Another "here I am, thanking you for this later" review that would make my mom absolutely pleased as punch to see. The education is unmatched, the teachers are passionate, and I am so very proud of my vocabulary. I didn't make any "lasting friendships" and I'm not really one to take advantage of nepotism, so I don't foresee any incredible networking opportunities stemming from my high school education, but I really got to experience some wonderful things at an appropriate age. The most important factor of my education here was the integrated empowerment. This comes innately with most gender-specific education settings, but Xavier really encourages girls to become strong women. The parochial thing sucks, but as long as Arizona's legislature (thanks, Republican Party!) continues to wring out public education and teachers in favor of for-profit political garbage heaps like religious education, XCP is the top of the tower. read more

XCP says "Xavier College Preparatory does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in admissions ..." but this is completely a lie when majority of the students are white followed by Hispanic with African American & Native Americans having the lowest representation. They focus on accepting girls from specific backgrounds that fit their image, giving less chance for others who don't to receive the same opportunities. If you are looking for a school with diversity, XCP is not the school to attend. If you are a minority & are part of the small number that gets accepted, there is no one there who looks like or can relate to you culturally. read more

Love this school, my daughters a Junior and she loves it too. I am an Arizona Native and did not have the means to go when I was young

This is a private preparatory Catholic high school. It is an extremely snobbish, cliquish, money grubbing institution. I almost enrolled my granddaughter here but I was appalled how I was treated by the admissions office. Charge me for this, charge me for that, you ticked the wrong, you used the wrong color pen, no,no and no, you did this wrong, etc. etc. If your child belongs to one of Phoenix's upper middle class and above families, then this school is perfect for him or her. However, if your child is just average Phoenix middle or working class, he or she will be discriminated against silently, mocked, derided, looked down up and generally made to feel out of place. When I was going through the admissions process with my granddaughter, I contacted many of the parents who had sent their children initially to Xavier. An amazing 60% told me that they had regretted their decision very much and many had pulled their child from the school. Given the child abuse scandals currently affecting the Catholic Church and the degree to which it is now affecting the Catholic Church, I would no longer be able in any confidence to confide my child to a Catholic institution for fear of irreparable damage. Choose a charter school, a Protestant school, or an excellent public high school and research it well. Otherwise, be prepared to have a damaged child morally and physically. read more

I have had mixed thoughts about my experience at Xavier ever since attending and graduating. I can definitely see how it is not for everyone. Girls can be mean and gossipy, the work is tough, commuting from North Scottsdale was both tiresome and exciting. All Catholic school girl rumors aside the education that you receive from Xavier is priceless, it took me going to college to really value and appreciate my education from there. The best thing to take away from here is the ability to study and critical thinking skills, all of which made college a breeze. Even after college I continue to value Xavier. Flipping through the alumni magazine and reading up on old classmates keeps me inspired to keep learning and bettering myself. So many girls have gone to grad school and/or have great careers ahead of them. Or they living all over the world either working or volunteering. Nowhere else can you find so many people having such great experiences. If not starting a great career, then they are starting great families. Xavier is timeless. If I were ever to relocate back to AZ my children would be attending either Xavier or Brophy. Xavier made me who I am today, and probably saved me from slipping through the cracks in a public school setting. P.S. Mr. Diana & Miss Grimes were my favorites...but there were many others! read more

