Attended the class of 2025 graduation this past weekend (I wish I had pictures). They put on quite the production, great sound, video and even drones to capture the event! It was very professional and with the budget of this school, I'd hope for nothing less. Congrats to the class of 2025! read more

Our oldest just wrapped up his freshman year and our son had an amazing experience. Many of these negative reviews seem to be personal, individual challenges and although that can be impactful to a parent, the collective of the school and opportunities offered to excel here are limitless. If you are looking for an "easy A" or "easy road to graduation", this is not the school for you; I agree. If you are looking to prepare your student for a bright future by teaching them how to balance life's challenges through rigorous academic, community and athletic means, this school is a "chose your own adventure" of opportunity. We look forward to our next child becoming a lion as well and are excited to begin a new year. read more

Extremely strict. Hard Academics. Teachers/deans/staff find joy in getting students in trouble. They purposely try and find reasons to get students in trouble even if they didn't do anything(happened to me). Only good thing is the food. If u take your phone out for a second they make your parent pick it up. The old guy dean who retired held my phone for two days because it was in his office and he wasn't there. The people here are also rude. The head of the math department and another girl teacher ms Crayton was extremely rude and would never help me, and she would never wear shoes or socks in class it's gross. You're not allowed to wear leggings or sweatpants on free dress days. This school is genuinely hell waste of money read more

this school was absolutely auful. the teachers were very mean. and don't even get me STARTED on the deans. they definitely had power trips every time they'd chat with you and would try and make you feel auful over nothing. One time i said my grandfather was just diagnosed with cancer and the old lady dean asked my mom to CONFIRM. if that was true. like what?? Also the previous man dean called my friend a fool? like why are you some weird old man calling a 15 year old girl that. lol. weird. and the two math teachers for GEOMETRY AND algebra 2 were SO SO. rude. Don't go here unless your fine with teachers thinking there way better than you . The only nice people there staff was were the custodians. don't recommend at all!!!! read more

My child loved attending JSerra, kids were nice and most teachers were good. Unfortunately had to withdraw her as she was continually getting sick, then her illness morphed into something serious.  As a highly competitive athlete that rarely got sick this was enough to do more research into this. Here are some facts regarding this school parents should ponder.  School is built on an Indian burial site. Raw sewage smells in the gym bathroom and around the bistro area. The Bistro area also had some strange looking and smelly water on the ground. The School's sewage lines are private and not connected to Santa Margarita Water (per their inspection and map). Many kids coughing in class and numerous complaints of Mono-like symptoms from the student body (per school nurse).   It seems they hire teachers based on their resume and not on a background check or thorough interview as 1 (in the short time we were there) was making inappropriate comments to the girls and was finally let go (they said he went on leave).  Bistro (Personally, I would not eat there) only accepts a fingerprint as their mode of payment. They bring in football players from all over and some are 19 years old as a junior!!!! read more

The administration really whiffed on the admissions process. Our child was accepted, but then the school's payment system crashed. Once they got the number they needed, the school reneged on all other acceptances. Completely botched job by the school. They owe apologies to all the kids who received a sign in their yard yet cannot attend. Absurd! read more

This school was absolute hell. The 10th grade geometry teacher, made it INCREDIBLAY worse. She would constantly yell at her class and pick on the special kids, and it was mocking in a way. And when someone messed up on a question she would ask in front of everyone she would start going on and on about how we are not paying attention but in a horribly mean way even though we all were... her clsss was auful and no one could speak up to her because she would always threatn going to the deans. In fact the girl dean was even worse. I was sobbing my eyes out because of a death in my family I had found out about that morning, and she had the AUDACITY to not believe me and call my parent to confirm if that was true. The guy dean who left used to call me a fool in front of everyone and laugh at the food I would buy in the cafeteria. overall it was such a waste of money and i would have way rather done public school than waste my time there. read more

