Crean Lutheran High School

12500 SAND CANYON AVE

Irvine, CA 92618

26 Reviews

School District
Grade

9-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on February 04, 2023

Overall a really nice school. The teachers and students are all really friendly. Crean also offers so many UC-approved Honors and AP classes, they also have a variety of cohort and academic teams for their students.
Submitted by student on September 12, 2022

Crean Lutheran High School has great teachers, coaches, and most importantly Christian mentors. As an athlete, the coaches all embody Christ and as a students, the teachers all exemplify Christ as well. Just an overall very positive and supportive environment
Submitted by student on September 07, 2022

Crean is a great school with great people in and around it.
Submitted by parent on August 16, 2021

I graduated this summer and my experience in this school was not so good. - School leadership aren't really responsive to requests and emails, giving students the impression that they just don't care. - This school, in general, is not open-minded and forces their opinions/beliefs onto students. Materials taught in classes, such as AP History, were pretty biased. Some teachers don't respect or accept different opinions/beliefs. Region homework is also pretty time-consuming. - a lot of teachers aren't really that good at teaching - school's responses during COVID time were not satisfactory. Online students were not given much attention during the class so I ended up attending in-person classes early this year. However, masks were not worn properly by a lot of teachers and students and classes were not that deeply sanitized. Other schools did covid prevention measures way better than us. Crean is also removing the mask requirement this fall while all other schools in the area still mandate masks. Overall I didn't feel safe studying here during COVID time...glad that I've graduated. Things i enjoyed in this school: - School offers a lot of AP/Honor courses and those classes are indeed challenging- Teachers teaching cohort courses are actually pretty nice and knowledgable- School is clean
Submitted by parent on August 07, 2020

As a parent, I am so disappointed in Crean. While our current climate with COVID is no one's fault, how Crean chose to manage their online model and the graduating class of 2020 is certainly something that was in their control. They completely let down their students and families. As a consumer, I would strongly recommend asking questions of Crean and holding them accountable for their actions if you are considering an investment in a private, faith-based education.When the educational model went to the online component in March due to the global pandemic, my daughter had very little interaction with most of her instructors. Her dance class required more of her time, than her academic classes did. There were days when nothing was necessary for her to even log on to her classes, which in my opinion, is completely unacceptable. Crean's model left me wondering why my daughter was educating herself, and why we weren't being reimbursed tuition for the lack of education she was receiving. Instructors did very little to finish out the year, other than process the paperwork that the students were required to complete in order to satisfy the requirements of each class.While they attempted to do their best with senior events, most were disappointing. Cancelling graduation not once, not twice, but three times was unacceptable. Private schools in the area were able to get their ceremonies done in a way that were meaningful to both the student and the family, while observing safety protocols. This gave the other school's graduates a proper send-off that they deserved. Crean only provided half-hearted apologies, which did little to mark the occasion of such a "right-of-passage" moment. I wouldn't be so critical if I had not seen what other schools were doing to honor their graduates.It's true that we have had our issues with Crean for over two years now. I attempted to forgive Crean for how things have been handled so that our family could move on. I kept giving Crean the benefit of the doubt in these trying times. For such a young school with so much promise, the recent events have left me feeling hopeless for their future as I watch their leadership team continue to dismantle what they have worked so hard to build.
Submitted by parent on March 30, 2019

we are pleasantly surprised at how quickly our junior transfer has assimilated into the crean community. this is a testament to the positivity on campus and also to the number of ways available for kids to become involved and invested in the school. I cannot say enough about the Business Cohort program and the great instructional opportunities offered to the students, as well as their Spirit and Performing Arts programs. outstanding!
Submitted by parent on September 01, 2017

Crean has been a wonderful choice for my children! Our oldest had a fantastic learning experience in a Christ-centered environment with teachers who cared about what they were teaching, but even more important to us, cared about the kids. College application time was so much easier and less expensive (free) than his peers' experience in the other private OC schools! He did the apps in workshops with the counselors present to guide him along the way, got into every school he applied to including UC schools, graduated with an impressive GPA and scored 32 on the ACT. He played volleyball at Crean and was recruited onto his college team, he also is receiving a hefty music scholarship, an interest that was refined at Crean in their performing arts program. He has always been a good kid, but Crean made it easy for him to remain "good" with the sweet relationships between students and faculty and great peers coming from like-minded families. Sure, there were kids getting into trouble, but it was handled appropriately and far, far less common than what I am hearing is going on at other schools. He has chosen his career, had a fantastic internship this summer and is well on his way to success. My daughter is in her second year at Crean and is also thriving in her own areas of student leadership, dance, music, drama, and cheer. She has to work harder for her grades than my other children do, but the teachers at Crean are so great at instructing at her level, with patience and an open door policy. She is earning very strong grades and is having the time of her life with some fantastic friends and really fun teachers. We really could not recommend the school any more highly, now in our 6th year there, it seems to get better and better as time passes.
Submitted by other on January 01, 2016

