Hathaway Brown School

19600 North Park Boulevard

Shaker Heights, OH 44122

23 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 09, 2025

What a disappointment it was to be welcomed into what is lauded to be a diverse and inclusive environment only to discover it is filled with bullies (both in the form of students and teachers). Be warned: the bullies here are smarter than those at public schools. They will pick apart your child’s character to make them feel small. Most of them are also life long attendees, so they will not be punished by the administration that panders to them in every way. The teachers feel comfortable dismissing the needs of students and actually go after those who are on the outs. The food is also inedible and the dress code laughable. Save your money and stick it out in public schools! (note: all of the positive reviews here are written by the vicious mothers who wish to keep HB exactly the way it is for their evil children)
Submitted by student on August 30, 2024

HB has a major bullying problem. I currently go to HB and love it, but I was violently bullied here freshman year. I considered transferring countless times. There needs to be something done about the toxic community here. I would not use the words inclusive, welcoming, or kind to describe the general community.
Submitted by other on May 11, 2020

Average. The school recruits girls who are very smart in 9th grade to make it seem that their total education was at HB.
Submitted by parent on May 29, 2018

Wonderful. It's worth the 30 minute drive and the cost of tuition. There wasn't a question about diversity above but we live in a community that lacks diversity, and I like that my daughters are learning about so many different cultures and with girls from all over Cleveland. No distraction from boys also helps tremendously!
Submitted by parent on April 24, 2017

Hathaway Brown had an excellent reputation which is why without hesitation we decided to send our daughters there. In my experience at HB I have determined the school is lacking in a few areas.First and foremost due to the fact that this is an all girls school I expect the staff to be EXPERTS in dealing with all things girls. That is not the case. There is no policy or system in place that teaches girls to support/uplift each other. Teaching girls at a young age the importance of supporting each other as well as how to handle conflict are very important life lessons I was hoping the school would assist with in the development of our girls. Most resources are outdated and not beneficial to students or parents in this day and age.Communication is something that lacks across the board. It infuriates me when my younger daughter comes home to tell me about a situation that took place and the school never communicated it to me. Additionally, there should be a policy in place that teachers must respond to parent within an appropriate time frame. I have had to leave multiple emails & voicemails that dragged on for longer than a week. Some teachers are not at their best around younger children. They lack patience and come across as cold. Other teachers are like family and truly care for and guide the girls.All ladies are different and HB lacks resources to support this. If you don't fit into the "Cookie Cutter" image, this school is not for you. Many bright students left over the years as HB offers very minimal resources for students with learning disabilities. I have also watched girls leave due to the cliques. Not having a dress code for the upper school is not appealing.I have referred many families to HB and the feedback from visits has been consistent. Enrollment representative for EC/prime does not always leave the best impression upon incoming families. Athletics are superior, facilities for athletics are well kept. Many wonderful families attend this school. Fran Biselle seems to be making positive changes which are necessary. Overall, for what we pay to send our daughters to HB, the school has been disappointing. I am confident that this school needs more structure and policies for the students and staff. Very disorganized. HB needs to make many improvements if they want to continue to remain a premier private school.
Submitted by student on April 17, 2017

it breaks my heart too see all the 1 star ratings, because this is NOT true at all. Let me be honest... yes its competitive, but that is a drive that i like and thrive in and you don have to be competitive nature also! second yes it has cliques but knowing and being close with girls from laurel, and hawken and shaker all schools have cliques, and by senior year me and my classmates were so close. Looking at just numbers HB is the BEST in terms of test scores and college list and does exactly what it is supposed to do prep you to go to college. The teachers are amazing and will go out of the way to help you. The food is amazing and options for everyone no matter if you are vegan or vegetarian. The opportunities are endless, and for some reason if you can't find something to do in the school they will help you find other things that fit your interests. Having a lot of homework is normal and even though it might not be the best thing all the time, it pays off in the end by being that much more prepped for college. Please don't base your opinion of this school on the false ratings below!
Submitted by parent on December 14, 2015

