Top 10 Private High Schools in Houston: Choose St. Agnes
St. Agnes Academy is among the top 10 private high schools in Houston. With top-tier academic, extracurricular, and student support offerings, learn what sets us apart.
If you are considering sending your daughter to a private school in Houston, many different academic institutions are likely on your radar. Narrowing down the list can be challenging because every school – just like every student – is unique!
Every high school has its own strengths and distinct campus culture, so it’s important for students and families to spend ample time weighing their options to find the best possible academic fit.
St. Agnes Academy regularly ranks in the top 10 private high schools in Houston on the Houston Business Journal’s annual list. Also, we recently had the honor of appearing on College Transitions’ list of the top 10 best private schools in Houston.
This list was carefully curated to highlight the best of the best among Houston’s academic institutions. Let’s discuss some of the attributes that landed St. Agnes Academy on this coveted list and explore what sets St. Agnes apart from other private high schools in the Houston area.
What are the Top 10 Private High Schools in Houston?
In November of 2023, College Transitions published its list of the best private schools in Houston. Here are the schools that made the cut:
- Strake Jesuit College Preparatory (our neighboring all-boys school)
- St. Agnes Academy (us!)
- St. John’s School
- The Awty International School
- The John Cooper School
- The Kinkaid School
- St. Thomas High School
- The Emery/Weiner School
- Duchesne Academy of Sacred Heart
- The Village School
Each of these schools was meticulously researched and scrutinized to appear on this list, and all Houston area schools were held to high standards to obtain inclusion. These final rankings were determined based on the consideration of several different factors, including:
- Location
- Tuition (9-12)
- Enrollment (9-12)
- Average SAT Scores
- Average ACT Scores
- Senior Class Size
- College Admissions
- Academics
Not only is St. Agnes Academy proud to have been included on this list, but we are proud to have been listed as the top-ranked all-girls private school option for Houston-area high school students.
In subsequent sections, we’ll discuss in greater detail how St. Agnes Academy secured a coveted spot on this ranking list and how your daughter might benefit from attending the #1 all-girls high school in Houston.
St. Agnes Academy: Our Story of Supporting Young Ladies
St. Agnes Academy was founded in 1905 by Mother Pauline Gannon, O.P., Prioress of the Dominican Sisters of Houston, Texas. Since its opening in 1906, St. Agnes has served as a pillar of the community and overseen the education of more than 10,000 graduates.
Today, St. Agnes is a college preparatory school that delivers a rigorous academic curriculum to students in grades 9-12. We have strong roots in the Dominican, Catholic tradition, and these values are on full display throughout every component of campus life.
As part of its ongoing pursuit of excellence and truth, St. Agnes Academy is currently affiliated with the following educational associations:
- Catholic Schools of the Galveston-Houston Diocese
- The National Catholic Educational Association
- The Texas Catholic Conference Education Department (in conjunction with the Texas Education Agency)
- Cognia
- The College Board
St. Agnes Academy prides itself on delivering comprehensive educational experiences that help young women grow and flourish in their young adulthood. Our academic and extracurricular offerings are designed to foster well-roundedness in our students that will serve them in their future academic and professional pursuits.
Academics at a Glance
The curriculum at St. Agnes revolves around core subject areas of theology, English, mathematics, science, history/social science, and world languages. In addition to these core areas of study, St. Agnes also offers a robust selection of elective courses to help students cultivate more diverse skill sets and dig deeper into their areas of interest.
Fundamentally, we believe that students thrive in learning environments where they have access to individualized attention at every possible opportunity. The average student/teacher ratio at St. Agnes is 10:1, which means educators can connect more deeply with their students and develop a greater understanding of their needs.
Extracurriculars: Education Beyond the Classroom
In today’s competitive climate, it is more important than ever for young people to invest in becoming as well-rounded as possible. St. Agnes Academy is dedicated to fostering the growth and development of our students in multiple disciplines to help them build the skillsets they need to excel in their future endeavors.
We offer students the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities in disciplines like:
- Fine arts
- Theatre
- Dance
- Music
- Orchestra
- Band
- Student Council
- Dominican Preaching Team
- Speech and Debate
- Engineering
We also host a variety of clubs and student organizations where students can find community with peers who share similar backgrounds or interests. Whether your child wants to dig deeper into the study of a foreign language or wants to get engaged in politics or activism, they will find all the support and resources they need right on campus at St. Agnes Academy.
All About Tiger Athletics
St. Agnes is home to a thriving athletics department. Our Tiger Athletics teams have earned 115 State titles in athletics and annually compete against some of the state's top private and public schools. We currently offer 12 different sports during three seasons and have more than 500 students involved in at least one of our 36 teams.
