BASIS Independent McLean in McLean | Military Town Advisor

Posted: April 29, 2026

This school sucks. Half the teachers don't teach, and the school is very transparent with stuff like lockdowns. Dont Come Here, it sucks

Posted: April 29, 2026

Posted: February 12, 2026

We have sent our children to Basis Independent since the second year it opened. It used to be an amazing school with phenomenal staff and teachers. Unfortunately, since the acquisition by Spring Education Group the quality of education has gone downhill. This will be the last year that we send our kids to this school. DO NOT send your children to this school. We have seen our kids' love of learning be destroyed by the current administration. The quality of teachers and parental communication has declined. Public schools are now a better option.

Posted: January 23, 2026

Firstly , the current administrators including College counseling are horrible and they DO NOT CARE about their students . They are not qualified , come across as they know what they are talking about and have given completely wrong advice to students especially for college counselling. I would NOT genrerally recommend this school with its current administrative staff .
However , the school could be worth the time and money for extremely self-motivated students who are way above their current grade in math and science as they would be able to attend advanced courses but they need to be motivated enough for self-learning .
If you do decide to enroll in this school make sure you get outside college counselling of your own and do not trust the current administrators in this school

Posted: January 23, 2026

Posted: November 11, 2025

This school pretends to care about students but they dont. My child learned nothing. The only students who do well have parents who are paying for extra tutoring outside of school. The teachers are not qualified and really dont care to make sure your child understands what they are teaching. There is also a lot of discrimination they just put someone as head of school is emotional and she makes her decisions based on who she likes, not on whats right and wrong. BIGGEST WASTE OF MONEY!!!! Your child will have PTSD after going to this school.

Posted: November 11, 2025

Posted: September 16, 2025

Literally the worst period of my life as high schooler. Tons of homeworks and academic pressure and zero emotional supports. The worst part was the school administratives doing nothing for assistance.

Posted: September 16, 2025

Posted: May 13, 2025

My two kids have been at BIM for 4 years. They both feel happy there. They got good grades, they made good friends and had good experience.

Posted: May 13, 2025

Posted: February 26, 2025

I have been a part of the school community for 2 school years now. One of my children attended public school in Fairfax County before this, they have definitely been academically challenged more at BIM. The teachers and staff are, for the most part, experienced and care very deeply about the children and what they teach.

Posted: February 26, 2025

Posted: January 19, 2025

So here's how this school works, if you join this school late, like you swap from a public school to a private school, it is gonna be very hard to catch up with Basis's curriculum. For example, if you switch from a public school in 6th grade to 7th grade in basis, there is SO MUCH you have to learn to catch up with your classmates and grades. In 6th grade for public schools, you have the basics; English, math, science and social studies. In 7th grade for basis, you have: Math, English, chemistry, biology, physics, and world history. They give you THREE SCIENCES. It is the hardest to catch up and learn all this material beforehand, so if you're someone who is struggling with that, please don't go. (I was one) It is also a very degrading feeling if you're one of the struggling students. Most of the other kids who are at basis have been there for most of their school years, so they have plenty of knowledge beforehand. This is coming from a freshman in highschool now, so I'd suggest not coming here.

Posted: January 19, 2025

Posted: November 24, 2024

I went to Basis from 2022-2023. Worst years of my life. I was bullied there and gained severe depression and the staff & principle did absolutely nothing. The education system is wack aswell, they give you mountains of homework and practically tests & quizzes everyday. Please don't make the mistake me and my parents did!!!

Posted: November 24, 2024

Posted: November 2, 2024

My children have attended BIM for 3 years and we have been more and more pleased with the education they're receiving as well as the experience we all have with the school. The teachers are incredibly supportive, creative, attentive, and overall talented. We have seen such growth and development in our children and they are academically challenged but don't feel like it's a competitive environment like some other schools.

Posted: November 2, 2024

Posted: October 14, 2024

Basis Independent McLean is not a good school. As we have noted so far this school year, 2024 - 2025, BIM is NOT advanced or even close to having a rigorous curriculum as the school claims to. High schoolers get little to zero homework with a ridiculous one and a half hour break during school hours where the students play on their phones. Discipline and student phone use are major problems that hinder learning and student engagement. Bullying and name calling are super common at BIM, so do not be surprised if your BIM student comes to you complaining that they have been made fun of for their faith or appearance. When talking about phone use, BIM faculty and administration have a strong tendency to allow students to be on their phones during class and educational hours. This reduces student interest in class and encourages them to not pay attention. Another important thing to mention about BIM are the teachers and faculty. Basis Independent McLean teachers are completely unconcerned about students and their learning experience. They have a Learn it or not, I really dont care type of mindset, that, along with a poor and unaccelerated curriculum, fail to make BIM stand out from other public school in the area. The teachers are also cold and indifferent towards students, which makes them feel uncomfortable and unwelcomed in their learning environment. BIM teachers also seem to discriminate against students with certain religious beliefs. This difference of treatment can be seen through their teaching method, where they make fun of certain religious groups and ideologies while praising others. This bias and partisan prejudice created by the teachers further make students feel unwelcome. In short words, if you have been told BIM is a close-knit community where your child will be encouraged to learn and grow personally and educationally and eventually enter a good university as a responsible adult, they were wrong. Please do not make the same mistake of sending your child to BIM that we made. We regret it every day.

