Marlborough School

One of the best schools in the country. Rigorous academics. Strong sense of community. Great teachers. Empowers girls to become confident caring leaders.

Top notch school with great facilities! Great for college prep. Good neighborhood as it sits on the border of Hancock Park and Windsor Square which have beautiful, classic homes. The school was established decades ago. Good ethnic diversity in student population. But be careful, we though it was an "all girls" school but there are some students that don't "identify" as girls. They don't even call the students girls anymore and instead use non gendered words like children. This is a trend we have seen in some Los Angeles schools in the past year and it's alarming. Even the school staff put their "pronouns" in their email signatures.

Ridiculously rigorous academic program. You have to take your education very seriously. My 7th grade ancient history class was the most different class I have ever taken in my entire life. That includes college AND medical school.

My daughter is in 7th grade at Marlborough and I disagree with the comments posted in the review dated February 23 2015. I do not have the sense that the school is in complete turmoil. There are obviously big changes going on and that can be stressful for people but my impression is the staff has been very professional in handling the current situation and their primary focus has been ensuring that the education of the girls is not disrupted. My daughter is not an athlete. She loves drama and singing and her experience has been just as good as any girl involved in sports. She has many friends who aren't into anything in particular - they just enjoy being at a challenging school - and they all seem happy and are enjoying their experience at Marlborough. The myth that any school only focuses on big donors is just that. Schools need to fund-raise and I appreciate that there are families and individuals who do contribute at such a level which allows the school to focus on what they do best - educating girls. No school in LA can survive by focusing on only one or two subsets of families. I genuinely feel all families and students are equally valued at Marlborough.

The school is in complete turmoil (evidenced in the press) as a result of not paying enough attention to the safety of its students, and cultivating an atmosphere where predators among faculty and students would thrive. For years, the major focus has been on recruiting mega-wealthy donors who can help pay off the last building fund (the ARC), and pay for the next (Arden Project), with less emphasis on recruiting the best female students in the area. The classroom atmosphere is strictly traditional (teacher lecturing to students, followed by tests or quizzes) rather than innovative projects that my daughter enjoyed at our more progressive elementary school. I am a Marlborough alumna who values the education I received there, but I think it will take time for the school to get back on track. My daughter is an excellent, motivated student, but we are happy to have removed her from this school. She is now thriving in an environment that is more nurturing, and accepting, particularly of children who are more artistic than athletic. Marlborough is much more into its athletics than it was during my time there, and so if you are not a sports team, it is hard to fit in.