Punahou school Reviews

Staff works hard to make this place a great community and safe place for children. A family of it's own.

I cannot express the level of devotion and care from the staff at this school. They truly go above and beyond anything I've ever seen.

I loved my time at Punahou! My deans and teachers went above and beyond their duties in helping me succeed and to work past certain difficulties I was having. I will always cherish the support and dedication of the faculty and staff.

The facilities are well-maintained, gorgeous and innovative (and getting more mind-boggling every time I go back haha) and the curriculum is vast. They give you every opportunity to find your calling--it's up to the student to utilize the great resources they provide.

I always enjoy going back and talking story with old friends and familiar faces :) Punahou will always be a home away from home for me. If we ever decide to move back to Hawaii and raise our (future) kids here, I will without a doubt want to send my kids to Punahou.(Hey, future admissions board, *wink wink*) hahaha :)

~ Class of 2007 ~

The best school ever! They have great curiculum and great collage choices.

I just graduated from Punahou just over a month ago, and honestly, I really did like it. The teachers are dedicated to their work and letting the students grow, not just focus on academics. I can see why some people have problems with Punahou, though the students aren't all like what we are sometimes made out to be. I have been to other schools before, and honestly, Punahou is where I felt most at home and have the fondest memories. Not only are there a wide variety of choices when it comes to study, but there is a wide variety of activities, environments, and people in general. Of course, the best advice I have to offer is don't stint yourself by being safe, try something new, but also have a few people (adults and especially of your own age) there to pull you out of trouble if you find yourself in it. Punahou is, admittedly, not for everyone, but do not just cross it off your list just because of what you hear.

Top school on the island. Good enough for a former president, good enough for me. Non-students always love the carnival.

Curriculum, campus, community, and tradition--Punahou has it all. The classes are so challenging that when I later attended a top 25 liberal arts college the first and second year courses there seemed to be high school level.

In addition to the excellent academics, they offer a plethora of extracurricular and co-curricular activities that you couldn't get elsewhere. This is a key difference between Punahou and other schools on the island. You can participate in anything from a school production of Les Miserables to the chemistry club (responsible for some of the burn marks on the concrete in the academy) to almost any sport imaginable. The quality of these programs is extremely high--as an example one of my classmates was a presidential scholar in the arts for her dramatic work. I personally participated in JROTC, multiple choirs, and the robotics club, as well as taking a leadership role in student government and Punahou Carnival. You will never be bored unless you want to be.

The community on campus is another key feature of the Punahou experience. Through the many traditions of campus life each class is bound together despite their many differences. Even though there are the sports groups, the smart kids, and the stoners (as another commenter mentioned) there is a common thread between all of them which is forged from the shared experiences of Punahou Carnival, Variety Show, and Senior Sing--just to name a few.

One of the best things about Punahou was that it taught me to be self directed. I noticed that others mentioned that the curriculum "allows" the students to have up to 4 hour breaks in their schedule. While that is true, I was signed up for so many classes that my mother had to sign a permission form and I often had to spend the first week of school trying to fix my schedule to fit everything in. I generally had at least 2 days in the week where I went to classes from 7:30am to 3:30pm with no break--I even ate lunch during class. At Punahou, as in life, how involved you are is your decision, not anyone else's.

I went here for summer school a while back. I had a great time and I have a lot of fond memories here. The Punahou carnival is also a great event held here that I went to a lot growing up.

i just graduated from this school and i have to say it taught me everything i know!

I've heard about this school, so I have to stay in Punahou School for summer (FROM QKS).I hope their isn't any bullies.