Posted: October 14, 2024

Posted: September 15, 2024

BASIS Independent McLean is not as advertised. The school does not have an advanced curriculum, but instead brands normal-level curriculum as advanced. For example, as we personally noted, BIM brands Algebra 1 math (traditionally taught in 9th grade) as Algebra 2 math (traditionally taught in 11th grade). This makes parents feel that their children are learning advanced curriculum, while in reality, they are just learning normal-level curriculum. BIM teachers are also not the best. They are unfriendly and cold. They have very biased views (both political and ideological) that they force onto the students. They fail to make all students feel welcome regardless of the beliefs. Thirdly, the school has major discipline and obedience problems in the high school. Bullying, name-calling, and making fun of new students is very common. Some students even jokingly describe it as something that happens to everyone. It is important to note that all of this happens in front of faculty ALL the time. Their response is Im waiting for the right time to take action. As expected, the administration nor the teachers do anything about this. In concise words, BIM is not a good school in terms of academics, bullying, social development, and student mental health. I for one moved my child to their high school in the 2023-2024 school year based on their claims that they would prepare my child for college. But all I am seeing is a hostile learning environment where my child is bullied and taught mediocre curriculum. I would strongly not recommend this school.

Posted: September 15, 2024

Posted: July 7, 2024

BASIS Mclean is the kind of school all children should be able to attend. It is the absolute best education in the greater Washington, DC region. Excellent curriculum. Terrific teachers. Multi-cultural. Has just enough clubs and activities. Focused on outcomes and student success. It is not watered down. Does not give all students the same grades like some of the progressive schools. Grades are based on each student's abilities. Does not reward students who do not put in the work. No wonder 100% of the students get accepted to top 25 schools. We attended other private schools--Georgetown Day and Langley, and only BASIS has the college prep curriculum we needed. Everyone who complains about the school wants easy grades for little or no work. We have many options for classes--AP curriculum is great and the curriculum requirements are exactly what is needed to go to prepare for fields in finance, economics, law, medical science, and AI. I like how many students do research that is on par with graduate or medical school as part of their 12th grade. The foreign language teachers are also top notch. I am impressed by the advanced education of the parents and their own careers as well as this tight community of teachers and practitioners. My kids have friends who are European, Middle Eastern, Indian, Chinese, and many other backgrounds. It is really great to have such diversity and lots of student athletes too.

Posted: July 7, 2024

Posted: June 14, 2024

This was our first year in Middle School at Basis and we couldnt be more pleased. Teachers are subject matter experts and go out of their way to offer office hours and opportunities for students to get extra support and enrichment. The focus is very much on academics, but even our 6th grader appreciated just how much more hes learned in a single year at Basis, while still taking part in soccer, basketball, and clubs. The administration is communicative and skilled at managing any issues that arise.

Posted: June 14, 2024

Posted: January 8, 2024

the school is just a horrible one, no one really cares about you and they have a very hard curriculum. learning aps in middle school, no sport, no art!

Posted: January 8, 2024

Posted: May 25, 2023

This school is unapologetically focused on academics. I couldn't be happier and my daughter loves it, so much that I considered at one time moving her just for proximity and she was adamant about staying. They offer sports but its mostly as a way of providing a bit of physical exercise for the students but in no way a serious sports school. If you are looking for a serious sports emphasis I would say this is not the school for you, but if you are looking for serious academics then strap on and enjoy the ride. The middle schoolers have mid and final year exams called comps and it's a very big deal. My daughter and her friends study like heck for these and although quite stressful I have seen her and the friends she has grown up with take great pride in their accomplishments. I seriously couldn't be happier. Its a relatively small school so there isnt a large gym or large recreational areas, but again, this goes back to what the school's emphasis is geared towards... pure academics.