My son is finally out of this horrific nightmare of a school. Whatever you do think MULTIPLE TIMES before SUBJECTING YOUR CHILD to this ENVIRONMENT! Just before we could transfer out of here my son was subjected to even worse then I could have imagined! He was told by another student to KILL HIMSELF! And when I told the staff! Like all the other complaints it fell on deaf ears! I thank God I have a strong righteous son who loves God if this has been told to someone who was vulnerable or suffering from depression or suicidal this could be devastating I pray that this school gets morals and starts focusing on the betterment of the students and teaching integrity and not just WINNING AND DONATIONS! You can buy an education anywhere but you can't buy morals, class or integrity! read more

We LOVE this school-feel so blessed to be a part of this community, especially during Covid. They handled everything near perfect ( in our opinion). We wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Even sold our house close to a "top" public high school in the area to be closer for our child at JSerra. It certainly isn't perfect but what is-especially these days.. Our child is thriving with great friends and a good education. We couldn't be more happy. read more

Super disappointed in this school. My son was cussed out in front of his team. I called to speak with the head coach who assured me he would take care of the issue and get back to me has not followed up whatsoever. I do not agree in spending lots of money to have my kid treated so poorly. I expected higher standards and professionals from this school. read more

I absolutely LOVE this school! My son started last year as a freshman and we have had such an amazing year! My son was a total introvert and never made friends k-8 due to his shyness. After his 8th grade year book was not signed I decided He would play football, in hopes of making a friend. Omg! He made lifetime friends that embraced him as he is and he has blossomed. I personally can not explain to you how warm and forth coming the staff is, especially coming from a horrible year at St. Margaret's! The staff, the parents and kids have been nothing but sweet and I've made friends that are friends you can only pray to meet and keep! Academically it's a perfect balance of challenging and if a problem arises they will work with you. Do not hesitate about sending your child here! read more

I'm not very religious but my son had a football game scheduled there. Beautiful campus & very easy to get to & navigate. Plus it was during a storm so we got to watch a great lightning storm until they cleared the field for our safety read more

As a student currently enrolled in this school, I dread waking up each morning and stepping foot inside the campus. Not only is this school insanely behind on modern values, but the administration has shown many instances of not being inclusive, but rather hostile towards minorities. The teachers do what their higher ups tell them to in order to keep their jobs, knowing full well it hurts the students in the process. Last time I checked, teachers are supposed to provide a foundation for future education and help their students learn. In this toxic environment, I can't see how anyone would learn anything useful to them or at least feel at ease while attempting to do so. The amount of money my parents wasted on this institution is insane. Do better. read more

We have had the most wonderful experience at JSerra. We are so fortunate to have so many excellent public and private schools to choose from in Orange County. JSerra has been an outstanding match for our son who is thriving and enjoying his high school experience. He came from public school where he was a "B" student. He wanted to try JSerra because he had heard so many wonderful things about the school from other students and families. We also knew it would be a little bit smaller environment so perhaps he could get more attention from his teachers. We are so glad he wanted to try JSerra! He has had such excellent teachers that encourage learning, make themselves available and genuinely care and understand my son. He now is an "A" student and works very hard in all of his classes. He is apart of the Business Magnet program and is learning so much about business, investments, marketing, sales, the stock market and so much more. It is a college based curriculum so all the business classes he will receive full college credit. He will likely have completed his first semester of college by the time he graduates High School. Sports is also an important part of the school environment. Over 85% of the students participate in a sport. It is a campus of impressive students who play competitively and work hard academically. And, like most private and now even public schools, there are fees to participate in sports. The fees pay for the coaching staff and the amazing state-of-the-art facilities. Their coaching staff is wonderful. We couldn't be more pleased. Finally, I have been most impressed with how thoughtful, polite and mature the students have been. We have met so many wonderful families who are kind, interesting, humble and involved in their students lives. My son made friends very easily in summer school in the "freshman success" class and continued to make friends over the past 2 years. Summer school a great way to begin to make friends if you are new to the school as well as attending the overnight retreats. Choosing a high school is such a personal choice. But for us, JSerra was the best decision that our family made for our son! Go Lions! read more

