I am an alum from ANA, class of 81 - ANA changed my life, and pointed me on a trajectory of success. I am still involved with ANA as an alumni, and am impressed with the level of dedication the staff has to see each cadet succeed. The percentage of cadets matriculating to Colleges and Uninversities speaks for itself. read more

We enrolled our 15-year-old son at Army and Navy Academy for the 2026-2027 school year and paid $67,075 in full. Our experience was deeply disappointing and concerning on multiple levels. Despite advertising a structured, supervised boarding environment that "understands boys," the reality was very different. Our son was frequently left unsupervised in his room during meal times with no one ensuring he ate -- he survived on vending machine candy. Phone policies that were promised to us were never enforced, with our son on his phone unsupervised until 1AM. He was assigned to the football team but repeatedly missed practices with no follow-up from staff. Most seriously, when our son ran away from campus, the school failed to notify us as his parents. We discovered this ourselves through his phone's location service and had to report it to the school. When we brought him back, staff gave us 5 minutes to collect his belongings and directed us to take him home. My wife had flown in specifically to return him to school. Despite paying for a full year, we have been denied a fair prorated refund for the months he did not attend. We have since filed complaints with the San Diego District Attorney's Student Safety Task Force and the California Attorney General's Office. We trusted this institution with our son's safety and wellbeing. That trust was not honored. read more

My son enrolled in the middle of his sophomore year, and it has been an absolute game changer. I don't know how Army and Navy Academy (ANA) does it, but within two months they transformed him from a teenager influenced by "red pill" voices insisting school was pointless--and that stealing, dealing, and hustling were the keys to success--into a respectful, motivated, disciplined young man who communicates openly and reaches out for support when he needs it. Before ANA, we spent 18 months trying everything: DBT therapy, family systems therapy, private boys coaching, and multiple specialized retreats for struggling teens. None of it helped. In fact, many interventions pushed him even farther away from his best self. ANA, on the other hand, grounded him almost immediately. Now he's on the Dean's List, was voted Best Artist, and loves attending ANA. The other day, I nearly cried when I heard him tell his grandmother, "It's a privilege to attend ANA." His commanding officer captured the essence of the school after a minor infraction: "We are not a reform school. We are not a therapeutic boarding school. We are an elite preparatory academy developing the future leaders of the world. You decide if you belong here." And somehow, through the teachers, counselors, structure, activities, and community, my son decided for himself that he does belong there. ANA gave my son his future back. We are grateful beyond words. read more

Transformed Our Son's Life This place does not just educate but builds character in young men. Take your son here if you want him to learn responsibility, drive, camaraderie, passion, and respect--and they will build life- long friendships with like- minded men read more

My son just started his first year here as an 8th grader and so far the positive changes we have seen are priceless. He struggles with attention & focus issues so having smaller, more involved classes, has not only improved his grades, but his confidence in the classroom as well. All staff have been so loving, supportive, and helpful so far and I know that it's only going to get better with time. I love the structure with having their academics focused around "how boys learn" rather than a generalized pathway. Though my son originally saw this school as a punishment he is now seeing it like we are, as an opportunity for growth and development. Thank you ANA for building better humans every day. read more

See all

This school is one of the most dysfunctional places I have ever seen. They talk a lot about leadership and accountability but they do not reinforce that. The leadership training is essentially one class per day where the students take JROTC but the instructors really don't seem to care, and do the bare minimum. The other teachers seem OK, but I've yet to meet one that I thought was exemplary. When my son first started at the school in eighth grade, there were quite a few. Now, it seems as if it's been a revolving door of teachers. I was told by another parent that the school has had turnover recently. In addition to this, I do not know what they do with our tuition money because the buildings and facilities are really poor, and my son tells me that the food is no better. If I had to recommend a school, it would only be ANA if your son needed an attitude adjustment and you're using this as punishment. If you want your son to go to college, look elsewhere. read more

As a military style boarding and a college prepatory school Army and Navy Academy is a great alternative to a traditional high school curriculum. MILITARY With its military influence on curriculum cadets are eligible for a variety of ROTC scholarships. ACADEMICS The Academy strives for academic excellence. This focus contributes to its recognition by prestigious academic societies. Along with traditional, STEM based, courses offered, electives include aviation and computer science amongst others. ATHLETICS The Academy's current athletic director is a top notch athletic coach and administrator. His encouraging of athletes to become the face of the campus has instilled a sense of pride amongst the many athletes. Under his direction the Varsity teams have earned multiple league and CIFSDS section championships. read more

