Palo Alto Preparatory School

2462 Wyandotte Street

Mountain View, CA 94043

27 Reviews

School District
Grade

8-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on May 24, 2024

This school is an unsafe environment for learning individuals. My child is a junior and was excited to hear that this school has therapy pets. We have an emotional support lab at home so she was feeling confident about going to this school. Not only are these dogs clearly unqualified but they bite when pet and growl at students that approach them. My daughter and her friends do not like to eat lunch on campus because of their fear of these dogs. One of the dogs is about the size of a husky dog and is very unfriendly. I’m not sure how this is even legal or safe? Thank goodness the school year is almost over.
Submitted by parent on March 19, 2024

I am the parent of a graduate of Palo Alto Prep. My daughter graduated in 2020. We could not have been any luckier to have had her enrolled during this time. While her brother's school struggled to handle the pandemic challenges, my daughter didn't miss one day of school. Her teachers provided her encouragement and held online parties and other activities. I cannot fully put to words what this meant for our family and for my ADHD daughter who struggled with school avoidance before enrolling at this wonderful school. She is now in her second year at Foothill and will be transferring to UC San Jose next year. I am forever grateful that PAP supported my child through such a tumultuous time. I do not believe she would have been so successful without you!
Submitted by parent on October 17, 2023

I was excited to have found a school for my son who was struggling with his sophomore year. But was quickly very disappointed. The faculty isn’t what you’d call professional. My son and other students are constantly cussed at and put down. I called to set up a meeting with the principal to address this and he said he “didn’t have the time.” My son is scared to go to school everyday because of these bullies who are meant to be school leaders. Most of the positive reviews written are by the faculty and are untrustworthy sources. I heard the woman at the desk joke about this with the vice principal. This isn’t funny and I can’t pull my son out at the moment because there is a no refund policy on their extremely expensive tuition. I put all of my money into something I thought was safe for my child, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Submitted by student on September 29, 2023

This school is amazing. I have been going here for at least a year and a half. I have been able to actually learn and maintain information. I always struggled with math but the teacher here have found a way to actually teach me what I need to learn. Students are kind and the school is in a good location. Parents are involved in IEP and other student concerns/issues. The work load is small compared to public schools which works well and supports the students and their accommodations. Definetly encouraging kids towards college and helping their students prep for it. This school helps their students find colleges over time and go for it. This school is amazing and I am so happy I am here.
Submitted by parent on September 29, 2023

Our son was drowning at our huge local high school - socially, emotionally, academically - falling through the cracks of classrooms with 30 kids in a perpetually overwhelmed system that just didn't have the resources to serve his various special needs and give him a real shot at succeeding. Eventually, he just gave up and checked out started to spiral further. PAP wasn't even on the lists of private schools that were recommended for him from therapists and school counselors, but the way it had been described to us as a truly unique and unconventional alternative to traditional schools made us think that it could be right for our smart, unconventional, son...and boy were we right, thankfully. On our first tour, we were greeted by dogs. Lots of dogs. And there are few things our son loves more than dogs, so he was immediately put at ease. When I asked the principal how they responded to people who might not want to be at school with dogs running around, he said "they can go somewhere else." We all looked at each other and laughed, immediately feeling at home with both the dogs and the informal environment where students call their teachers by their first names and where uniqueness and individuality are not only tolerated, but encouraged and celebrated. Our socially anxious son who had retreated into his room, alone, while at public high school immediately made friends, both with other students and with his teachers, who appreciated his quirks and his dark sense of humor and made him feel good about being himself, possibly for the first time. As a result, his grades shot up, he willingly attended school social events, he started smiling again, and he thrived in a way we had started lose hope for...something that has only continued since his beloved art teacher and his (student) best friend presented him with his diploma at the PAP graduation ceremony, as he now heads to college as a far happier, confident, and even hopeful person. We consider finding PAP one of the luckiest breaks our family has had and are forever grateful for the incredibly positive impact PAP's endlessly dedicated teachers and staff have had on our son's life.
Submitted by parent on July 25, 2023

This school has little to no rules. My son has finally graduated this school so I feel comfortable enough to step forward and speak the truth. The staff claims school is safe yet it is full of substances, fights, and teachers who are cruel and use extremely inappropriate language. Some teachers are inappropriately close with students and there is a relationship between two teachers. Which usually wouldn’t be a problem except on several accounts my son along with others have seen them making out and groping each other on campus! Mind you these are adults! Around children!!
Submitted by parent on July 25, 2023

Palo Alto Prepatory does a perfect job of persuading parents into handing over their wallets. I was told my daughter would thrive here, her adhd has affected her daily life and I really believed sending her here would help her thrive. We were optimistic at first and very happy with the school. Until about a month in, I noticed the teachers start to show their true colors and completely drop the “all inclusive facade.” Teachers have criticized my daughter among other students for not being “smart enough.” And laughing at students with learning difficulties. My daughter came home crying and said her teacher had asked her if she’s “slow or something”. Multiple students saw this. She was humiliated. This is heartbreaking and I am truly saddened. I expected so much more from this school.
Submitted by parent on July 24, 2023