Posted: May 25, 2023

Posted: January 31, 2023

Basis Independent McLean is a great school, but definitely not for everyone. The academics are great, the teachers (for the most part) are great. The administration, while it has its issues, is decent enough when it's not being replaced -- I swear the position of head of school is basically defence against the dark arts -- no, the problem is Basis Central. Great programs are cancelled by central for the crime of not being thought of by them. But that's not Basis Independent McLean's fault.

If I could give BIM 4.5 stars, I would, but I'm rounding up, because, honestly, after all these years, I think BIM deserves that much.

A word of warning however, don't come here if you aren't prepared to work and work hard.

Posted: January 31, 2023

BASIS Independent McLean is a cool place. Tough but rewarding. Cool.

Posted: January 31, 2023

Posted: January 13, 2023

The middle school curriculum does not cater towards newer students and the science courses are super repetitive, and the high school curriculum is just for getting students into university based solely on APs. Subject based teachers often quit right before the new school year. I've had numerous teachers leave in the beginning/middle of the school year. Usually there will be a sub for the rest of the year, but never a new subject based teacher. I'd like to exaggerate on after school clubs. Numerous school clubs are monopolized by parents looking for the power to control club management. Parents abuse that club power for their children. Administrators don't care and will not listen to any complaint. The lunch also sucks. Students of all ages get the same amount, and often times the food is low quality. The meat in the burgers is often raw, and the soup portions are a bare minimum. Further, BASIS is practically looking for profit in almost everything. Competitions and contests that the school provide always cost more than any other place. In all my years here, I've seen almost 4 different headmasters, most lasting not even two years.

Posted: January 13, 2023

Posted: September 25, 2022

I just started here after a terrible experience with FCPS middle school, and it has been amazing. I would say this school isnt for everyone, if you love to learn, and grasp concepts at a fast pace then this school is for you. The teacher are amazing and as joining as an 8th grader (which is apparently the hardest year to join in) I have not felt two overwhelmed. The kids are all amazing and are very close.

Posted: August 17, 2022

I'm very concerned that BASIS has lost so many teachers since last year. School doesn't update thier website accordingly reflecting staff's departures properly, which was very odd. Basis had to rotate teachers to fill classes regardless of their subject specialty in K-4 grades last year due to so many turnovers in the middle of school year. Teachers were not very eager to prepare for classes giving barely any homework for the 2nd half of the school year. One of the teachers said that she didn't believe in homework when parents pushed for more homework. Very disappointing curriculum lacking consistency and differentiation in classroom. Wouldn't recommend this school at all if you're looking for a challenging curriculum at the elementary level since the rigor has gone down so much for the past few years. No legit school library, poor quality PE equipments, and a short lunch break for K-4 students. School only allows parents to share their concerns individually and refuses to meet as a group to hear the collective concerns. That tells a lot about how BASIS handles problems. Planning to go back to FCPS next year.

Posted: August 17, 2022

Posted: August 2, 2022

My daughter enjoys learning at Basis Independent of McLean. She has many teachers with expertise in their area of educating the students. Facilities are excellent for general study, science, and sports. Curriculum is challenging, while being enjoyable for her to complete respective lesson plans. Basis Independent is preparing my daughter to have a bright future.

Posted: August 2, 2022

Posted: May 5, 2022

I started Basis during middle school but when it was time to think about high school, my parents and I did careful reassessing and explored other options. I realized that comparatively, I had a very academically rich middle school experience here and was well ahead of peers elsewhere. I also realized that Basis offered high level curriculum, close rapport and access to teachers and a serious learning community for high school. All of which were most important to me and non-negotiable. And the teachers are good! Like the typical high schooler here, I'm motivated to work hard but enjoy my school experience and have a balanced life.

Yes, some of the stories you hear about Basis has roots in truth but take it with grain of salt. Academically it has always been stellar at the high school level. Students are college ready well before graduation.

Posted: May 5, 2022

Posted: May 2, 2022

there is no way anyone here is ok. 2 years here turned me into a robot.

Posted: May 2, 2022

Posted: April 30, 2022

Good students from around the world. Good teachers care about students.

Posted: April 30, 2022

Posted: April 5, 2022

Our daughter graduated from Basis last year. She was happy at BIM. The school environment was very supportive and the faculty did an excellent job in educating the kids.

Posted: April 5, 2022

Posted: February 23, 2022

WORST SCHOOL EVER. Everyone is either depressed or has extreme anxiety.