Although some of the staff at this school have been excellent and very helpful, this school (for the most part) teaches you how to spread hate towards people who do not share the same views as you do. I attended CLHS my entire high school career and not once did we have a chapel on how to love one another as Jesus taught. Instead we had our classes cut short multiple times to discuss topics such as abortion in a negative manner in our chapels. And inside of the classroom, where we're supposed to learn, it's no different. Even as early as freshman year, when students are still impressionable, they are taught to hate the lgbt community and every non-Christian. It very easily reflects in how the students act as well. They go on the internet and hate people different then them (such as Muslims), and cyber bully others. For a short time, students from other schools (IHS) and I were being harassed through twitter by numerous students at Crean and when it was brought to the attention of staff, they decided to do nothing about it. This school does not teach the ideals of Christianity (love, acceptance, etc.) but rather brainwashes students into becoming extremists, bullies, and hateful students. We go to school to learn about topics like math, science, english, and theology. We don't attend school to feel threatened and not accepted. I went into Crean as a Christian but left hating the religion because of the childish ways students and staff have acted. Aside from teaching hate, the academics (when taught) were not challenging aside from AP courses. It's extremely easy to get an A at Crean as long as you share the same views as your teachers. My parents were unhappy as well with the curriculum and teaching staff, but Crean was our only option because the district I lived in is not the greatest. If you live in the Irvine school district and are choosing between Crean and public school, go with public school. Your child will learn a lot more and would be challenged in the Irvine school district. Plus they would feel more accepted and happy at school instead of dreading going to school and counting down the days until graduation. One more note, the drug problem at Crean is very bad. They do have random drug testing but it does not help at all. Only a few students are tested even though most students do drugs.
Submitted by parent on July 23, 2014

Crean is a special place. The faculty and teachers are enthusiastic and supportive of each student. It has a nurturing environment and is small enough so that no one gets lost in the crowd. Irvine is filled with top notch schools, yet we wanted a less stressful environment for our son, where he could discover his interests without staying up until after midnight simply completing homework. As a family we believe in raising well rounded individuals with strong character, not kids who are only concerned about their GPA, test scores and how they compare to everyone around them.
Submitted by parent on June 22, 2014

My daughter really loves this school. The students are nice, the teachers are caring and the curriculum is nicely varied. It has an excellent music program and it's nice that all the students are encouraged to join the sports teams. They don't have to be the best of the best to join so regular kids get to enjoy the camraderie and joy of playing high school athletics. Of course the best athletes get the most play time and the teams do really well for the school size. This school would get a 5 out of 5 except I was disappointed with the Old Testament class. A Lutheran school should have a good Bible program, one that points to Jesus. Instead the class seemed to focus on those awkward salacious facts. Other than that a great staff and educational program!
Submitted by parent on April 11, 2014

Really pleased with this high school. Clean, attractive campus. Strong administrative leadership. A teaching staff that is energetic and committed to both the students and the mission of the school. I checked about the cap on international....they get inundated with international requests and have an informal cap that adjusts from year to year--otherwise, could easily become an all-international school. Orchestra, choir, and jazz ensemble are really impressive! This school has got talent. Pretty mellow bunch of students overall. Not a high drama campus, hallelujah!
Submitted by other on April 09, 2014

this school is getting better and better. I think this school need to be deserved better. anyways, hope this school is getting better next year too!
Submitted by student on March 29, 2014

There is an inaccuracy in the review submitted by a parent on 01/05/14. The review claims that "the international program at Crean caps their international student admissions at ten percent of its total student population." However, according to the school website, there are "120 students from 15 different countries." The school had 685 students as of 9/21/2013. Therefore, its international students make up about 17% of the total student population. To the extent of my knowledge, the school never has had a cap of 10% on the number of international students.
Submitted by parent on January 05, 2014

