How many students are enrolled at The Potomac School?

The school enrolls 1,070 students across K-12, with an average Upper School class size of 15, supported by a 90-acre campus just 3 miles from Washington, D.C.

High School

The Virginia Pipeline and Subsidizing the Middle Class - The Potomac School Move Up in D.C. Metro Private High School Elite College Placement Index

Q: Why does The Potomac School rank #2 in the D.C. Metro ECPI?

The Potomac School achieves its #2 ranking by producing a 42% T25 matriculation rate, alongside a dominant 12% in-state flagship pipeline driven by high enrollments at the University of Virginia and William & Mary, while maintaining a 9.6 College Readiness Score.

Q: How many students does Potomac send to the University of Virginia?

Our data tracking indicates a robust pipeline. Over a four-year aggregate, Potomac sent 24 students to UVA, and an additional 12 students matriculated in the Class of 2025 alone.

Q: What is the financial aid profile at The Potomac School?

Potomac provides $7.3 million annually in need-based financial aid, supporting 19% of the student body. The average grant is $33,500. Notably, 70% of families receiving aid have a household income exceeding $150,000, reflecting the high cost of living in the region.

By Data Team | Published July 10, 2026

Our analysis of The Potomac School's collegiate matriculation data reveals a 42% Top 25 National (T25) matriculation rate, bolstered by a robust pipeline into the University of Virginia and Ivy+ institutions. This dual proficiency in securing highly selective private acceptances while dominating in-state flagship admissions secures Potomac the #2 overall position in our D.C. Metro Private High School Elite College Placement Index (ECPI).

For families evaluating the competitive Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia independent school landscape, these findings demonstrate that Potomac’s suburban campus provides academic and admissions leverage matching the district's legacy urban day schools.

Summary of Findings

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The UVA Flagship Pipeline: Matriculation data identifies a strong relationship with the University of Virginia. Over a four-year aggregate, Potomac sent 24 graduates to UVA, with an additional 12 matriculating in the Class of 2025 alone, driving a 12% ECPI Flagship metric.
•
Top-Tier Placement (#2 D.C. Metro Private): Potomac achieves high performance across all evaluated categories. The school maintains a 42% modeled T25 national yield, securing numerous enrollments at Dartmouth, Harvard, UChicago, Duke, and Northwestern.
•
Financial Access Profile: Operating with a $7.3 million annual financial aid budget, Potomac supports 19% of its student body. Uniquely, 70% of aid recipients have a household income exceeding $150,000, illustrating how the institution subsidizes families facing the high cost of living in the D.C. Metro area.

Macro-Educational Context

The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area is defined by a distinct geographic and political divide in its private school market. Historically, the most prominent day schools (such as Sidwell Friends, St. Albans, and Georgetown Day) reside within the boundaries of the District. However, the affluent suburbs of Northern Virginia have developed institutional powerhouses that successfully compete for the same applicant pool.

Within this context, The Potomac School represents a highly attractive proposition. It offers the academic intensity and college counseling of a legacy D.C. day school, but on a sprawling, 90-acre wooded campus just three miles outside the capital.

The In-State Advantage: A critical differentiator in our index for Virginia-based private schools is their access to the University of Virginia and the College of William & Mary. Potomac utilizes this effectively, giving its graduates in-state leverage at highly selective public universities while securing private university placements.
Market Positioning: Potomac positions itself as a comprehensive K-12 ecosystem. With 1,070 enrolled students across all divisions, the Upper School maintains an average class size of just 15 students, preserving an intimate academic environment.

This report synthesizes our evaluation of how The Potomac School leverages its geographic position, resources, and counseling strategy to secure its #2 ranking in our D.C. Metro Private ECPI. We analyze official matriculation lists covering the past four years, alongside the most recent Class of 2025 outcomes.

Analytical Framework

Matriculation vs. Acceptance

In all Chicardgo School reports, we strictly evaluate verified matriculation (where students actually enroll and attend) rather than collegiate acceptance rates (Review our Official Methodology). Acceptance figures can inflate outcomes due to students admitted to multiple top-tier schools; matriculation provides the definitive metric of institutional alignment and final enrollment. Our baseline for Potomac reflects a four-year aggregate cohort size of approximately 440 graduates.

