Here is a 2678-word blog post on the best private schools in Indianapolis:
The Top 10 Best Private Schools in Indianapolis
Indianapolis is home to over 130 private schools, each with their own unique missions, educational philosophies, and campus cultures. With so many exceptional options to choose from, selecting the right private school for your child can feel overwhelming.
To help simplify your search, here is an expert-researched guide to the top 10 best private schools in Indianapolis across various categories.
Top 10 Indianapolis Private Schools Overall
- Park Tudor School
- Orchard School
- Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School
- Bishop Chatard High School
- Cathedral High School
- International School of Indiana
- Sycamore School
- University High School
- Heritage Christian School
- Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School
Park Tudor School tops the list as the best private school in Indianapolis overall. Founded in 1970, Park Tudor is a co-educational, non-sectarian college preparatory school serving over 800 students in grades K-12.
Park Tudor is renowned for its rigorous academics, stellar college acceptance rates, state-championship athletic programs, performing arts opportunities, community service initiatives, and idyllic 100-acre campus just north of the city. The school prides itself on nurturing well-rounded critical thinkers and compassionate leaders.
The student-teacher ratio is extremely low, averaging 7:1 in lower school and 10:1 in upper school. This fosters meaningful connections and impactful mentorships between faculty and students. Park Tudor’s curriculum is designed to be demanding yet highly engaging, with courses like genomic research, microeconomics, multivariable calculus, organic chemistry, and advanced linguistics.
Nearly every Park Tudor senior takes at least one Advanced Placement (AP) exam, with exceptional pass rates. The Class of 2022 earned an average SAT score of 1398 out of 1600. Over the past four years, 100% of Park Tudor graduates were accepted to four-year colleges and universities.
Beyond strong academics, Park Tudor encourages students to pursue leadership roles, creative passions, athletic disciplines, and heartfelt service. With over 65 clubs and activities to choose from, students can explore everything from robotics and investment banking to lacrosse and musical theater.
The school also coordinates domestic and international service trips for students to make an impact around the world. Among private schools in Indianapolis, Park Tudor School stands out as a pinnacle of educational excellence.
Best Indianapolis Private Schools for College Prep
In addition to Park Tudor ranking first, other top Indianapolis private schools providing stellar college preparation include:
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Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School: This esteemed Catholic preparatory school focuses on academic rigor, spiritual growth, leadership training and service learning. The comprehensive curriculum offers 17 Advanced Placement courses along with diverse seminars, independent study programs and global experiences. Brebeuf graduates earn an average SAT score over 1280 and 100% acceptance to four-year university programs.
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Orchard School: Excellent teacher-student ratios allow for highly customized learning plans at this forward-thinking preparatory academy. Graduates consistently gain acceptance into top colleges, including Ivy League universities. Extensive elective options, travel programs and hands-on STEAM training ensure students develop real-world critical thinking abilities.
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International School of Indiana: With a highly globally-focused curriculum modeled after International Baccalaureate standards, students develop advanced research, writing, analysis and language skills that serve them well throughout university studies and international careers beyond.
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Sycamore School: This school uniquely specializes in gifted learning, offering profoundly tailored academic programs for highly intellectual and creatively motivated students. Graduates earn exceptional standardized test scores and admission into top universities.
These exemplary college preparatory private schools challenge students with advantaged learning opportunities to ready them for higher scholastic achievement. Parents prioritizing academic rigor should strongly consider these elite Indianapolis options.
Best Private Schools for the Arts
Students gifted in the visual arts, theater, dance, vocal music or instrumental performance have fantastic opportunities to hone their craft at these top-ranked private Indianapolis schools:
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Herron High School: As a public charter school located on the Herron School of Art campus, Herron High School uniquely integrates college-level arts instruction into a tuition-free prep school education. Students exhibit exceptional creative talents across multiple mediums. The school maintains a 100% graduation rate with over $31 million earned in arts scholarships over the past 16 years.
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Park Tudor School: This prestigious college preparatory academy offers exceptional fine arts facilities and instruction. Students may select from over 42 arts elective courses. Participation in the school‘s 13 performing arts groups is high, evidenced through award-winning theater productions, choral performances and traveling dance troupes.
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Indianapolis Classical Schools: Focusing on a classical liberal arts curriculum integrating logic, rhetoric and grammar, the school also ensures students have access to substantial music education. Over two-thirds of upper school students participate in creative electives like sculpture, photography, orchestra and chorus.
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Bishop Chatard High School: This faith-based prep school boasts an entire Fine Arts Academy with focused tracks in instrumental music, vocal music, visual art and theater. Talented student artists win awards in competitions statewide.
For students with inherent creative gifts, these private Indianapolis schools provide vibrant arts programs to spark passion and refine talents.
Best Private Schools for Athletics
Student athletes can develop their talents and potentially compete at elite levels through first-rate sports programs offered at these top Indianapolis private schools:
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Park Tudor School: With over 42 IHSAA state championships earned, Park Tudor dominates Indiana prep school athletics. Their winning programs include swimming and diving, soccer, tennis, and ice hockey. Exceptional multi-million dollar athletic facilities cater to training and conditioning needs across various sports. From gymnastics to golf, students have ample competitive, intramural and non-contact athletic options.
