This is a fantastic school!! There is an international community that is unparalleled at other…read moreprivate schools in Atlanta. The school is adding a 3-year-old immersion preschool program in Fall 2012. They also have 4- and 5-year old Kindergarten and 1st through 12th grade following the International Baccalaureate program. It is a beautiful campus and getting better all the time!

From the owner: Atlanta International School offers all three International Baccalaureate (IB) programs to over…read more1350 U.S. and international students from three-year-old kindergarten to grade 12. Rigorous academics are enriched by a world-class language acquisition program, which begins with a full-immersion preschool program in Spanish, French and German. The school offers STEM-and STEAM-endorsed and bilingual diplomas in addition to the prestigious IB diploma. Beyond the classroom, AIS students participate in award-winning performing and fine arts opportunities, competitive athletics and global experiential learning.

1,000. Days? Meals?…read moreFriends? . . . Reviews?? How to mark a relatively minor yet personally important milestone? I didn't want to just do an *average* review, nor did I want to be so aggrandizing as to create a new "listing" of my own Yelp life. [I did think about that one, though...]. Then it hit me: where it all began. Sure, I didn't start at Westminster til 6th grade (that little spurt in Chatt for preschool then another Atlanta private school came before) but it is the most formative educational experience of my life. Even - I think - more than UVA. What I learned, from the "Christian preparatory school for boys and girls" [Note: the specifically Christian part has changed since I was there in the 80s and 90s] is . . . hard to concisely explain [there are some negatives, which I will also mention]. Highlights: *How to think. My parents planted this seed early and they wisely knew I should be in a place where I was challenged, motivated, and importantly - intrigued. *How to create. So many friends have gone on to do amazingly creative, artistically or otherwise, things [see John Pringle http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=john+pringle+wednesday+with+steve+mcqueen&FORM=VRMATS&mmalsid=&mmsosid=385bcb7f-e962-3d3d-e30d-9cf6536fea31&crslsl=0 and Rob Lathan - http://www.roblathan.com/ Zach Hanks http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1189565/bio, just to name three . . .] *The dynamics of social hierarchy: put a lot of bright kids together - and I assure you not all rich WASPy kids - and you've got to learn some social skills, life tactics, motivation . . . [negatives: much like any JH and HS environments, cliques, snottiness, general *rivalries* exist] *Exposure to language and travel. From JH language classes and my first real foray abroad with my French class in 8th grade (I ultimately ended up with enough scores and credits to place out of any college requirements) to trips like Young Life's Western Tour that took us to TX, CO, Mexico, CA and back, with lots of stops in between (Have you climbed Half Dome? Pretty awesome). *The advantages to having so many interests at your use (and waiting or required, depending) - language! science! theater! oh my . . . *An athletic environment par none in Atlanta at my time, and amazingly even better now (and, frankly all "extra-curricular" outlets are as well- have you ever been forced to do a swing jump then safety catch as part of your high school curriculum? Didn't think so - oh, and I had to do mine in a cheerleading skirt). *Simply outstanding teachers (97.2% of the time) [Some pretty stern faculty members-in-charge could use a reset] *Wayyyy big preparation for college - I (and many of my classmates) say Westminster was more challenging than college (and we went to places like UVA, UNC, Dartmouth, Princeton, etc...) Negatives, so to speak, other than I have noted above? Intense competition and pressure; example: a typical weeknight for me as a high school sophomore was two hours of [cross country/cheerleading/tennis] practice, then homework from 8-11 pm, back up at 630 am. Varsity athletes who were also striving to keep being honor students did this every day, every week. Even Type As like me were . . . working hard and beyond. Social pressure - the flip side of acquiring those adult social skills. It's going to be in any Jr High or High School world, but it is amplified in such a brilliant environment. The Type Bs, so to speak - there for family reasons, because it is a phenomenal school, because . . .a really tough place to be as a kid and teen. Super spendy. A smart kid can learn well and go on to do well, regardless of their surroundings, but this kind comes at a price, which I believe is worth it, but it's a pretty big one in terms of dollars. Bottom line? I wouldn't trade it - the experience, the education, the whole shebang - for anything. As much as this smart, Type A, blonde cheerleading captain, WASP girl might have "fit in" and "excelled" - despite the expectations and challenges, on many levels, it is a privilege to go to a place like Westminster for education and way more. And a lot of other kids, different than me - can feel the exact same way. My parents didn't do everything right for sure, but they are the ones who made sure my hide was in that chair in Mrs. Norman's 6th grade English class, and taught me all about diagramming sentences. Part of why I get to write my 1,000th review. Exit, Stage Left.