Do your research. It's all smoke and mirrors. If you are not wealthy and donating to the school your child will be neglected. They care more about appearances than learning. My child has two teachers that have never taught until this year. Seems like they have a high teacher turn over. May be due to management and over sight. We had high hopes, but it's time to move on. read more

Make sure you eat before heading to J Serra football games or starve. The volunteers and staff or should I say "guards" at J Serra football games are terrible people who treat their snack bar like you are visiting the queen of England. My 75 year old elderly father headed to grab a bite recently and as he approached the snack bar from about 10 feet away he was told by their staff to walk all the way around the field to the other side. Fine, he made the long trek and as he approached the other side he is asked by another "guard" for a wristband to enter to be able to order from the snack bar. When he inquires about where to get a wristband she coldly replies "Don't know." After explaining the long walk over, she then tells him he can't go to the snack bar 10 feet away no matter what. Why? "Because rules are rules!", she says. Wow a real living example of Catholic values - where's the empathy, compassion and kindness, especially towards someone who is clearly elderly? I can think of another group of people from the 1940's that thought "rules were rules" too. I guess the only saving grace is that it is a guaranteed win if we are playing their team - which we did (again) HA! But, we were also in South County so maybe she thought they were serving all you can eat lobster claws and prime rib? Do better J Serra. read more

My son transferred from a public school with a "great" reputation. He was not thriving at all until we switched to J Serra. The teachers really care about the students and are available for free tutoring before school. It's a very supportive environment and the sport programs are an added bonus!!!! Love it here! Best money I have ever spent! read more

My child was just accepted to the incoming class of 2026, or so we thought! Turns out the admissions office royally screwed up. They extended offers to more students than they could accept and the ones that are getting in were just the lucky ones that could access the system first. Over the past 4 days we received a yard sign saying we were accepted, an official letter in the mail even naming the specific courses we were accepted into, and several welcome emails from the admissions director. The registration link opened at 8:03 pm on 3/1 and at around 9 pm the system completely crashed and emails were sent out letting people know of the outage and to stand by while they fixed it. Same thing the morning of 3/2. Then, at 2 pm on 3/2 we received an email saying sorry, if you didn't successfully register, tough luck, the class of 2026 is full. So that means you had literally an hour window where you might have accessed the system before it crashed. That's great that demand is high for the school, but it's a terrible way to treat people, especially kids. I hope people who are considering the school for next year read this as I would never apply here knowing what they have put hundreds of families through. Imagine having to tell your 13 year old kid, "Hey little Johnny, you know that acceptance to JSerra you were so excited about? Yeah, sorry, that didn't actually mean anything. You can't go after all." Not a good look JSerra. You should be ashamed of yourselves. read more

I have had three students attend Jserra and next year I will have four. It is a wonderful school. My two older kids graduated form Notre Dame and did very well there and were equally prepared. The school offers excellent academics in a kind and loving environment. It feels a lot like an extended family. read more

* If it's not for a grade, teens are not motivated or interested in participating in anything and the teachers can't do anything about it (heard it from staff). * Major corruption in sports - they make soccer and other sports parents work and sell to raise money and guess where most of the money goes? Football. This school is all about Football. The gym/weight room can only be used by members of the football team and coaches don't care to let other sports athletes use it, and parents are livid, complaining and talking. * Be ready to spend several thousand dollars on a sport (PLUS cost of competitions, uniforms, raising funds (that go to football), etc. * When they hire teachers they publicly advertise "no experience teaching necessary". * The student-led clubs are a joke (most of them), my children tried to join clubs and in 7 months only received one email back. The students start a club so it will look good on their resumé and never succeed at actually organizing and running it. * Speech and debate is weak, compared to SM. Student led, they pick and choose who they invite to competitions and leave out the rest and don't include everyone in weekly meetings. My daughter tried to join, signed up and was never, ever made aware they were meeting during the week. * Impossible to get tutoring, Honor students are too busy and professors are busy too. * It's all about the money here, beware. Forget rigorous academics! read more

