This is a magical place filled with incredible educators. My children have received a priceless education that has instilled a love of learning in them that is truly remarkable. read more

It is a fantastic community to be a part of! A lovely campus, supportive staff and great teachers!

This school is AWESOME!! I've only been here for a few days as a new student, but the teachers, students, and the whole school is so great! For new students, the schedule and lockers might be confusing at first, but if you ask teachers and students around you, they will certainly help! The staff are also nice, and the cafeteria food is THE BEST. I recommend LJCDS if you want your child to be in a safe environment with great teachers and students! read more

My son doesn't go to this school...but he does play for their ice hockey team...so dryland practice is here. they use the gym and the weight room... coach is LJCD coach and he is a pretty amazing coach. Stern but caring. My son loves the facilities here (and his school isn't shabby either). with all the UTC construction it is a bit of a pain getting in and out during rush hour but that won't be forever. wish i could send my kids here...i hear the academics are pretty fabulous read more

Too difficult to get in here. The acceptance rate was less than 40% for preschool. Had to jump through so many hoops. Make sure you have a backup plan. read more

My son's attended since before Kindergarten and really enjoys his time at Country Day. He's now a high schooler and we as parents believe that he'll be ready for college when he makes the transition. Also the school staff and teachers have been easy to speak with helpful throughout the transitions from the early development center, to lower school and middle school, and on to high school. Its been refreshing to watch the school evolve in its approach to education and its overall focus during the last 5 years. These changes included adding the Innovation Lab, adopting a Dignity Model, improving the lower school grounds, and focusing on continuously improving college counseling. read more

We love LJCDS! Our daughter started in Jr. Kindergarten and is now a 1st grader. From the teachers/staff, to the hands-on learning, to the wealth of enrichment opportunities, our experience at Country Day has been nothing short of phenomenal. Our daughter looks forward to going to school each day and her love of learning continues to grow. We especially appreciate the time the teachers take getting to know each student and their ability to tailor the curriculum to each student's unique needs/abilities. We look forward to LJCDS being our daughter's home away from home for many years to come. read more

Being a ninth grader here at La Jolla Country Day school and recently transferring in from the public school system, I have been so welcomed by the community that I have fit right in. In fact, I have assimilated so well into the culture here that most of my teachers believed that I had been attending LJCDS since preschool! When it comes to balancing academics, sports, art, and social life, LJCDS truly has allowed me to balance them all, which I truly appreciate, as I believe that high school should not be solely devoted to academics. When I saw the two star review, I was truly saddened, because I believe that this school is not filled by only entitled, elite jerks. (Although there are a few of them. But then again, where won't you find a few entitled jerks?) This school is filled with my friends, my second family. I absolutely love school now after transferring from public school and for the first time in my life, I am so sad when the weekend approaches, for I can't be at school! read more

Besides the bias I have because I went here......my two children go here, and well, it is a stellar education. Like the other review a big plus for me was the diversity of the student body. Unlike some of the other privates which are religiously affiliated. My sons are in the elementary school (Lower school) and the academics are, as expected, great! Socially, there is a good boy/girl ratio, and each grade has about 55 kids, which is divided into 3 classes at each grade level. Of course you will find some "snobs" but that is to be expected when the tuition is what it is. (very pricey) the other 95% of parents/kids are exceptionally nice and down to earth and only want what is best for their child academically. The work load is a lot, ( In my opinion, 7 yr olds shouldn't even HAVE homework, but that isn't reality, even at the local public so....) but the kids are taught good time mgmt skills. The TEACHERS are just beyond awesome. If one has an issue there is a team in place to deal with just about anything. The admin. is wonderful as well. The campus is 21st century modern and the labs the children work in look better then the chem lab I had at the U of AZ. Great school!!! Lots of cultural diversity, and no cut athletic policy that allows all kids to play a sport even if they aren't the "best" at it. music, art, computers, drama, garage band, PE everyday, just so much over and above what my local public school offers! read more

