Comparing private Schools (Franklin, Brentwood: credit, top schools, college)

[maryinct]

we relocated last year and have one child at Father Ryan (very happy) and another at Brentwood Middle. Currently looking at private schools for a possible move from Brentwood middle, simply due to the size...just a bit big for my daughter. Looking at CPA and FRA...maybe Lipscomb? Am very sensitive to an environment that leans too far left - we would like a more conservative community. Do these three schools all seem fairly center or slightly right-of-center? Just trying to avoid anything too liberal.

[septimus]

If you like John Rich's politics you'll love Lipscomb. All the schools you mention are conservative. Have you already applied because I think the deadline for applying has passed for all of them if you want entry next year. You may want to look at Brentwood Academy and St Cecelia too. The only ”liberal school” in Nashville is probably USN. Harpeth Hall leans progressive in pedagogy.

[akm4]

Does anyone like John Rich's politics? He seems to discredit any point he tries to make by repeating insults, slurs and outright lies. That guy.....

[septimus]

Originally Posted by akm4

Does anyone like John Rich's politics? He seems to discredit any point he tries to make by repeating insults, slurs and outright lies. That guy.....

yet he holds a lot of power/sway at Lipscomb.

[widespreadfan]

I went to Lipscomb Academy. The school has changed so much in the last few years. Most of my friends that I graduated with have opted to send their children to other private schools or Williamson County public schools. I would suggest taking a look at CPA (Christ Presbyterian Academy) or FRA (Franklin Road Academy) as alternatives to Lipscomb Academy. The problems at Lipscomb Academy are much bigger than all the John Rich mess from a couple of years ago and the Trent Dilfer incident from September 2021. Those are things that have been made public. The school has many deeper problems that have not hit the media. The academics at Lipscomb are also sub-par compared to many other private schools.

[eazyb81]

Good question....we are looking at the same and trying to understand differences in priorities between the various schools.

We are currently looking at these schools:

FRA
CPA
Battleground
Ensworth
Brentwood Academy

Have heard Brentwood Academy is very focused on sports....is this true?

We're ideally looking for a good balanced school that leans more towards academics than athletics.

[norcal2k19]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

Good question....we are looking at the same and trying to understand differences in priorities between the various schools.

We are currently looking at these schools:

FRA
CPA
Battleground
Ensworth
Brentwood Academy

Have heard Brentwood Academy is very focused on sports....is this true?

We're ideally looking for a good balanced school that leans more towards academics than athletics.

From a born and raised Nashvillian perspective:

The one missing from this list is Montgomery Bell Academy (all-boys) which is the best academically besides USN (probably too progressive for you and no football team). MBA is very strong in athletics and the arts as well.

MBA and USN are definitely competitive with the best independent schools nationally.

Ensworth is getting there - just relatively new in some aspects (secondary/upper school). Harpeth Hall is decent too.

Out of the list provided, I'd go Ensworth, FRA, then BGA. Brentwood Academy is overrated.

[septimus]

Originally Posted by norcal2k19

From a born and raised Nashvillian perspective:

The one missing from this list is Montgomery Bell Academy (all-boys) which is the best academically besides USN (probably too progressive for you and no football team). MBA is very strong in athletics and the arts as well.

MBA and USN are definitely competitive with the best independent schools nationally.

Ensworth is getting there - just relatively new in some aspects (secondary/upper school). Harpeth Hall is decent too.

Out of the list provided, I'd go Ensworth, FRA, then BGA. Brentwood Academy is overrated.

MBA/USN/Harpeth Hall are were the kids with the good ISEE scores go. St Cecelia Academy is under-rated and think with its change to a 7-12 school I think it is poised to grow and be on par academically with other top schools albeit not as liberal as HH.

My impressions of Brentwood Academy is win at all costs and despite being a "christian" school aren't strong on moral leadership. Ensworth has a beautiful campus but also seems full of socialite's kids and about appearances over academics.

BGA is an okay school but looking at its college placement list isn't doing any better than Franklin High across the street so why pay $30k?

We have a lot of friends at CPA. All good families and all seem very happy. Kids are all over the spectrum there-- we know some brilliant kids, but most
kids we know are pretty typical. The music/recording program there seems top notch.

The kids we know at FRA are all very sweet kids. I don't know much about the academics but they do have an awesome robotics program/makers' space.

[shinestx]

Ensworth has a competition swimming pool, if that's a priority for you. MBA and HH do not, although they have teams that practice at Centennial, as do other schools which I don't know about.