I live in Carlsbad and have some extremely positive observations and experiences with the Army and Navy Academy, the cadets and the team that supports the cadets. Let me start with the most important part of the school, the cadets. I often see them in the Village of Carlsbad. Invariably, they are very polite and respectful, very articulate and mature for their years. They represent the Academy incredibly well. Please come to one of the Academy's military reviews and you'll see an amazing group of young men working together to achieve a common goal. Very impressive. I have had the chance to talk with several parents and alumni. The feedback I have received has been exceptional. Every parent shares how much their son grew in his years at the Academy and the amazing young man he has become. They are so proud. The alumni talk about the brotherhood they built with their classmates and how the school positively prepared them for lives after graduation. Please come to a graduation ceremony and watch the seniors celebrate their individual and peers' accomplishments. The Academy educators and staff have the top priority to build young men of character and prepare them for the rest of their lives. My interaction with them has always been very positive and professional. The education standards are high and there is an infrastructure to support the cadets for success. They provide leadership opportunities so the cadets learn by doing not through lectures. The growth and development of these young men is their top priority. The bottom line? This is a place where your son will be given the opportunity to grow and pursue his dreams. read more

Writing an update because I truly value the veracity of information that parents are given. 1st off my son can't wait to come back. He's been out for the summer and misses his brotherhood . Things I love about ANA: 1. Cadets are not allowed to walk around like zombies around campus on their cell phones. Cadets are reprimanded if they are caught on their phones in class or during classes. Bonus: not every kids has a cell phone. (Mine doesn't) and since there are other kids are on the same boat, it's not a big deal. 2. Cadets are taught discipline and structure: 3. Cadets are told constantly to respect and make their parents proud. 4. Cadets have to do their homework and they are held accountable when they don't. 5. This school has been around for over 100 years. 6: The parents here care and we are a community. 7. I admit I've only been there one semester but I will update my review should anything unfavorable arise Things to be mindful about 1. It's not easy. It is going to be tough. 2. It takes a lot of resources. Be financially prepared. 3. Ask questions, do your research. I called the lady who didn't have a good experience and even though it took her 6 months to reply to me. (See picture enclosed) I still spoke with her. We both realized our experiences were completely different because obviously our kids are completely different and we had completely different expectations. 4. If your son attends, get involved. Talk to teachers. Talk to TAC officers. Talk to other parents. Join ANAPA. 5. If you have any questions message me or send me an email. See picture. read more

My son attended the Academy and it was the best decision his mother and I ever made. He went into the school as an unmotivated, entitled rich kid and came out a respectful young man. I never figured out their secret sauce but it works. I highly recommend this school. read more

This was my son's first year of high school and we decided to put him in ANA based on the high-level of education they provide. Registration was made very easy by the school and orientations after that were very thorough. The teachers at the school go over and beyond with their time dedicated to the students. Especially the biology teacher dr Cohen. Academics at this school are some of the finest I've seen in the education system. The food the boys receive is also way beyond what a public school gives kids as I have another son in public school and definitely see the difference. They also have tac officers on campus who are mostly ex cops and military veterans which provides a very safe environment for the kids. The biggest of this school has been the athletics for my son. This year he played football basketball and ran track. Athletic Director Nehemiah Brunson was another huge plus to joining the school as he has an uplifting spirit to him, and the kids definitely feel his love and energy. President Peggy combs is new to the school and is present at all events, including sporting which really surprised me. She takes that much time out of her own time for the kids. They stress education and that's what they give you a very high level of education. My experience here has been great and my son loves the school his teachers, his peers and we are anxious to see where this will take him in life. Thank you Army Navy Academy for a wonderful freshman year and hopefully many more to come. I will definitely be recommending this school to others in the future. read more

Army and Navy Academy - Assembly in the gym - Middle Schools & High Schools Near Me - Carlsbad, California

See all

I can't imagine my boys going to any other school. With class sizes of 10-12 or less and all the extra curricular activities my boys are getting a well rounded education focused on character, virtues, academics and sports. They are also participating in the schools fantastic aviation program! read more

