Mission Statement Wilmington Friends, a Quaker school with high standards for academic achievement, challenges students to seek truth, to value justice and peace, and to act as creative, independent thinkers with a conscious responsibility to the good of all.
Philosophy and Beliefs Wilmington Friends School offers a college preparatory curriculum-including athletics, the arts and community service-in which Quaker values and high expectations are mutually supportive.
The defining belief of Quakerism is that there is "that of God" in everyone.
That belief gives rise to a school community that welcomes a variety of faith traditions and where we share an obligation to seek and answer what is best in ourselves and in others.
Students at Friends are challenged to realize their potential: as learners, well prepared to succeed in college and career; as leaders, recognizing their power and opportunity to be agents of change; and as active and responsible members of communities, from the classroom to the world.
The school serves students in preschool through grade twelve, who demonstrate ongoing promise in their ability to succeed at Friends, both academically and in meeting expectations for integrity and conduct.
Quick Stats (2024-25)
- Top Ranked DE School
- Grades: Nursery/Preschool-12
- Enrollment: 687 students
- Average class size: 12 students
- Application Deadline: None / Rolling
- Source: Verified school update
Top Rankings
Wilmington Friends School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Delaware for:
Category
Attribute
Student Body
Sports offered
Extracurriculars
School History
School Overview
School Membership(s)School Assoc.
Religious Affiliation
Grades Offered
Grades Nursery/Preschool-12
Year Founded
1748
Summer School Offered
Yes
Summer Program Details
Student Body
Total Students
687 students
Student Body Type
Co-ed
% Students of Color
18%
State avg.: 26%
Students by Grade
Academics and Faculty
Total Classroom Teachers
85 teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
8:1
National avg.: 13:1
% Faculty w/Advanced Degree
57%
Average Class Size
12 students
Number of AP Courses
3 courses
List of Courses Offered
Advanced Courses
IB 20th Century World History SL, IB Bio HL, IB Chemistry SL, IB Chinese Language & Literature HL, IB English HL, IB European & Mediterranean Hist HL, IB French HL, IB French HL, IB Math HL, IB Math Methods SL, IB Physics SL, IB Spanish HL, IB Vis Arts HL
Average SAT score
1241
(Out of 1600)
Average ACT score
28
(Out of 36)
Matriculation DataMatric. Data
Classroom Dress Code
Casual
Tuition and Acceptance Rate
Admission Deadline
None / Rolling
Tuition Notes
Range from $10,350-$34,230
Summer Program Cost
$340
Summer Program Cost Notes
Weekly camp rates
% on Financial Aid
55%
Admissions Director
Melissa Brown
Admissions Associate
Julia Forester
Sports
Total Sports Offered
14 sports
Extracurriculars
Total ExtracurricularsTotal Extra-curric.
39 extracurriculars
ExtracurricularsExtra-curric.
Club or Organization:
African American Affinity, Agenda Committee, Alice’s March for Equality, Amigos Para Amigos, Amnesty International, AppleCore (Student Tech Support), Arts and Activism, B+ Committee, Best Buddies, Blood Drive Team, Buddies for Studies, Buzz (Social Media), Charity: Water and Ecology, Dan’s Dash (Stroke Awareness), Diversity Awareness Club, Diversity Committee, EduKate, Entrepreneurs’ Club, Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA), Global Connections Club, Half the Sky Club, Light and Sound, Link Crew, M.O.A.S (Model Organization of American States), Mock Trial, One Love, Poetry Speaks, Prism (Arts magazine), Prom Committee, Quaker Care, Quaker Youth Leadership Committee, Quiz Bowl, Random Act of Kindness Club (RAK), Robotics, Stock Market Club, Student Disciplinary Committee, What’s Up?, Whittier Miscellany (student newspaper), World Affairs Club
African American Affinity, Agenda Committee, Alice’s March for Equality, Amigos Para Amigos, Amnesty International, AppleCore (Student Tech Support), Arts and Activism, B+ Committee, Best Buddies, Blood Drive Team, Buddies for Studies, Buzz (Social Media), Charity: Water and Ecology, Dan’s Dash (Stroke Awareness), Diversity Awareness Club, Diversity Committee, EduKate, Entrepreneurs’ Club, Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA), Global Connections Club, Half the Sky Club, Light and Sound, Link Crew, M.O.A.S (Model Organization of American States), Mock Trial, One Love, Poetry Speaks, Prism (Arts magazine), Prom Committee, Quaker Care, Quaker Youth Leadership Committee, Quiz Bowl, Random Act of Kindness Club (RAK), Robotics, Stock Market Club, Student Disciplinary Committee, What’s Up?, Whittier Miscellany (student newspaper), World Affairs Club
School Notes
- Global learning at Friends includes signature international programs--the International Baccalaureate (IB), School Year Abroad (SYA), and three modern languages: Chinese, French, and Spanish. Language study begins in pre-kindergarten (Spanish).More broadly and fundamentally,global education at Friends is reflected in a curriculum- and school-wide approach to education that prepares students for the challenges and opportunities of their future, even those that we cannot predict.The world is changing quickly, fueled by technological progress measured in "machine generations" as short as one or two years. Friends offers an unsurpassed college preparatory program in terms of content in each academic discipline, and in the range and depth of academic and leadership skills that apply across disciplines and outside of the classroom. We recognize that the careers our students will pursue may not even exist yet, and the program at Friends is designed to prepare students for whatever the future brings.* Friends students learn how to engage complex questions intellectually-with multi-layered, open-minded, truly "global" thinking.* They learn the academic and leadership skills to engage challenges in and outside of the classroom, with a sense of responsibility and confidence that they can communicate, act, and lead effectively.* They learn how to listen and how to work with people of different points of view.* And they learn that the faster the world changes, the more important their own foundation of values and ethics becomes.Global education is coordinated throughout the curriculum, culminating in the IB program. Friends was the first school in Delaware authorized to offer the IB, which is recognized around the world as representing one of the highest standards-indeed, it is often recognized as the highest standard-in college preparatory education. Authorization as an IB school also ensures international certification of quality across academic disciplines, to the benefit of all of our students.Additional global education programs, including School Year Abroad and other international study and service learning programs, are coordinated at Friends through the Quaker Center for Understanding, Engagement, and Stewardship (QUEST). Programs under the auspices of QUEST include service-learning trips, and the "Big Ideas" and Lunch & Learn speaker series on issues related to cross-cultural and international understanding, social justice, and environmental stewardship.
Source: Verified school update
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Wilmington Friends School cost?
Wilmington Friends School's tuition is approximately $340 for summer students.
Does Wilmington Friends School offer a summer program?
Yes, Wilmington Friends School offers a summer program. Visit their summer school page for more information.
What sports does Wilmington Friends School offer?
Wilmington Friends School offers 14 interscholastic sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball, Winter Track and Wrestling. Wilmington Friends School is ranked as one of the top 20% of private schools in Delaware for most sports offered.
What is Wilmington Friends School's ranking?
Wilmington Friends School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Delaware for: Largest student body, Most sports offered, Most extracurriculars offered and Oldest founding date.
When is the application deadline for Wilmington Friends School?
The application deadline for Wilmington Friends School is rolling (applications are reviewed as they are received year-round).
School Reviews
5 7/24/2015
Our two-year old daughter just began attending the ELC this September, and it has been amazing watching her flourish in this environment. She seems so much happier at Friends than she did at het last NAEYC- accredited daycare, and we attribute that completely to the high standards for teaching and the personal connections that her teachers make with each of the children. It was the right fit for us!
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