2020 Best International Baccalaureate Schools in the Washington, D.C. AreaAbout this List

Richard Montgomery High School

• Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
• 9-12
• 492 reviews

Junior: I have been a student at Richard Montgomery High School for almost three years and I love this school so much! It is so well-rounded, in terms of its diversity of academic courses, extracurriculars and students that attend the school. The school provides the IB Magnet courses, AP courses, Honors classes and on-level classes. Most of the teachers are very helpful, welcoming and always willing to offer extra aid and review. There are hundreds of extracurriculars available to the students, which are presented to the students at the club fair in the beginning of the year. Finally, the school spirit at RM is unmatched, with great participation during spirit weeks, sports games and every day, all the time.
Read 492 Reviews

• A+

• 2,391 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Oakton High School

• Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
• 9-12
• 413 reviews

Sophomore: I’m currently a sophomore at Oakton High School. A few teachers I've had over the past two years have really stood out and helped me to become a better student and person. The school is currently undergoing a 5 year renovation that should be done in 2022-2023, so we are getting new parts of the building every so often. We just got a new cafeteria that is very nice and they are currently working on the math/science halls. Our sports teams are very good and our football team, which hasn’t had the best luck these past few years, is finally working on getting back to how they used to be. If you’re bored at the school then that’s your fault. There are SO MANY sports teams and clubs you can join!! I love going to Oakton High School but sometimes there is just so much stress, but you’ll find that in any FCPS school. If you’re moving to this area I highly recommend finding a house in the Oakton High School area. You won’t regret it.
Read 413 Reviews

• A+

• 2,512 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School

• Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
• 9-12
• 386 reviews

Senior: I love BCC. I've had such an amazing experience and can't wait for my senior year to start! We are filled with individuals from all walks of life, different cultures, orientations, financials situations - and for the most part everyone gets along.
Read 386 Reviews

• A+

• 2,064 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Washington Liberty High School

• Arlington Public Schools, VA
• 9-12
• 469 reviews

Senior: I enjoy Washington Liberty's diversity in the student body and the community that is created among everyone. However, I have often felt that they put too much pressure on their students to take advanced and difficult classes. Although, of course, it is important to challenge students to be their best version, I have felt that people at this school take it too far. Often students forget what's important and get to caught up in trying to be the best. The school does, however, provide many opportunities for sports and extracurricular activities. They provide computers for their students that they get to keep all four years.
Read 469 Reviews

• A+

• 2,537 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

District of Columbia International School

• Public School
• Washington, DC
• 6-12
• 6 reviews

Freshman: My school, DC International Public Charter School is International Baccalaureate (IB) school which offers college-level courses and the opportunity to earn college credit. I am fluent in Mandarin due to these wondeful programs offered at my school. I have traveled to China twice with my school to enhance my Mandarian in a full immersion setting. Most DCPS and DCPCS High Schools allow students to go off campus during lunch, I wish my school, DCI would allow us to go off campus during lunch as well. Overall my school is totally awesome. Go Dragons!!!
Read 6 Reviews

• A+

• 520 Students
• 9:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Marshall High School

• Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
• 9-12
• 299 reviews

Alum: Loved the teachers, loved the courses. Rigorous, yet rewarding International Baccalaureate program. Amazing athletics department. Major renovations were finished in 2016 and the school is gorgeous now. Teachers really care about the students and respect them, so the students respect the teachers as well. Really great vocational school "Marshall Academy" within the high school that offers Automotive Tech, Criminal Justice, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Cyber Security, Computer Systems A+, Chinese, Cisco CCNA Networking, and more! Amazing extracurriculars and a very supportive community.
Read 299 Reviews

• A+

• 2,173 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

George Mason High School

• Falls Church City Public Schools, VA
• 9-12
• 136 reviews

Alum: As a student who moves often, I was nervous going into George Mason. Since George Mason is placed in an area where many kids of diplomats and government workers come and go, the students there were used to new students coming in and were very accepting. Although the school has the stereotypical division amongst the students such as jocks, thespians, brainiacs, etc, there was no animosity amongst the groups which I appreciated. There are many talented students in the arts programs, and being a theater kid myself, I was able to grow in a very healthy environment.
Overall, education, after school activities, and faculty wise, I had an excellent experience at George Mason High School and I deeply miss the people there.
Read 136 Reviews

• A+

• 808 Students
• 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Robinson Secondary School

• Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
• 7-12
• 456 reviews

Senior: All of the IB and honors teachers are very passionate about their jobs, and I have learned so much from them. Administration cares about their students, too. I have had issues with other students, and my principle helped me feel comfortable in school again. The school cares about the mental health of their students and offers many opportunities for students to decompress and enjoy their high school experience. You have to attend at least one Robinson football game and join an arts program! All of the performing arts teachers are phenomenal and have nationally/globally ranked programs. Go rams!
Read 456 Reviews

