Saint Mary's School

As an international student from China, studying at Saint Mary's School has been such a unique and meaningful experience for me. It's a small private all-girls high school in North Carolina, and honestly, I didn’t know what to expect at first. But after being here for a while, I can say it's been a mix of challenges and growth (in a good way!).
One thing I really like is how supportive the teachers are. Since English isn't my first language, I was really nervous about speaking up in class. But the teachers are super patient and always willing to help. It’s not one of those super competitive environments either — people are nice, and you can really focus on improving yourself without feeling too much pressure.
Of course, there are still things I had to adjust to, like the food (I miss Chinese food so much!!!), and being far away from home. But overall, Saint Mary's helped me become more confident and independent, and I’ve made some really close friends here.

St. Mary's Academy (SMA) is a private Catholic girls' high school in the Cherry Hills community of Denver, Colorado, USA. Founded in 1864, it is Denver's oldest preparatory academy and Colorado's top Catholic high school, focusing on the holistic development of girls and serving as a cradle for outstanding female leaders.
School Advantages:
1. Convenient geographical location: Situated in a high-quality Denver community, it is safe, harmonious, and easily accessible. With a profound educational heritage, it has been recognized as a 'School of Excellence' by the U.S. Department of Education three times.
2. Top-tier academics: Offers 26 AP courses and emphasizes the cultivation of critical thinking. 100% of the Class of 2023 graduates received scholarships, honors college admissions, or national honors, demonstrating excellent university placement performance.
3. Distinctive girls' focus: Dedicated to nurturing female leadership, offering specialized programs, and providing personalized attention to help girls build confidence, develop independent personalities, and foster their growth.
4. Rich extracurricular activities: A strong robotics team has won regional awards in Denver as an all-girls team and participated in international competitions; emphasizes service learning, organizing students to participate in various public welfare activities to cultivate social responsibility.
5. Strong community atmosphere: Upholds core values such as faith and community, embracing diverse cultures. Various sports, arts, and club activities help students comprehensively enhance their qualities.

A friend's account:
My daughter enrolled in SMS this year. We originally expected her to take 3 months to adapt to the environment, but she adapted in just 3 days! :D Now, her academic, athletic, and social life are all seamlessly integrated, far exceeding our expectations!
We have also completely shed our anxiety about college admissions (getting into top-ranked US universities). If she maintains her current status, a TOP30 university seems quite stable, a TOP20 is highly probable, and even a TOP10 or TOP5 isn't out of reach. The key is that as parents, based on her performance at school, our mindset has completely changed. We no longer care much about whether she attends a TOPX university. If she likes a particular major at a university like North Carolina State University (outside TOP50, very close to SMS), then she should go for it – what does it matter! She'll still find a good job afterward. Safety, health, and happiness are the most important things, not the school rankings that we Chinese parents often overly concern ourselves with.
We have completely shed our athletic anxiety. She's now on the main school team (not the second or third team). Last week, they played against two schools, drawing one and winning one, and she went with her teammates to ring the SMS victory bell – you can imagine how happy she was!
We have completely shed our social anxiety. She now has 3 or 4 best friends. Language is not a problem, communication is not a problem, and emotional support is not a problem. What else do we have to be anxious about!
To say something no one would believe: Even if schools like Andover or Choate offered her admission now, we wouldn't consider transferring. Because what suits her is what's best for her!

St. Mary's School in the United States is a private girls' high school with a long history and distinguished reputation. It is widely acclaimed for its rigorous academic curriculum, emphasis on character development, and educational philosophy that values female leadership. The school is dedicated to providing girls with an inspiring and supportive learning environment, helping them achieve comprehensive development in intellectual, emotional, social, and other aspects.
Academically, St. Mary's School offers a rich array of college preparatory courses, including AP (Advanced Placement) and honors courses, focusing on cultivating students' critical thinking, research skills, and global perspectives. The school boasts strong faculty, whose teachers not only possess high-level professional knowledge but are also skilled in heuristic teaching, emphasizing interaction with students and personalized guidance.
At the same time, the school places great importance on the development of girls' leadership and social responsibility, encouraging students to participate in student councils, clubs, volunteer services, and cross-cultural exchange programs. Extracurricular activities cover various fields such as art, music, sports, and technology, providing students with diverse developmental paths and platforms for display.
St. Mary's School not only focuses on students' academic achievements but also on mental health and values guidance, committed to cultivating confident, self-disciplined, and empathetic female leaders for the new era. Most graduates matriculate into top universities in the United States and around the world, demonstrating the school's strong educational capabilities and social recognition.

