls school, there isn't a football team and dances are also different because it's more difficult to find dates. Overall, HNA is a great school with admirable characteristics all around and I wouldn't pick any other school.... Read 264 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 570

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Mercer Island School District, WA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.5 out of 5  6 reviews

Middle School Student: This mostly an outstanding school, I am currently finishing my 7th grade at IMS. Most of the teachers are pretty amazing. This school offers a variety of accelerated classes, which I always try to utilize. IMS has some varsity teams, although not much, a track, and volleyball teams. The atmosphere and culture is definitely something I value at this school, a huge portion of students participate in spirit days, and most people are nice and welcoming. The cafeteria food definitely needs improvement. But honestly, so far I’m having a good middle school experience.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A

• Students 956

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Lake Washington School District, WA•

• 6-9

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  4 reviews

Middle School Student: Renaissance is a phenomenal school, and the connections I made will stay with me for the rest of my life. Classes are small, 32 kids a grade, so kids make friends very easily and get to know everyone in the school. The teachers are warm and inviting, helping out students that are having trouble in classes, and joking around with students. The art program is amazing, with students doing mosaics, water color, pastels, and learning about the color wheel and drawing techniques. The performing arts program is also great, with the first semester being focused on dance, and the second on acting. RSAR is the best school I've been to, and I've met my best friends there.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A

• Students 93

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Seattle, WA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.04 out of 5  90 reviews

Senior: O'Dea High School is a unique experience and is something that I can say is the best thing that's ever happened to me. You get four things which I value most in one high school and that is, great academics, great sports, brotherhood and opportunity. One exceptional part of O'Dea is the athletic programs. If you're from the state of Washington, the number one thing O'Dea is known for is their success in all sports. The coaches not only set up players for success on the field/court, etc., they set them up for life and the next level. I am so grateful to be apart of two athletic programs at the school. Another factor that makes O'Dea excellent is the brotherhood. Since O'Dea is an all boys school, the time that's spent getting to know one another is unmatched. Everyone is viewed as brothers and treats everyone with respect, in the classroom, out of the classroom, or anywhere else. It's an experience that's truly one of a kind and unique and one that I can say I'm proud to been apart of.... Read 90 reviews

• grade A

• Students 490

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Seattle Public Schools, WA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.9 out of 5  336 reviews

Alum: As someone who attended Roosevelt a few years back, Roosevelt is truly the best public high school in Seattle. The school is filled with a bunch of well driven students who will grow up to be very successful, which is shown by the amount of students who go on to attend prestigious universities throughout the country (UCLA, NYU, Cal, USC, UW, etc.,). Aside from the phenomenal academics, Roosevelt offers a great social scene, with there being lots of off campus social events on the weekends. Additionally, Roosevelt has very high student participation rate in athletics, as well as music & arts. With notable alumni such as Duff McKagan, Nikki Sixx, Sir Mix-a-Lot, and Mike McCready, what is there to not love about Roosevelt High School?... Read 336 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,575

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Lake Washington School District, WA•

• K-5

• grade A

• Students 510

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Shoreline, WA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  16 reviews

Sophomore: The school is very community oriented which serves the students, staff and families of the school well. The teachers are very fair when it comes to students grades and assignments, they are able to get students to understand the concepts which they are teaching easily and they have well organized curriculum's. It's a good learning environment overall.... Read 16 reviews

• grade A

• Students 262

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Lake Washington School District, WA•

• 1-6

• grade A

• Students 60

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Bellevue, WA•

• Private School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 4.56 out of 5  45 reviews

Parent: We put over a year of research into finding the right middle school/highschool for our son. He’s a bright, funny, creative intellectual. The moment we met the Hillside community, we knew it was special. The teachers are invested in each student and are able to help them develop their academic and personal gifts. Our son is thriving academically and socially - he is excited for school everyday. Whenever we have parent conferences, I can tell the teachers know him well; he’s not just another number in the program. This is an excellent model for developing self aware, confident, authentic young adults who can succeed across the board. We are so thankful to be part of the Hillside community!!... Read 45 reviews

• grade A

• Students 32

• Student-teacher ratio 3:1

• Seattle, WA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  156 reviews

Parent: I’ve been so grateful for our family’s experience with King’s Schools. We have a large family with diverse interests and educational areas of focus. King’s has met each of my children where they are, they have felt seen and known and each one savors the safe environment where they go to school. The academic rigor has been on point. Two of our family’s graduates got into universities of their choice, with scholarships. Our kids have played sports, done theatre, music, art, and even traveled internationally for Serve & Learn school trips. We cannot express our gratitude for King’s. My kids feel loved and are experiencing the best of School community. We are so grateful that we made the switch from our other local school to here, it has, most assuredly given our children a leg up in facing the world of 2023!... Read 156 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,346

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1