Harvard-Westlake School

This is the only school in Los Angeles and likely anywhere outside of the northeast of the country that is a true college prep school in the matter of Phillips Exeter , Groton, Choate etc. My son is now in 10th grade having started in 7th, and while it is not easy to get As, he is not killing himself with work ,has many friends and is enjoying the school without spending more than on average 2 hours a night on homework. The teachers are incredibly smart and love what they do , with more than half having PhD's and masters . The turnover is low and many have taught for 10 or more years ( it was voted recently by employees the best place to work in LA). This is clearly not the school for everyone however, as an average student will find it perhaps too hard . My son got straight A's at his well regarded private elementary school but now has to work hard to get an A .he loves being with smart kids though and while many are wealthier, due to the great financial situation about 25% are on financial aid which makes it economically much more diverse than Brentwood , Buckley Viewpoint etc I know he will likely find college easy after HW and will be super prepared.

I graduated from this school Cum Laude .There is no doubt that the quality of academic education is stellar and the college counseling system is tremendously helpful. In college, I was one of the best prepared and ended up helping many peers with school work. HOWEVER, unfortunately, IMO the community is particularly lacking in moral character and shockingly so. Not only do students take their parents' wealth for granted, but they are selfish and obsessed with superficial appeals such as GPA, SAT scores, and college admissions. It can be very hard for a student with low self esteem as I was. The environment is very competitive and if students are not emotionally mature enough to manage setbacks, it can ultimately be detrimental to their self-confidence. Do I regret attending HW? Not at all - college has especially helped me appreciate the life lessons the school has taught me. Would I send my own children? Not if I expect them to rely on a nurturing environment. However, if they are confident enough in their own abilities, not easily influenced by a toxic environment and have a thirst for learning rather than recognition, this institution is full of amazing learning opportunities.

Harvard-Westlake is the number 1 private college prep school in the Western U.S. for a reason. It challenges your character as well as your intellect. I'm currently a junior, and this school year is quite possibly the most difficult thing I've ever faced in my entire life, and I love it. All of the students who gave the school negative reviews below are the one's who didn't have the will to succeed. The education i have received thus far is such an asset to me, and I really am just starting to appreciate that. The years I've spent so far here are the best. The people are all genuinely nice and those who say otherwise just don't have many friends because they never made an effort to get to know new people. This is a college environment, and if you can't handle that, then this is not the place for you. It is fast paced and teachers will not go out of their way to make sure you don't get left behind. That is up to you. Even taking 4 AP's/Honors this year I still find it manageable with a varsity sport and a girlfriend/social life on top of it all. Those who complain about the difficulty are the ones who struggle mightily and blame others for their shortcomings, and they do exist at HW

My son blossomed at Harvard Westlake. There, he finally found kids like himself - kids who are driven to excel. As a result, he developed a wonderfully rewarding social life. You might worry that having so many driven kids in one place would lead to an unhealthy atmosphere, but we didn't found it to be so. The kids work hard and have tons of fun while they're at it. The honors classes are exceptionally challenging, and you shouldn't pressure your child to take them unless he/she is prepared for it. The regular courses are sufficiently challenging for most students and comparable to honors classes at many other middle and high schools. Regardless of which college the students ultimately attend, they will all have received an exceptional education that is well worth the tuition. Teachers are highly approachable and supportive of the students in addition to challenging them. The range of elective courses is truly astonishing, providing something for absolutely everyone. The range and quality of extracurricular programs is equally impressive. You really couldn't do better.

P.S. -- (I just wrote the previous email) -- both of my children graduated from HW and attended the colleges of their choice. No, they weren't Ivy League material in terms of academic achievement -- far from it. And yes, there most certainly is a slightly more relaxed game board for on which some legacy kids play in order to enter the most selective colleges. But that fact is not Harvard-Westlake's fault. (Also, don't forget -- in order for any campus to be truly diverse, wealthy families are needed there as well as others from all walks of life. Their generosity is the very reason my own kids have been able to obtain their education from private high schools and colleges.) In terms of college counseling, my kids were very well handled at HW, and they happily attended colleges that fit them perfectly. The whole reason why HW attracts so many wealthy families is that it's the very best at what it does -- period. If the school's administration was truly guilty of pandering to the rich and ignoring the poor, the school wouldn't continue to flourish as it does. I think so many people have a sour-grapes attitude because unfortunately, HW can't take everyone.