Servite High School

As a loving parent, and alumni of Servite, I take great pride in supporting the strong faith based community and formation of young men as leaders. Servite strives for excellence in our young men, and the spirit and pride continues year after year. I am proud my children are a part of the story's and tradition of the Servite order. Credo!
—Submitted by a parent

I graduated from Servite several years ago and feel the education and life skills learned there still help me now as a physician. Of course, results may vary but the school does an excellent job at making sure its students have to skills to succeed at anything. I was not thrilled at the "all boys" part but it did make the environment less distracting. Kids act differently when there are no girls to impress. I credit the school as being the key factor in getting a full ride to UCSD! I will try to send my two boys there in 11 years or so if I'm in the area.

I understand if your son didnt enjoy Servite and ill be the first to say that its not for everyone. But dont penalize one of the better schools is southern california because YOUR son didnt understand or embrace being a Servite Friar. Its and amazing school and i have nothing to say but good things.
—Submitted by a student

Servite is definitely not what I expected, it is much better. I am currently a transfer student and I love it. My first day of school I felt like I had been apart of a brotherhood, both the students and the teachers were especially patient with me. And the vibe here is a happy one. I am already part of 3 clubs, 2 sports and think of joining more. The teachers here know what they're doing and the staff is the friendliest I've seen. Everything is built aroound leadership and not what the 2 below me said about the sports. Yes, we have a few scholarship athletes for football. But also baseball, lacrosse, soccer,basketball, and definitely wrestling. But we also have many more students receiving scholarships to many schools including Ivy League schools. For the most part, send your son here regardless his specialty and he will have an unforgettable experience and education. (Did I mention that our theater and choir are among the best in the country. And that 99% of Servite grads go on to college, 40 to Ivy League schools.)
—Submitted by a student

Servite on paper has a great reputation. However having a son recently graduate Servite has grade inflation compared to public schols. Servite will get you ready for the Cal State system no problem.They do a great selling job on the school all centered around their football program no other sport in school matters. If you yuor son is going to play football he will have a great time at the school if not it is not worth the money invested to attend.
—Submitted by a parent

Servite High School is a wonderful College Prep-school. It is the foundation for life in a boy, and will prepare young men for their future.
—Submitted by a parent

Servite is an excellent school with high classroom standards and high ethical standards. The Men of Servite learn more than classroom activities. Keep in mind that Servite is a College Prep School. The faculty of Servite strongly encourages athletics and other after school activities. Not only does Servite have a tradition of strong athletics but the school always has highly ranked Debate Teams, a great theatre program, unlimited clubs and a world class Formation Program that teaches the boys leadership via faith. There is always an activity going on at Servite and something for all boys. I would strongly suggest Servite to any parent that is serious about a quality education for his/her son. Lastly, Servite is a strong part of the community. The students run an organization called Mary's Kitchen that serves the homeless each week. This is run by the students with oversight by the faculty. Credo!
—Submitted by a parent

Our son graduated from Servite in June and will be attending UCLA in the honors program starting this month. Thanks to this excellent education, our son had his choice of several top schools, many who gave him merit based scholarships. Servite is an amazing environment for a boy to grow into a fine young man. Their leadership and formation programs are without equal. Our son matured intellectually and emotionally with the dedicated guidance of the teachers, administration and staff. They know and care about every young man on campus. We went in hoping he would get a great education. He came out with not only that, but a true understanding of what it takes to be a leader. On top of that, he has friends for life. It is a brotherhood. Worried about the tuition? It will be the best money you ever spent.
—Submitted by a parent

I have two sons at Servite, one about to graduate and who has been accepted into USC (in addition to several others he applied to.) I have nothing but great things to say about Servite - the best decision we ever made. The 'all boy' thing had me wary at first, but it means less distraction during the day, and my sons have no shortage of dates and girlfriends. I'd highly recommend parents consider Servite - well worth the investment in your child's future.
—Submitted by a parent

My son had only two AP classes and several honors classes at Servite and I was very pleased with what he learned and the rigor of the courses. He was admitted to many very reputable schools and is thriving at UCSB. AP classes are not magic. The schools have told me repeatedly that they look at how rigorous the courses taken are in relation to what is offered. Our experience at many colleges, public and private confirms this. His experience at school to date has led him to believe he is very well prepared. It might be interesting to know that he had only a 3.4 at Servite, and yet he is holding his own at UCSB which has a much higher average gpa among 08-09 freshman. I think this speaks to the quality of Servite's education.
—Submitted by a parent

