As a graduate of this school, I can honestly say my experience at CCA was Pretty good, and overall the curriculum was better than most Public schools, apart from the honor system and lack of AP/IB options.
As a whole academically, I was much more prepared to go to College than 99% of my friends that went to public school, so the college prep part of CCA is spot on and I am very thankful for that. After CCA I was ready for the college workload and it seemed just like another year when I went to college.
However due to the lack of the AP/IB options, I was only able to have 6 hours going into college and I believe the maximum you would be able to get is far under 20, with most studious students getting about the same amount as me, with the options available around CCA it is frustrating seeing this happen especially when my friends who were about as studious if not a little less go into college with 30+ easily. For education, CCA gets a A- and the only reason it's not an A++ is the AP/IB situation
But apart from these complaints the education at CCA is Unbeatable in the area as far as classics and a Socratic learning style which is so uncommon these days. It was nice to be in an environment where class discussion was fostered and learning was active.
My main complaint comes in just like the others in the fact that the administration ( not all, but seemingly anyone with any sort of power or influence) is very biased and Calvinistic. Many of the administration Coke from the same Presbyterian background and although Calvinism isn't explicitly taught, it is definitely known by all the students that the majority of the administration is very openly Calvinistic. I feel like for any institution that claims to be non denominational there needs to be much for denominational diversification among the staff.
The school as a whole is almost entirely Protestant as well, just a side note.
The second complaint I have is the interference with students personal lives. I understand that CCA was going for an Christian life approach but there is no reason that any school should be involved with students lives outside of school and their family situation as much. CCA is definitely a family and during my years there my personal family felt the same way, but this is a double edged sword in the fact that if you need help with almost anything, especially spiritual needs there was someone who more than wanted to help you, but if your situation involved something the administration didn't agree with, you'd be In a rough place. Everybody knew everyone's business and through CCA glasses this transparency was great because it allowed for accountability outside the classroom, but there is a point that is too far, and in my experience, it was crossed far too many times. My classmates were punished many, many times for things that got to the administration through the grapevine that didn't happen on CCA property or during School hours or involve CCA in any way outside from a student who went to CCA being involved. To you this might not be a problem, but to me it was completely ridiculous.
Also big side note , the entire entity is COMPLETELY homophobic, and the teachers and administration
Are not in the slightest embarrassed to admit their open disdain for the LGBTQ community. Hate was never preached but the administration definitely viewed homosexuality as inherently evil.
The athletics were fantastic, especially since every student is encouraged to do as many sports as possible, and the coaches in all the sports were for the most part far superior than most public school coaches, who maybe might know the game slightly better and have more coaching experience, but we're lacking hard in the athlete empathy and common sense departments. For athletics I'd give CCA and A+
The student life is pretty good and apart from the usual school cliquey-ness which is unavoidable at any educational institute, the students welcomed newcomers with open arms, to give a concrete example on my first day of school at CCA I walked out of school with plans for the weekend. For student life CCA gets an A
The fine arts at CCA are pretty good, however, the fine arts budget is dominated by the annual play which most students are involved with in some way, shape or form, from the art students helping with set design, theater and choir kids in the production, the video production kids doing the technical side, the yearbook kids doing photography of the performances, and whoever else who wanted to help doing makeup, or backstage work. Because of this inclusion and how good the performances are for how small CCA is, most people don't have a problem with the Musicals, however, they should spend more money in other fine arts.
Overall i'd give experience at CCA a B+ and after talking to other friends to who to other private schools in the area, I'd say CCA is a decent choice if you are alright with a religious elitist dominated educational experience read more