Miramonte High School

MHS prepared me extremely well for college. While the people and social aspects weren't by any means my favorite part, the academics were solid, challenging, and relevant.
—Submitted by a student

MHS is FANTASTIC. In all aspects. Teachers, academics, social life (most of the time), prepares students well for college...etc.
—Submitted by a student

i hate this school more than anything in the world. yeah the teachers and academics are nice but the other students are complete jerks, id say 40% do crazy drugs. I am a transfer student from the el sobrante area and mexican and not accepted because of that. If you look anything out of the ordinary of their already pre-set environment or cliques, such as i am, you will be stared and and be made fun of behind your back, i am being called ghetto because i am not either white or asian. this school is a complete joke socially. and the so called link crew that helps you try to fit in only gives you free pizza.
—Submitted by a student

Great and challenging academics with many AP classes offered. Extraordinary drama, music, sport , journalistic and public speaking programs.
—Submitted by a parent

Miramonte is a great school for college prep. After attending this school, I feel that my children will be well prepared for college. They had some wonderful teachers who were very dedicated and inspiring. However, I agree that if you are not an advanced and very well-prepared student, you could easily get lost here. I also think the alcohol issues at this school are disturbing. Why does there have to be alcohol at so many school fundraisers and related activities? After noting this, I'm not surprised at the number of DUI's among the students. Also, there is quite an exclusive attitude at this school. So for my third child, I am exploring other options.
—Submitted by a parent

The academics and sports programs are superior to most surrounding schools, however the staff and students, not counting teachers, are very unconventional. In fact the student body as a whole are out of control, seeing how students have died from drug use, with staff failing to take any significant actions. Be very careful when placing your child in this school. -Note. The new principle is apparently doing a much better job than the former failure of a principle who recently "resigned" a year ago. The former principle did very little to quell drug dealers and bullies on campus, even when directly reported to about such activities and individuals.

Great parent involvement. The teachers are some of the most dedicated people you will ever meet in your life. Miramonte puts a lot of pressure on the students to perform and some students will crumble under the pressure. Everybody takes AP or Honors and some students end up taking courses they aren't ready for. The counselors will not guide the students much except for when it comes to colleges. If your child is naturally gifted this school will treat them well. However, if the student is not self-motivated or naturally bright he/she will not fair too well.
—Submitted by a parent

Miramonte is a high-achieving and fun high school with arguably the best and most committed teachers you will find in any public or private high school. My classmates are interested and interesting, talented, athletic, artistic, intellectual, and passionate about work and fun. It is the best high school around!!!!!
—Submitted by a student

Good school for high achievers, Students push each other to work hard and be successful,. Some very good teachers.
—Submitted by a student

I think the other reviews are accurate. Miramonte is very strong on acheivement. The extracurricular activities are solid. I think it produces highly ambitious young people. Unfortunately I don't find the students to be aware of much else. Not very well rounded and not aware of the world around them. Teachers are very dedicated if the student is high acheiving, if not children are easily lost and seem to fall through the cracks. The counseling is focused solely on college preparation and there are not services or time from existing staff to help with social, emotional and other issues kids face during this challenging time. I found the adminstration unresponsive and uncaring and very protective of tenured staff who are abusive (but acheivement successful) in the years my son attended 2003-2006. I hope it is different now.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is as good as any public high school can get. There is a real culture of achievement, and the students are friendly and helpful. My son likes and respects all his teachers, and tells me that the underacheievers never rule the class. We came from a good private school, and find Miramonte more and better in most aspects.
—Submitted by a parent

The quality of education is great unless you have to deal with administration for any reason. The best part about the school is that because of the dedication of most teachers and the dedication of the parents, the students work very hard to achieve high standards. I personally believe these exceptional students should be given more respect. If you are considering this school, I highly suggest you take a tour and try to talk to the principle and other office staff before you move to Orinda. If they aren't courteous to you, they won't treat your kids with any respect either. High test-scores aren't everything!
—Submitted by a parent

I went to school here, solid education for a public school in this area. There's a reason Orinda property values are so high.
—Submitted by a former student

It is a great school. I sent both of my daughters. Both have done well. Getting the elective of choice is a problem. All the years they had to choose, they could never get what they wanted. Parents really get involved and share a lot of information. Great connection with St. Mary's college.
—Submitted by a parent

Great school with fine balance between athletics and academics. Great parent support
—Submitted by a former student

A very good school. Parent involvement is very high.
—Submitted by a parent

Level of parent involvement is exceptional..quality of academic program is also excellent and the availability of sports and extracurricular activities is also superior to most.
—Submitted by a parent

MHS is undoubtedly, along with Campolindo High and Piedmont High, the best public high school in the East Bay. High quality extras include the performing arts, team sports, and schol security/safety. Prestige among the students depends more on accomplishments as looks and clothes. This is not to say that all is perfect; there is a distressing amount of Berkeley type liberalism among the faculty and there is a fair amount of administrative turnover for some reason although teachers tend to stay. Your kid must be a self-motivator to excel here as there is no coddling of failure. Grades are earned not freely given out. After finishing at MHS with a 3.5 or better, any UC campus (including Berkely and UCLA) will not be a problem for your child.
—Submitted by a parent

As a teacher at Miramonte, I am continually impressed by the motivation and good-heartedness of our students. They are engaged with themselves and the world in a way that is rare. Of course there are kids who are unmotivated or unhappy, but the general school climate is one of intellect and involvement, and it is a joy to work with such capable students, all buttressed by their supportive and generous families.
—Submitted by a teacher

When I think of Miramonte, I think of green lawns, a sprawling campus of warm-toned buildings, great teachers, and incredible homogeneity. My parents moved from Oakland to Orinda so that my brother and I could go to Miramonte - like trading higher property taxes for the price of private school. The academics are, for the most part, great: AP scores and standardized tests show this clearly. Sports teams are successful but they don't have to dominate the student life. Orinda is home to a lot of wealthy families, so I feel that there is a 'rich kid' attitude problem at times, but kids are definitely focused on college and the future, and therefore tend to get things done. In other words, discipline isn't a big problem. The typical Miramonte class is engaging and interesting. It doesn't seem to matter whether the teachers are young or old, veteran or new; students can tell that they really care about education. The teachers are what really make this school a good one; their devotion and willingness to talk to students and go above and beyond what is usually demanded of a public school teacher is rare indeed. Take a look at the graduation rate and the caliber of colleges and universities that Miramonte grads attend, and you'll see that Miramonte is a lot more successful at prepping students for higher education than a lot of private schools in the area. The predominantly caucasian student body is monotonous, and to me, of the very few problems with Miramonte, was one of the biggest. The other was one that might be resolved by now, but now that I'm out of touch with California legislature, I don't know, and that is the problem of funding. A lot of the younger and newer teachers were fearing for their jobs when I was a junior and senior in high school - however, a strong show of support from students and parents helped with this situation.
—Submitted by a former student