• A+

• 3,938 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

South Lakes High School

• Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
• 9-12
• 462 reviews

Senior: South Lakes High School is both a great school academically and socially. The school is very diverse, so there's no problem finding new people to interact with. Although some teachers and departments are better than others, the strong departments have teachers that are very dedicated to teaching students the curriculum and making an impact on their lives. However, there are also teachers that are not as proficient at teaching their subject, but they still care about their students' well-being and growth. The football games and basketball games are always fun and a large number of people from each class go, so there's no doubt that the school has both great spirit and great athletics. Multiple different sports teams even go on to play at states. Overall, it's a fun school, and getting into college when attending South Lakes shouldn't be a problem.
Read 462 Reviews

• A

• 2,523 Students
• 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School

• Falls Church City Public Schools, VA
• 6-8

• A

• 587 Students
• 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Thomas Jefferson Elementary School

• Falls Church City Public Schools, VA
• 2-5

• A

• 822 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Rockville High School

• Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
• 9-12
• 367 reviews

Alum: Rockville High School has many admirable qualities. It's small size made for a fairly interconnected student body which facilitated the sharing of ideas and knowledge. Additionally they had competitive programs with many motivated students which pushed us in our studies subsequently enhancing our understanding. Apart from just the quality academics, I also greatly enjoyed my time on our various sports teams. Our players all had great attitudes even in defeat and despite the occasional disagreement with coaching staff we managed to settle those differences. Finally I have made some incredible and lifelong friends during my time there and will be forever grateful for that.
Read 367 Reviews

• A

• 1,451 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

British International School of Washington

• Private School
• Washington, DC
• PK, K-12
• 9 reviews

Parent: Young, enthusiastic teachers all trained in the British education system. Rather than focus on homework and multiple choice exams, this school trains students to both in research and how to actively participate in an international and multicultural world. The schools integrates well established programs such as Cambridge curricula/exams, MIT technical programs, and Juliard art training.
Read 9 Reviews

• A

• 510 Students
• 9:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Benjamin Banneker Academic High School

• District of Columbia Public Schools, DC
• 9-12
• 275 reviews

Senior: I like that Benjamin Banneker Academic high school is a rigorous high school that is college preparatory, giving us students a preview of what college life will consist of. We also have a great tutoring program that helps us with all the challenging homework and projects we get daily. But with the school offers, Banneker still has its flaws, I would like to see the school add more electives to its program because I have a lot of fellow peers who are talented and wants more experience in certain subjects, I would also like to see the school get more resources like computers, more space, materials to do certain projects, and most importantly more lab space for our science department. Banneker is a great school and I highly recommend this school for any student trying to find a good high school to attend.
Read 275 Reviews

• A

• 482 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Albert Einstein High School

• Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
• 9-12
• 303 reviews

Freshman: I have really enjoyed my time at AEHS. The teachers are very good and there are challenging classes while maintaining a calm and inclusive vibe. The sports are not insane but constantly improving and the games get a lot of fans. The most important thing is that you are self-motivated. If you care, it is indeed the place to be. Go Titans! Roll 'Stein!
Read 303 Reviews

• A-

• 1,748 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Edison High School

• Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
• 9-12
• 281 reviews

Junior: Thomas A. Edison is a great school to go to! From meeting different people from all around the world to unique clubs and sports. Academics are well taught but teachers need to be a bit more open minded. The food can be better, too, no one wants to eat the same thing everyday. Plus, vegetarians, vegans, and pecitarians have very limited options (a PB&J ) b/c they’re serving small hamburgers everyday. The rest of the school is a fun, safe, and nice learning environment
Read 281 Reviews

• A-

• 2,070 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Annandale High School

• Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
• 9-12
• 399 reviews

Senior: My experience at Annandale High School was fairly good. I moved from another high school in Ethiopia to Virginia in my junior year. This is my senior year at Annandale. Being a new student has it's own disadvantage, in my first days I usually get lost in the school and be late to class, however the teachers were mostly understanding and the students are very kind and helpful. They would show me directions and sometimes they walk to my class themselves. In one year I make lots of friends. The whole staff of the school is very kind and supportive. Also the school is very diverse. When I started school at Annandale I was scared at first. I was scared of not making friends, being bullied and fail my classes, but it all turned out just fine. I was also worried about communication skills, because my English wasn't that good. Now I'm a senior and I'll leave this school in June, i had an experience in this school, looking back there are lots of things I would miss from this school. GO ATOMS!
Read 399 Reviews

• B+

• 2,160 Students
• 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Springbrook High School

• Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
• 9-12
• 408 reviews

Alum: Springbrook high school was a very diverse school filled with all types of people and backgrounds. I made friends with people from all over the world and learned about different foods, music, and languages I have never even heard of! In addition to that, the school was so small so I felt like everyone knew each other and the environment was very tight-knit. Teachers took their time to get to know students and were always available after school if anyone needed help. On the downside, the school was pretty messy. There were lots of roaches and mice crawling around but over the years, it became less frequent. Overall, I had a good experience at the school
Read 408 Reviews

• B+

• 1,792 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Seneca Valley High School

• Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
• 9-12
• 325 reviews

Senior: Attending Seneca Valley High School for 4 years has been a wonderful experience. The athletics, academics, teachers, staff, and students form a strong community that I never had in my previous schools. The thing about Seneca Valley that stands out the most is the 2-year International Baccalaureate program that is offered, which is extremely challenging and will greatly help you in college. Another interesting fact is that Seneca Valley is currently in construction of a new school, which will be the biggest high school in Maryland! I am truly going to miss this school and hope future students have the same experience as I did.
Read 325 Reviews

• B+

• 1,203 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Lee High School

• Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
• 9-12
• 243 reviews

Junior: Lee is a fairly decent school, despite its rather debatable reputation. There are a lot of people with a lot of different mindsets and different ways of handling things. The teachers manage to do well teaching the variety of students, and I know some who actually go around and ask whether or not their way of teaching is helpful for her students. However, there are still some things that could definitely be improved. I feel that mental health issues could be more explored, as I know students with depression who feel that their teachers don't respect or care for them. There is also a lot of stress that goes along with that, especially with the IB students. Test after test and essay after essay hardly ever gives the students a chance to relax and de-stress themselves.
Read 243 Reviews

• B

• 1,816 Students
• 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Justice High School

• Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
• 9-12
• 332 reviews

Junior: So far my experience at Justice high school has been great. The staff is very friendly the counselors truly care about their students. The school's motto is "take care of yourselves take care of each other and take care of our school" which really shows how much the school cares about each individual. One of the many things I like about Justice is that it has a program called AVID which helps students prepare for college it teaches them the importance of college, how to apply, how to apply for scholarships and where to find them. The AVID program has college visits and it really helps students see what colleges look like and the way they work in person. One thing I that would like the school to change is how after SOL's the students have to go back to class and continue studying and although it is important our brains need time to relax and take a break instead off pushing it to its limit.
Read 332 Reviews

• B

• 2,134 Students
• 14:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Watkins Mill High School

• Montgomery County Public Schools, MD
• 9-12
• 371 reviews

Alum: I would like to say that the faculty at Watkins Mill are very supportive and outgoing with their students (as long as the student shows them respect). I had a very good experience at Watkins Mill High School, I did the IB Career Program while I was there, and it prepared me to conduct research, write essays and manage my time. The only downside about Watkins Mill is that there are a few students who can be disrespectful, or not take school seriously enough. As long as you work hard, join organizations and keep your head on right, then you will have no problem!
Read 371 Reviews

• B

• 1,584 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Stonewall Jackson High School

• Prince William County Public Schools, VA
• 9-12
• 271 reviews

Parent: All four of my children had a great experience at Stonewall Jackson High School. I highly recommend this school. My children went there by choice. Two graduated from the IB program, One from the Governors school and one was took partial IB.
The teachers are there for the students! They want them to succeed. My children received a very good education.
Read 271 Reviews

• B

• 2,724 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Mount Vernon High School

• Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
• 9-12
• 274 reviews

Sophomore: Mount Vernon High School receives a lot of hate from others, and I was on that bandwagon. In middle school I used to say "I won't go to that school", but I'm actually really glad I'm here. The teachers all try their best, and in Fairfax County you can't expect every kid to go to college, or join the workforce, but I know the administration puts a lot of thought into trying to get a kid somewhere. There's something for everyone and always someone to help. I love this school!
Read 274 Reviews

• B-

• 2,050 Students
• 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Gar-Field High School

• Prince William County Public Schools, VA
• PK, 9-12
• 432 reviews

Senior: What I love about Gar-Field is its diversity and student engagement activities. Not only does Gar-Field contain the most diverse race of students, but it also provides a great variety of subjects of different levels. Because of its International Baccalaureate Program, students are given the choice to be academically engaged in a more challenging environment that will be able to assist them in their trip through college and society. Yet this does not limit the students from choosing the courses they are interested in as the high school provides various forms of diplomas such as regular, IB, IBCP, and Advanced; however, because of its IB Program, a large divide exists between the non-IB students and IB students since their classes are so different and students are rarely able to communicate and associate with the others on a daily basis.
Read 432 Reviews

• B-

• 2,621 Students
• 18:1 Student-Teacher Ratio