Every bad review ends with the same sentence about carefully checking out other schools...makes me think it's the same person! I have two sons at Servite and we have had a family member there nearly every year since 1975. Dedication, Desire, Discipline, Determination. Teachers come and go as does administration, but the goals and ideals of raising a Faith-Filled Leader have never faltered. As so many stated, a smart kid will be smart no matter where they go. But a diamond in the rough can be polished and perfected by the 4 D's creating a true Man of Servite. Whoever thinks a campus of 800 boys does not need a Dean of Discipline is sadly mistaken. The Dean is The Man! I expect discipline to be administered, it's what I'm paying for! If you seek to return a respectful, intelligent, faith-filled leader to society, Servite is your choice! CREDO!
—Submitted by a parent

I sent two sons through Servite and found it to be a great school. There is an emphasis on leadership and character develoment, as well as a nice balance of academics and athletics. The current administration is taking Servite to new heights. It is money well spent.
—Submitted by a parent

Notice it's only older alumni who have positive things to say here about the academics at Servite. Alumni are very loyal. Hopefully they can spur change because Servite is not up to par academically compared to El Dorado, Brea Olinda,Troy, Sunny HIlls, Esperanza. Servite teaches to, and will get you admitted to the Cal State system..that's it
—Submitted by a parent

Huge changes at Servite in the last few years as a new administration of alumni brings the school to new levels of greatness. Servite got me a scholarship to a top national university and prepared me for graduate success at another top national university. More important than the academic prep, it prepared me spiritually and for the challenges of life. Brotherhood is awesome. Academics very challenging. Formation program building great leaders. Kids encouraged to play multiple sports and activities. Watched an award-winning Servite musical where the lead was also the Trinity League athlete of the year--no other place encourages that kind of participation across disciplines. Admissions has become quite challenging. Don't consider Servite unless you want your son to become a man and a leader, and want him challenged at the highest levels in whatever he does.

My son graduated from Servite and although his academic performance was less than admirable, he gained a tremendous amount from the experience. Education is vital, but there is so much more to being a success. Those virtues are rarely measured and their implementation is more a product of the enviornment than the instruction. I have seen poor ethics, even in nearby Catholic schools in O.C. that stand in contrast to the tolerance taught at Servite. I attended a nearby Catholic High School, and I admired Servite from a young age. I can clearly see the impact Servite has had on my son. He is a better person because of his experience there. If that is not your priority for your son's life, then you may be disappointed.
—Submitted by a parent

I attended Servite and was an above-average student. Until I got to college, I did not realize how well I was prepared. With a little effort, it was easy to excel at USC in an extremely demanding major. While some may say that doing well at USC it not an elite accomplishment, but I did subsequently attend the Harvard Business School after scoring in the overall top 2% (top 0.1% in math) on the GMAT. I didn't take a GMAT review course, and I assign my GMAT success to my studying (which was considerably less than many others) and the education I received at Servite. I admit that some teachers have a mediocre ability to teach, but the education as a whole is top notch. From an ROI perspective, Servite has yielded a great return.
—Submitted by a student

Coming from a background of public education, I was apprehensive about entering Servite. All I knew of Servite was that it was an all-boys achool, Catholic and demanding. Upon graduation and the last twelve years or so of reflection, I have come to the conclusion Servite helped guide me to become the man I am today. An intense focus on education, strong moral and ethical principals and the dedication to self-growth is the foundation of Servite's principles. Servite may not be for everyone, but for those who embrace its' teachings, a life of accomplishment, self-reward and connecting with others awaits.
—Submitted by a student

I graduated from Servite and I can say Servite made me the man I am today. I was an average student but Servite made college seem easy. Managing 800 young men is not easy and it takes discipline. Servite is in the business of making boys into men. The faculty and staff care about your son, they are definitely not working there for the money. I have yet to meet a man who was sorry he graduated from Servite.
—Submitted by a former student

We just finished our son's first year at Servite. He is in the honors program. Overall the experience has been wonderful. There was a problem with one teacher, but the administration quickly addressed it. They are working with the teacher to raise standards, but the teacher has been removed from the honors program until they improve. Next year looks even better as the administration is working to have both the formation & computer programs go into full swing. It does appear some teachers were let go for underperformance. This raises our confidence.
—Submitted by a parent

I sent my son to Servite this year due to the great success stories I have heard about this school. I was dissatisfied with the quality of the teachers and administration. This school is mediocre. The successful students were smart to begin with and the school had nothing due to with it. Changes are being made for next year which will I will not let my son be a part of. I have already pulled him out and enrolled him in Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana. Please make sure that you look into all the others schools before choosing this one.
—Submitted by a parent