Ardsley High School

Ardsley schools are overrated. The administration is confrontational and not parent friendly at all. Administration does not seem to know what they are doing. Teachers are not that great. There are a lot of inexperienced teachers who do not appear to have much knowledge about teaching. The district is very political. Attend a board meeting and they argue for 1/2 hour over a $30 dollar budget item. If you are a student that has special needs, forget it - go elsewhere. Most students get pushed through system. Students are referred to as stars, standards and strugglers. Stars get the attention - everyone else little. Look elsewhere.
--Submitted by a parent

After going through 4 years of college, I really appreciate what Ardsley did for me. I am graduating at the top of my college class and I never realized how great of an education I got. The teachers are top notch and I was very prepared for college.
--Submitted by a student

As an Ardsley graduate, I feel that I got a great education and was extremely prepared for college. Also, there were many extra-curricular activities and sports for me to participate in. That being said, I was an honors/AP student, so I was given the better teachers, avoiding many of the sub-par teachers at Ardsley. I think that students who are overachievers (including myself), fare best at Ardsley, while there are others who get left behind/ignored by the system.
--Submitted by a student

I graduated from Ardsley High School last year and went to a highly ranked university. Needless to say, Ardsley HS did provide me with excellent skills that I used in college. I was someone though who was an overachiever and Ardsley HS was great for that. I felt like my friends who didn't work as hard as I did had a rough time mainly because the school rewards kids who do well and sort of leaves kids who don't do as well behind. I also found that even though Ardsley isn't Scarsdale, the people I went to school with were a bit showy and snobby. I think the school system for me was good but being with kids who were so concerned about getting into Ivies and who were drinking most of the time took away a lot from the experience.
--Submitted by a student

I really enjoy Ardsley. I find that a lot of the teachers are great, and I think I'm getting a great education. Maybe I'm the 'overachiever' that the other reviews keep mentioning, but anyone who cares about learning can do well here. But, I do agree that many of the parents are out of their minds.
--Submitted by a student

Ardsley is a factory structured for the purpose of getting students into the best colleges. It is not an advanced institution teaching your child the importance of any other factors beyond grades. For me, teaching my children integrity, world knowledge, diversity and current events is essential. Ardsley is void of this. One of the contributing factors is the immense amount of politics within the Administration. Your child will get into college, but that is all they will achieve. I wanted more for my children.
--Submitted by a parent

I currently have two sons in ardsley high school and have been unhappy with this district since elementary school. It seems that the gifted child is their only focus, meanwhile the child with average intelligence is disregarded. Their is no effort or support given to these children leaving them feeling inadequate and inferior to their peers. Many of these children have a negative experience and do not enjoy learning. The district needs to address this issue.
--Submitted by a parent

good school for self motivated students who like to move with the herd. some very good teachers but overall is a very inflexible, conformist centric environment. the local demographic includes a large number of successful college-educated parents who instill the importance of a good education in their children. this is probably the main reason that the ardsley school system is so highly regarded. the teachers have the best kids to work with. the school unfortunately adds very little to the mix. they take little advantage of computers (my son's middle school in syosset, NY was much more advanced even 8 yrs. ago) and seem to focus more on getting kids into college than preparing them for being in college.
--Submitted by a teacher

The academics are fantastic in this school, for the most part. The entire school is basically a gift program, so beware of what classes you put your child in. There have been years where an extremely high percentage of students have failed a state test simply because the 'normal' class was too advanced. Also, AP classes are extremely hard to get into. There is a point system and appeals, but not everyone is allowed in. The reason I gave parent involvement such a low grade is because they're too involved in a negative way! Ardsley parents are notorious for complaining until they get what they want! This school is largely white and upper middle class. It's common to hear students discussing their vacations to Europe or the bahamas after a long weekend. If you want to teach your child about the value of the dollar, hard work, and diversity, look elsewhere!
--Submitted by a student

I think that this school is great for a student who is an overachiever. If you have a student who is average they will not do well in Ardsley. The school system provides no help for the average student. They love to show off all their awards but the truth is there is a group of students that Ardsley pays no mind to. The parents of these students are forced to spend thousands on extra help because the school will not provide it.
--Submitted by a parent