Montgomery High School

The high quality education Montgomery is known for can be mostly attributed to the highly competitive students and parents, it has little to do with the school itself. There are numerous flaws that are constantly overlooked. There is a lack of consistency between courses when they are taught by different teachers, something the school is trying to fix right now by limiting the creative power of teachers within the school - basically, a course's restrictions are now based on whichever teacher wants to do the least. Furthermore, the guidance department is in need of serious improvement. Each counselor has extensive duties in addition to 300 students each to help. I barely spoke with my guidance counselor until my senior year, when I still had trouble seeing her, because she was constantly so busy. Many of my peers dealt with the same issue. That's just touching on a couple of the academic and administrative problems in the school. The quality of the building is deteriorating, there are severe limitations imposed on extracurricular groups, and there are simply not as many resources and opportunities as there should be at a school that is known for having such strong merit.
--Submitted by a student

Very competitive, a student thought to be average get b+'s to A's. Going to college is emphasized a lot and everyone there assumes everyone is going to college. Huge emphasis on grades, although there are many clubs and extracurriculars that everyone finds time to do while maintaining their grades. The physics department can't teach and the science department quality is low compared to the other departments, but it is easy to be successful because teachers stay after to give extra help. Overall, highly motivated students.
--Submitted by a student

very competitive and an amazing school if you want to succeed. last year 7 students were accepted into princeton with many more into ivies and top tier colleges. this school prepares students for college and though lacks talent in many sports, academically, this school is excellent.
--Submitted by a student

Very oriented to the individual child - great teachers - caring administrators

Montgomery High School is consistently highly ranked in the state of New Jersey on the basis of pupil performance. The school gladly accepts credit for this, however, the abilities of the students are independent of the caliber of the school. I attended this school for four years and graduated with honors, however, the quality of the faculty was sub-par. There is a gross lack of consistency amongst the same classes taught by different teachers, and many of the teachers are just plain lazy. I did have several stand-out teachers, but they were overshadowed by the ones who did not teach well or at all. At Montgomery High School, I learned how to teach myself material and how to collaborate with my peers in order to learn. There too much emphasis placed on standardized test scores and not enough emphasis on actual learning. Overall, not a great experience.
--Submitted by a parent

Dedicated teachers and staff. Special education students are not 'swept under the rug' or pushed onto the next grade. If your child has special needs your child receives the accomidations but is still required to perform at the same level as other students. Special education students leave this school district with real knowledge unlike many others who just pass the children on. If your child does not do the work in this school your child will not do well, but that is what school/the world/learning is about isn't it? Also, all students are offered the opportunity to take AP classes, including those with special needs.
--Submitted by a parent

I attended this school for 12 years, and it has been getting worse by the year. With only a few exceptions, the faculty are young and inexperienced, and the restrictions to the students' rights are like manacles.
--Submitted by a student

Montgomery is a great school for those motivated to succeed and get into a good college. Students who have no interest in college do not fit in with the atmosphere of this school.
--Submitted by a student

I am the parent of 8th and 9th grader. We have been in district for 10 years. Our experience with special needs -- daughter couldn't read in 5th grade-- was horrendous. Child was pushed through. We finally spent $10,000 for private tutoring. I agree if you are brilliant and a star athlete you will do well, otherwise prepare to be humilitated. Everybody has a tutor. I wish we had moved long ago.
--Submitted by a parent

Great school overall. Good environment, awesome facilities etc... Very competative environment, although I disagree with the comments about 'average students' being ignored. District growing very fast, although it's not as good as it used to be as it is slowly falling back in rankings (still top notch though)
--Submitted by a parent