116 23rd Ave
San Mateo, CA 94403

I expected Abbott to be a decent experience for my son and was never planning an alternative, but it has exceeeded my expecations. In 2023 the school got a new principal and all-new upper admin and counselors, and people are happy. The district cares, and there is good parent involvement. Teachers are good and motivated, and the academics prepare kids well for high school - I've confirmed this with parents whose kids have gone all the way. The campus looks great with new athletic fields and gym. There is so much value to diversity and having your child experience the world as it really is, not in a bubble, because the world is not going to create custom, perfected experiences for your child, and no school is going to eliminate the difficulty of middle years. I have not seen anything out of the ordinary for middle school so far. And there is a lot of value in your kids having neighborhood friends. If you're hoping that at Abbott your kids will meet Buffy and Chad and join their ski holidays in Gstaad, you will be disappointed. But this school is so much better as a result.

This is a small school where everyone really knows your kid. The community is welcoming and diverse, and it genuinely feels like parents, teachers, and students all have a voice. The teachers and staff truly care, and it shows. My kids have really enjoyed art, music, and LEGO classes, as well as great assemblies and field trips. Outdoor Ed is probably the student favorite. Because the student body is diverse, achievement levels vary, but teachers do teach students at their level through small reading and math groups. The recent outdoor renovation—new playground, turf, and an outdoor classroom—has been an awesome upgrade and is well loved by the students and neighborhood.

To be very honest, this was probably the worst experience in my life. I’m a current college student looking back on my high school experience making this realization. The staff are very unsupportive, particularly the academic counselors. They see the students as numbers and can be a little racially biased. My counselor in particular constantly mixed me up with other students and overlooked my achievements simply because I was Asian. The teachers are very harsh and don’t provide enough support to each individual student. The students can be very comparative and toxic with one another, with constant rumors going around. It was common for people to run out of their classrooms crying while going on a bathroom break. The peer pressure for academics was too much and there were nearly zero mental health resources. Overall, my experience was a 2/5. If I were to repeat my high school experience I would choose San mateo high school. Aragon is a breeding ground for poor mental health.