Here at St. Agnes, we believe participating in high school sports can benefit students in major ways. Some parents may be surprised to learn that active participation in high school sports is linked to higher levels of academic achievement. Playing sports in high school encourages students to build community, engage with diverse perspectives, and work with their peers to pursue a common goal.
High school sports can also help students learn and incorporate healthy habits that will follow them into their adult lives. St. Agnes is invested in ensuring that our athletic programming centers on the health and well-being of our student-athletes. We work closely with national, state, and local officials to ensure our offerings align with the most up-to-date guidance.
The Faith Foundation at St. Agnes Academy
One of the most significant aspects of the St. Agnes experience is the faith focus that exists on campus. Since its founding, St. Agnes has been devoted to fostering the Dominican Pillars of Prayer, Study, Community, and Preaching. These pillars can be found in nearly every aspect of campus life – from academics to extracurriculars and everything in between.
St. Agnes celebrates all Holy Days of Obligation and Feasts that celebrate our Dominican Heritage, usually as a whole-school community in a vibrant, meaningful Liturgical Celebration. We also celebrate Mass every Thursday beginning at 9:10 a.m., and all students are welcome to join in this time of worship or attend confession with the priest immediately following Mass.
As part of our Catholic Dominican mission, St. Agnes heavily emphasizes the need for servant leadership within its student body. All students are expected to complete 100 hours of meaningful service during their junior year, but there are ample opportunities for students to engage in servant leadership outside this requirement.
In addition to completing their required theology courses, students may choose to participate in mission trips, prayer retreats, and other campus ministry initiatives to deepen their relationship with God.
It is also worth noting that students are not required to identify as Catholic to attend St. Agnes Academy. Our faculty prides itself on providing a safe and engaging academic environment for students of all faith backgrounds and spiritual beliefs.
Student Support Services That Go the Extra Mile
Today’s students are often faced with unprecedented challenges socially, academically, and professionally. St. Agnes Academy believes that it is important for young people to have ample tools, resources, and support systems in place to help them navigate our high-demand, fast-paced world.
To this end, we offer 3 distinct types of support services that students can take advantage of during their time at St. Agnes Academy:
1. The Wellness Center
Our Wellness Center offers a safe, nonjudgmental, and confidential environment for our students as they manage their academic and personal lives at St. Agnes Academy. The Wellness Center provides preventative programming, small group meetings, and individual counseling sessions to help students achieve wellness of body, mind, and spirit.
School counseling is solution-focused and aims to help students identify their goals, assess their strengths, and develop the skills and strategies they need to solve problems effectively and healthfully.
The wellness team at St. Agnes Academy believes in maintaining a positive, strengths-focused approach to counseling. Our setup is designed to help students take a more active role in their personal growth and development.
2. The Student Success Center
The Student Success Center at St. Agnes exists to provide top-tier support for students with various learning differences. The Center can help students with specific learning needs acquire and hone critical skills like study techniques, time management, organizational strategies, and goal planning.
The Center is also tasked with ensuring that students receive any and all accommodations to which they are entitled and collaborates extensively with teachers to ensure academic support for students is aligned and applicable to coursework and student goals.
Our team can also help students advocate for and obtain ACT and SAT accommodations and other standardized testing adjustments and extensions.
3. College Counseling
Upper-level students work closely with our college counseling department to help them set and achieve their college admissions goals. Our college counseling team has a collective 80 years in higher education academic advising, college admissions, and college admissions counseling. The staff is dedicated to helping students craft a college admissions plan that works for them.
Our college counseling department provides individualized attention and support to help our students develop more comprehensive, manageable goals for their higher education.
Through parent nights, one-on-one advising, workshops, and other programming, our college counselors encourage students and their families to actively and pro-actively participate in the college admissions process. The result is often a more fulfilling outcome and experience for all.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
With its rigorous academic curriculum, wide-ranging extracurricular offerings, faith-centered learning environment, and dedicated student support services, it’s easy to see why St. Agnes Academy is one of the top 10 private high schools in Houston.
St. Agnes is dedicated to helping students cultivate the skills and experiences they need to be impactful members of the academic, professional, and spiritual communities. If you are interested in learning more about enrolling your daughter in the highest-rated all-girls school in Houston, we would love the opportunity to get to know you.
Visit our website for more information or reach out directly to a member of our admissions team to discuss enrollment. Also, consider scheduling a campus visit to see how your daughter could benefit from our school!