My son was there for 2 years and graduated a few years ago . He struggled at the previous high school but at ANA he made so much progress. He was very happy and learned how to be more independent. He also learned to take on leadership . All the staff and teachers were so wonderful and very supportive. Thank goodness for ANA . It gave a second chance to have great high school experience. read more

My son has been living here for a year, receiving good education and learning resources, physical training, and recently improved electronic device management, which have effectively helped the child. read more

Fantastic school! My son has absolutely loved being at ANA. He has really thrived here. He is the most goal-oriented, disciplined, and enthusiastic student now than ever compared to before. The academics are strong, the extracurricular offerings are great, and they really build a sense of community and belonging. We are so happy we enrolled him here and enthusiastically recommend it!! read more

Be careful what you read here. Our experience has been completely different. Yes there are some bad apples that have been sent here to be rescued, but for the most part the school is full of caring staff. Your boy will grow up fast and learn discipline, ethics and be better educated than most public schools. The accommodations are a little subpar for those kids used to an upper middle class upbringing, but other than that they are adequate. read more

This school is the best thing that has happened for my son. The attention to detail in the classroom has surpassed my expectations. The opportunity in athletics is like no other school. In just one year I have seen the growth in my son that every parent dreams of. read more

As a past graduate, I have been following this small boys school for many years. I continue to be impressed with their understanding of what young men face in our culture. This is an excellent place for a young man to develop. It gave me the tools and discipline to succeed in college and in business at a very young age. As was the case with me, you do not need to be interested in a military career to enjoy all of the benefits of this academy. The beachfront location is certainly a bonus! read more

My son has been attending the school for 2 years and we absolutely love the teachers and coaches. The school gives the boys all the tools needed for college and sets them up for succes. read more

Simply amazing how this school turns boys into virtuous young men! Beautiful campus, quality education, and simply packed with a team of consummate professionals who truly care about their students growth and success. read more

The staff is very great to deal with especially the Athletics department. I have 2 children enrolled and attending the school. Great college prep school. The boys learn accountability and leadership amongst other things. read more

I can't say enough about Army Navy. My son has been there for 3yrs now and each year he becomes more confident in his academics and himself. He's a 3 sport athlete who is given every opportunity that same bigger private schools and public schools offer. I have yet to regret sending him there it's been everything I needed a school to be as a parent to prepare him for college. read more

I am writing this to warn other families about ANA and share my experience so others can be prevented from the issues and severe distress I've experienced as a result of my son going there. It was a nightmare of an experience and is still traumatizing. If your child is out of control and violent, using drugs, you're looking for an alternative to wilderness camp, or you are just at your wits end and don't know where to turn- this school is a good option. I was led to believe it was a regular boarding school, but my experience was that most of the kids at this school could never get into a traditional school. In my opinion this school misrepresents themselves on their website, and through their staff. I'm when I toured; I asked very specific questions and received VERY misleading answers- in fact they were blatant lies. When I toured, they failed to mention when I asked about any prior issues at the school that I should know about, that their school had multiple allegations of sexual abuse, and a former head master is serving a sentence for "Prosecutors alleged Barton had given his victims drug-laced brownies to incapacitate them prior to the sexual molestations. Barton's baked goods became known around campus, according to prosecutors". And more recently a 12 year old boy sued the school for being sexually assaulted by other students. //nbcsandiego.com/news/local/jeffrey-barton-san-diego-carlsbad-head-of-all-boys-academy/22017 It's horrifying that they don't disclose this to parents, and even more unconscionable that they don't disclose it to parent who directly ask. I told my tour guide that my son had been very sheltered in Catholic school and as a single mom I was looking for a safe and nurturing environment to solely help with the issues we had with my son being distracted by social media, YouTube, video games, etc. He assured me their days were so regimented that there would not be time for it and that in class they use textbooks and write in notebooks. This was not the case and my son had plenty of time to mess around online and on the computer. I asked about at night in their rooms, and he said they shut down internet access at 11pm. The boys have access to their phones and computers in their rooms and I saw internet access on my phone bill up until 4am. Surely ANA must know the kids use VPNs and hotspots form data plans. A true structured and military environment does not allow this. At Annapolis no one would dare even study after lights out because of the consequences. At ANA it's allowed. I asked about the other students, because on the application it required a character report and mental health report from current therapist. He told me, "this was to weed kids out". Weed out who? Felons? He said they were mostly in the same boat as my son and good kids. That was a lie. During their free time when they can walk into town, where they would pay homeless people to buy them alcohol and nicotine products. They were so poorly supervised that some would take Ubers to smoke shops that sold to minors. They would smoke in the rooms and blow it out the window. He told me the kids would have alcohol, specifically fireball, in their barracks. There should be no way they can smuggle alcohol in case campus. Just no way wot he proper security. If they bring it in in McDonald's cups, then ban outside food and drink- like Marines basic training does. Not a difficult problem to solve. I believe parents should have been fully informed of everything to know what I kind of environment they are putting their child in. To have unknowingly put my child in an environment where he was exposed to drugs and vaping, full internet access in the middle of the night, lack of sleep, marijuana, and hanging out with kids who were bad influences. To me, this school should be labeled a reform school, not a college prep boarding school. My son met kids here that were either on their last stop before jail or came here from juevy.He met many kids who had substance abuse problems, had run ins with the law and had been arrested. One kid he met had recently been arrested for vandalism and trespassing and his parents couldn't take anymore. He met kids who offered him weed, ecstasy, and benzos. My son's roommate was caught with vapes and Xanex. No one from the school told me my son was exposed to this. They moved him to a different room and didn't tell me that either. I withdrew my son after the 1 semester. I felt/feel so much distress, anxiety, and anger over the entire situation and the staff being dishonest to me compounded everything. They should represent their school for what it is so parents can make informed decisions. I am pursuing legal action for breach of contract and material misrepresentation. I encourage you to email me if you have experienced the same at ANAlawsuit@gmail com. Likewise if you are considering sending your son here- I'm happy to talk to you. I believe it is a good fit for some families. read more