HB values only stars. Sadly, our daughter ran into a rough spell that lasted two awful years. At one point, she went to a top school administrator for help only to be told, to her face, that she was using too much of the school's resources and should find another school. We persevered, and our daughter is very successful and will graduate from HB. However, the school administrator has never apologized. Every time I hear her speak about how much the school cares about the girls - well, it just brings bad memories. About $150,000 worth of bad memories. Mostly, I can't help but feel sad for opportunities lost and worry about how much our girl has been hurt by this school.
Submitted by other on March 10, 2015

I think that HB could use a bit of work. 1st of all most of the students are not very nice to girls who also say "I am also thinking about going to Laurel" (Laurel is one of HB's rivals) Also, the academics are very hard and pushy about always getting good grades. The food here is not very good and could use improvement. HB is focused too much on sports and academics and does not focus on teaching girls how to think or be themselves.
Submitted by student on February 24, 2015

For years I was excluded and bullied by my classmates. They always looked down on me and I never knew why. The school is full of cliques and if you don't conform to their standard of acceptance, forget about finding a friend there. The staff over reacts and seem to be against freedom of speech. If your ambition doesn't involve helping others and/or promoting equality it is considered worthless (you want to be an entertainer? Forget it. A model? Nope. An artist? Sure, if it involves painting scenes of peace and gender/racial equality). Ironically, if you aren't white and straight, chances are, you will be bullied (and harshly, I might add). Even as a straight white person I had to deal with bullying and depression. I finally got to switch schools after six years of attendance and you couldn't pay me enough to go back.
Submitted by student on August 28, 2014

I'd like to ease your worries as you look down the page and see the sad one star review. I m currently a senior at Hathaway Brown and I love HB. So, let's get down to the nitty gritty, the cliques, the teachers, etc. HB is one of the most diverse schools in Ohio. Girls are from all different backgrounds. We have Black Culture Awareness to Spanish Club and many more. My very own friend group is composed of 4 different races. Yes, HB assigns a lot of homework, but the girls trained at HB are going to be articulate and much more ready for the world than most people I know. Okay, HB teachers are hard. But they are awesome, funny, understanding people. HB is well staffed and I ve NEVER been disappointed. Finally, Parents and their "snobby children". Wrong. Wrong. WRONG. Yeah, maybe you're not gonna be BFFS with all of your kid's friend's parents, but generally the parents are very accepting and nice. And yes, HB is a school wth money. The parents have money; the kids have money. But NEVER have I been made fun of, or pitied because I had less money. Bullying doesn't happen at HB. It's in our nature as HB girls to treat everyone with respect and love one another. Thanks.
Submitted by parent on August 09, 2013

If you're looking for a top notch education for your daughter, I strongly recommend HB. Does the school have cliques, snobby students and parents? It sure does. However, if you are secure in who you are and academically focused, the cliques and snobs are really insignificant.
Submitted by other on April 20, 2013

This school is amazing and is truly impactful. Even though the transition from any other school to HB will be tough, it allows girls to grow. If the student if truly willing to immerse herself into the world of HB and have fun, it will be life changing. There is truly no other school like it. You get countless opportunities, championship winning sports, great connections, amazing teachers with strong relationships, and girls who succeed and attend the best universities in the world. Simply looking around, you will know that this school is completely different from any other. You are truly lucky if you get to attend this school and are blessed. I can't even explain how excellent the school is and all the good things that come along with this opportunity.
Submitted by other on December 07, 2012

Choosing to go to HB for high school was one of the best decisions of my life. I had opportunities there that were beyond compare- studying abroad, a scientific internship (where I got to boss around graduate students), meeting world renown experts in the fields I was interested in. The teachers were extremely knowledgeable and totally engaged in their subjects. Perhaps everyone wasn't as cuddly as what I've heard from Laurel, but they went above and beyond to help if you weren't keeping up, swapping books, chatting about your personal problems, even sharing their own poetry. The college office was a freaking machine. I went to a college abroad, and they wrote special additional letters of recommendation for my foreign applications, and guided me through the process. Brilliant.
Submitted by parent on November 18, 2012