As the parents of two high schoolers that could not be any more different, we have a deep appreciation and respect for the value of Palo Alto Prep (PA Prep) and their amazing educational staff. While one thrived in traditional high school, the other did not, we needed an alternative.Thankfully we discovered PA Prep through our engagement with the The Bodin Education Group (also highly recommended). After a careful evaluation of options (Bodin know them all!) and engagement with the team at PA Prep we could see that our son would benefit immensely from all that PA Prep is, and all that it offers to students like them.Is it perfect, absolutely not. But the positives for a student/young adult like our son far far FAR outweigh any minor drawbacks.The great:1. Incredibly intimate teacher/staff/student relationships who are incredibly capable in working with students for whom regular school isn't a good fit.3. Patience, understand and flexibility. PA Prep understands and accommodates with complete understanding.4. Diversity of classes and programs to engage an out of the box learner. From art, outdoors to flight training. The realities (not bad but worthy of mention):1. It is small, and high school is high school. This can sometimes magnify any typical social dynamics. The staff is incredibly attuned to this, but you also should be as a parent. It is important to recognize this is still high school and immediately addressing issues is critical, the staff is exceptional at partnering on this.2. There is a diverse population of students with a diverse set of backgrounds and needs. With this comes the realities and your student will be exposed to this, as they would in any high school, it isn't a fully sheltered and manicured but it is absolutely safe. 3. Passion, intent and caring are the hallmarks of PA Prep staff and teachers. Organization and "manicured administration" perhaps not so much the strong suit. Do not go in expecting perfection in communication, organization or logistics. If you are used to the polish of a "elite" private/public high school you will notice a difference here. Invest in your relationships with the school staff and I promise this is easily managed.In closing:We loved PA Prep, for the right student this IS the right place. Attend one graduation ceremony and that is all it takes to see how different, special and wonderful Palo Alto Preparatory School is for its staff, students and families!
Submitted by other on April 25, 2023

The teachers are very kind and caring, however, this school is not a preparatory, they at the rate of learning you would see at a public school, if not less. And the student body is quite concerning, it's made up of students kicked out of schools for drug abuse, and teenagers coming home from schools for troubled youth.
Submitted by student on December 19, 2022

i'm so glad that I get to go to pap! i have never liked coming to school before
Submitted by parent on October 10, 2022

I am a parent of a kid who transferred into PAP in the middle of a school year. I can't say enough great things about this school and the turnaround my child has made here. This is a school where they truly value the kids and work with them. They have the ability to offer services to the kids and give the kids the attention and help they need, which they just can't get at other schools due to size, etc. The teachers are so incredibly dedicated to the kids. The class choices go beyond requirements and include fun and inspiring classes as well. They have dogs to help kids with anxiety and other social issues feel comfortable. I only wish we started at this school sooner.
Submitted by student on June 10, 2022

Like many other students at PAP, PAP isn’t my first Highschool. But its definitely the Highschool that helped me the most. When I first arrived at PAP I had only been to high schools where I never fit in and had been just one student out of a so many. But at PAP I always got the personal attention from staff that fully helped me to succeed both academically and socially. Truly the very best thing about PAP is the staff who work tirelessly to help kids like me succeed. I would 100% recommend PAP for any kids that have problems with academics, social issues, mental health problems, and accessibility issues.
Submitted by parent on June 09, 2022

My son graduated from high school yesterday and I am 100% sure he would not have if it weren't for PAP. He could not function in a huge high school with giant classes. PAP has about 6 kids in their classes. Besides giving ALL students the attention and socio-emotional support they deserve, their teachers are fun, caring, kind, and patient. The administration is incredibly helpful and responsive. There are built-in motivators to give kids who need it the extra push in the right direction. While it is a college-prep school, classes are not stressful. And while my son is not an outgoing, adventurous kid, they have day and overnight field trips and classes you just can't get at other schools, for kids who are. What comes to mind are SCUBA, aviation, canoeing, hiking, museums, and a college tour trip--but in non-COIVD years, there is much more. PAP is truly a community that works very hard to make every student feel important and valued. I am so thankful my son was able to attend and cannot recommend it highly enough.
Submitted by parent on April 19, 2022

PAP provided an ideal learning environment for our son. He started in 9th grade and is now a senior. There are many great things about PAP. First and foremost are the excellent teachers. They engage on so many different levels with the students. They develop relationships with each student and make it easy for students to self-advocate and actively participate in class. They cater to the three different learning styles and the small class sizes easily allow individualized learning. The core classes take place M-Th and Fridays are dedicated to electives. (My son took aviation and is now hooked.) Each student must enroll in a study period and many kids can complete their homework at school. The school also incorporates social-emotional and collaborative learning and reinforces inclusiveness. When applying to college, PAP worked with both the student and parents in identifying good college fit. It was wonderful watching our son mature and take on more activities each year.
Submitted by student on March 04, 2022

I hated my first year of high school until I came to PAP. they made me like coming to school and look forward to it even. i can finish all my homeowrk in study skills and teachers are understanding of what high school kids are going thru
Submitted by parent on November 01, 2021

My son attended Palo Alto Preparatory for 3 years and I was very pleased with the school. Prior to this we had tried two different schools and at both I did not feel that teachers noticed or cared when my son fell behind in his learning. The teachers and the administration at PAP are very proactive and kept us in the loop so that we could allow our son more autonomy. This was just what he needed to gain confidence and graduate on time!
Submitted by other on October 21, 2021

Its a great school teachers really care about you and give a lot of extra support.
Submitted by student on November 30, 2019

They lie and mistreat students. All they want is your cash.
Submitted by parent on February 26, 2019

It is a great school with caring teachers and fun trips!
Submitted by student on April 25, 2018

The School claims to help people who don’t fit in the typical idea of a high school teenager, but the school causes more problems then it claims to solve. It may be worth it for you or your child, it wasn’t worth it for me or my family.