Having cultivated the field of study abroad for many years and handled numerous US high school application cases, St. Mary's School for Girls has always been a highly recommended premium option! As the fourth oldest all-girls boarding school in the U.S., its educational philosophy, "Girls are the protagonists," empowers girls to transcend gender limitations and fully unleash their potential in STEM and other fields, fostering a pure and rich academic atmosphere.
The faculty strength is truly exceptional! 80% of teachers hold advanced degrees, with an average of 16 years of teaching experience. A golden student-teacher ratio of 1:9, combined with an average class size of 13, precisely meets the individualized needs of each student. From regular courses to AP courses, and innovative DS courses, the curriculum comprehensively covers academic pursuits, with one-on-one guidance safeguarding academic improvement.
The school is highly forward-thinking in its college counseling. Four distinctive programs collaborate with prestigious universities like Duke and Georgetown, helping students build strong application advantages. Furthermore, a wealth of clubs, arts, and sports activities, coupled with a diverse and inclusive international environment, support students' holistic growth and shape their unique personal competitiveness.
In the past year, over a quarter of graduates matriculated into top 50 universities nationwide – this impressive data is proof of its strength.
Choosing St. Mary's School for Girls means paving a high-quality path for your child towards top-tier institutions!

Data for St. Mary's School for Girls: 10% international students; 302 students representing 14 states and 6 countries; 51% boarding students and 49% day students; an 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio; an average of 13 students per class; 31% of students receive need-based financial aid, and 5% receive merit-based scholarships; the average teaching experience for faculty is 16 years; 80% of faculty hold advanced degrees in their fields, with 5 holding doctorates; 36 faculty and staff members reside on the St. Mary's campus; an alumnae network of over 10,000 women from around the world; 100% acceptance rate to selected colleges and universities worldwide; 20 Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered; one-on-one academic counseling program.

St. Mary's School for Girls, founded in 1842, boasts an excellent location in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. It gathers numerous local resources and offers highly convenient transportation. To enrich students' experiences, the school frequently organizes visits to world-class science, art, and history museums, allowing students to broaden their horizons through these activities. Beyond its prime location, the school's academics are also a highly regarded aspect. Teachers hold office hours daily after class, where students can study with them and seek help with homework, exams, and other academic needs. The school particularly emphasizes improving female education in STEM fields, striving to cultivate successive generations of women scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. Furthermore, campus activities are rich and diverse. The school integrates leadership development programs into all campus activities, where students experience the joy of growth while learning mutual respect and cultivating a sense of responsibility, laying a solid foundation for their proficient study of mathematics in college. Currently, the St. Mary's School Class of 2023 has successfully graduated. The girls have been admitted to prestigious universities such as Princeton University, Emory University, the University of North Carolina, New York University, the University of Miami, the University of South Carolina, and Hampton University, among others. St. Mary's girls can truly be found in renowned institutions across the United States. At St. Mary's School for Girls, students have equal academic opportunities and room for growth. The high-quality education, rigorous academic atmosphere, and meticulous care provided here empower these girls to bravely pursue their dreams and build self-confidence in the future.

St. Mary's School is a relatively top boarding school in North Carolina, with an advantage in utilizing the state's academic resources, attracting many excellent students from within the state. It is surrounded by two prestigious universities: Duke and UNC-Chapel Hill, creating a strong academic atmosphere where students have the opportunity to take courses at nearby universities; the campus is especially beautiful in autumn.

St. Mary's School is a century-old boarding school for girls located in North Carolina. It is also an Episcopal school, and it places great emphasis on cultivating students' academic achievements and character. In addition to advocating for high-quality academic education, the school prioritizes the holistic development of students, including teamwork, independence, leadership skills, and more.

School Advantages:

1. Convenient location, adjacent to the world-renowned Research Triangle Park, surrounded by advanced technology companies, offering numerous training and internship opportunities.

2. The school offers 18 Advanced Placement (AP) and honors courses, with a 100% college matriculation rate.

3. The school highly values the cultivation of girls' qualities and leadership, and its arts programs are excellent.

4. St. Mary's School boasts an 83% senior faculty ratio and a student-teacher ratio of 1:8. The school offers innovative courses and focuses on fostering students' innovative abilities.

I can say with great seriousness and responsibility that St. Mary's is absolutely a good school that is underrated by rankings. The level of attention and support St. Mary's provides to its students, along with its friendly and inclusive atmosphere, surpasses many higher-ranked schools. One of the school's core philosophies is to foster friendships and a strong alumni network among students. To this end, the school organizes numerous activities to promote camaraderie. Highly, highly recommended.

Saint Mary's School features a Seminar Program, an integral part of its comprehensive and innovative curriculum, designed to help students develop critical competencies through experiential learning with experts and professional resources. Seminars are held quarterly, focusing on topics such as innovation, communication, and social impact. Students can choose to gain experience through independent study or internships. Each student graduates with a life portfolio that clearly documents their learning and growth, motivating them to strive for more.