ECPI Score Components & Weighting
ECPI Component	Weight	Analytical Description
T25 National University	35%	Measures matriculation to Top 25 National Universities, rewarding placement at the nation's most selective research universities.
T15 Liberal Arts College	15%	Recognizes placement at elite small colleges, a significant alternative pathway for top students.
In-State / Regional Flagship Pipeline	20%	Measures the strength of a school's pipeline to its primary state or regional flagship public universities (e.g., University of Virginia, University of Maryland).
HBCU Matriculation Strength	10%	Measures matriculation to leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
College Readiness Score	20%	An internal score reflecting a school's academic rigor, resources, faculty qualifications, and overall national reputation.

Institutional Profile: The Potomac Ecosystem

Located in McLean, Virginia, just three miles from Washington, D.C., The Potomac School operates as a coeducational day school. Our analysis of their internal fast facts reveals a heavily resourced academic environment built on a K-12 foundation.

Geographic Footprint: McLean, Virginia

Table 1: Structural Baselines & Fast Facts
Institutional Metric	Potomac School Profile
Total Enrollment (K-12)	1,070 Students
Upper School Class Size	Approximately 110 graduates per year
Average Class Size	15 Students (Upper School)
Faculty Credentials	180 Faculty members, 72% holding Advanced Degrees
Campus & Transportation	90-acre wooded campus; 20+ regional bus routes

Academic & Extracurricular Scale

Potomac balances academic rigor with broad extracurricular offerings, supporting 74 teams across 24 sports for grades 7-12. This extensive athletic and extracurricular framework allows students to build competitive profiles for collegiate athletic recruitment and leadership admissions tracks.

Regional Commuter Network

A significant logistical component for Potomac is its extensive transportation network. The school operates over 20 local and regional bus routes covering 90 zip codes across D.C., Maryland (Bethesda, Chevy Chase), and Virginia (Arlington, Alexandria, Reston), effectively pulling talent from the metropolitan footprint.

Financial Aid Profile & Tuition Dynamics

With Upper School (Grades 9-12) tuition set at $54,750 for the 2026-27 academic year, independent school access in the D.C. area requires significant financial planning. Potomac’s financial aid strategy offers insight into the region's socio-economic realities.

Subsidizing Middle-Income Earners

Potomac allocates $7.3 million annually in need-based financial aid, supporting 19% of the student body. The average grant awarded is $33,500, covering more than half of the Upper School tuition.

Notably, 70% of families receiving financial aid have a household income exceeding $150,000. Unlike boarding schools that focus aid primarily on lower-income brackets, Potomac's aid model actively subsidizes middle and upper-middle-class families facing the high cost of living and housing in the D.C. suburbs.

Financial Overview (2026-27)

Upper School Tuition $54,750
Total Students on Aid 19%
Total Aid Budget $7.3 Million
Average Grant Amount $33,500
Aid for Incomes > $150k 70% of pool

The Virginia Flagship Pipeline

A primary driver of Potomac's #2 ranking is its 12% modeled ECPI score in the In-State/Regional Flagship Pipeline. For families residing in Virginia, Potomac provides a highly reliable pathway into the Commonwealth's most competitive public universities.

ECPI Category Yields

42%

T25 National

12%

Flagship Pipeline

6%

T15 Liberal Arts

3%

HBCU Pipeline

Dominance at UVA and William & Mary

Over the past four-year aggregate cycle, Potomac demonstrated a consistent volume of enrollments to highly selective in-state public institutions. The most recent snapshot from the Class of 2025 indicates a strengthening pipeline to Charlottesville and Williamsburg.

University of Virginia: Potomac sent 24 students over a four-year period, securing 12 matriculations in the Class of 2025 alone.
College of William & Mary: 18 students matriculated over the four-year cycle, with 5 entering in the Class of 2025.
Virginia Tech & JMU: Combined, these institutions drew 10 students over the past four years.

