Lynbrook High School

1280 Johnson Avenue

School District

Fremont Union High
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:25
Type

public

School Map for Fremont Union High School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by student on January 05, 2025

As a sophomore at Lynbrook High School, I’ve found the environment to be not only unbearably competitive but deeply damaging to mental health. The academic pressure is relentless, especially in math, where the heavy workload and constant push for perfection create an atmosphere of chronic stress. Parents’ high expectations only add to the burden, leaving many students feeling trapped in an endless cycle of performance.Socially, Lynbrook is isolating and unwelcoming. The cliques are impenetrable, and if you didn’t come from Miller or Hyde, making friends is incredibly difficult. This social isolation amplifies the emotional toll, leaving many students feeling completely alone in their struggles.The mental health crisis at Lynbrook is undeniable. Many students harm themselves or battle suicidal thoughts, yet the school fails to address these urgent issues effectively. While Lynbrook may pride itself on academic success, it comes at a devastating cost. The culture of toxic competition must change before more students are pushed to the brink.
Submitted by parent on July 06, 2024

I’ve had three children attend & graduate from Lynbrook. Lynbrook was very competitive academically. Somewhat competitive in sports.The school really prepares its students for college where they will excel amongst their peers.
Submitted by parent on May 19, 2024

Both my children graduated from Lynbrook high.Both got stellar education and got admitted in very good colleges. They had very different experiences thought. Older child had tight circle of few friends with whom they are still close. They preferred not to avail themselves to various clubs and activities in school, and this was fine. The other child being very social had lots of friends and participated in many clubs, activities and leadership roles. The school experience is what you make out of it. I am not Asian, not a tiger mom, and although our family holds education in high regard, we did not put much pressure on our children.However, the competitive and education focused spirit of the kids sets the tone of this school. This is actually a blessing. This school is safe, motivating environment - focused on learning. Both my children had easier time in college because of excellent education they received in Lynbrook.
Submitted by other on February 26, 2024

I am an alum of lynbrook high school. When I was graduating hs initially, all I remember was wanting to leave. I felt a lot of pressure to do well in every aspect (academics, standardized tests, athletics, extracurriculars, etc.) and act as a perfect model student. I think one aspect of this school that is quite harmful is the way that mental health is not taken seriously. Everyone is competitive with each other by nature and self-deprecating jokes are the norm. Teachers are also very strict in terms of accommodations, even if the workload is unreasonable. I think it’s also hard to fit in as a student here if academics and college are not your priorities. Although my hs experience was very challenging, I can say that lynbrook gave me a strong foundation and work ethic for my adult life. I never thought that my college courses were harder than hs, and even now in graduate school, I don’t struggle too much with time management or academic rigor. I think there was a definite trade off in my case. Working hard in hs gave me the intelligence, confidence, and work ethic to succeed with any situation that life may present to me in the future. It also helped me to handle any situations with know it alls or annoying tech/finance bros.
Submitted by parent on June 25, 2023

This school is very terrible. My daughter did not like this school at all and had many terrible grades. The teachers were very bad at teaching and didn't give much homework. The teachers don't even care about safety, there are many students who smoke or vape in the bathrooms and students who use very unsafe language. The teachers dont even punish the kids! I would never recommend Lynbrook to anyone, if you can avoid sending your child there , do your child the favor and send them elsewhere.
Submitted by student on February 27, 2022

this school is literally awful and you won't have a normal high school experience. there is too much pressure here and it will burn you out. you won't meet a dumb person at this school and everything here is about getting high grades. this is absolute hell and everyone here has no personality.
Submitted by student on October 16, 2021

Its ok nothing special some teachers were good but ultimately most were ineffective at teaching and unaware of their impact on students. There was construction ongoing constantly making it hard to learn and the campus was messy. During breaks, the lunch line and quad were chaotic to a harmful degree and the majority of the campus was unmoderated.
Submitted by student on September 19, 2021

Way too much work causing way too much stress.
Submitted by student on May 01, 2020

Wow, how much I love this school. I am in 9th grade, and I have less hoemwork than my elementary school. Yes, you read that right. I know APs/Honors might take longer than you think, my the school I want to as a elementary school was Faria. Faria gave too much homework. During COVID-19, I can't say which has more homework, (Faria probably changed as well) so I think Faria still has more.
Submitted by student on April 14, 2019

