<p>I have had Westtown and George recommended - does anyone know what their academic reputation is? How would colleges look at them?</p>
<p>They are both Quaker schools, and historic arch-rivals. Neither has the academic prestige of, say, Exeter, Groton, or Lawrenceville, but they both are well-respected. They draw an international student body, and are actually pretty selective for day students (not as selective for boarders). Westtown has a beautiful campus, with lower and middle day schools. It requires all juniors and seniors to board. George is strictly a secondary school, roughly half-day, half-boarder. George received the largest single bequest ever made to a private school ($128 million) from Molly Dodd Anderson - an alumna whose father was one of Warren Buffett’s original investors. This has allowed them to invest in some major capital improvements and in boosting faculty pay. George has an IB program, which is unusual among private boarding schools. Quaker schools all pride themselves on their strong service component, and on diversity and tolerance. You should try to visit both schools. Newtown, where George is located, is a charming town, just 45 minutes from downtown Philly. Westtown is a little more rural, but still accessible to Philadelphia.</p>