The Westminster Schools is a private K-12 Christian school in the heart of Atlanta's Buckhead…read moreneighborhood. If you go on their website, you can find the facts that almost speak for themselves: stellar college placements, consistent state champions on a variety of teams, and a campus that rivals many liberal arts colleges. Beyond all of that, however, this is where I learned to study hard and grow as a human being. The religious nature of the school allowed me to gain a comprehensive education in Christianity, and the teachers here are second to none. Even five years out, I still keep in touch with many of them. The price tag is steep, and the social and academic pressure is high, but Westminster gave me a middle school and high school education that made me who I am today. For that, I thank you. Five stars cannot cover what I learned here.

This isn't a review of the high school itself - if you're basing where to send your kid to school,…read moreyou're gonna have to look deeper than yelp - but is just about the physical school itself. It's gargantuan! My kids had a dance competition this weekend at this high school. We were driving south on I-75 and as we were approaching the exit I could see a big corporate building and thought the school had to be close by it - I had no idea that IS the school! Apparently the building used to be an IBM complex and judging from the Brutalist design was 1960s or 1970s (ah, eventual googling says 1977). Just a massive pouring of concrete - you'd think the earth will eventually give way and this thing will collapse right into the molten core of the globe. And I doubt it'd stop there. So the building is grand and imposing from the outside, and the car drop-off area into the "lobby" is magnificent with its tiles and stairs [note: I'm not an architect, just a guy who thinks this stuff is cool, so forgive me if I speak in incorrect terminology]. If you're familiar with Marcel Breuer's Atlanta public library, you'll be reminded of it here. To go to my event, I wandered down the main hall, which is nonstop glass windows to my right giving me a look of nearby woods and a pond that the building is built atop of. Gazing into the waters in the afternoon provided a mirror image of the building, and the symmetry of it made it look like the building descended deep into the earth in repetitive iterations. In summary, this is just another one of those great hidden discoveries. Short of some press a few years ago when this building was converted into the school (at no small price, natch) you don't really find much info on the utter greatness of this campus. So now you know. You don't even have to go inside to appreciate it, though it's nice if you can. I don't wish to relive my high school years, but i imagine if I went here I'd at least have one positive memory to reflect on.

The only good teachers shine in the AP and IB classes. Other than that, standard and honors…read moreteachers are mostly a prank to the Georgia Department of Education.

I went to Galloway from K-12, so this comes from a very long firsthand experience. There are…read moredefinitely positives: it is a kind, supportive environment, the teachers generally care, and the school does a good job making students feel seen as individuals. I understand why a lot of Buckhead families are drawn to it. That said, looking back as an adult, I do not feel like it prepared me especially well for real life. There was a lot of emphasis on "be your best self," which sounds good on paper, but in my experience there was less emphasis on discipline, toughness, accountability, and the kind of academic rigor that actually helps once you leave a protected school environment. It helped get me into Alabama, but I was not especially well prepared once I got there, and that became obvious pretty quickly. Now I work in residential real estate, and while I do fine, it is not exactly the kind of challenging or deeply fulfilling professional path I once thought a school like Galloway was preparing me for. It is a very relationship-driven job with long hours, and if I am being honest, a lot of where I landed had more to do with family connections than with any real edge the school gave me. That is the part I think prospective families should think about. Galloway was good at making students feel comfortable and affirmed. I am less convinced it was good at pushing them hard enough to thrive on their own later.