I am over-the-moon with respect and appreciation for the leadership of the LJCDS teachers, staff, and Dr. Krahn's administration, with COVID protocols, testing, education, and successes that have led the nation over the past 11 months. Dr. Krahn's leadership has provided me (a single parent and small business owner) and hundreds of other LJCDS families with the ONLY sense of normalcy we've known in this pandemic. I can focus on my work and help keep six San Diegans employed because my kiddos are in school five days a week. They are learning, thriving, and making in-person connections. Not many other families can say that. Can't recommend this school enough! read more

As both an alum and current parent, I've seen LJCDS evolve over the years to maintain a solid foundation of traditional education while adopting the best of a progressive school to integrate today's technology and a global perspective. The faculty and staff are exceptional, caring for each student to become the best version of themselves while also respecting their individuality. Both of our children are deeply engaged with their school experience and feel encouraged to experiment in sports, music and other disciplines where they find interest. Above all, we are grateful to be part of this community that values character development and a focus on dignity, helping to produce not just great students, but great humans to make the world a better place. read more

Spent my middle and early high school here. It is quite a large amount of money per year to attend this school but the education quality is top class! Many of the students however come from very posh lives and are not the friendliest bunch. The teachers are great but the workload sometimes is quite high. I left this school sophomore year because of a family move but I feel I had a great education. The school helped me push a 3.8 out of high school and I ended up attending the University of Arizona. read more

I don't write reviews on Yelp, but felt that it was important to do so to provide the truth about La Jolla Country Day School. I can share my personal situation, but I think it is more descriptive to share broader data points so people don't think my views are isolated or not representative. Roughly 30% of the 2018/2019 6th grade class decided to pursue other private or public schools for 7th grade. That is a huge number departing. The graduating class of 2019 was likely a record low meaning high school students departed at an alarming rate over their four years. Only 103 graduated last year. The desired class size is 120-125. Data from the previous four years were 122, 116, 118 and 128. The data above shows the school has a significant retention problem and there are many issues going on. The school may share with you their survey data which shows that everyone is happy and love the school, but there is significant sampling bias in their suvery. They survey parents and students in the October/November timeframe so any family critical of the school has already left and new families don't know enough yet. If you are considering the school, do your research. The numbers above are very telling - the school is not delivering on its values and promises and many families are not happy at all. read more

Terrible staff save your money, this school is just a money pit. You don't get what you pay for. I took my kids out after just one year.

We just went to the open house. Highlight of the student's speech was their field trip to Trump inauguration! If you want your child to be entitled and overachiever (taking Mandarin, French, playing the violin, the piano, etc etc)... send your child here. Now if you want you child to happy... PS: if you go to all "not recommended reviews" you will find 10 reviews with 1-2 stars. That is what this school is all about! read more

ljcds is an excellent school. The teachers care tremendously about the welfare of their students and are always available to provide help, if needed. read more

La Jolla Country Day School has been my home for the past 14 years. The faculty, staff, and students have always been supportive and encouraging throughout my experience. The teachers are thoughtful and never fail to engage students in the subject matter through creative lessons and activities. LJCDS is a place where I have never had to give up one passion for another. I have been able to pursue both the sciences and humanities without sacrificing depth for breadth. Outside of the classroom, I am able to be both an athlete and artist. LJCDS offers endless opportunities and an encouraging environment for learning and personal growth. read more

Thumb's up for La Jolla Country Day School! There's a clear difference between public and private, which is why we switched during middle school to LJCDS. We studied and visited all "big 3" private schools (along with Bishop's and Francis Parker) and chose LJCDS because, while all three were excellent, LJCDS had a higher level of open-mindedness and flexibility. We found Bishop's rigid program and arbitrary rules not to our taste (we did not investigate Parker enough to form a strong opinion). We needed these qualities at LJCDS to design an effective curriculum for our child who was above grade level in math and science. 9th grade began with an individualized 4-year accelerated plan already in place. We have discovered how the school incorporates current research on teaching/neuroscience into the curriculum (teaching mindfulness for stress management, for example). We've seen the supportive and dignified way students are treated (our child had an extended sickness and required - and received - extra support). La Jolla Country Day has provided some significant/pivotal/life-changing experiences that helped shape our child's success. The first time our child ever came home excited about something that happened in school happened here as a new upper school student (the English teacher had made the in-class acting exercises from Macbeth very exciting....). Our child's upper school advisor (who was also our child's AP calculus teacher) dispensed needed wisdom, which put us at ease many times. The biology teacher took the time to get to know our child's interests outside the classroom and harnessed this knowledge to oversee a year-end project (at much extra effort on the teacher's part) which was a real highlight of our child's entire Country Day experience. The school has a myriad of classes in so many interest areas, making it easy for kids to individualize their academic experiences (we now have two children there and they are very different but both well-served). Our child found the classes better organized than public school with teachers more willing to help students succeed than in public school classes. Aside from our overwhelmingly positive experiences, no school is perfect, of course. We would have liked to have had a stronger computer science curriculum with more options since this was our child's future field, so our child took programming classes elsewhere. While teachers are much more responsive, compassionate, and dynamic by far than the public school teachers we've had, some are more so than others. Once we made the decision for our children to attend LJCDS, we never looked back. Highly recommend! read more