University of Virginia 24 (4-yr) / 12 (2025)
College of William & Mary 18 (4-yr) / 5 (2025)
Virginia Tech 7 (4-yr)
James Madison University 3 (4-yr)

Ivy+ & T25 National Placements

Complementing its flagship dominance, Potomac earns a 42% modeled T25 national yield. Over the past four years, the school generated 50 total enrollments across the eight Ivy League institutions, with particularly robust pipelines to Dartmouth and Harvard. (Percentages reflect the estimated yield against the 4-year cohort size of roughly 440 graduates).

The Ivy+ Pipeline

Dartmouth College 12 (2.7%)
Harvard University 8 (1.8%)
Brown University 8 (1.8%)
University of Pennsylvania 7 (1.6%)
University of Chicago 7 (1.6%)
Princeton University 6 (1.4%)
Stanford University 4 (0.9%)
Cornell University 4 (0.9%)
Columbia University 3 (0.7%)
Yale University 2 (0.5%)

T25 National Prestige

Potomac demonstrates significant strength in placing students at highly selective private universities, particularly those located in the South and major metropolitan hubs.

Georgetown University 9 (2.0%)
Duke University 9 (2.0%)
Northwestern University 8 (1.8%)
Vanderbilt University 6 (1.4%)
Washington University in St. Louis 6 (1.4%)
University of Southern California 6 (1.4%)
Emory University 5 (1.1%)

Core Matriculations Archive (4-Year Aggregate)

The table below highlights all significant placements (5 or more students) across T25, T15 LAC, and other highly selective institutions utilized in our scoring models over the most recent four-year tracking period. (Percentages reflect the yield against the estimated total 4-year cohort size: ~440 students).

Potomac School Official Placements (≥ 5 Matriculations)
Institution	4-Year Total	Est. Yield (%)	ECPI Category
University of Virginia	24	5.5%	Flagship
College of William & Mary	18	4.1%	Flagship
Wake Forest University	13	3.0%	Others
Dartmouth College	12	2.7%	Ivy+ / T25 National
Georgetown University	9	2.0%	T25 National
Duke University	9	2.0%	Ivy+ / T25 National
Boston College	9	2.0%	Others
University of Miami	9	2.0%	Others
Harvard University	8	1.8%	Ivy+ / T25 National
Northwestern University	8	1.8%	T25 National
Brown University	8	1.8%	Ivy+ / T25 National
Middlebury College	8	1.8%	T15 LAC
Colby College	8	1.8%	Others
New York University	8	1.8%	Others
University of Chicago	7	1.6%	Ivy+ / T25 National
University of Pennsylvania	7	1.6%	Ivy+ / T25 National
Tulane University	7	1.6%	Others
Pennsylvania State University	7	1.6%	Others
Virginia Tech	7	1.6%	Flagship
Washington University in St. Louis	6	1.4%	T25 National
Princeton University	6	1.4%	Ivy+ / T25 National
Vanderbilt University	6	1.4%	T25 National
Washington and Lee University	6	1.4%	Others
Northeastern University	6	1.4%	Others
University of Southern California	6	1.4%	T25 National
Emory University	5	1.1%	T25 National
Syracuse University	5	1.1%	Others
University of Maryland	5	1.1%	Flagship

Broad Matriculations (< 5 Students)

Demonstrating true breadth, Potomac graduates enrolled in over 120 institutions across the United States and internationally. The following institutions received fewer than 5 matriculations during the 4-year cycle.

* Institutions highlighted in bold represent highly selective universities tracked within the Chicardgo ECPI core categories (Ivy+, Top 25 National, and Top 15 Liberal Arts Colleges).

American University

Amherst College (2)

Auburn University

Barnard College (4)

Bates College (2)

Boston University (4)

Bowdoin College (2)

Bucknell University (4)

Carnegie Mellon University (2)

Carleton College (2)

Case Western Reserve (3)

Claremont McKenna College

Clemson University (4)

College of the Holy Cross

Columbia University (3)

Cornell University (4)

Davidson College (3)

Denison University (2)

Dickinson College (3)

Fordham University

George Mason University (3)

George Washington Univ. (4)

Georgia Institute of Tech

Hamilton College (4)

Haverford College (2)

Howard University (2)

Indiana University (4)

James Madison University (3)

Johns Hopkins University (3)

Kenyon College (3)

Lafayette College (3)

Lehigh University (2)

Macalester College

Massachusetts Inst of Tech

McGill University

Michigan State University (4)

