Germantown Friends School

ADDRESS: 31 West Coulter Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19144

PHONE: +1(215) 951-2300 SCHOOL TYPE: Private Independent GRADES: Pre-K (3-4 years old)-12 ENROLLMENT: 0

Fast Facts

Principal
Dana Weeks
Phone Number
+1(215) 951-2300
Email
Website
Neighborhood
Germantown
SEPTA Routes
Bus (23, H, XH)
Preschool/Daycare

Apply Now

Application Deadline
2025-12-17
Tuition
0
Uniform
No Data Reported
Extended Day
Before Care;After Care

Mission

Founded in 1845 under the care of the Germantown Monthly Meeting and governed by the School Committee, Germantown Friends School is a Quaker, independent day school for students in Early Childhood through Grade 12, located in the historic Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Points Of Pride

Students from GFS continue their education at a diverse range of colleges and universities. Here is a list of the institutions most frequently chosen by our graduates from 2020 to 2024. Our College Counseling Program offers personalized and attentive guidance to students and their parents throughout the college selection, application, and admissions process, starting in the spring of their junior year.
National Merit Scholarship Competition (2014-2020): Awards include 13 Scholars, 65 Finalists, 76 Semifinalists, and 111 Commended students.
The school is proud to have two Nobel Prize winners: Owen Chamberlin, class of 1937 (awarded in 1959), and Saul Perlmutter, class of 1977 (awarded in 2011), both recognized in Physics.
Seventy-five percent of faculty members hold advanced degrees.
Forty percent of families receive financial aid.

Admissions Policy

At Germantown Friends School, our mission begins with a commitment to diversity, our community, and to the belief that academic achievement is not in itself enough. At our independent day school, we guide our students’ growth in mind, body, and spirit, and encourage them to put their ideas to work in the world. But don’t just take our word for it; explore and see for yourself!

Learn more about our application process. Please contact GFS to receive an admissions packet, or visit the school's website to complete an application online.

Accreditations and Honors

GFS is accredited by the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools (MSACSS). GFS is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools (ADVIS) and the Friends Council on Education. GFS is a founding member of Global Online Academy, a consortium of over 70 outstanding independent schools offering an innovative selection of online courses.

Hours of Operation

Sun	-
Mon	8:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Tues	8:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Wed	8:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Thur	8:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Fri	8:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Sat	-

Extended Programming Details

Visit the website to read more about our extended day programs.

Entrance Instructions

Demographics

Grade Level	Enrollment

Race	Percentage
American Indian or Alaskan Native	%
Asian	%
Black	%
Hispanic (Any Race)	%
Multi-Racial/Other	%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander	%
White	%

Low-Income
%

English Learners
%

Male	Female	Non-Binary
%	%	%

Special Education
%

Gifted Education
%

Student Achievement

Last Updated:

Raw data measures student performance on standardized tests. Not all schools take the same standardized tests. Direct comparisons between different tests should not be made.

Course Offerings

AP Courses	Electives	Certificate Programs
AP Class Other	GFS encourages students to take initiative in their own education.

CTE/Vocational Programs		Language Programs
		Arabic;Chinese;French;German;Italian;Japanese;Latin;Russian;Spanish;Other

Extracurricular Activities

Arts Programs	Sports Programs	Other Sports Programs
Ceramics;Choir;Dance;Arts Film;Instrumental;Jazz;Literature;Orchestra;Other Instrumental;Other Vocal;Poetry;School Musicals;School Plays;Theater;Theater Group;Visual;Vocal	Baseball;Basketball;Boys Basketbal;Boys Golf;Boys Indoor Track;Boys Soccer;Boys Tennis;Boys Track and Field;Cross Country;Field Hockey;Girls Basketball;Girls Golf;Girls Indoor Track;Girls Lacrosse;Girls Soccer;Girls Tennis;Girls Track and Field;Indoor Track;Other;Soccer;Softball;Tennis;Track and Field;Wrestling;Golf	Boys Squash, Girls Squash, Boys Crew, Girls Crew

Other Activities

Social Identity clubs such as Asian Students Association (ASA); Black Student Union (BSU); Brothers for Academic and Social Enrichment (BASE); Chaverim; FOCUS (Fellowship of Christians in Universities & Schools); LASSO (Latin American Student Solidarity Organization); Multiracial Affinity Group; SAGA (Sexuality And Gender Alliance); Sistahs; Support for Positive Body Image; and South Asian Student Alliance. Publications include Middle and Upper School newspapers, arts/literary magazines, and yearbooks. Visual and performing arts groups range from A Cappella to Theatre Tech.

Click here to read more about Upper School clubs.

Family Engagement

Parent Involvement	Parent Programs	Other Parent Programs
	Parents Classroom Volunteers;Parents Home and School Association;Parent Volunteer opportunities;Other

Germantown Friends School is a Quaker school, under the care of Germantown Monthly Meeting. At GFS, education is regarded not as training for a particular way of life, but as part of a lifelong process. Quaker values are integrated into every facet of the curriculum. These principles include truthfulness, simplicity and self-discipline; the resolution of differences without violence; and respect for diverse heritages and experiences. How is the rating for School Incidents calculated? This rating represents the reportable incident count per 100 students. Reported suspensions and expulsions are not factored into the rating for School Incidents. Learn more about GPS ratings methodology here.

Reported Incidents	Reported Suspensions	Reported Expulsions

This data reflects the total number of incidents, suspensions, and expulsions per 100 students reported by the school to the Pennsylvania Department of Education. To view a reportable incident report for a particular public school, see the Pennsylvania Safe Schools Reports. Data for private schools are derived from similar reports submitted directly to GreatPhillySchools.