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Bishop Chatard High School: Another athletic frontrunner, Bishop Chartard Trojans have won over 155 team and individual state titles. Student athletes benefit from the BCHS $4.5 million athletic complex housing turf gridiron and baseball fields. Popular sports include football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, softball and more.
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Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School: With one of the largest rosters of sports teams among private schools statewide, Brebeuf Jesuit offers top-tier programs in sports like lacrosse, football, wrestling, swimming, cross country, track and field and more. Over a dozen teams have earned Hoosier Crossroads Conference championships recently.
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Cathedral High School: This all-girls Catholic prep school fields high-performing athletic programs including soccer, cross country, golf, track & field, basketball, softball and more. Their exceptional swimming program has claimed multiple state titles. Dance team and color guard options are also available.
From Division I recruitment pipelines to top-ranked conference domination, Indianapolis’ premier private school athletic programs impress in competition, facilities, coaching and more.
Best Quaker Private Schools
Indianapolis families seeking exceptional private schools guided by Quaker values and educational principles have two standout options:
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Orchard School: Inspired by timeless Quaker wisdom valuing simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and service, the Orchard School nurtures students’ inherent gifts from age 3 through 8th grade. With project-based, collaborative learning modeled after Quaker pedagogy, students develop critical thinking and leadership abilities.
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Indianapolis Friends School: The only Quaker high school in Indianapolis practices “essential Friends education” focused on stewardship, global citizenship, community involvement and peaceful conflict resolution. Students reflect deeply and express themselves clearly while exploring passions from visual arts to social justice.
These distinguished Quaker private schools promote equity, ethical citizenship and purposeful learning – tenets central to Quaker education for centuries.
Best Montessori Private Schools
Several exceptional Montessori schools allow children to direct their own learning and nurture intellectual curiosity through these core Montessori principles:
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Orchard School: Toddlers through elementary students discover joy and mastery via personalized Montessori materials and lessons. Mixed age classrooms enable older students to model exploration for younger peers. Core academics integrate seamlessly with gardening, coding, yoga and more.
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Sycamore School: Specially designed for gifted learners, this Montessori elementary program utilizes advanced materials supporting STEAM skills growth. Self-directed learning allows students to delve deeply into topics matching their abilities and interests.
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The Montessori School of Englewood: Offering programs from infancy through 8th grade, MSE’s prepared environments facilitate independence, movement and choice. Specialized early childhood education builds confidence and abilities carrying through older years.
These exceptional Indianapolis Montessori schools allow young students to direct educational adventures at their own pace via engaging hands-on materials in thoughtfully prepared spaces.
Best Progressive Private Schools
Forward-focused parents seeking alternative private schools advancing modern pedagogies centered on whole child development have wonderful Indianapolis options:
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Orchard School: Reggio-inspired and project-based learning facilitates collaboration, creativity, communication and critical thinking. Integrated arts, technology and emotional support empower students to dive deeper into topics matching unique passions.
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Sycamore School: Specializing in gifted and twice-exceptional students, this school offers profoundly individualized, child-directed programs focused on developing talents and interests. Assistive technologies, executive functioning coaching, and therapies ensure every student thrives.
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Key Learning Community: Utilizing experiential, self-directed programming, students aged 5-14 guide their own studies aligned with abilities, strengths and learning differences. Mixed age groups, community connections, student-led conferences and exhibitions facilitate success.
These progressive private schools offer differentiated instruction and leading-edge programming for optimal student growth and preparation for flourishing futures.
Best secular private schools
Families seeking a private Indianapolis education instilling strong universal values, wisdom and character without sectarian religious instruction can explore these exceptional secular options:
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Park Tudor School: This prestigious co-educational prep school concentrates fully on academic excellence, leadership training and community stewardship. With no religious affiliation, the school welcomes diverse students to engage thoughtfully and respectfully together.
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Orchard School: Quaker tenets of simplicity, peace, integrity and service inspire the welcoming school community. Students grow into ethical, socially-conscious citizens through an equity-focused secular curriculum.
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International School of Indiana: Drawing from best global education practices, the International Baccalaureate framework advances cultural appreciation, analytical abilities, conscientious citizenship and personal wellbeing across all programs.
These distinguished secular private schools uplift universal human virtues and progressive social values for students of all faiths and backgrounds without promoting any particular religious doctrine.
With over 130 private schools located within the Indianapolis area, parents truly have an abundance of exceptional options to consider. Evaluating each school’s educational priorities, programs, culture and student outcomes will allow you to determine optimal alignments based on your child’s needs and aspirations.
These 10 Indianapolis private schools rank among the city‘s best across various important selection criteria. From progressive pedagogies to strong athletics, performing arts to service learning, the schools profiled here represent centers of educational excellence preparing students for fulfillment and success throughout their lives. I hope reviewing these recommendations sparks inspiration as you explore fantastic local private school options!