Posted: February 23, 2022

Posted: January 4, 2022

Too much memorization of topics, little free time at school, and no fun time. This school is extremely boring and nothing fun happens. When you learn, you are basically memorizing items that you will forget in about 3 days because you can't use the information you learned. We also don't have any time to process the information because we are dumped with 10 topics at once. There is also no Physical Education above 7th grade. It is considered an elective. Your physical health goes down because you have to spend the night studying for tomorrow's quiz or test or do homework and projects

Posted: January 4, 2022

Posted: November 29, 2021

i think every student in my grade has either depression or anxiety lol

Posted: November 29, 2021

Posted: September 21, 2021

This is our 6th year at Basis Independent McLean and we love it. The teachers and the curriculum are not comparable to other public or private schools in the area. My children are happy. They grew up with the system, learned time management and they are very comfortable with the workload.

Posted: September 21, 2021

Posted: August 26, 2021

I enjoyed learning at Basis Independent McLean; The teachers and faculties are so supportive and friendly:)
Would definitely recommend BASIS to people who are looking for an academic rigorous school.

Posted: August 26, 2021

Perhaps education is one of the most important tools for us to progress as a society. BASIS Independent McLean is a perfect combination of humanity and technology, which allowed me to process great skill while understanding its social meaning. Raymound Wright, the dean of the school, provided me with vital support both academically and emotionally. I learned lifelong beneficial knowledge from him and discovered many different sides of me that I did not notice. I am glad that BIM exists because it keeps reminding us to keep the admirable ethos and to progress as human beings.

Posted: August 26, 2021

Pretty good, the school is pretty nice and the teachers are supportive and helpful if a student is having trouble. Especially the upper school teachers, they are all wonderful people and are really trying their best to help the student through any difficulties.

Posted: August 26, 2021

One of my favorite parts of the BIM academic experience is the support system offered to students. With a combination of Student Hours (help hours each teacher offers once a week) and Peer Tutoring, each student has the tools to succeed at BIM, despite the rigorous curriculum.

The teachers at BIM are outstanding. I can always count on Ms. Floyd saying good morning or Mr. Loomis having tons of energy, even on the most difficult mornings. The faculty and staff are learned and passionate, and it shows in how they approach teaching and how they interact with their students.

I would highly recommend this school for students who are looking for academic rigor, a sense of community, and fabulous teachers.

Posted: April 7, 2021

Some of the vitriol from other reviews is a very individual experience that cannot be applied to illustrate the whole at BASIS.

BASIS is a niche school that will not be the right fit for all. Parents should be realistic about that. It is rigorously academic, demands a higher level of executive functioning skills, and diligence. The crux of teaching staff is excellent, experts in their field. Top leadership has been poor, lacking constancy and long term vested interest. But the crux of the on site administration team is decent. The curriculum is robust (but hard to benefit from if staying for a short stint) .

I have two students here for the past 3 years -- vastly different learners and at opposite ends of the grade spectrum. One naturally gravitates towards the high level of engagement and challenge here. The other has to work harder to achieve academics goals. Both are thriving in their own way. They have close relationships with their teachers -- most of whom they love/like and a few they do not but value all nevertheless. They enjoy their classmates, likeminded in the same academic values.

Posted: March 18, 2021

BASIS Independent McLean is about 5 years old. As a new school, it should come as no surprising that there will be some growing pains. But these pains are amplified by the lack of experience of staff and sheer absence of senior management. And these inevitably lead to an environment where your young child will be publicly shamed and bullied by his/her teacher, and this sets a bad example for other children to follow. Of course you can always pull your child out and transfer to another school. But this can be costly, disruptive, and stressful to a young child. Most of the teachers are pretty good, but some are truly bad. Management is always bad. In one year, all will seem fine. And in fact, we promoted BASIS to our friends and colleagues. But in another you may end up with the teacher from hell, like our child experienced. Our child's teacher was poorly trained on the needs and support of young children. This teacher, as with all teachers in the early grades who are labeled as Learning Expert Teachers, accompanied children all day; subject matters such as English and math, among subject, are taught by other teachers. And so the potential for emotional abuse and bullying is present all day. And our child was no longer safe. What is even more troubling, is that senior management will not be there to support your young child and address the behavior of the teacher. The Director of Toddler-Grade 3 will most likely ignore your request for support. Make sure you take good notes and document every interaction with her. As for the head of school, the school had 4 in its five years of existence. The first two left in the middle of their contracts. The third, Paul Geise not to be confuse with the current acting head Mr Shorbe, is not well versed on the needs of young children, and his circle-the-wagon mindset is a disservice to the good teachers at BASIS, fails to bring accountability to the bad teachers, and most importantly protect our child. Of course we could not approach the Chinese firm that owns BASIS. Eventually, we did transfer our child, and our lives are getting better. And hopefully we will leave the memory of BASIS behind us. We all have the resources to engage education consultants in choosing a school. Do your homework and choose wisely beforehand, and avoid the trauma that our young child experienced.

Posted: March 18, 2021