Sending your son to the Army & Navy Academy is a decision you should take very seriously. The admissions process is not forthcoming about the school, and they paint a "rosy" picture that is simply not true. You will immediately notice a lack of organization and responsiveness during the admissions process. That should have been our clue. Our son attended ANA from August 4 through October 8, 2021. We withdrew him after an incident that was perpetuated by adult actions, or lack thereof, and in our opinion borderline abusive behavior by his TAC officer. First, the good. The teachers at ANA are amazing and caring. The classes are small, and they offer a lot of support outside the classroom. The athletics department is amazing and except for the weight room, the facilities are great. I have nothing negative to say about both of those aspects of the school. I suppose sending your kid to ANA as a day student may be an option. Where things fall apart are the Cadet Life department. First let me talk about the cafeteria. From early August this year until mid-September the food supplied to the cadets was subpar. Cadets were not permitted to get seconds, were given small portions and the food was often burnt, dried up or cold. Kids would complain to their parents for weeks about being hungry all the time and of course we all thought they were being too picky. This all came to a head in mid-September when they ran out of food and most cadets were offered no dinner. Finally, the school paid attention and responded. They blamed the months long issue on the health of the chef and fired him. They didn't take any responsibility for allowing it to occur for so long or simply being unaware of the situation. That is a trend that we noticed at ANA, the leadership are fiercely defensive of any criticism of the school, and they simply blame the children. The second issue we had was with the laundry service. Parents pay $750/year for laundry service. Many parents complained about missing items and dirty clothes. Our son lost six shirts in one week and nothing was ever done. This issue is still not resolved. Communication at ANA is just terrible. For the first month our son was there we had no TAC officer assigned and no way to get in touch with an adult at the school. When we eventually got a TAC officer, he was disrespectful, aggressive, and argumentative. We asked for our son to be moved to a different company and they just refused to even consider it. The most serious issue with ANA is the after-hours time. TAC officers who are generally former military personnel with no child development or educational background run the school. Our TAC officer often complained to us that he had 48 kids under his charge and couldn't handle them. His "teaching, advising and coaching" generally resorted to yelling at kids. We witnessed this a number of times while on the phone and hearing him scream at kids constantly. After 1030 pm there are no staff onsite with the exception of 1 or 2 security guards and cameras. 250 boys are left to their own devices to police and supervise the kids. I have heard stories of boys leaving at night. My son complained of harassment and bullying including horrific homophobic bullying from the other cadets (my son is not gay but he has same sex parents). The school was aware of this bullying but failed to notify us. We became aware when we saw homophobic texts posted about him on a public Instagram account. We called the school on their lack of action and a few days later we removed our son after hearing an incident while we were on the phone when he called us crying and in crisis due to abusive behavior from the TAC officers, unprofessional behavior on the part of the nurses and bullying from cadets. We really wanted ANA to work out. Our son had good experiences there and he made many friends. In the end as parents, we had to protect him and bring him home. His last day they treated him like a criminal. After we notified the President that we would be removing our son they pulled him out of class and confined him to a room. They refused to let him participate in his last formation, yelling at him when he would try to give friends a hug. When I arrived onsite all the staff wouldn't engage with me, even the President didn't show enough courage to come and speak with me face to face. Instead leaving a bunch of fine, upstanding young men to help us pack our car and say goodbye. If you decide to send your child there listen to them. Don't discount their complaints because they are probably telling you the truth. read more

