Virginia Episcopal School

What Virginia Episcopal School does

Virginia Episcopal School (VES) is a private, nonprofit Episcopal coeducational boarding and day school serving approximately 250 students in grades 9-12 on a 160-acre historic campus at 400 VES Road in Lynchburg, Virginia. The institution, founded in 1916 by Robert Carter Jett and Joseph B. Dunn under the auspices of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, delivers a college-preparatory academic program (27 AP/honors courses plus an Advanced Studies Program with senior thesis), a 14-sport athletics program (35 teams), and a comprehensive arts curriculum across theater, music, visual arts, and film production. Core product lines include five-day and seven-day boarding programs, a day program for local Lynchburg-area families, a summer camps portfolio used as an admissions pipeline, and integrated college counseling built on the SCOIR platform, with quantified outcomes such as 53 students from the Class of 2024 admitted to 104 different colleges (including Cornell, Princeton, and UCLA) and 15% of recent graduates signing to compete at the collegiate level.

VES generates revenue primarily through annual tuition billed on a subscription basis ($69,500 domestic boarding, $84,000 international boarding with mandatory health insurance, $59,500 five-day boarding, $31,500 day), supplemented by mandatory fees, summer camp revenue, and a private philanthropy stream that contributes more than 25% of the annual operating budget. Distribution is direct-to-family through a sales-led admissions motion: campus visits, overnight stays, the Standard Application Online (SAO) common application, SSAT testing (school code 7972), and Vericant interviews for Chinese applicants feed an application-to-enrollment funnel targeting families across 16 U.S. states and 10 countries (international students constitute roughly 20% of enrollment).

The operating model leans on differentiated residential faculty (80% live on campus), a 6:1 student-faculty ratio, and average class size of 12 to justify a premium price point, while the institution's competitive positioning rests on heritage (Virginia Historic Landmark, National Register of Historic Places designations since 1992), college outcomes, and Episcopal identity. The school is governed by a Board of Trustees and has no external equity investors; its capital base is anchored by The VES Endowment & Trust, which received a landmark $10 million gift from John G. B. Ellison, Jr. '65 in 2021 establishing The Ellison Scholars program. No proprietary technology platform or AI/ML capability is disclosed; supporting systems are best-of-breed third-party tools (Hudl for athletics, SCOIR and College Kickstart for college counseling, Clarity for financial aid).

Name

Virginia Episcopal School

Legal name

Virginia Episcopal School

Website

https://ves.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Virginia Episcopal School is a nonprofit Episcopal coeducational boarding and day school serving roughly 250 students in grades 9-12 in Lynchburg, Virginia, offering college-preparatory academics, 14 interscholastic sports, and arts programs on a 160-acre historic campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Boarding School

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Boarding Schools (EDAJABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Nonsectarian Independent Day Schools (EDAJABAA)

Keywords

• Boarding school education
• College preparatory programs
• Episcopal secondary education
• Residential high school
• Independent school tuition

Headquarters

HQ city

Lynchburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments for boarding, day, international boarding, and five-day boarding programs. Additional revenue from mandatory fees, optional programs (summer camps), and ancillary services.
2. Private Philanthropy: Private philanthropy accounts for more than 25% of Virginia Episcopal School's annual operating budget, including annual giving, major gifts, endowment contributions, and planned giving programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Virginia Episcopal School (VES) is a private, coeducational Episcopal boarding and day school for grades 9-12 located on a 160-acre historic campus in Lynchburg, Virginia. It delivers residential and day college-preparatory education with average class sizes of 12, a 6:1 student-faculty ratio, AP and honors coursework, college counseling, athletics, and fine arts, supplemented by summer camps on campus.