Morehouse College (2)

Oberlin College

Pitzer College

Pomona College (2)

Providence College

Purdue University (3)

Rice University (3)

Santa Clara University

Skidmore College

Smith College

Southern Methodist University (2)

Spelman College (4)

Stanford University (4)

Swarthmore College (2)

Texas Christian University (3)

Trinity College

Tufts University (4)

UC Berkeley (3)

UCLA (3)

University of Colorado Boulder (2)

University of Georgia (2)

University of Michigan (4)

University of North Carolina (2)

University of Notre Dame (2)

University of Oxford (UK) (2)

University of Richmond (4)

Wesleyan University (4)

Yale University (2)

Counseling Strategy

Our review indicates that Potomac pairs its geographic advantages with a highly resourced College Counseling department. The team operates under the philosophy of finding the "best fit" rather than purely chasing prestige, though the data clearly reflects a highly competitive admissions cohort.

Leadership & Staffing

The office is led by Director Stacy Richardson, supported by Associate Directors Christopher Zissi, Sanil Patel, and Katie Li, alongside Coordinator Karen Lawrence Djorup. This heavy staffing model allows for deep, individualized counseling that begins formally in the junior year.

The school hosts admission professionals from over 100 colleges and universities annually, giving Potomac students direct access to institutional representatives.

Professional Connectivity

Potomac leverages significant institutional relationships. The school is one of the 42 Founder Members of the Association of College Counselors in Independent Schools (ACCIS) and remains highly active in NACAC and PCACAC. This professional networking ensures counselors are directly informed of shifting admissions priorities at elite universities.

Alumni Networks and Financial Footprints

An institution's legacy often provides a tailwind in selective admissions. Potomac's alumni participation remains strong, with annual giving bolstered by the Potomac Fund and The 1904 Society. Multi-generational mentoring and professional relationships are fostered through the active alumni governing council, securing the organization's programmatic future and reinforcing its network.

Notable Featured Alumni

Class of '79

Davis Guggenheim

Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker (An Inconvenient Truth).

Class of '81

Michael Arndt

Academy Award-winning screenwriter (Little Miss Sunshine).

Class of '97

Sarah-Nell Walsh

Executive coach, author, and legal professional.

Class of '04

Kenny Fahey

President and CEO of Leading Harvest.

Class of '91

Josh Stinchcomb

Global Chief Revenue Officer at The Wall Street Journal.

Class of '78

Libby Jewett

Founding Director of the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program.

Regional Competitors

To contextualize the #2 rank achieved by Potomac, we must examine its direct competitors in the D.C. Metro area private school market, drawing from our regional ECPI dataset.

Sidwell Friends School

The District Leader: Operating from D.C., Sidwell Friends generates significant Ivy+ volume (placing heavily into Penn, Harvard, and Brown). Potomac matches its scale by dominating the Virginia flagship pipeline.

BASIS Independent McLean

The STEM Challenger: Located near Potomac in McLean, BASIS offers an accelerated, STEM-focused curriculum. It produces high T25 numbers, particularly to Carnegie Mellon and MIT.

Georgetown Day School

The Urban Progressive: GDS offers a slightly larger cohort and produces solid numbers to NYU, WashU, and Tufts. Potomac differentiates itself via its suburban campus appeal and stronger pipeline into highly selective Southern universities like Vanderbilt and Duke.

Implications

When synthesizing this dataset against the broader D.C. Metro market, Potomac's trajectory offers clear insights into current trends in selective admissions:

•
The Power of Geography: Potomac captures the "Virginia Advantage." By locating just over the border in McLean, its students gain in-state status for UVA and William & Mary, securing high-quality public options that D.C. residents lack.
•
Subsidizing the Middle Class: The financial aid model—distributing $7.3M with 70% going to families making over $150k—demonstrates that independent schools actively subsidize professional-class families facing severe housing and living costs in the D.C. suburbs.
•
Securing the #2 Rank: By achieving a 42% T25 rate, a 12% Flagship rate, and leveraging an intimate 15-student average class size, Potomac secures the #2 position on our Elite College Placement Index for D.C. Metro Private schools.

FAQ: The Potomac Evaluation