would not recommend at all. this school was sold to us as a college prep school in which you had to apply and jump through all these hoops. When in reality, the school is mainly for students who are going down the wrong path, have a drug problem, get in trouble a lot. my son went there because he wanted more and it was a huge disappointment. There were cadets who OD'd on pills and ran away. They had a problem with huffing. Communication is not good at all. my son did not do very well on his math final and the instructor told the entire class!!! when I emailed the teacher about it. He admitted it and did apologize, but the damage was done. And I paid for this. my son didn't get his uniform until after almost 4 weeks of being there which is crazy because he was only there for one semester. When he did get the uniform it was so big on him. It was ridiculous. But my main concern is the type of students, who attend there and what he was exposed to as opposed to what we were sold on. students who ran away would frequently throw vapes over the fence to the cadets. my son's first three nights there he was told by cadets that many kids had tried to kill themselves on campus. When we found that out, we called his TAC officer and my son was called into the Commadants office, asked a few questions and told him to never speak of this again. there are fights all the time and my son was asked to be in a gang while on campus. before we arrived, we were told that cadets needed to have a haircut above the ears, but they no longer require them to shave their head. That was told to us by our admission counselor. During the four day training, they made all new cadets shave their head. That is not a way to build trust among new cadets by not telling the truth, and then forcing them to shave their head. there are several cadets who have their parents working at the school and favoritism is definitely played. Would not recommend the school at all and please please do your research before moving forward. and I don't really care what administrator replies to this review. It's the truth. I communicated with so many different people at the school about my concerns. read more

In light of recent events that I won't mention here, I feel it necessary to reiterate my confidence in the decision to send my son to this school. My son has been the beneficiary of great encouragement and support from some of the faculty and staff at this school. He has grown from a knuckle-head 13 year old goofy kid to a leader, a scholar, an athlete, and only occasional knuckle-head. I said it before and I'll say it again. No school is perfect. There's always bureaucracy, there's always favoritism, there's always some errant teacher/administrator/staff member. Regardless of where you choose to educate your child, you must be a vigilant parent, you must communicate with your school, you must stay aware of anything and everything that is happening in the academic environment. Read the filtered reviews, I recognize the names of many students and parents there. read more

am so thrilled my sons have this experience in the formative years of their life and character. It has been no easy task and a collection of miracles and painful sacrifices... I can honestly say EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE when you 1- make a decision 2- have complete faith about the outcome 3- take selfless and inspired action The universe will conspire to manifest your selfless desires. Both of my boys have grown exponentially in all areas... academically, personally, physically, emotionally! The Army and Navy Academy team of folks have done a superb job at answering their call! I could not be happier to endorse them. read more

I've meant for many months to write a review of our experience at ANA. My son graduated 2021 after attending all 4 years. I remain to this day indebted to the Entire Staff who provided nothing but a quality education and strong support system for my son. This mentorship and quidance was received on a daily basis by his Teachers, Tac officers, and even Coaches on the playing field. My son was seen..and known by all the staff. Every young man is unique and provided nothing but support and respect! Yes there are strict rules and a discipline these young men must follow and the sooner they learn these important life skills the sooner I believe they begin to make the right choices for themselves. My son now attends a very difficult military college in SC called "The Citadel" He is in his second year and was accepted to the RN nursing program at this prestigious school. Again his success at The Citadel is greatly....due in part to the education, discipline, and most of all mentorship that he had at ANA! THANK YOU ANA!!! From a very... grateful parent! Annamarie Martinez Mom of Lalo Martinez read more