There is a subtle undercurrent of keeping these young women as "girls" and "children". Even at the graduation ceremony, they still were not referred to as young women or leaders. It infiltrates the whole school culture. At Brophy's college info night, they referred to our "young men" and that our students would take the lead on their college applications with little expectation for the parents to get involved. At Xavier's college info night, we were told that our "children" would be bringing home the paperwork and our "girls" would need our help to get through it. As a female professional, I expect my daughter to be taught and encouraged to blaze her trail as she enters adulthood instead of staying submissive. Xavier does not have the emphasis on character development that Brophy has except for "don't get an abortion". It is well known in the community that Xavier can't compare to Brophy. I don't understand why our young women should get second best. She chose an unusual career path, so I met with her counselor before school even started and laid out a mock 4 year outline of her courses. I expected Xavier to help us help her figure out if this really was her career goal or just a hobby. My outline was wadded up and thrown in the trash in front of my daughter. She was not allowed to select courses early to see if that really was her proposed college major, even though she attended summer school every year to be ahead of the schedule. We requested several times to change her counselor which is absolutely not allowed. Xavier's only concern was just getting the students through the conveyor belt of education. I did not intend to pay that kind of money just to get a high school diploma for my daughter. We could have received that at any high school. Xavier does not want to partner with parents. They do not want any type of parental involvement unless it is a donation or time commitment like the Fashion Show. Many Xavier parents pay for private college counselors, whereas we didn't need to do that for Brophy. Freshmen sports should not be cut teams. These ladies are coming from all over. Some without any friends. It should be about developing team spirit, just getting involved, meeting people and trying to figure out what you like. It shouldn't be about preparing for the Olympics at the freshman level. How does one know if they are talented at shotput or badminton​ unless they give it a try? Both are cut sports. I wrote a lengthy email to the principal, head of the guidance dept. and my daughter's guidance counselor about my concerns with Xavier. My daughter was unaware of my email. First thing in the morning before classes had even started, she was called into the principal's office with her counselor there also. They started off​ by telling her that they had asked around about her and were told that she was difficult and a behavior problem. Why did she think that people at Xavier didn't like her? Her mind was racing, trying to figure out what she had done and why she could be in trouble. (Keep in mind that my daughter graduated with her Associate's Degree and in the National Honor Society at the Xavier graduation.) They still have never responded to my email. We were furious. We instructed our daughter and Xavier that she would not be allowed to meet with anyone in the ​administration or the guidance dept. without a parent in attendance, either physically or by speakerphone. They can easily send me emails asking for money, but can't respond to a parent who has taken the time to send them an email. We appreciate the teachers and all the work that is done in the classroom. It has been a good school academically and the teachers work hard. I appreciate that my daughter is comfortable​ being the "smart girl". She has been surrounded​ by other amazing young women. However, we are so glad to be out of there. I would love to support a school that empowers young women to become global leaders as they start their futures. I believe it's more important that young women are educated than young men. However, XCP is a huge disappointment​ and missed opportunity for these amazing students. read more

Everyone here is snobby and rude. The teachers are fine really but the students only talk and flaunt their money onto others. Anyone here on a scholarship is the minority because everyone has to buy their way in read more

We have been so impressed with the quality of education and the core values XCP has instilled in our daughter. Teachers are engaged in all aspects of these young women's lives. They balance great life situations with religious education that teaches these young women how to serve others, work hard, embrace shortcomings and celebrate success. This institution is grooming amazing young women to be successful in their faith and life and helping to mold the families that embrace the vision of the institution that support their daughters. read more

I totally agree with L.C.'s review. Going to XCP made college seem like a breeze. Yes, there were the typical high school dramatics, but I feel like the teachers were able to take a harder line on discipline, since they weren't in fear of getting in hot water with the public school district. I had an overall great experience here, and I love meeting people all over the country that have gone to Xavier. My last flight home, the person in the seat next to me went there, and we had tons of people/things to chat about. It's fun to see where everyone has ended up, and it is fun to get together with fellow alums for drinks here in Chicago, and when I am back home in AZ. I think it is so sad that the girls don't get to do freshman swimming, sophomore dances, or go to dockers anymore - those were some defining moments of my XCP career. I don't know much about other private schools cropping up in the growing valley, but if I had kids, they would be headed to Xavier and Brophy! read more