For clarification, the international program at Crean caps their international student admissions at ten percent of its total student population. The demographics of Irvine has a high percentage of Asian families who have spent decades in the community. As for teachers in every subject discussing Christ, how refreshing to find a Christian school that does not stray from its mission to "proclaim the gospel". Class size: 18 to 25 students. Language barriers among the students do exist and tend to separate, but not out of snobbery or unkindness; the youth are falling into groups with which they can most easily identify. Academics have been rigorous so far this year, this according to a bright student who knows rigor from laxity. If you are honestly seeking a campus which recognizes the gem of the gospel, Crean does this. The academics are solid. Crean, a new campus, will always be out-dazzled by other more established private schools, but the heart of this school has great integrity. Optional blended classes promote a college campus approach to learning; students can study while minds are fresh and alert . I wish you well in your search for your child's future school.
Submitted by parent on November 15, 2013

one more thing about Crean per my previous review. They have very little drug problem in comparison with some other high schools. They randomly test.
Submitted by student on November 04, 2013

Religion School,each student must study for bible until they graduate from high school. The teacher are always busy, the international counselor is very nice. Many Asian in this school, especial Chinese and Korean.
Submitted by parent on September 03, 2013

CLHS is an excellent private Christian high school. I have had one child graduate from CLHS and another there now and they both have had great experiences. For any critic who challenges rigor see the list of universities that students are being accepted. Last, the environment is caring and safe. School leadership is strong and faculty work hard to teach and connect to students. You don't find that just anywhere. The arts are budding as the school continues to grow and athletics are being well established in the Academy League. Last, the school is all about it's mission and truly tries to live it's Christian mission centered around Christ. My son is in 8th grade and I plan to send him there without hesitation and he is very excited to become a Crean Lutheran Saint. This school could be the best kept secret in the OC and although tuition is moderate it's not the highest in the county and I'm sure it's costly to do business in Irvine. My daughters went on a "shadow day" to get a sneak peak and enjoyed getting an insiders glimpse. I would suggest you should do the same if you're interested in CLHS.
Submitted by student on July 22, 2013

Do your kids a favor and send them to the neighboring public schools. Not only will your child have a better experience, he or she will learn much more than Crean could ever teach. This school suffers from massive grade inflation and hands out A's left and right for just completing homework. At the end of the year, I ended up with a 4.8 without even doing much work or even being taught much. This presents a problem when AP testing rolls around, because my classmates and I were all struggling just to finish the exam and it was wonder that I had gotten a 5 on the test. Most others didn't even pass it! I haven't received any detentions or even been tardy once to class, so do I seem like a "troublemaker" to you? Also, most domestic students don't even bother talking to the international kids. I was an international student and most Caucasian students didn't bother talking to me unless they wanted help with homework. Sports are a joke, and the one sport I actually liked was shut down. The social situation at Crean is wretched; friends made on the first day stick around for the rest of the year and others just shrug you off if you're not in their clique. Bottom line: don't go to Crean.
Submitted by student on June 11, 2013

I transfered to Crean Lutheran after my freshman year at another private Christian high school. First, I want to say that every school has its "troublemaker" kids, and the few that our school does have decided to come to this page and give it bad reviews, so if I were you I would ignore them. Having been at another school, transferring to Crean was one of the best decisions I have made. The teacher are great and really care about each student succeeding. Being in three different sports, I got to experience the great coaches and the awesome athletic programs. The international students are wonderful, and I love hearing about other parts of the world from them. Those who say they don't talk much are those who never go up to try to talk to them! If you make any sort of effort to be their friend they will respond. Some of my best friends are international students. The school is run very well, and it is way more organized than the school I transferred from. I was so surprised at how well everything is done. I have not only grown in my faith since attending Crean, but gained many new friends and learned so much from the great staff. For a great high school experience, Crean is perfect!
Submitted by student on June 10, 2013

Crean Lutheran High School is likely one of THE best schools around. The atmosphere is incredibly Christ-centered. The teachers are not only experts in their subjects, they love the Lord and love their students. The students are encouraging, supportive, and friendly. Motivated students are given the resources to get into any university from Crean, including schools such as Stanford, University of Pennsylvania, and Brown University, to name a few. The sports are awesome, with fun teams and coaches, and they achieve success often on the CIF and State level. Nearly everyone at Crean loves Crean, and the students that do not are the ones that are coming on this website and complaining. In response to their complaints, yes, there is sometimes a language barrier at first between the international and American students. BUT I have found that if one merely cares to start a conversation, this barrier is incredibly easy to break. Some of my best friends at Crean are international students. I would not be commenting on this website if I did not love this school, this family, so greatly. Do your son or daughter a favor and send them to Crean.It was the best decision I ever made.