I've been going to this school for 1 year and it's the best thing that's happened to me

We absolutely love this school. Our two kids have been there for 9 years, with our son starting in K and our daughter in 2nd grade. The school is on a great trajectory right now. Head of School Gary Krahn is a gem. Faculty, staff, students and parents all love him and his vision for LJCDS and private school education. If you haven't heard him speak at one of his (free) Learning Lunches, you should absolutely sign up for it. He's brilliant, inspiring, warm and caring and is a tremendous leader. He's an excellent judge of character and talent and surrounds himself with great educators. read more

LJCD is a great school! When choosing a private school in San Diego, meet with the head of the school. You won't find a better person than Dr. Gary Krahn who came to LJCD a couple years ago and continues to transform the school. LJCD has the right balance of academics, sports, arts, and student well-being. Your child will get a great education, become a wonderful grounded person, and get into a fantastic college. read more

Great school. Very supportive. Great facilities. I highly recommend it but it is a hard working school but that helps me (a student) improve everyday. read more

My children have been at La Jolla Country Day School since preschool and they are now in 7th and 8th grade. It has been a truly exceptional experience. The teachers are caring and supportive, the leadership is excellent, and it is a true community that cares. Dr. Krahn, the head of school, is an expert on the future of education and is making transformational changes at the school that are preparing the students to thrive in the world and make a difference! read more

Superior academics, including an amazing foreign language program (Arabic, Mandarin, French, Spanish, Latin--starting in middle school). Leadership/administration is top-notch, as is faculty in general. College placement is excellent, with each graduating class (110-120 students) sending kids to the ivies, Stanford, etc.. By my calcs, about 1/2 of the graduates are admitted into what I would call "high end" universities (roughly defined as "USC and better"). Average SATs are in the low-to-mid 600s per section, to give you an idea of the caliber of the average student. I also like the fact that LJCDS has no religious affiliation. The bad? The work load can be a little much, especially if your kid is involved in sports (it is no coincidence that there are very few athletes in the honors/AP courses). Also, like any expensive private school, there are certainly your stereotypical brats. However, the vast majority of the kids seem to come from working professional families, and they seem to realize/appreciate the fact that their parents are shelling out hard-earned $$ to send them there. read more

My children have been at LJCDS for two years and have thrived in so many ways! It has been an amazing experience for our family and we continue to be impressed with the school in every way. The academics, athletics and arts programs are stellar, but even more impressive is the faculty and staff, they are second to none! Leadership and administration is top notch. They inspire and instill a love of learning and greatness that will carry on long after graduation. The community of parents is amazing - friendly and supportive. So glad to be part of the LJCDS community. read more

La Jolla Country Day is school dedicated to bringing out the best is each student and tailoring their education to their individual needs. We have one graduate of LJCDS who attends an Ivy League and a sophomore currently at the school. Our Ivy Leaguer is definitely well-prepared for that experience and our sophomore is well on his way to being able to get into an equally good college. read more

My children have been at LJCDS for 4 years and it has been an incredible experience. The school has instilled a true love of learning in my children and each teacher we have had has gone above and beyond. The curriculum is challenging and adapts to the needs of each of my kids. I highly recommend it. read more

Excellent school! My daughter graduated from LJCDS 2 years ago. She had a wonderful schooling experience, the education and college prep was exceptional. She was academically ready for college! She still stays in contact with many of her high school teachers to this day. Thank you Country Day!!! read more