As a parent of 2 students at Carmel High I can honestly say if I had it to do over again I would have never sent them to this school. It is too large and the teachers and coaches are only focused on top performers. If you have an average student don't expect a whole lot of attention either in the classroom or on the playing field. If you want your kid to be just a number then this is the school for you.
—Submitted by a parent

CHS is an amazing school. Like any other high school some teachers are better than others, but every one of them has a passion for teaching that makes the students want to learn. The admins are great people who really try to help the kids, and the principal is to die for. I have never met a man who has so much pride and love for his school and students. This school has an incredible amount of school pride. There are no words to describe the energy at pep rallies and football games.. I have seen nothing like it in any other high school around here. I am going to be a junior at CHS next year, and every Carmel student I know can't wait for school to start again. Carmel has it all to make it a top public school; The academics, extra circulars, and school pride.
—Submitted by a student

People need to get over the fact that they think Carmel is full of rich snobs. It's not. The teachers truly care about their students and want to seem them grow. I don't have one complaint about Carmel schools.

The school is overpopulated. To many students. The Administrators are all afraid of the students parents. Run Forest Run. I send my kids to Hamilton Southeastern
—Submitted by a teacher

If you have an A+ student and/or star athlete for a child I give Carmel a 10. However, if you have a C student or below it gets a 3 rating. Carmel is too large to offer the average athlete any opportunities to compete and they teach at the A-B student level. The average or below student quickly falls behind and/or fails. The classes are too large and the teachers have too many students to provide any individualized help. Which is why private schools and 'learning centers' just flourish in Carmel. If you have a special needs student even with a very slight LD, forget about it. They focus solely on college prep and offer no career center or trade classes for students who are not on the college track. Sorry, Carmel HS does not live up to the hype. From a parent who has put 2 kids through Carmel HS
—Submitted by a parent

My experience with Carmel High School has been beyond dismal. There is no diversity in that school, and children are often treated badly if they are different.
—Submitted by a parent

Carmel High is one of the premier secondary schools in the country. We had 2 children graduate from CHS (2003 and 2005), and currently have a sophomore here. These 3 very different children all had great experiences at this same large school. And 'large' is one reason they had so many opportunities to be involved and succeed in different areas. Music and performing arts at CHS cannot be beat; the visual arts department is wonderful; science course offerings and teachers are excellent. Currently, one child now studies science at a very selective private college, while the other attends a very selective music school. Both were extremely well prepared by teachers, courses and activities at CHS. Due to numerous moves, our children had previously attended small private schools, public schools in other states, and schools in Europe. None equaled the great education they got at Carmel. And, the Principal is fabulous.
—Submitted by a parent

This school is blue ribbon school, with a graduation rate over 98 percent. College is said to be a breeze by my children. If you look at the ISTEP results this school is often over 95 percent! That says alot, especially when other schools you look at are in the 50 or 60 percentiles. If anyone on this review forum says that this school is hard to get involved in...give me a break they have over 120 clubs ranging from harry potter club to buffet club. If other peoples children couldnt get involved it wasnt the schools fault. Yes there are a lot of people but thats easier to find people that are most like you. The Principle is to die for! The guy is the nicest man ive met in a while! Principle John Williams is fantastic and knows most of the kids! This school is amazing!
—Submitted by a former student

The size of the school makes it incredibly easy to get involved. I am a junior at CHS. I am currently in Science Club, Science Olympiad, Symphony Orchestra, Math Club, Piano Club, Webteam. I am also a football video manager. My only complaint is that there are too many clubs for me to do, but only 5 days a week. Making friends is incredibly easy as well. With this much diversity in a high school, it's easy to find people like you. Also, there are plenty of teachers in the school. The ratio of students:teachers is still the same as any other public school.
—Submitted by a student

Having had one son graduate from Carmel High School and another attend one year, I can no longer recommend it to other parents. My youngest son is now attending a charter school and we are much happier with it. The principal and administrators of Carmel schools are into harsh, scare tactics type discipline regardless of underlying motivation or influences. They would not work with us or our son's therapist to help him deal with bullies and other problems. The amount of homework given nightly was also a nightmare. My oldest son is now in college and has less stress and homework than he did at Carmel High School. Carmel is so large that the administrators and teachers have little interest or time to deal with students as individuals. They are mainly concerned with getting high test scores and winning teams, rather than helping struggling teenagers succeed.
—Submitted by a parent

CHS is what I looked forward to in my teenage life. It is a safe and smart environment for everyone. Some say it is big, but that is for the good. A student can make more friends, and find other people that share their same interests. Clubs, sports, and classes are what bring the kids together. CHS has many clubs, high quality sports teams, and an amazing range of classes that prepare students for college. Even if someone isn't a top-notch athlete, this school has a great intramural program. Kids can get their friends together and play flag football, ping pong, basketball, and many other games just for the fun of it. A person only has one chance to experience high school. By being apart of CHS, those people can prepare for the future, and also enjoy every step of the way there.
—Submitted by Harrison Grading, a former student

