Mcdonogh School

8600 McDonogh Road

Owings Mills, MD 21117

11 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on June 28, 2021

Solid education with flaws. Parent communication from teachers is lacking in the upper grades and college counseling is not super supportive or helpful as advertised. Considering the amount of tuition paid by families, the school leaves you with a feeling that you overpaid for a “meh” school.
Submitted by parent on April 26, 2018

McD is an overall exceptional school which seeks to build leaders in the community. The pressure is age appropriate and the experience should allow students to thrive in their future.
Submitted by parent on April 12, 2018

Over all for my 3 children it has been an amazing school. Our experience is in the upper school only. I have 2 children that are academically oriented and enjoyed the athletic programs. My other child was more challenged with the courses but ALWAYS found her teacher interested in helping her. They also enjoyed honors art classes and participating in the dance program. Athletics at McD do get attention (consistent with our society these days) but the debate team is nationally ranked, arts and theatre are tremendous so this school truly has something for many students.
Submitted by parent on February 01, 2018

My son endured terrible bullying at McDonogh during the years he attended the school. The administration never did anything to improve things and provided the perfect environment for a child to be picked on. After I complained the bullying just got worse. With its high price tag we expected better supervision of kids but don't be fooled by the big price tag it is a terrible school. We switched to another private school in Baltimore County and had the most wonderful experience with very supportive kids and teachers. My son thrived and we now look back in complete disgust at a school that should not be entrusted with children. My son still has the emotional scars of his terrible experience at McDonogh and I hope no child ever has to go through what he did under the supervision of this school. Do yourself a favor and stay far away from this hell hole. We arrived with a bright, confident and outgoing child in lower school who had always made friends easily and enjoyed school and we walked away with a damaged, low self-esteem, low confidence child that is still trying to find his way back. I remember seeing a boy in first grade on the swings at recess several times and he was always by himself, not one friend to play with. I asked the teacher if he had anyone to play with? The teacher said he preferred to play alone. This should of been my first clue to the complete lack of care McDonogh has for the children. All they care about is money. I bought into the hoopla. They sold me on the fancy campus and the fact that very few children got accepted to this prestigious school. I have come to the conclusion that those kids that didn't get accepted were the lucky ones.
Submitted by parent on June 23, 2015

McDonogh is a wonderful school with a very strong sense of community. The curriculum is very challenging, especially in the Upper School, but the teachers really want their students to succeed. It is truly an environment of learning and excellence.
Submitted by other on January 02, 2013

I graduated in 2011 and came in 9th grade, so I can only speak to the Upper School experience. McDonogh is a good school for a certain type of student. I can't say I really enjoyed my time here, but I did get a very good education and was extremely prepared for college. Academically, the school was solid. There were a lot of AP course offerings. Most teachers were helpful and care about your success. There were also some truly bad teachers, but i suppose you will find that anywhere. College counseling was very good here-- the counselors even had 'connections' to some top schools. With the strong academics came a very intense atmosphere of pressure and competition. Senior year was soul-crushing because of the college process. My biggest complaint is that, socially, McDonogh was not right for me. The social life there revolved around sports to the extent that athletes and non-athletes rarely take classes together or interact. There is also a lot of 'partying' that goes on under the administration's nose. I met some great people there and appreciate the opportunities the school gave me, but I'm not sure if I'd choose it again. Know your child when deciding what school is best.
Submitted by other on July 19, 2012

I attended school here and I must say it was the best experience I had of my life. I am so fortunate and so grateful to have had the opportunity to attend this amazing learning institution. The community and teachers are just a one of a kind.
Submitted by parent on October 15, 2011

This school is great. It offers varied curriculum to challenge each and every student. It's academics, athletics and overall school community are great!
Submitted by parent on October 13, 2010

McDonogh is a rare find in independent schools. It offers both challenging academics and athletics, with plenty of other opportunities for children who aren't into athletics. My child spent many years at another independent school that promised a lot, but didn't deliver. McDonogh delivers!
Submitted by student on May 08, 2010

The academics at McDonogh are top-tier, and along with this comes a very high workload. The avg. amount of homework for me is 4 hours a night (though I take an honors/AP course load). I feel academically challenged and stimulated, though often stressed. Athletics. They're big here. Though there are other outlet to get involved in, I feel the majority of the emphasis is placed on the athletic world of McD. I loved the experiences athletic involvement gave me, but I also love the arts and am disappointed by their lack of emphasis here. Socially: It's hit or miss here. It varies, but many describe this school as a 'social bubble', meaning that the students rarely socialize outside of McD. Also, people tend to form circles of friends early on and stick together, rarely making new friends after freshman year. This is perhaps the worst aspect of McD.
Submitted by student on March 10, 2010

The academic part is definitely sound and they have excellent staff, but the social scene is not nearly as good. 4/5 stars.