Canyon Crest Academy Review

Very good school, the best public school in the state

Caring and thoughtful staff. Fantastic facilities with a variety of specialties for students to pursue. Something for everyone.

Horrible school go to Torrey pines. Biggest mistake of my life choosing go to canyon crest.

Everyone has a different opinion and I think that needs to be taken into consideration. Although I don't go to this school, I lived in the area for 11 years. When I was looking at high schools to go to, this was one of my options. All of my friends were applying to go to school here. At the time, I thought it was an okay school. It wasn't my favorite though for many reasons.
The first reason, is that the course schedule was very funky. The whole four-by-four schedule is very interesting. I don't agree with this teaching style because I believe that Math and English and Core subjects should be taught year round. The electives, such as dance, art, acting, etc, should be taught half a year though. For example, if a student takes Math first semester and then has to wait a whole year to take math again, they will likely forget important information in that period of time.
The second reason, is that the teachers are quite odd. I personally think that it is a good idea to implement video clips and have visual representations for certain material, but not to just show videos and not really go in depth. I also think it is a good thing to have a good relationship with your teacher, but to spend time during the summer with them? It just seems a little....different.
My third reason, is that the statistics for the school academics aren't really that high. You really need to factor in that more than half the school population is Asian. These people come over for a year or two and send their children to school in Carmel Valley and then move back to Asia. Students aren't taught that differently to make the academic scores that different. And now that schools have to use the Common Core curriculum, things are going to change a lot.
My last reason, is that everyone acts the same at the school. For example, almost every girl is like a Feminist all the sudden and bashing the school dress code. The guys are a little different, but overall, almost everyone at the school is snobby and rich. They live in a bubble and don't really experience the real world. Both men and women should dress like they respect their bodies and not wear something revealing. They also need to respect the school dress code and rules. Crop tops, strapless shirts, and spaghetti strap tops shouldn't be allowed.
As I said in the beginning, this is just my opinion on how I feel about the school. I don't think it is a horrible school, but it wasn't the right school for me and what I want to achieve in high school, college, and sailing.

Wont find a better public high school in San Diego, you'd be lucky to find a better one in CA, and maybe just a few that up its standards in the U.S.

Best high school ever.
Then again, it's hard for me to say otherwise.

A kid ate a bee once in class and the teachers didn t care. No one cares. Welcome to high school. One star because I got suspended for filling my water bottle cap with water and saying SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS. as I drank it.

Top of the line, highly academic and rigorous (if taking AP), and colleges know it. This is a great school for you *IF*: 1) You are willing to pre-take a class during the summer prior to your fall classes. This school's 4X4 program moves very quickly, and you will be sorry if you miss important concepts. 2) You are willing to spend long hours on homework and manage to balance outside activities (colleges want outside activities). 3) Find yourself a good tutor! 4) MANAGE YOUR TIME EFFECTIVELY. This should probably be #1. If you don't manage your time, you will be very stressed out and fall behind. To be a successful student here, you truly have to be very diligent about staying on top of things, be self-motivated, and hard-working. If parents have to be on your back, this is not the school for you. The differences in the academic quality between this school and bishops with the $30K price tag, is that CCA has larger classes and some teachers are not very supportive (with regards to extra help). Now that there will be more kids coming in because of a lawsuit that let in all freshmen (and possibly change the policy permanently), it will probably be more difficult for these teachers to offer help.

This place was the bomb. Would go through high school again.

Great environment. Some of the staff is a little rude and judgemental.

Worst school ever, don't ever let your child come to this school, teachers are purely doing this because it's their job, they never care about you, they just come and leave, never really make us learn anything. Do whatever way to get you a C on test if you've shown that you don't like him/her.

Great Performing Arts program, sports, and all that but on the inside I get info that I made a better choice, I spent a long time looking at this school, wanted to give it 5 stars if I could and thought a lot about it. IN North County it would have to make the list. I know at this size, it's tough to deliver, with all the busy parents making the big bucks and I felt like the staff was pretty awesome, but it turned out that it was the PARENTS that sealed the deal- while there, I saw some of them that I had been associated with in previous programs and after I was exposed to them I was so relieved to have had my daughter choose a different school. I little vapid, huge, and it's a tough commute for anyone coming from the busy freeways- the other thing that bothered me about it is there's the entitlement and the top performers seem to be not so self actualized, in the end. There's more, but it's hearsay.

One of the best schools around. Highly recommended.

Canyon Crest Academy is incredible. Phenomenal. Unparalleled. In the four years that I have attended this school I have grown and learned more than I could have in a decade of my life elsewhere. It challenged me to work harder and be smarter. CCA demonstrated how the arts can play a role in day to day life and offset seemingly tedious academics. The student body shares a diverse and fresh set of ideals, ripe for discussion and collaboration. It's impossible to not fit in and the school will guide you to find what your passion truly is. The teachers all do what they think is best to ensure that the students attain their highest potential. The community is a welcoming family that understands day to day struggles and puts in the effort to keep everyone happy. There are events almost every week so you can pick an choose what to take part in, and there is never a shortage of activities nor opportunities to explore. This school is honestly unlike any other, and you'd be hard pressed to find a better public high school experience in all of the USA than the one at CCA. May the students here continue to thrive, achieve success, and fill the roles of leaders that our world needs in order to make a brighter future.

run to tp as fast as possible going here was the biggest mistake of my life

Best public high school in SD. Great program makes great kids!

