Greene Street Friends School’s Class of 2018 walks across the stage later this week to accept diplomas and, for some students, leave the only school they have known for the past ten years of their academic career. Our 8th Graders are headed to some of the best public, private, and independent schools in the Philadelphia area after months of discerning the best fit.

Our students and their families take the high school decision process seriously, weighing everything from financial considerations to school culture and atmosphere. After touring schools, talking with Greene Street Friends alumni and staff, and maybe making a pro and con list or two, our students narrow down their selection. Below, you can see a list of the Class of 2018’s high school selections, along with a graph showing the distribution of Greene Street Friends alumni at various high schools over the past seven years.

When looking at the graph, a few trends might stand out to you. The first could be, “Why do so many of your alumni choose Central High School?” Besides being one of the best public schools in Philadelphia (and 21st in Pennsylvania, according to U.S. News and World Report), Central combines Greene Street Friends’ academic excellence with an emphasis on diversity. Central is the most diverse school in the city and students often tell us it reminds them of the Greene Street Friends community. In fact, Greene Street Friends is now Central’s 4th largest source of incoming 9th Grade students.

You might also notice that about half of the Class of 2018 will attend public high schools and half attend private or independent schools. This is the case each year, with Central, Science Leadership Academy, and the High School for the Creative and Performing Arts being our students’ most selected public school options. Students tend to select Germantown Friends School, Abington Friends School, Friends’ Central, and Friends Select if looking at private high school options.

No matter where our alumni go for 9th Grade, admissions professionals report back that Greene Street Friends students are academically prepared, well spoken, used to public speaking, extremely interested in social justice and advocacy on campus, and natural leaders in their school communities. Young Alumni have served as Class President at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (Levi ’16) and Student Body President at Central (Kyra ’14). We are excited to send the Class of 2018 to their next adventures, but will miss them next year. Congratulations, Graduates!

Class of 2018 High School Selections

Central High School (9)

Science Leadership Academy (7)

Abington Friends School (4)

Friends’ Central School (2)

Archbishop Carroll High School (1)

Franklin Learning Center (1)

Friends Select School (1)

George Washington Carver High School (1)

Germantown Friends School (1)

Girard Academic Music Program (1)

High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (1)

Jenkintown High School (1)

LaSalle College High School (1)

Upper Merion High School (1)

William Penn Charter School (1)