My son struggled in public school and finally got a diagnosis of ADD and a visual processing issue. He was getting pushed along in the Irvine school district. We researched the local private schools and also shadowed at Margarita and JSerra. We decided on JSerra on the final recommendation of a friend who has a son who attends. We have never looked back. My son after some initial struggle has done well academically and learned to be more independent with his studies. He is playing sports and has made a ton of friends. He talks about his teachers and how glad he is to be attending the school. Best decision we have ever made. read more

I dreaded going to school everyday. It's not the school itself, but the students it attracts. I ended up transferring to my local public school and I wish I could of gone all 4 years. Maybe I'm an anomaly, but I learned more from AP course at public school then any class here. Do your research.. make sure you LOVE it before you choose to go. I would hate to see someone spend the kind of money my parents did for me to go there and have a miserable experience. read more

Pool stands are uncovered concrete blocks which can get totally hot--bring an umbrella or an ex-up. Also, the bathrooms / locker room are not complete or something. read more

Great facilities, education and people. In my experience the teachers are very concerned about both the academic and spiritual education of the students. You have to pay to play sports everywhere including public schools. There are costs associated with travel, coaches, games fees etc. Check it out for yourself. read more

This place is a racket! As one of the many host pools for the Kap7 water polo tournament this is the only one that charged for parking. $5 "event" fee parking for the "event" we already paid for. Scoreboard and shot clock did not work and they didn't keep scores correctly, not quite the caliber of the Woollett Aquatic main host pool. The trash receptacles were completely full and overflowing on the ground. The poolside bathrooms were disgusting. They reeked of urine, trash on the ground and no toilet paper or paper towels. When I went to use the gym bathroom they wouldn't let me. After explaining the situation they said I would have to pay admission for the basketball tournament in order to use the gym bathroom. Aside from the uncleanliness this seems like a very wealthy funded campus. We have done a lot of travel sports and have seen some schools that appear in dire need of donations yet they don't charge. Why does JSerra nickel and dime their patrons? If you need funds sell water bottles or snack bar, geez. After many complaints from parents & coaches they changed their sign from $5 event fee to $5 donation. What a pathetic Catholic charity! I realize this is only $5 I'm talking about but it's the principle of the matter so I guess I got my $ worry in this rant. read more

JSerra Catholic High School has been a blessing to my family. The academics are second to none. I love the fact that the students attend a mass every week! Also, impressed with the schools administration and counseling department. The school offers 4 magnet programs and I would highly recommend the Business Magnet to any one. This is a great school and I would suggest your son or daughter shadow with one of our students to find out for themselves. You won't be disappointed! read more

Not sure if this is the continuation high school or the private high school, considering the fact that they both have the same name and are only a few blocks away from each other. I go to the continuation high school and is actually very thrilled about it. I get to graduate early and make up all the credits that I had unfortunately missed out on getting from last year. This school is a lot smaller than others, making it so that the teacher's are actually able to help the students. The kids are a lot nicer than expected but there are those that are a couple of bad seeds. read more

Beware! This school was made by the wealthy for the wealthy. So if you have money to throw away , I guess you don't need to read this. There is a reason that this establishment is not part of the Archdiocese. They care about one thing only and thats money! We know parents who came upon hard times and had lost everything and JSerra refused to help. So their child was simply kicked out... Wow.. never heard of this kind of Christian. Strange though, how they can bus inner kids in from LA and pay not only their football fees but their tuition?? When we have need in our own community. Kids of all backgrounds and sports deserve help when they need it. Yes, not just normal sport fees but $2,000 dollars for each sport. Or you can simply tell your child they cannot participate in a school sport. We have seen first hand kids come to practice and a few days later not ever come back because they did not pay!! Play to pay?? Unacceptable! Its hard to believe that there is so much corruption, and sad they hide behind the vail of a so called religious school. The behavior and the treatment of human beings and children attending this school is anything but. They experience major exit at about 10th grade because people realize the waste of money this is. We have great schools in South Orange County!! Our children deserve to excel and participate in all that life has to offer!! And remember God is everywhere not just schools you think you need to pay for.... read more