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Annie Wright vs. Bellarmine Prep: Which Private School for your child?

Looking for a strong education option for your student in the Tacoma area?

We examine two of Pierce County’s top private schools, Annie Wright (AW) and Bellarmine Prep.  There are definitely many differences between them and the following will show that.

A few snapshots of what people are saying about the schools are below our quick comparison table.

Criteria

Annie WrightBellarmine Prep
CurriculumCollege Prep/International Baccalaureate (IB)College Preparatory/AP
Grades OfferedPre-school-12th9-12
School TypeCo-ed/Girls Only (after 9th)Co-ed
Religious AffiliationN/ACatholic
# of Students~545~850
Boarding?AvailableN/A
Tuition (2019-2020)$28,500 (Day)/$60,700 (7 day boarding)$16,404
Student:Teacher Ratio5:112:1
SAT Avg13101260
ACT Avg2829
Notable College AcceptancesStanford, UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, NYU, USC, Emory, Vassar, Middlebury+Stanford, UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, Duke, NYU, Northwestern, USC, Emory, MIT+
Niche College Prep Ranking – WA#6#15
Great Schools Ranking4 Stars via 107 Reviews4 Stars via 12 Reviews
Wikipedia ArticleFounded in 1884Founded in 1928
FAQ PagesSchool FAQSchool FAQ

What students say about Annie Wright (Niche):

AW - What students say

Recent Bellarmine Prep Reviews (Niche):

Good school. Has problems with allowing students to pursue higher levels of education. Students cannot challenge themselves academically, without being recommended by a teacher. This recommendation is usually bias. Also, if a student does not do well in placement exams they are locked into a system that does not allow them to take honors or AP classes. If said student does manage to take such classes, they must work 2x as hard as those already placed in those classes. School environment could be better, with more activities voted on by students. ASB could do more to improve school events (dances, celebrations, etc.) Efforts are being made to improve diversity, inclusion, and overall school culture, but has a long road ahead. Thank you!
  • Sophomore
  • June 12 2017
  • 4 stars
The school climate is poor, which starts with the administration and those in the attendance office’s poor attitudes and constant ridiculing and micromanagment of students. The classes are pretty rigorous in comparison with other schools due to the heavy amount of assigned homework, however, a more effective way of preparing students for college would be to teach effective study habits, not simply assigning tons of homework and hoping for the best. There are, however, some great faculty and staff, but lots could improve within the administration.
  • Senior
  • 6 months ago (from 8/27/2019)
  • 3 stars
There is a reason Bellarmine consistently has over 90% of its graduates enrolled in university. I graduated from BPS in 2014 with a scholarship to a prestigious east coast liberal arts school. My transition to college was seamless; Bellarmine does an excellent job preparing its students for the rigor of collegiate academics. The classes are small and teachers passionate about their subjects. While many classes are lecture-style, many are also discussion based, exposing students to all kinds of teaching styles. Despite being a religious institution, many students are not Catholic nor do they feel pressured to convert or assimilate to Catholic traditions, such as attending optional weekly mass. Bellarmine also has some excellent sports programs. The golf team, for example, always has seniors graduating with scholarships and offers to play at major programs.
  • Alum
  • July 25 2018
  • 4 stars

There are a number of other options in the local area including: Charles Wright Academy (for boys who might start off at Annie Wright in the years before High School), Life Christian Academy, Seabury School, Cascade Christian Schools, Evergreen Christian School, Tacoma Waldorf School, St. Patrick Catholic School, or Covenant High School.

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