I've been a teacher for over 30 years and I didn't know a school as ideal as Galloway existed. It's…read morewhat education should be but usually is thought to be impossible by those who haven't seen it done. I took a job in upper learning and have been so pleased to see that Galloway does exactly what they say they do. They are still true to their mission in a time when many schools have tried to be too much, or worse, given up trying. Students are happy, supported, and empowered to advocate for their own education. The rhythm of the day is purposefully designed to help students learn and grow academically as well as socially. Teachers create conditions for each student to think deeply and participate actively according to their strengths. The day is punctuated by regular breaks allowing students to enjoy social community, lunch, and relaxation in between tutorials and class time. Students are very involved: they run weekly clubs and plan and host town meetings. There is time for sports and extracurriculars. Students can explore their interests casually as well as competitively in a welcoming atmosphere. I wish I'd known about it sooner.

Amazing K-12 institution, great family atmosphere and an Ivy league secondary education. Very…read moreexcited to be part of the school.

My daughter has been here since 5th grade, and this school is awesome! The teachers are nice to…read moretalk to, the school is big [k-12 and the programs are the best! I definitely recommend this school!

I have some incredible memories of Pace and loved almost every minute of my 6 years there. When I…read moregraduated in 2002, Pace had an Upper (7-12) and Lower (Pre-1st-6) School, no football team, incredible faculty, and a strong focus on the arts. Much of that has changed in the past 6 years and I find it rather upsetting. When I graduated from Pace I could see where it was headed and I'm glad I got out when I did. The addition of the Inman Center (ridiculous sports complex) and the disconnect between the administration, students, teachers, and parents were major warning signs that Pace wasn't going to be the school I loved much longer. Some of my most favorite teachers had already left (Mr. Gillespie, Mrs. Minick, Mr. Espey) and not due to retirement. The Inman Center was marketed as an incredible addition to the school, but I much preferred the old Boyd gym: it felt like a high school gym in contrast to the pomposity that the Inman Center projected with its 4-sided scoreboard and Coca-Cola advertisements. The late-1990's Pace was the best. There was an incredibly strong focus on the arts. Every theater production was better than most professional ones I've seen and the studio art programs were flourishing, especially with the addition of Rick Berman in ceramics. Debate was still Pace's strength, winning the national championship every year like clockwork. Some people may think that these things aren't worth as much as a champion football team, but in my opinion they were far superior. I would have much rather watched my classmates perform in Cabaret (our school talent show) or see their art at a local gallery than watch them pummel someone on the football field. Sure, it was a different environment, but that's why I liked it. That's what made Pace unique. Another leg up (at least in my opinion) that Pace had over its rivals was its small size: I graduated with 82 others. The size was the main selling point for my family, as we were able to have very special relationships with both our teachers and our classmates. I don't think I would have enjoyed high school any other way. As Jack said, Pace also had a very strong Jewish community which I know shaped how I am today (including my unabashed love for matzoh and latkes). The education I received at Pace was top notch. Some of the teachers there made a profound impact on my life and I still remember what they taught me, word for word. Furthermore, I wouldn't feel weird calling a number of them up, just to ask them how they're doing. I still remember Mrs. Hayes teaching us about 1588, Mr. Horner's obsession with German history, right down to the art and music, Mr. Smith's "quiet" ability to explain concepts to the least mathematical among us, Mr. Carson's passion for the written word, Mrs. Durlin's ability to make your measly writing sound like Shakespeare.... I could go on an on. Sure, things weren't perfect: the science department saw a lot of turnover and there were definitely some less than enthusiastic teachers. Still, my education at Pace has served me very well. Today Pace has a football team, which to me indicates a "selling out" of sorts. Along with that football team has come an "master plan" to build more and more athletic facilities. The focus has obviously shifted to athletics, making Pace much more of a run of the mill prep school. They've also added a Middle School, segmenting the student body (I think 7th graders can learn a lot from seniors) and allowing room for the school to grow (NOT good). While I believe the relationship between parents, administrators and students has improved with the new headmaster, as an alum I don't like the direction that Pace is headed. I had always imagined coming back to Atlanta and being a teacher at Pace, and at the very least sending my children there (if I could afford it!) but now I'm not so sure.