This is the best school I've ever gone to. It's honestly perfect.

CCA was an amazing high school and the best choice for myself. It's extremely academically rigorous, and the AP courses are second to none in the state of California (see US World News and College Report).

However, CCA is not for everyone. And that's okay. You have other great schools in the district to choose from. I don't understand why others are degrading the CCA ratings on Google if they didn't even go here.

CCA has historically been a very open-minded, strange, and rigorous campus. I've noticed that as the school expands, it looses it's "weird" charm that many graduates can agree made their experience at CCA.

Also, the school is now constantly shrouded in intense traffic from the overadmittance of underclassmen (2500 students now vs. just about 2000 students when I started), and the school and surrounding area were not built for it. The mall and middle school just compound the problem, however the diverse food options provided on the shopping center are very welcomed by upper classmen.

To summarize, CCA was a great school. It still is a great school. But it's not the campus for everyone. The 4 by 4 can be difficult to get used to, and the pace is demanding. But of you can balance all your needs, it is a fun ride.

cca is pretty cool. don't expect people to be Different and Beautiful and Kind all the time because that's not how the world works, buddy. the people are the same as everywhere else, and it's Your Job to find a group of people that you like and want to grow with.
it's high school. nobody's going to baby you and pretend that just because you're going to an arts school that people are going to be Nicer or Better. they're normal people. get over yourself.
other than that it's nice and the 4x4 is stressful as hell but i have SO many classes that i can take now it's Litty. study hard but don't forget to have fun & be young xoxo

Not the best highschool ever, but by god its a darn good one, there isnt a perfect highschool out here, but CCA is pretty tootin.

I sent three kids to CCA. It is simply extraordinary. Academics are superb, as are performing and visual arts and sports team. Most importantly, the kids are kind to each other and tolerant of differences. This school is well worth the ridiculous mortgage I pay!

There are no words...CCA is the best school in the universe.

Big nice looking campus huge football field and track field nice upscale neighborhood.

I think it is unfair, and unhelpful to publish reviews of this amazing school from people who don't even attend. If you are reading the negative review written by the person who openly admits they only "drive by" CCA; please immediately disregard.

This school is fantastic. It is staffed by gifted, talented, and caring teachers and administration. The school culture is remarkable. It is an outstanding school where a student will receive an education that rivals many costly private institutions. Additionally, students from all walks of life, of all shapes and colors are welcomed and accepted. CCA is a leader both educationally and globally.

there are even buildings included, highly recommend

Best school ever. Awesome academics and stellar arts program (theatre especially)! I will miss this school when I graduate in the spring.

The greatest school I have ever been graced to attend completely redefines the "high school experience". CCA is the most LGBTQIA+ accepting place ever (and I go to school in San Francisco; quite possibly the gayest place on Earth); I'm talking young-men-&-women-killin'-it-in-eight-inch-stillettos-wearing-flowers-crowns-with-a-pride-flag-wrapped-around-their-shoulders-and-nobody-looked-twice-gay-acceptance here!!! The Envision program is absolutely amazing and the staff were/are just the most down-to-Earth, kind-hearted people I have ever been honored to meet. Mrs. Zuniga (Chuifo at the time), Mrs. Brittan, Mr. Black, Mr. Spilkin, Mrs. Zanoni, Hector, and so many others have taught me valuable life lessons. Words cannot express how grateful I am to have attended this truly one of a kind school.
"Once a Raven, always a Raven," - Christopher Black
#RavenNation

I would not recommend CCA. While I have learned a lot and grown, much of it I would not like to go through again. This idea of "the CCA vibe" is a myth, at least as far as my graduating class goes. Ever since my freshman year, people have been rude, judgmental and entitled. People don't come here for the opportunity to get better, they come to get a sh*tload of AP's, regardless if they learn anything, and leave. There is little to no sense of community and outgoingness, no willingness to try new things. The SJW's aren't out there, in general, for all of us, just themselves, no matter how pointless or stupid what they seem to advocating for is. The 4x4, that has been lauded, defeats the purpose of education. It is impossible, unless you spend 24/7 studying and being tutored, to truly delve into depth and learn what we go over. And even then, most kids just cram for the tests. The interest people have in giving back to the community and doing something has dwindled and dwindled.

I've even heard *gasp* that CCA is now basically the same as TP.

There are opportunities here and some awesome teachers and students (and Admin), but don't come in with rose-colored glasses and fall for what everyone says. Make up your own mind.

I would not have gone anywhere else, because I have learned immensely about myself, life and people in general. And I have been in the front seat of so many changing factors of culture. There are many opportunities here, and coming is not a bad choice. But before you commit to going, make sure you have honestly looked over everything and make a cognizant decision.