This is NOT a disciplined school and does not communicate well with parents trying to understand the performance of their kids. To begin with many of the classes grade kids 20% of their grade on just showing up, and then another 20% on participation. Our student was getting an F on all his tests and they claimed he was getting a C because they averaged in subjective non-academic values. Unfortunately, the schools academics cannot be trusted at all. They give kids the grades they do to encourage the parents to pay their private school tuition. Students may play video games on their phones and computers at 2am in the morning, and the school does not take serious responsibility for this. We sent our kid to this school first because we wanted him to receive some discipline and a fair education. Unfortunately, neither is happening. read more

My son attended this school and we did not fully understand what it was from the admissions tour we did. I also volunteered while he attended. It's just a mixed bag. If you have a kid- from any country- who is struggling, academically and/or behaviorally, then this is the place. It is not academically rigorous. It is a "get them to graduate" place. It's a place to house your kid if you cannot manage him at home and if you would like to "buy" a high school diploma and entrance into some sort of community college or low-level university. Maybe one or two kids per year get into a good school- these are usually foreign students who are trying to learn English here- and ANA uses these high level admissions to colleges to bolster their image. The norm is a group of kids who otherwise couldn't graduate from another school or kids whose parents want them out of their house. read more

This is the worst school I could have sent mine to. We were desperate and given the tour. I could see right away it was a hoax, but I needed some peace. 4 months later, I had the same (even worse) kid I sent there. They take your money and lose him in the system. It is not academically up to par, he probably will not graduate with his class, it is BS. DO NOT SEND YOUR BOY HERE! It is very misleading Beautiful campus, but the right hands and left hands do not talk... DO NOT DO IT! (I spent half of my kids college education for 1 semester, and he crapped out through it) He will not be going back, and no one there cares, until they realize they are not getting any money... (and even then, they deflect to someone else) read more

Sending your son to the Army & Navy Academy is a decision you should take very seriously. The admissions process is not forthcoming about the school, and they paint a "rosy" picture that is simply not true. You will immediately notice a lack of organization and responsiveness during the admissions process. That should have been our clue. Our son attended ANA from August 4 through October 8, 2021. We withdrew him after an incident that was perpetuated by adult actions, or lack thereof, and borderline abusive behavior by his TAC officer. We are currently considering a complaint with child protective services and the California Board of Nursing. So, this review is written with some emotion. First, the good. The teachers at ANA are amazing and caring. The classes are small, and they offer a lot of support outside the classroom. The athletics department is amazing and except for the weight room, the facilities are great. I have nothing negative to say about both of those aspects of the school. I suppose sending your kid to ANA as a day student may be an option. Where things fall apart are the Cadet Life department. First let me talk about the cafeteria. From early August this year until mid-September the food supplied to the cadets was subpar. Cadets were not permitted to get seconds, were given small portions and the food was often burnt, dried up or cold. Kids would complain to their parents for weeks about being hungry all the time and of course we all thought they were being too picky. This all came to a head in mid-September when they ran out of food and most cadets were offered no dinner. Finally, the school paid attention and responded. They blamed the months long issue on the health of the chef and fired him. They didn't take any responsibility for allowing it to occur for so long or simply being unaware of the situation. That is a trend that we noticed at ANA, the leadership are fiercely defensive of any criticism of the school, and they simply blame the children. The second issue we had was with the laundry service. Parents pay $750/year for laundry service. Many parents complained about missing items and dirty clothes. Our son lost six shirts in one week and nothing was ever done. This issue is still not resolved. Communication at ANA is just terrible. For the first month our son was there we had no TAC officer assigned and no way to get in touch with an adult at the school. When we eventually got a TAC officer, he was disrespectful, aggressive, and argumentative. We asked for our son to be moved to a different company and they just refused to even consider it. The most serious issue with ANA is the after-hours time. TAC officers who are generally former military personnel with no child development or educational background run the school. Our TAC officer often complained to us that he had 48 kids under his charge and couldn't handle them. His "teaching, advising and coaching" generally resorted to yelling at kids. We witnessed this a number of times while on the phone and hearing him scream at kids constantly. After 1030 pm there are no staff onsite with the exception of 1 or 2 security guards and cameras. 250 boys are left to their own devices to police and supervise the kids. I have heard stories of boys leaving at night. My son complained of harassment and bullying including horrific homophobic bullying from the other cadets (my son is not gay but he has same sex parents). The school was aware of this bullying but failed to notify us. They targeted our son and eventually suspended him for defending himself against the bullying. We became aware when we saw homophobic texts posted about him on a public Instagram account. We called the school on their lack of action and a few days later we removed our son after hearing an incident while we were on the phone when he called us crying and in crisis due to abusive behavior from the TAC officers, unprofessional behavior on the part of the nurses and bullying from cadets. This school has a history of leaders providing alcohol to boys and raping them. They also have a history of horrific hazing. (just google that one) We didn't see any evidence of that occurring now but the environment they promote and the lack of supervision at night fosters an environment where that could occur again. It is unbelievable given the schools history that they allow this to continue. We really wanted ANA to work out. Our son had good experiences there and he made many friends. In the end as parents, we had to protect him and bring him home. His last day they treated him like a criminal. After we notified the President that we would be removing our son they pulled him out of class and confined him to a room. They refused to let him participate in his last formation, yelling at him when he would try to give friends a hug. When I arrived onsite all the staff wouldn't engage with me, even the President didn't show enough courage to come read more