The school DOESN'T value academics nearly as much as it values socializing and athletics. It pales in comparison to east coast prep schools, and lacks rigor in the curriculum. Most people who enjoy the school discuss the "fun times" or "experiences"; leisure is vital for any secondary school student, but leisure can't help you pass the SAT. Just take a look at the average ACT / SAT scores which aren't too much higher than state averages - unimpressive considering the affluence of the student body and the presumptive ability to afford pricey test prep. The teachers are sometimes unqualified to teach in their respective fields (particularly in STEM), but as a parochial school, Xavier doesn't have to follow standard hiring credentials. Software programming isn't offered. Extra-curricular organizations are subpar and do little to promote civic leadership. The courses do little to engage students with the outside world or current affairs. Even Economics / Goverment is disregarded, and course credit is granted simply by completing a take-home multiple choice exam. Critical thinking is discouraged in favor of busy-work and memorization. Students who are academically minded don't receive enough support or encouragement from faculty and staff. The Great Books program is well-meaning, but lacks the structure or wherewithal to truly stimulate active learning. In this increasingly globally competitive world, a lackluster education will no longer be rewarded. Xavier's young women need to be more forcefully pushed to rise to the same level of competition as their counterparts in China. There is just too much focus on non-academic pursuits and popularity contests. Unfortunately, issues like racism and discrimination (including non-racial forms to non-minority students) are also problems among certain teachers (especially those belonging to religious orders, aka nuns). You might find yourself mistreated if the school administrators incorrectly presume your background, until they realize who your parents are. If a teacher "just doesn't like you" it can make student life extremely difficult. Xavier also has its share of parochial school politics - children of donors + frequent volunteers are given more attention and treated more "equitably" than others, so to speak. There is also a great deal of pandering required to ensure that you're well-treated. There is definitely widespread drug use, drinking, partying, misbehavior and rule-breaking etc. Despite the religious curriculum, the girls here are no better in behavior or ethics than those in your standard high school. They're just better at not getting caught / evading punishment. The all-girl environment can also become very "catty" and cantankerous but I suppose you could find that at any high school. In full disclosure, there is a very predominant quasi "Laguna Beach" or "The Hills", hedonistic, vain, melodramatic, disinterested, and egocentric vibe, which is unfortunately promoted and perpetuated by the school itself. Complete with student fashion shows and cotillions. I guess some girls enjoyed this. Just be aware that there is not much diversity in interests or personalities, which can be challenging over the course of 4 years. All in all, Xavier is probably better than some public schools in the Phoenix area (perhaps no better than wealthy schools like Chapparal). But it cannot compare in the slightest to top ranking high schools around the state and country. Xavier is ABSOLUTELY NOT a "college prep" in the same strain as the Phillips Academy. Xavier is a school where affluent and mildly affluent Phoenicians send their children to maintain a public image of affluence. I found that *most* students would gladly spend more time preparing school dance arrangements (or snagging the latest Vera Bradley tote or Steve Madden sandals or Juicy velour tracksuit or...) than preparing for final exams. Yes, there's nothing wrong with a little teenage frivolity, but getting good grades ought to be the main priority!! Tears, popularity, and brown-nosing could garner passing grades. Parents and students are largely unconcerned with superior academic achievement - Xavier has a local reputation of lagging far behind Brophy in this respect. This culture can be distracting and disheartening for sincerely hardworking students. Consider other day schools in the Phoenix area. If you think attending Xavier inherently provides an competitive advantage in college admissions, you are very mistaken. The overwhelming majority of graduates (unsurprisingly) attend ASU or Arizona. The college advising is surprisingly quite minimal - you will have to do all of your own research. The few students who make it into top schools are often "connected" by way of familial legacy attendance, wealth, or athletic recruitment. I've seen several public schools in Scottsdale, Chandler, etc. send far more students annually to top schools. Just do your due diligence before choosing XCP. read more

This place may be "great" academically but the girls who come out of this school have no idea what the real world is. This high school almost always just produces over-competitive, rude, self-absorbed girls. Although this isn't true for all of the girls, this is my complaint as a senior who wishes she could move. read more