We moved here from another state. My student is a freshman at CHS, and I have two other students in middle and elementary schools. We relocated to Carmel because of the academic reputation of the schools. If I were to make the decision again, I would move into the Fishers, Westfield or Zionsville schools. The ISTEP scores are great, but Carmel is too big, even with the new freshman center. It has very little diversity. Unless your child is a superstar athlete or cheerleader, participating in sports is not likely. The system promotes a strict path, and thinking outside the box is not promoted or encouraged. The pervasive attitude from the teachers and administration is one of condescension, and all feel they have too much to handle. I do not recommend moving here from anywhere else. But the scores are great.
—Submitted by joel, a parent

We relocated from California to Carmel with two high school students new to Carmel High. The school is way too big for its own good, detached, and lacking teacher/parent communication. My kids would meet someone than never see them again because the school is so big. This is not college, but high school. I think Fishers has the right idea with the building of their new high school. We're back in California, and I'm glad my kids will not have to graduate from Carmel High.
—Submitted by a parent

I will be a senior at Carmel High School this coming year. I love Carmel. There are so many opportunities that only a large school could offer. All kids have the ability to do well because each teacher has a unique teaching style. Class sizes are not too large and all of the different options have something for everyone. Each teacher is very qualified to teach their subject. Most teachers teach with a passion that makes you want to learn. Carmel athletics are also great. Most of the sports teams at Carmel go into post season tournaments and several go on to win state titles. Clubs and groups at Carmel are a perfect example of the options at Carmel. There is a club or group for anything you could think of. If you don't see something you like, you can start your own club. Carmel is the land of opportunities.
—Submitted by a student

I have a daughter that graduated from Carmel in 2004 and has found herself extremely prepared for her first year of college. Yes, it is a big school; however, if you ask her, she would tell you it did not seem too big. The kids find their own way. It is parents that are intimidated by the size, not the kids. I've known too many parents that have put so much fear into their kids about the size of the high school, the kids start school afraid. I have a daughter going into the new freshman center, we can't wait!
—Submitted by a parent

We've had two children graduate CHS (1999 and 2004). The opportunities for the children at CHS are unlimited. If any student, or parent says it's hard to get involved at CHS, they are just making excuses. They aren't trying to get involved. Children get out of it what they put into it. For a public school, there is none better. The school offers excellent academic's and seems to continually strive to provide more challenging classes and opportunities to those students who want it. CHS offers an array of classes not found in most schools as well as a great Performing Arts Department and Athletic Dept. CHS is truly like a university. Opportunity abounds at CHS and prepares them well for college. It was an experience my children will always cherish along with the lifelong friends they made there.
—Submitted by a parent

I am currently a student at CHS and I think that it is an amazing school. If students take the time to get involved in the school the highschool experience is a lot of fun. There are a lot of students at the school, but that makes it an even better experience as you have so many people with the same interests as you. Having many students makes the high school seem like a big family. If any student doesnt like CHS it is probably because they havent joined any clubs, sports, or any other extra curricular activity. The teachers are very nice and are eager to help and student who needs it. There are also quite a few advanced courses which is a big plus.
—Submitted by a student

I graduated from Carmel High School in '01. I am currently a senior at Indiana University and feel that college has been a breeze, thanks to Carmel High School. I was involved in multiple clubs and multiple Varsity sports at Carmel: Key Club, Volleyball, Lacrosse, Radio Broadcasting, and art shows. If any student tells you it is hard to get involved in Carmel, they are just making excuses. Most of the student body is involved in the school somehow. Plus, I couldn't have wished for a better education. My classes at Indiana University are a LOT easier than classes at Carmel. My classmates agree. Friends of mine from other schools in Indiana (even private schools) think college is a lot harder than high school. Does that say much?
—Submitted by a parent

The school is way too big. The teachers are overworked and detached. They aren't unsupervised and allowed to do whatever they want. Too much attention is put on activities. Because you can't participate in much. So kids have to spend way too much time on their activity to stay on top to participate. The parents allow the school system to do whatever they please. They have a block system. Who can concentrate for 90 minutes? The parents in this community need to stand up to the administrators and demand changes at this school. To many parents just assume the school is fine. Any education expert will tell you that a school should not have 3500 students. I pulled my child out and put him in a private school and it's wonderful. Wake up!
—Submitted by a parent

I graduated from Carmel High school in 2002. I can not understand why someone would say it is hard to find opportunity. There are so many ways to get involved. CHS offers a huge advantage in different departments. I am a business major in college and I am far ahead of my class mates now because of CHS. I also had the opportunity to take classes in construction and art. The art opportunities at CHS are unmatched at other high schools. I feel like graduating from CHS put me ahead of the others around me and gave me a chance to meet great people...including teachers that I still talk to today. Every time my parents needed something from a teacher they were more than happy to help them out. If you can't find opportunities its because you are lazy and unwilling to look for them.
—Submitted by a parent