Eleanor Roosevelt High School

This is a great school and I really do feel like I'm having the best high school experience possible. The students are great and supportive. The teachers go out of their way to help you. I'm in the science and tech program and I really enjoy it even though it can get pretty tough. Even though people complain that s/t get all the opportunities, thats not true at all. If you truly want success, you'll take advantage of all the opportunities available. I alsO really love the after school clubs and sports. Our opportunities are limitless!
—Submitted by a student

This school is the best experience of my life but science and tech is the program I would suggest you apply for.
—Submitted by a student

Like one of the previous reviewers, I am a neighborhood student and will complete my high school experience in 2012 at Eleanor Roosevelt HS. Despite our similarities, I must disagree with the students view on the teachers. Your experience at ERHS is what you make it. "Better" teachers are not reserved for sci/tech students (majority of those teachers teach comprehensive classes as well)-- it's the student's own drive that pushes them to succeed in the class. I personality appreciate the teachers at the school as well the extra curricular activities and opportunities available to all students at this school.
—Submitted by a student

Eleanor roosevelt is what you make of it. If you care about school and work hard, you will suceed. I am in the Quest program. Beware of the guidence conselour. if you aren't in science and tech they may ignore you. I am stuck taking normal english 10 for this coming year. However, I pushed my counselours into allowing me to take AP Government and I will be taking Chemistry honors. YOU have to push. If you don't you won't get the classes that will challenge you.
—Submitted by a student

ERHS used to be a powerhouse and a great school and turned out one of Google's founders, but those days are over, and its decline has really accelerated in the last four years. It's the best school in PG, but that doesn't mean much. While some teachers are INCREDIBLE, others are dull, foolish, or practically insane. Many are incompetent. The school spends ENTIRELY too much time and money trying to make itself look good and far too little actually improving itself. Teacher cuts are making it look like classes will soon have 40 students, I have heard multiple English teachers say that they are not going to be able to teach essay writing next year, and the administration frequently makes arbitrary and wasteful decisions that endear them to none. (They also seem to strongly dislike the students, which makes me wonder why they work here at all.) Students are totally ignored- if you want to get something done, get your parents involved. It's very possible to get a good education in the sciences, but students who are more humanities- or arts-oriented are at a fairly severe disadvantage. Non-S/T kids have it worse than we do, too. I have two days of school left and I can't wait to leave.
—Submitted by a student

I am a junior (graduate 2012) at ERHS and have been here since the beginning, freshman year. People say the school is great and wonderful, but that is only for the science/tech students. The school gives much support including good teachers and better environment for them. But for the regular neighborhood students like me, we are provided with mediocre teachers that don't really care and complain. The administration is terrible. The administrators pester students constantly because they themselves have no better work to do but to exasperate the students. They have an administrator at lunches to ruin the thought of having a break during school and eating lunch. They scream into a microphone, give students trash duty for pointless reasons, and are very discouraging. The school as a whole don't even care about the regular students, and would rather be lazy and see them fail instead of helping them succeed. My recommendation, if you have money, put your kid in a private school.
—Submitted by a student

I graduated in 2009 from the S/T program. It is easy to claim ERHS is the best, but there's not much competition in PG. There are superb and inspirational teachers here, but there are also awful ones, as is true of all schools. The key difference is that ERHS has so many great ones in a wide variety of subjects. Many of the students here do strive to achieve all that they can, but the majority appear not to care about their education (or anyone else's). The administration is severely lacking in many aspects and I am unsure if this is due to their personal attributes or the education board. As has been stated in other reviews, the high standardized testing scores and AP enrollment is due largely to the so-called "smarter kids". Personally, I didn't feel particularly challenged in the majority of my classes, but that is, at least in part, due to the fact that the English program at all public schools (that I'm aware of) is severely lacking in diversity and that funding for the arts has been largely ignored. Science and math courses make this school, but hope your student gets the good teachers or s/he will be lost.
—Submitted by a student

I graduated from ERHS in the class of 2008 and am currently in college right now. Roosevelt did a great job preparing me and exposing me to a wide variety of experiences. I loved many of my teachers and the bad ones were tolerable. I was in the Science and Technology program and the internship/research experience was am amazing experience. Definitely go with a program or large organization/university - you will learn a lot and it looks amazing on your resume! The S/T coordinator was difficult to work with as a student unfortunately and involving my parent did not help at all. I loved Roosevelt though and would highly recommend this school
—Submitted by a student