Product overview

Virginia Episcopal School offers a unified college preparatory educational experience combining residential (boarding) and day programs for students in grades 9-12. The core product portfolio includes boarding programs (5-day and 7-day options), day school enrollment, and summer camps, supported by comprehensive academic programming with AP, honors, and Advanced Studies tracks. The school provides integrated college counseling services, a robust fine arts program featuring theater, music, and visual arts with dedicated facilities, and an athletics program offering 14 team sports. The Ellison Scholars program represents a distinguished scholarship track within the academic offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Boarding Programs Residential educational programs for students in grades 9-12 offering 7-day (full boarding) and 5-day boarding options with dormitory accommodations and round-the-clock faculty supervision. Domestic full boarding is priced at $69,500 annually, international boarding at $84,000, and five-day boarding at $59,500 (financial aid not available).
• Day School Program Day student program for local students from the greater Lynchburg area attending classes on campus while living at home, with full access to academic, athletic, and arts programs. Annual tuition is $31,500.
• VES Summer Camps Seasonal summer camp programs hosted on the VES campus offering academic, athletic, and enrichment activities for youth, including Sports Camp, Girls Overnight Sports Camp, Basketball Camp, Soccer Camp, and Lacrosse Camp. Functions as a recruitment pipeline and community engagement tool.
• Academic Programs College preparatory curriculum including 15 AP courses, 5 honors designations, independent study options, the Advanced Studies program with senior thesis culminating in Expo Day, the ARCH Collaborative Program in 9th grade, and dedicated Learning Resources support.
• College Counseling Comprehensive four-year college guidance services beginning in 9th grade, including one-on-one counseling, college visits, financial aid workshops, and use of SCOIR, College Kickstart, and YouScience assessments. Class of 2024 was admitted to 104 colleges including Cornell, Princeton, NYU, and UCLA.
• Fine Arts Program Visual and performing arts program featuring theater productions, vocal and chamber ensembles, visual arts, dance, and film production, supported by dedicated facilities including Stuart Hall theater, Rogers Gallery, Price Music Center, and a dance studio.
• Athletics Program Competitive athletics program offering 35 teams across 14 sports (baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, wrestling) plus a riding program; 15% of each graduating class signs to compete at the collegiate level.
• Ellison Scholars Program Distinguished scholarship program established in 2021 through a landmark $10 million endowment from John G. B. Ellison, Jr. '65, providing enhanced academic opportunities to exceptional students at VES.

Quantifiable outcome

• 53 students in Class of 2024 admitted to 104 different colleges and universities including Cornell, Princeton, UCLA, UVA
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ClaritycoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for financial aid application processing and need determination. Families complete Clarity application including tax verification through IRS data transfer. Used for both domestic and international student financial aid assessment.
• HudlcoreTechnology or IntegrationAthletic livestreaming and video platform for home and away contests. VES Hudl page automatically updates with livestreams for away games when host school has Hudl contract. Used for Varsity Football, Field Hockey, Volleyball, Basketball, Lacrosse, and Baseball games.
• SCOIRcoreTechnology or IntegrationCollege counseling platform used for college research, tracking applications and deadlines, and parent/advisor communication regarding student college lists and admissions status.
• Standard Application Online (SAO)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommon application platform for independent schools. VES accepts SAO applications with school-specific supplemental forms for admission consideration.
• VericantcoreTechnology or IntegrationInterview platform required for all Chinese applicants prior to application consideration. Vericant interviews must be submitted by January 15 for admission evaluation.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Episcopal High School: Premier Episcopal boarding school in Alexandria, Virginia, serving grades 9-12 with a comparable residential, faith-based, college-prep model. Direct peer given shared Episcopal identity, Virginia geography, and similar boarding program structure.
• Woodberry Forest School: All-boys Episcopal boarding school in Madison, Virginia, with a similar intentionally-small enrollment and strong college placement record. Comparable across boarding model, faith affiliation, and Virginia/Southeast market.
• Christchurch School: Episcopal coeducational boarding school in Christchurch, Virginia, serving grades 9-12 on the Rappahannock River. Closely matches VES's small, coed, Episcopal boarding profile and college-prep focus.
• St. Andrew's-Sewanee School: Episcopal boarding and day school in Sewanee, Tennessee, offering grades 6-12. Shares the small residential Episcopal identity, college-prep curriculum, and inclusive community ethos with VES.

Regional players

• Fork Union Military Academy: Residential secondary school in Fork Union, Virginia, with a military and college-prep focus. Comparable as a Virginia-based boarding option targeting similar domestic and international boarding families, though with a military rather than Episcopal emphasis.
• Hargrave Military Academy: Boarding military school in Chatham, Virginia, serving grades 7-12 and PG. Overlaps with VES in the Virginia boarding school market and similar college-prep mission, though structured around a military model.
• Randolph-Macon Academy: Coeducational boarding and day school in Front Royal, Virginia, with a college-prep and military aviation focus. Competes for similar Virginia and international boarding students at comparable price points.
• Collegiate School: Independent coeducational day school in Richmond, Virginia, serving grades JK-12. Comparable as a top Virginia independent school with strong college placement, but operates as a day school rather than a boarding program.
• St. Christopher's School: Independent day school for boys in Richmond, Virginia, with a strong college-prep and Episcopal heritage. Comparable in Episcopal identity, college outcomes, and Virginia independent school positioning, though day-only.
• Flint Hill School: Independent coeducational day school in Oakton, Virginia, serving grades JK-12. Competes for Northern Virginia/DC metro families seeking elite college-prep education at the same price tier, though as a day school.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCA8JqMk8jMSOyf1er0q4JKg?
• Facebookfacebook.com/vesbishops
• Instagraminstagram.com/VES_Bishops
• Xx.com/VES_Bishops

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Virginia Episcopal School