ANA has been great for our kiddo. The best parenting decision we made. I recommend spending time researching the school for your child. If you think ANA might be that school, talk with the administration, teachers, and TAC officers to learn more about ANA. read more

Zero Stars!!!!! I hate this school, and thank god for the lawsuits currently going against the school. I am helping all the lawyers with whatever i can remember from my five years at that hell hole. I started school in 2003 in 8th grade, and the school was not an enjoyable experience. Since my grade was close to the bottom of the "totem pole" we were treated like shit. 9th grade i am now in high school the TAC's (advisor) in my company was insane. For no apparent reason or just cause he was pissed would then make us pull everything out of our room, place everything on the field, and then time us to put everything back in. 10th sadly still stuck in the same company. Another fun trick would be to remove our accessories, throw them into a pile, and time us to put everything back on, mind you this is at 12am. Wake up is at 630am!! 11th worked my butt of to get a special position so, i could be somewhat free from the structure. i changed to a different company, and it still wasn't any better. The company got a new TAC so, he had to prove himself. 12th 2008 i worked my ass of again, and when it came time for a promotion i got denied. It instead went to a commuter student who did nothing, and i did the job w/o a title. In all i went there for 5 long years (2003-2008), never received an award, had control of the yearbook (positive), and witnessed horrible acts against students by students (ie. whipping, beatings, intimidation, hazing). We were told we were a "family", but whenever events were brought up they were denied, and the accuser got punished. For any parent wanting to send there kid there think twice, the lawsuit against the school as of today is for hazing, and SEX at an all boys school. For any kids wanting to go there think of another military school you honestly won't like this one. My future goal is to buy the school, fire everyone publicly, and tear the place down. NATHAN MORALES nathan@ofna.com read more

It should be obvious that a true review of any topic should be written by the individual who experienced the said topic. If, for example, my mother wrote a review about ANA I would question that review's credibility....as she never actually attended ANA. With that being said, here's an honest review by a student who ended up being a lifer: Growing up, I wanted nothing more than a career in the military. Air force to be exact. I don't know where this passion came from but it was always there. My parents recognized this. At the age of 9 my parents informed me that if I still had this fire burning inside me, they would gift me the opportunity of attending a military school. And so at grade 7 it happened. Nerve wrecked after the entrance exam, I received my acceptance letter (the same acceptance letter received by my future roommate who said he intentionally tried to fail the exam so as not be accepted). I was always an "A" student so I would be biased in saying I got all "A's" because of the academic rigor at ANA. Academics felt like it always had been at any educational institution I attended. The huge difference was that if a student fell below a 3.2 GPA, they were required to attend study hall. Not sure if this still exists. Study hall was basically an opportunity to do your homework in the evenings in the mess hall supervised by a TAC officer. Academics aside...I thought I was at a military school? Where was all the military training? I could have taken JR ROTC at a public school and completed the same coursework. Exactly the same. Yes, I learned drill and ceremony and wore shiny things on my uniform but that was as far as the military aspect went. I would have loved to see some PT all day err'day. That is what I craved and what I expected. The most valuable lesson I leared at the Academy was that of brotherhood. Pick and choose your friends wisely. You can end up with the AWOL group who spends more time on unauthorized leave than actually being on campus. You can end up with the druggies, or the fight-club wannabes, or the screw-ups who tried their hardest to get themselves expelled with no success. I stuck with the group who was trying to make the best of it. The hazing, the power-tripping, the drugs on campus, the excessive racism... my circle of friends wasn't into any of that mess. But the amazing thing about this was that the Academy is so small that you're actually still on brotherly terms with all other cadets, even if not in your immediate circle of friends. If you are of weak, or even average character, be advised: You can and will get sucked into the wrong group. I saw it happen all too often. But then again, this is the case at any educational institution, especially a boarding school. I attended my 10 year reunion a few years ago. I saw many of my old classmates. Most of us ended up staying at the same resort in town for the weekend. To reiterate the brotherhood, it was as if I never left these guys. We had a blast. Your classmates will be your life-long friends, your business partners, your professional network, the best man at your wedding, and most importantly, your brothers. read more