Saint Mary's School provides students with opportunities to connect with experts in various fields and engage in internships with diverse companies. This aims to help students build critical competencies while fostering independence through a concentrated one-week immersive career experience, allowing them to explore career interests, observe professional backgrounds, and enhance core skills.

Saint Mary's School places great emphasis on student leadership. The school's leadership program is designed to ignite students' intrinsic motivation, encourage them to step out of their comfort zones, speak up, and cultivate resilience and adaptability. Starting from ninth grade, students convey information to their peers both online and offline, and faculty and staff also guide students on how to communicate clearly and effectively, further developing their leadership skills.

Current student. To be objective, the school handled this pandemic extremely well. In the early stages of the North American outbreak, many places didn't pay attention, but the school established a pandemic observation team very early on, composed of our dean of students and subject teachers who live on campus. Our spring break was in mid-March, and due to the pandemic, the school specially opened dorms and kept the observation team teachers to look after us. March 20th can be considered the critical point of the North American outbreak. The school required all international students to return home. At the time, everyone was still hesitant, but looking back now, I am truly grateful for the school's intelligent decision. Beijing began stratified management on March 23rd, and after that, restrictions were placed on international students returning home. We made it back at a crucial moment. Before we left, the school even held a cloud graduation ceremony for the senior students (G4), and everything was arranged very properly. Awesome, awesome.

The conditions and care at St. Mary's School for Girls are truly excellent! The school itself is located in the city center, medium-sized, very convenient and beautiful. Let's talk about the excellent care with facts: just recently, during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in North America, most schools closed for online classes, ruthlessly kicking international students out of dorms and forcing them to return to their home countries, exposing them to crowds and viruses at airports for twenty to thirty hours. However, St. Mary's School for Girls' decision was extremely humane: not only did they keep dormitories open indefinitely for international students with thoughtful care, they also closed the school gates and changed password locks to reduce external personnel flow and bacteria (all express deliveries were left at the entrance for teachers to collect and distribute). They organized on-campus entertainment activities, providing a variety of rich snacks and fruits. Full-time licensed nurses promptly isolated and cared for children with common colds or illnesses. Resident teachers provided timely feedback to parents via email in Chinese regarding student conditions and school epidemic prevention measures. Full-time cleaning staff disinfected daily. School teachers also solicited student opinions, made lists, and went to off-campus supermarkets to purchase snacks and daily necessities for students, ensuring students could safely and healthily stay at school without being infected by external viruses. St. Mary's School for Girls is like a small home for the children, where teachers and the principal treat students meticulously like their own children, allowing them to concentrate on online classes without being distracted by the chaos of the external epidemic and news, and to spend this special difficult period healthily and happily. Parents feel extremely relieved and very grateful!

I am a student at this school. University admissions for Chinese students at this school are generally excellent. In the years I've been here, 90% of students have been admitted to top 30 universities, and a quarter of students are admitted to UNC Chapel Hill (ranked in the 20s). The surroundings are extremely safe, and teachers know the students' locations 24/7. It's a 10-minute walk to a supermarket, Starbucks, bubble tea shops, and Chinese restaurants. However, if you're not craving Chinese food, the school cafeteria provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner 7 days a week, and it's remarkably good compared to other schools. Sometimes they have dumplings, cheesecake, Vietnamese pho, Yangzhou fried rice, chicken soup, and shredded potatoes, among other relatively international dishes. It's a buffet, so you can take as much as you like. Academically, for science/math, there are Calculus 1, 2, and 3. For humanities, teachers teach essay writing from scratch. There are 18 AP courses, and if a particular one isn't offered, you can take it online. The dorms are exceptionally spacious and very well-heated. 9th graders have many activities, including a one-week wilderness survival course. Laundry and color printing are free. It's very easy for Chinese students to become leaders at the school; you can join the student council or become a technical committee member to learn how to help teachers adjust projectors and fix students' computers. 12th graders have dedicated university application classes where they can work on their essays. School teachers and students are very friendly and often attend events at nearby UNC Chapel Hill and Duke University. The school sports teams win many games frequently. Arts such as painting, choir, drama, musicals, and instruments are all available. The choir also frequently performs in New York and Chicago. Overall, it's very good.

It's a very good school; the campus is beautiful, and there are many resources in the surrounding area. Students can go shopping on weekends or stay on campus. Even people in the small town know you're from St. Mary's and are very friendly. Plus, there are two excellent schools near the campus, one is Duke, and another is within the top 20. It boasts a great geographical advantage. I don't understand the mentality of those who prank and speak ill of it...........

All I can say is, I advise everyone not to come.