As a senior at Lynbrook, I have mixed feelings about my experience. I'm ultimately sad to leave, but mostly because I'll miss some wonderful friends, incredible teachers who were there for me when I needed it, and the general "predictability" of high school- I liked the small classes and "small school" environment, and going to a huge public college is a big jump. On the other hand, this is a pressure-cooker environment, many peers can be quite rude, and it is definitely competitive- it was actually difficult for me to even form study groups at Lynbrook, no one ever wanted to work together. The pressure to be "perfect" is real, both academically and extracurricular-wise (plus, all the typical teenage pressures). The principal never seemed very involved directly with students, and the guidance department is mediocre and inflexible. In the end? I'm glad I went to Lynbrook because I did grow a lot here. My advice to incoming freshman? Relax, and don't take too much stress. College applications WILL work out. Find a good group of friends who truly care about you. Watch your mental health. Get to know your teachers and ask them questions- Lynbrook is lucky to have a few truly incredible teachers that I will never forget. Genuinely care about learning- it simply makes high school more fun, and your grades will work out if you just focus on learning and getting excited about the material. Take courses based on your interest (and sometimes, the teachers), and don't worry too much about grades- in every class at Lynbrook, you can do well if you are passionate about the subject, ask for help, and work hard. There is no class that is "too" difficult to the point where you cannot succeed.
Submitted by student on May 13, 2018

This school is beyond horrible. I cant even bring to words how much pain this school has caused me. I can guarantee you a NORMAL child would not be able to survive here. This school is filled with cold, lifeless robots. You would only send your child here if you hate them. Absolutely no one deserves to deal with what this school brings to the table. The environment is absolutely disgusting. If you are thinking of coming here, DONT.
Submitted by parent on December 02, 2017

excellent in academic, extracurriculum and community service.
Submitted by other on July 30, 2017

This school is literally the most competitive school in the world and I believe also most competitive school in entire history. I am not placing this as a joke, but literally the school itself hit an all time record of reaching the highest number of valedictorians(4.0 gpa), highest number of APs/Honors taken by students, the highest number of extracurricular achievements(especially those related to STEM/academics) that any person could ever think of. I graduated in this school recently and from that valedictorian fact, literally 15% of my whole grade level earned their place as a valedictorian and almost everyone I knew had just an incredibly high gpa(like 80% of students earning a 3.96-3.98 gpa). I didn't knew a single person who wasn't top nor had some flaws within their academic record/grades/ as an individual person. I was literally the last student in my grade level and basically the dunce of the school itself, or in other words.. the number one donkey. It was just people were so enticed into being with their own friend circles and for the people who aren't that academically driven, you are going to have a hard time making friends. It is just the fact that many of these people you know just won't simply care about you in a strong way. I am the only one in the school who has literally failed to accomplish anything or be able to make friends. Every other person in my school was able to get something out of Lynbrook. I never felt this betrayed in my whole life. It is not what you see in the movies, where there are close group friends who are willing to side with another friend who is in need or support, but in Lynbrook, you have to be smart and have a superior quality to make people to engage with you. Lynbrook is a small community where most of the students are more superficially driven. The teachers do help a lot, but if a student is very low or is academically/socially inferior, nobody is going to simply help you. I was the only outcast in the lynbrook bubble who just had a hard time to gain something out of the school itself.If you are a person who wants to carry more of a meaning in life, THIS SCHOOL IS MOST LIKELY NOT FOR YOU!! I was a special education student and if you don't stand at Lynbrook, NOBODY IS GOING TO HELP YOU. Teachers think students are so brilliant that they are not willing to help the 1% of the students who are struggling.
Submitted by parent on July 29, 2017

This school is full of problems, it is easy to get carried away by the high ratings et al but the reality is that the school has declining enrollment, has bare minimum electives and course options, and availability is a question among the few electives. Plus there is no community support nor is there school spirit. Nepotism is highly prevalent in this school. Students and parents are desperately trying to please teachers blindly, for return favors. Students will not hesitate to backstab and lie about fellow students in order to get undue advantages and will never speak up truth against a teacher if questioned about things not going well with teachers. Competition is to such unhealthy levels that there is no soul to this school! The school administration is on the teacher's side and will never take any action unless one is involved in a drastic crime. The district office is also on the teacher's side and will never support a student's well being if it has anything to do with issues pertaining to teacher's irresponsibilities. The whole system is rigged from top to bottom. Sending kids to this school would be encouraging such negative culture. One should avoid this school if they can, there are many other public school options in the area that provide far superior all round development, many elective options, better teachers and definitely far superior school administrators, all while having great school spirit and community, while providing a nurturing school environment where a student can continue to have faith and trust in humanity at least until they grow into adults!
Submitted by other on July 13, 2016