Every parent worth their salt has threatened their child with military school at some point during their upbringing. What sets my parents apart is that they actually followed through on the threat. The ostensible reason for my departure to military school according to my mother was that I wasn't, "living up to my potential." Most people don't believe me when I tell them that military school was fun, but it actually was. Given the price tag of tuition at ANA,most of the boys that get sent here aren't "bad", (well I guess some of them are) they are just loud mouthed punks. That being said, I fit right in. While I do not credit ANA with any sea change in my performance or outlook on life, in retrospect, it did serve as a wake up call at a time when I needed one. For instance, I went from not giving two dumps about academics on my first day at ANA to eventually getting an academic scholarship to law school. Then again, post hoc ergo propter hoc. However, if you are seriously considering military school for your kid, you might also want to consider a less expensive alternative, a good old fashioned whoopin'. read more

Just finished JROTC camp for my 16 year old. We had thought of sending him to the school this fall...no way. What a disorganized mess. I did not get return phone calls, my son said classes were good but otherwise it was so disorganized that the kids felt like prisoners. Phones were supposed to be available on weekends...they 'forgot' to give them back. My son has been at another military academy that was run like a well-oiled-machine. ANA was not!! I can only imagine what the school year looks like if summer was this bad. And to top it off, I got an incredibly unprofessional e-mail from the summer program head. When you send your child away from home, you want reassurance that all is being handled. It is disconcerting when you hear things are a mess. read more

The Army and Navy Academy's mission is to educate and develop good character in young men. Unfortunately, most parents struggle today to ensure their children are raised with the basic corps values to succeed in life. At the Academy, it is their vision to instill pride in every cadet and ensure they have the traits to succeed in every aspect of their lives. For those seeking an environment that provides excellence in academics, athletics, and leadership development for young men, I'd recommend you contact the Academy's office of admissions to request more information and schedule a visit. As a former cadet and Alumni of the Army and Navy Academy, I can tell you it was a critical choice my parents made to ensure I had such a foundation to succeed. The Academy was the right fit for me and was pivotal in preparing me for college, the military and airline career. With its prime beachfront location and close proximity to major metropolises and world-class colleges and universities, the Academy is an excellent place for any young man to develop and prepare for the experiences of life ahead. And with the international diversity of the school, you'll enjoy friendships with those from dozens of countries around the world. read more

I am proud to be a graduate of ANA! I found it to be a place of Honor, Dignity, and Respect! I remember a place that prepared me well, to graduate from a top tier engineering school. I attended from 1984 - 1988 (9th-12th grade). I still find the etiquette learned there to be beneficial to my career. read more

Army and Navy Academy - Middle Schools & High Schools Near Me - Carlsbad, California

See all

As an Alumni from this school 1973 to 1976, I can say that it was absolutely the best investment my parents made for me to attend here. This school certainly directed me to take the correct path in life. I can remember going here like it was yesterday. I made so many great memories and lifetime quality friends. I did not make a career in the Army or Navy but the structure that I was taught here was by far the Best! Living on the beach was a dream and time flew by. The staff at the time was wonderful. I just can't find or think of anything negative of this Academy. Makes me happy that they are still there and proud that I had the opportunity to attend. read more