We recently moved to the Cleveland area with our two teenaged daughters. We looked at numerous private schools on the east side and found HB to be the best fit for both of our girls. From the very beginning, we found the overall HB family (administration, teachers and parents) to be unbelievably helpful. The well being of our daughters has always been and continues to be their #1 priority. The parents have been an enormous resource for us as we learn our way around. Volunteering our time at the school has only shown us what we already knew: HB knows girls and they love them! Our daughters interests are all over the place- sports, music, arts and service. HB helps them learn how to manage them all and still have time for family and friends. The doors are always open for the girls to talk with their teachers or coaches any day of the week. The dedication to these girls is hard to describe. I know that my daughters will leave this school not only prepared for college, but also for the community in which they will live. I am thrilled with every aspect of HB.
Submitted by parent on October 08, 2012

My greatest regret is having sent my girls to this school. My girls were lifers there. Our family spent almost two decades at HB. I feel guilty that I didn't switch schools earlier. There was an overwhelming amount of homework, and the parent population was provincial and snobby. The students are entitled and mean spirited. The teachers mean well and are generally quite good, but the culture of the school doesn't allow for warmth, nurturing, or kindness. If you are diverse in any way you will be socially isolated. I felt as though women who worked were looked down upon, an interesting twist for a girls school. Projects are driven by parent reaction. The process is less important than the presentation. As a result, parents often do the project for their child, and since the presentation is rewarded, this feeds on itself. One feels as though they must "fix" their childrens' work so that it will be acceptable. Further, the mothers at this school complain and whine constantly. They are extremely demanding, each expecting their child to be the class star. I think my girls will have emotional scars from having gone to school at this competitive (and not in a good way) school.
Submitted by parent on July 02, 2012

I sent my child for preschool. I think the program is interesting and diverse, but I did not find the people to be very nurturing. I also found that the staff gossips about parents. It suggests character building is not on par with academics, so it depends what you value. Pluses and minuses in my opinion.
Submitted by other on June 15, 2012

Hathaway Brown is an amazing school, and is one of the best girls schools in the country. It has been an incredible experience for me, especially if you take advantage of all of the opportunities available. First and foremost, the academics are stellar, and the teachers truly love their jobs. If a teach senses that you need help with something, they will be willing to give you extra help or meet with you to clarify a certain topic. The athletics are also outstanding, particularly soccer, field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. You can also get involved with volunteering, science research, business and finance, and international travel through the school. Socially, HB has been a great fit for me, and I have a diverse group of friends from all walks of life. Just a forewarning, the academics and the homework load are intense. As a student, you are always under pressure and stressed. Don't come here and expect to pull off straight A's while only doing a few hours of work a night. You have to really put all of your effort into school, use your time wisely, and participate in class. However, the friends, teachers, and the interesting curriculum all make up for the stressful academics.
Submitted by other on May 27, 2012

HB is an amazing school but only if you're right for it. I'm 99% sure it is the top "prep" school in the state (as far as the level of colleges HB grads attend). It is a very challenging place to be and academics are incredibly rigorous. At HB you can pursue pretty much anything you're interested in and the amazing teachers will support you. The student body is another story. At HB you can grow a lot in every way including academically, athletically, and socially, but the culture is stressful and very judgmental. There will be times when you will hate the school and your classmates but it'll work out in the end. For me, it is worth it but it is not for everyone. This review was about the upper school. In my opinion, middle school was not worth it at all.
Submitted by other on May 24, 2012

I disliked this school immensley. To me, there was too much homework and the girls there were very disrespectful and rude. Laurel is much better.
Submitted by other on October 24, 2011

AAAAAAMAZING SCHOOL. so much better than Laurel. Trust me, i went to both. Don't know why i chose laurel first...