We came from a private school environment into the sci/tech program. The initial adjustment was extremely difficult, with the scheduling problems, a guidance counselor that didn't want to deal with the parents, and gave us false hope for a schedule change, policies on attendance that do not respect parental authority and rights, very delayed locker assignments, and general chaos initially. After all of this, things settled down and overall the year was good. Most of the problems were the result of PG county school max system, not the school, with the exception of the guidance counselor.
—Submitted by a parent

This is my child's second year at Eleanor Roosevelt and I'm very pleased with the teachers, curriculum and the awesome kids that go to the school. I would however, like to point out to those registering their child for the first time: beware of the admission's office. The registrar in particular can be rude. I will even go as far as call her a bully. The principle is pleasant, but unfortunately, he will always have his rude staff's back. Because of this, my rating goes from above average, to just average.
—Submitted by a parent

Science and Tech program very challenging - prepares students well for college.
—Submitted by a parent

This is my child's second year at Roosevelt. She loves the school. On more then one instance she has stated that the kids at Roosevelt have a great desire to learn and all seem to want to do well in life. She said most of the students are friendly or at least cordial. Everyone works hard and the teachers do an amazing job at keeping the kids focused!
—Submitted by a parent

i am a junior in class of 2010(!!!) and it is a science and tech school which makes it 'better'.i just think that the comp class teachers are not the best so if you want a better education you should be enrolled in the honors and AP classes...i know this with experience because i have tried taking a comp. science class and the students in there just acted like they don't care about their education, so i switched out. i am in QUEST AOIT so i am put in honors classes and that it what im used to so when i experienced the comp class it was a disaster. Anyways my point is the honors and AP class teachers in this school are great. also our sports teams(including POMS and cheerleading) are one of the best in the county.check our stats.
—Submitted by a student

I LOVE my school. The teachers and administrators are highly approachable, the after-school activities are virtually limitless, majority of the teachers are qualified, and the school spirit is AMAZING! Honestly, I wouldn't rather be anywhere else.
—Submitted by a student

This school is really not the greatest school. First of all we get the same education as any other school, second the only reason why we score so high on HSA is because they basically take all the smarter kids that are more likely to do well (not saying all the other students are dumb) and put them in one school and say that they are the best. It's hard to get collages to see that other school's, not just science & tech kids and AOIT kids, have students that are successful, hard workers, and try really hard but hey, if it floats your boat think a lie.
—Submitted by a student

This school is amazing. i am currently a senior and i've been in roosevelt all 4 years (graduate 09!!) and i absolutely love it! Administration may be a little strict, but thats their job.. to keep us safe. Teachers are wonderful and very helpful. They try their best to help us by slowly taking away those crutches before we go to college...they really care. I notice it from all of my teachers..every last one of them that i've had there. Clubs, student involvement and activities are great. Its a blue ribbon school and it deserves it. They even have a program where you can go to the sister school in Japan and they come over here as well. I am amazed at what those parents said about the school as well as the next person. My parents love it just as i do!!
—Submitted by a student

I was surprised to see such bad reviews a few pages back about my school. I'm a sophomore here at ERHS and I love the school. Sure, it may not be as good as it used to be but it still is the best public school in the county by far. Though a common misconception is that ERHS is only good for it's Science and Tech program, even if you're in the comp program you are still able to get the same opportunities as the ST students if you work for them. The teachers are nice and care for us, and us students are full of school spirit!!!! (How else would we have won 2 exclusive concerts in national contests??)
—Submitted by a student

As you can see by previous reviews, ERHS is highly regarded by students and unjustly criticized by parents. ERHS is located in Prince George's County, which is infamous for its grand theft auto. Moreover it s within 5 minutes of the horrific Washington, D.C. Granted its location and outside influences, ERHS is a good high school and the best in PG. As parent you can complain that it was not what you expected, but keep in mind that the students who got anywhere were the students who cared. Simply going to the school does not guarantee scholarships and opportunities. The students who got into the Ivy Leagues and/or got full rides were the students who worked hard, took the difficult classes, and made a difference. You seriously cannot expect kids who only took comp classes to get such opportunities. Overall, the school is only as valuable as you make it.
—Submitted by a student

My son is a junior in the science and tech program at ERHS. We have found the majority of is teachers to be extremely well qualified. The science and tech program has been a wonderful experience and opportunity for him.
—Submitted by a parent

I just graduated from Roosevelt in 2006 and am a bit disappointed at some of the reviews. I got a lot from that school as did everyone I know who actually wanted to get something. But forget about that, just let the test scores speak for themselves. Principal Conyers may be no Dr. Boarman, but he does alright and I've never met a bad teacher at ERHS. Of course, this school isn't perfect, but what school is?
—Submitted by a former student