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The right high school can do a lot to set students up for an excellent college career, giving them a firm intellectual foundation and helping them explore their passions at a high level. This is well known, and parents often come to us for advice on certain schools, understanding both what they can offer students, and what a school is as a community, because that in many ways can matter more. 

In this article then, we’re going to try and distill all of our knowledge of one particular school, the esteemed in Houston, into a single easy to read guide. We’re going to cover the academic strengths of the school of course, but we’re also going to go over the other factors which make a school the right fit for a student; the atmosphere, the values, and the community. We won’t be able to cover every single aspect of the school, but we hope to give you a sense of it, and whether it’s the right place for you. Let’s jump in!

Academics at St. John’s School

The stated goal of the academic program at St. John’s is to prepare students for college. This is what we expect of schools of this caliber, and their curriculum back up these goals. They offer 19 AP courses, fewer than some schools, but still a broad selection. Where APs aren’t offered, they have their own home-grown honors coursework. 

In many cases, St. John’s prefers their own honors courses to AP because of the constrictions of AP coursework. AP courses are highly standardized; this ensures they are all offered at the same level, but prevents schools from exploring other advanced topics. Thus, in history for example, students can take AP US History, or they can take courses such as Black Lives in Post Reconstruction America or History, Geopolitics, and Economics of Energy, two honors courses offered by St. John’s. 

Notable amongst St. John’s offerings are . These are, as the name suggests, independent and self-guided projects that students take on of their own volition, and pursue over the course of a school year. This requires you to find a faculty member to supervise your project, and that you present your project in May. This is an incredible opportunity for students to pursue something of note that they otherwise could not in school. 

St. John’s School also offers students a chance to pursue independent scientific research as an elective course. If a student is already interested in pursuing scientific research, then this couples with that quite well, giving them access to the school’s resources and support while they work on their project. 

Overall, academics at St. John’s are offered at a high level and fast pace, but with plenty of built in support for students. Students are expected to be enthusiastic about learning, and to take responsibility for their work. Students are given many opportunities to take the initiative in their academic work, and are supported when they do. This is a challenging environment, and purposefully so, but students are given all the tools they need to succeed in it. 

Extracurriculars at St. John’s School

A school is more than just classrooms and academic work, but forms a whole interconnected ecosystem that a student participates in. A large part of this are the extracurriculars a school offers, which can also shape the spirit of a school; many schools in Texas are football-centric for example, which shapes the entire nature of the experience there. 

St. John’s is not a school like this, though they do have a robust sports program; we’re now going to go through the core features of their extracurricular offerings, and how each impacts the community at St. John’s. 

Athletics

Unlike many schools in Texas, athletics is not the sole concern of the school, though they do have a dedicated . Sports are something that many students do participate in, but athletics is always subordinate to academics, not the other way around. Their teams are good, and frequently competitive, but aren’t major winners the way some private school teams are. 

Students may count participation in a sports team as their PE requirement, but they may also pursue cheerleading or dance to fulfill this obligation. Sports teams do form social groups at the school, and students who are interested in sports often find a strong community amongst them. This can get cliquey at times, but this is the case at most schools with sports teams; they are not purposefully insular, but the amount of time they spend together makes friendships and camaraderie inevitable. 

The Arts

The yin to athletics’ yang, arts are one of the other extracurricular mainstays of schools, and St. John’s is no exception. Their encompasses both coursework and extracurriculars (as is the case at most high schools). You can take orchestra or acting or dance as a class, and also participate in productions put on by the school. St. John’s doesn’t have a particular focus on arts; it is still an academics-first institution. Nevertheless, they do have a strong artistic program, and many opportunities for interested students to get involved.

The arts form their own cultural block at St. John’s, as is the case at many schools. They aren’t fully insular; this isn’t High School Musical, and there are plenty of students who pursue both arts and athletics. That said, arts does form a distinct social group at the school, especially for the most involved students. 

Extracurriculars

Beyond the primary draws of arts and athletics, there are many niche communities and secondary aspects to life at St. John’s. As with many schools, they have a of student organizations, ones to meet most any interest or background. Social groups generally form through clubs like this; you need to actively seek out friends at the school, but students tend to be welcoming once you find your peer group. 

Students are also encouraged to take part in during their time at the school. This is part of St. John’s social mission, and goal of getting them involved in the city outside of the insular school environment. There are both school-sponsored events and individual projects for students to pursue in this.

Chapel

St. John’s was founded as a religiously affiliated school, and it still has some religious affiliations and trappings. Part of this is , which all students are required to attend (though they do not have to participate in prayer or other religious aspects of the experience). Their religious tradition is based in the Episcopalian rite. Students of all religions are encouraged to apply to and attend St. John’s, and the school goes to great lengths to make sure students of all backgrounds feel welcomed. 

The Atmosphere at St. John’s School

The final aspect we want to talk about is also the most nebulous, what the atmosphere is like at St. John’s School. This is a collection of smaller things and experiences that contribute to what life is like for students at the school. We’ve talked to the school itself, as well as read a large assortment of reviews of the school on a variety of sites, plus some students at the school who have worked with ³Ô¹Ï¹ÙÍø.

The main thing we have learned from all of this is that St. John’s as a school is very focused on academics above all else. They are a very rigorous school, and students are expected to complete significant amounts of work. This is true both for the classwork, and homework, and both are held to high standards. 

There are significant opportunities for students who are advanced and who excel in their coursework, but it can be more difficult for less advanced students to keep up with the pace and the demands. This can create a great deal of stress for students in the school, especially during finals or other exams. The school does have a to promote healthy study habits and approaches amongst students, but this is not always effective. 

The student body at St. John’s tends to be quite welcoming. It can be cliqueish, but this is the case with many high schools, with students self-grouping based on interests. This tends to align with extracurriculars; so students on sports teams or in the musical end up in friend groups. Students are rarely exclusionary, and there are places for every student, you just need to find the peers who share your interests. 

The school does support diversity, and does offer financial aid, but it is still a private school, and many of the students come from quite similar economic and demographic backgrounds. There is support for students who are less well off, but they can end up feeling overwhelmed by the school as a whole. 

Students who are particularly interested in a single niche (arts, athletics, a single academic discipline), may be better served by a more specialized school. St. John’s is very strong overall, but is also very generalist, and is primarily concerned with academically preparing students for college. They are very good at this, but this is not what all students are looking for from their high school experience.

Final Thoughts

There are many factors that go into deciding whether or not a particular school is right for you. You want a school that will prepare you for college and life after high school, yes, but you also want one that will support you in the here and now, and ensure that your time in high school is enjoyable. This is a difficult balance to strike, and not all schools are well suited for all students. 

We hope this article has shown you what you need to know about St. John’s, and let you determine if it is the right school to meet your needs. It is an excellent school, and does a very good job preparing students for college. It may not be the right choice for all students, but there’s good reason it is ranked as one of the best private high schools nationally, and that its admissions process is as competitive as it is.

If you are looking for help evaluating your own high school options, and determining which is the best fit for you and your needs, ³Ô¹Ï¹ÙÍø can help. There are many things to consider when choosing a high school, and applications to some, including St. John’s can be quite involved. Our mentors support and guide you every step of the way, to make sure you have the best possible chance of success. Schedule a free consultation today to learn how we can help; we’re always happy to hear from you.