At a Glance
An all-girls Catholic college prep rooted in service, with the city's broadest girls' athletics program and a robotics pioneer.
Best suited for
A family looking for an all-girls, faith-grounded college prep with serious STEM and athletics options, who wants a relatively affordable Catholic education and is comfortable with an eastern Queens commute.
What stands out
- Fielded New York's first competitive all-girls robotics team — a genuine pioneer in STEM access for girls that predates most current co-ed programs.
- Runs the largest girls' athletics program in NYC, meaning an unusually wide range of sports options for a school of its size.
- Offers 18 AP courses plus a St. John's University dual-enrollment track, giving students a head start on college credit.
- An 11.1:1 student-teacher ratio at the secondary level is unusually generous and supports real teacher-student relationships.
- Tuition spans $6,500 to $15,000 — a remarkably wide band that, combined with financial aid, makes Catholic college prep accessible to a broader range of families than most NYC Catholic schools.
Things to consider
- All-girls is the central design, not an option — families should be sure this fits their daughter's personality and long-term plans.
- The Catholic identity and CSJ charism shape daily life (retreats, service, theology courses) even though the school welcomes students of various backgrounds.
- Parent reviews are mixed: academics and college prep get strong marks, while some families have raised concerns about administrative communication and policy enforcement.
- Located in eastern Queens — a real plus for Queens families, but a longer commute for families based in Manhattan, Brooklyn, or the Bronx.
- Admissions are rolling, but December 31 is the practical deadline for families who want financial aid consideration.
Identity
An all-girls Catholic college preparatory secondary school run in the charism of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, emphasizing unity, reconciliation, and inclusive love. It aims to empower young women intellectually, socially, and spiritually to lead and serve in building a just society. The school is chartered by the University of the State of New York and accredited by the Middle States Association.
Community
Enrollment of 570 with a 45.3% White, 23% Hispanic, 13.5% Black, 10% multiracial, 7.7% Asian, and 0.5% Native American student body — a meaningfully diverse mix drawn from across Queens and beyond. The all-girls, faith-based focus shapes who attends: families looking for a deliberate single-sex environment grounded in Catholic values, with a tuition range broad enough to include a meaningful number of students.
Neighborhood
The school sits in Jamaica Estates-Holliswood, a stable middle-class residential pocket of eastern Queens where median household income is around $89,167 and nearly half of adults hold a bachelor's degree. The streets around the campus are quiet and residential, with families who value the area's mix of suburban feel and subway access to the rest of the city.
Jamaica-179 St (F) is about a 3-minute walk, 169 St (F) about 9 minutes, and Parsons Blvd (F) about 20 minutes — multiple F train options make the commute manageable from much of Queens and a reasonable trip from Manhattan with a transfer.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Mixed reviews; praised for rigorous academics, supportive all-girls environment, and strong college preparation; some concerns about administrative policies and communication
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is MARY LOUIS ACADEMY (THE) a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for MARY LOUIS ACADEMY (THE) yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades 9 to 12 in Jamaica Estates-Holliswood.
- What grades does MARY LOUIS ACADEMY (THE) serve?
- MARY LOUIS ACADEMY (THE) serves grades 9 to 12.
- How do students get into MARY LOUIS ACADEMY (THE)?
- MARY LOUIS ACADEMY (THE) runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is MARY LOUIS ACADEMY (THE) public, charter, or private?
- MARY LOUIS ACADEMY (THE) is a private school.
- What neighborhood is MARY LOUIS ACADEMY (THE) in?
- MARY LOUIS ACADEMY (THE) is in Jamaica Estates-Holliswood, Queens.