Lynbrook continues to be associated with the highest educational standards. Students graduate Lynbrook a formable amount knowledge that has prepared them for the next level of education. Additionally students have the opportunity to develop social skills, via arts & sports, school activities, dances, competition, plays, and so much more. Add the skill and support of the Teacher's and Staff, then there are no excuses for not succeeding. Thank you Lynbrook.
Submitted by teacher on April 01, 2016

As a teacher for over 12 years at Lynbrook and 4 years at Monta Vista, I can tell you Lynbrook is an exceptional high school. Don't be fooled by all the negativity, you will not find harder working teachers who not only take great pride in the work they do, but also love their students and connect with them regularly. As for the student body, I can tell you, having worked in 6 different high schools, this group is super inclusive. Bullying is almost non-existent. The camaraderie between students and spirit on the campus reflect the essence of the typical Lynbrook student. From Homecoming skits to the senior Spoons game, the students are ripe with creative outlets and bond with enthusiasm. Parents who are critical of the teachers "teaching only 20%", some nebulous and random percentage, should move. Sell your over-priced house and find something better. I wish you luck. The high ratings of Lynbrook are well deserved. Look at the Science Fair and the STEM program, ranked #7 in the United States. Look at all the Intel and Seimens winners, look at Model UN, DECA winners, a top notch Speech and Debate team, Viking Buddies and Link Crew, nationally rated Yearbook and Epic News magazine, those are just a few of the stellar opportunities for Students. Lynbrook is so much more than test scores and offers endless opportunities for learning both inside and outside the classroom. It a special place to work and I value every single day as much as I value each and every student. Best school you'll find.
Submitted by other on December 09, 2015

I recently spent two weeks observing at Lynbrook as a prerequisite to applying to teacher's college and I was just amazed by he quality of teaching and their students. Yes, the students do tend to be competitive and resemble the characters of the Big Bang Theory but they are also very fun loving, hard working and teachable. There were always some activities in the quad to stir up school spirit and I always see a smile in everyone's face except when they come out of an AP Calculus quiz.
Submitted by parent on March 17, 2015

Great environment for highly academic, self-motivated, over-achievers. A bit stressful for those who don't fit this profile. Not much cultural diversity, since the population is heavily Asian. Administration, teachers, and staff are very competent and caring. Highly intelligent, college educated parent population are actively involved. There is much emphasis on STEM and college prep, such that students may not get exposed to higher level humanities and ethics. In the highly competitive environment supported by parents' definition of success, cheating is an issue. Students with special needs and learning challenges may feel isolated and intimidated. This may not be a healthy environment for some students.
Submitted by student on December 15, 2014

Obviously there are a lot of mixed reviews about how Lynbrook is, I think this is mostly based on how people respond to a high-pressure environment. For example parents reviews might be influenced by what their kids say about it. This school has a very large amount of very motivated people, but it's less the school and the teachers than the students themselves that push up LHS's test scores. Almost everything that is done at this school is done to look good on their college applications. The stress level that is experienced here makes cheating a huge problem because of the workloads and lack of time and sleep that everyone gets. Staff are trying to fix the problem this year but from what I can see it isn't working very well. One great thing about all of this is that the pressure that the students have on them to constantly excel in everything makes a great atmosphere of camaraderie, and the people at this school are some of the nicest that I have ever met. Some people may disagree with what I say here but this is how I see it after going here for two years. What I do know is that every day Lynbrook pushes me to learn as much as I can and to be the best I can be.
Submitted by other on June 26, 2014

Lynbrook offers a very inclusive learning experience. The teachers have a great track record for being progressive and involved in their students complete education. They are highly skilled and motivated, making Lynbrook a highly regarded school. I feel that students are well monitored, encouraged and motivated. Lynbrook prepares their student's not only for college, but to succeed in life. All aspects of learning is taken into consideration. The basic's such as math, science, liturature, & the arts, music, dance, & sports are all important. Lynbrook is considered be one of the "top high schools in the Bay Area", It had been raked one of the "top five public comprehensive secondary schools in California". There is such a high demand for parent's to have their children go to Lynbrook, that the housing market in the immediate area's have skyrocket, which increases the tax base, which again increases the funding for the school's. Additional families that move into the area are so involved with the best education for their children, many of the bond measures, for school funding, are continually supported. Lynbrook offers an outstanding curriculum & extra curriculum program to all.