Providence High School

I am currently a senior at Providence High School looking forward to moving on to the collegiate world. Looking back on my experiences in high school, I am sad to say that my time at Providence was discouraging. The school is exceptionally cutthroat, with a subset of teachers (rather than students) fueling an atmosphere of incredible pressure. The pressure is not just academic--certain employees teach with highly personalistic methods, adjusting grades depending on their preferences for certain students and sometimes fighting with one another to retain students in certain classes. Families of students at the school also contribute, often trying to work connections through the guidance department or individual teachers to grant their children a selective advantage--especially in the obtaining of awards, special designations, recommendations, and other elements that look great on paper to a selective college. This atmosphere in turn leads to the development of a group of "chosen ones"--students that tend to accrue most of the credit, much to the detriment of other hard-working, capable individuals. In short, if you go to Providence, prepare to fight for your right to succeed.
--Submitted by a student

I am currently a senior at Providence, and have found that my experience has been mixed. All-in-all, I took 10 AP classes at Providence, and had my shot at many of the Ivy League schools, and was accepted at several prestigious southern private schools. Ultimately, I turned them down because I did not want a repeat performance of Providence. The pressure to be a top-performing student at providence is constant and omnipresent, and I found that the pressure and expectations of my teachers my junior year pushed me into depression and more-than-severe sleep deprivation. A student who would crack under such pressure likely may be successful at Providence, though it will be extraordinarily costly. I have also found through experience that those who do not take the AP classes wind up with students and teachers who really could care less, and ultimately receive a much lower quality of education. However, I have also found wonderful friends at Providence, especially through participation in the music and athletic programs.
--Submitted by a student

We are relatively new to Charlotte and I have 2 students @ Providence High School. We moved to this area because of the the schools reputation. I am not as happy as I had hoped to be...and I am puting it mildly. I am trying very hard to embrace the rigid academic standards here but at what cost? I would love to hear from other parents...that may be struggling as I am.
--Submitted by a parent

I have had three children at Providence. These children have gone through all the feeder schools that go into Providence. If you read the reviews carefully, you will see a common pattern there. If your child is a high achiever, has great social skills, and little artistic interest, than your child will probably do well at Providence. My son did, and has looked at it as a means to an end. He has had some good teachers and some bad teachers. I am surprised, that with the area and the affluence, and it is there, that it is so hard to find teachers who are not more in love with teaching. Teaching at this school is a dream compared to other CMS high schools. My other two children have struggled much more, with the extreme social pressure, cliques, and due to size, inability to participate in the activities they would like to pursue. If your child is more creative and right brained, they will be miserable if they cannot find an outlet there. One of mine could not. My 3rd child has endured, but said she would be fine if we moved and has had trouble making new friends. Know your child. While being safe and clean, this school is not for every child.
--Submitted by a parent

My child is currently a senior at PHS. She has been with PHS since her freshman year. A solid A/B student on the honors track, it became apparent by her junior year that PHS focuses most attention on the highest and lowest performing students. Counsellors and teachers are over-worked and overwhelmed. As a result, mid-range students (A/B; 3.25-3.50 GPA range) receive little or no support. The pressure to take AP level classes is tremendous, often to the detriment of the student. The public school system has potential, but I truly believe CMS has become unmanageable and places too much emphasis on standardized testing and not enough on learning.
--Submitted by a parent

Hands down...Best CMS school! Top scores, beautiful campus, nicest part of town, great teachers, great kids from great families and top art, music and athletic programs. As close to a private education as you can get.
--Submitted by a parent

Outstanding school both academically and overall environment. Both my sons graduated from Providence HS.
--Submitted by a parent

The counseling staff at Providence is incompetent, and the school psychologist is inept. The princial is smart & helpful, but consistently I experience frustration when I need something done that involves the office. Consistently I hear complaints by other parents about the slowness and mistakes made by the counselors- You are not permitted to change counselors. Be prepared to make numeous calls and visits to the school to get transcripts in line for college applications- they pass the buck. High level students get the most attention. Having a B average here puts you in the bottom half of the school for class rank. Security is good here. The athletic and music departments-good. Don't assume a teacher will call you if your student misses work or class. They prefer less motivated students drop out or transfer to keep the overall GPA high.
--Submitted by a parent

Fantastic school. We moved to NC from CT in 2006 and have been thrilled ever since. We have 3 children (One a senior) and two in 7th grade and I have been impressed with the students, teachers, and administration. Providence has a wonderful Choir Dept. lead by Teresa Setzer. It is known for their fantastic musicals all lead by Paula Dean, the head of the theater dept. The high school is friendly. It is not a bother when you have to phone in changed plans. The office greets everyone with a smile. All grades are available online and progress reports are constantly being sent home. Students are encouraged independence, but at the same time properly supervised. Guidance counselors are good, but have many students so when it comes to SAT's and transcripts to schools you have to be on the ball.
--Submitted by a parent

Great school. Lots of challenging programs in fields ranging from auto tech to horticulture. Tons of AP classes. School has great facilities including indoor pool. Lot's of accomplished sports team, great music program, nationally acclaimed literature - this school has it all. I have two kids there with vastly different personalities and interestes and both are happy here. Safe school, great staff.
--Submitted by a parent