Keystone National High School

I am currently in my Junior year at Keystone and I absolutely love this school. This is my first year here and like many other people say it not an easy program. It is very writing intensive and it requires so many essays, research papers and journal assignments. But the teachers are always there for you when you need them and they are always helpful. All of the administrative staff is great as well and I have gotten great help in Guidance about college and motivational tips from the learning coach. This is a great school and I cant find one thing negative to say about them!
—Submitted by a student

My son has an English teacher who gives him 100 for everything and doesn't help him learn to write or correct his writing. They are reading only The Life of Bees. [Full stop.] The math teacher is totally unavailable and tutors need to be hired to teach him math. In Geography, they watch clips online from Discovery Channel, replete with adverts. The French is pathetic, and he's learning nothing. The science teacher seems OK though. On the whole, it's a cheap, junky, outdated curriculum. When I tried to talk to head of curriculum, "she was out." Two days later, still no return call. Uncaring, lazy, invisible, and noncommunicative teachers and administration. You can tell that they don't care from the voice mail. They're making it with taxpayer dollars from unwitthing school districts. There should be one or two nonprofit online schools with a sound curriculum and available teachers.
—Submitted by a parent

I Absolutely love this school!!!!! I don't have a single con about it! helpful staff, and easy work!!!! I'am in sixth grade and I always used to beg my parents to let me stay home when I used to go to regular school and most of the time it was yes but when it was no I had a crying fit in order to get a yes. There is no pros about regular elementary school. All I used to get is detentions for stupid stuff and I felt like I was in a jail, only you got to go home at the end of the day. I'am still shocked that I don't have to worry about any of that crap anymore. Without Keystone I would still have to go to that hell-hole. Thank you so much Keystone!!!! I give it 1000/1000 stars!!!!
—Submitted by a student

First of all, I want to note that I was hired by a Keystone student's family to tutor him through their curriculum. I am a certified secondary math teacher myself with a B.S./M.A. Communication with the school is awful. At times, the platform did not work. The curriculum is outdated and very poor. Links to complete assignments often do not work as the sites closed 3-4 years ago. Some of the math concepts are completely wrong and the teachers often do not even recognize it. For example, one lesson defines terms incorrectly and then has such problems as a 5-5-10 (side lengths) triangle. Social studies materials also tend to be misleading and copy Wikipedia for diagrams and some information. When asked where information came from, I was usually told "I do not know". The "teachers" are also not there to actual instruct. Instead, the student will work through the material alone and have limited interactions with the teachers who only have about 5 hours of "office time" to give to students/parents. Unless other courses are much better, I cannot see anything here benefiting a child. I also question whether some of the reviews were written by Keystone staff.

I'm at Keystone now as a senior. I dropped out of public school after 9th grade; I wanted more of a challenge. My first year with Keystone wasn't easy. Until you learn to be self motivated and self-paced, it can be a struggle to finish certain courses.The honors classes I've taken I really liked. Feedback received from teachers of those classes and most others was helpful. I enjoyed Spanish I and II in 'regular' school, but Spanish 3 at Keystone, due to lack of oral communication skills taught, was a drag. Some teachers (when they get around to replying) don't give good feedback. Didn't get great guidance from the counselor regarding college plans and course selection either. However, I feel the nature of the program is preparing me for college better than most traditional schools. I've always been straight A student and course content is generally stimulating. Some classes aren't the best, and teachers are hit or miss. Try to find someone online who has taken the course you're interested in and ask them about it first. As long as you put in the work and make the most out of courses you choose, you can enjoy the flexibility and advantages that a Keystone education has to offer.
—Submitted by a student

I dropped out of high school because I was humiliated and bullied by my science teacher. At Keystone, I completed 3 years of school in 2 years and was admitted to 6 out of 7 state universities I applied to. I received my BA last year and am continuing my education next Fall at the graduate school of my choice. Keystone is a good school that requires a lot of work and diligence. For students who are serious about their education it is a very good choice.

Awful. Very difficult to work with. My children are college bound and wanted a rigorous program. Instead, dealt with rude employees who could not seem to figure out what they were doing. We will definitely not be continuing with this program. I do not recommend to anyone.
—Submitted by a parent

I can honestly say that I am so happy with being a graduate from Keystone! I got into the college I have wanted attend since I was in high school. i have absolutely nothing negative to say about keystone except that the teachers and staff are really awesome, friendly, helpful, and always there when you need them! I graduated from keystone dec. of 2010 and I am now a happy college student!!! if you are willing to sacrifice yourself and actually get a real high school diploma rather than a GED, keystone is for you! to be honest, it IS A LOT of work, and you have to be fully focused and determined! i had a year to finish my 6 classes, and i finished them in about 3 months, but thats because i would literally stay home all day and do nothing but work work work. and look at me now! i got in the college i wanted and have a 3.5 GPA and working towards my dream of being in the FBI! AND I WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY WITHOUT KEYSTONE!!!!!
—Submitted by a student

My family to travels frequently. With Keystone I have the ability to get a great education while still being able to do all of the exciting things I love. Keystone is a great program for anyone seeking to push their learning the limit using the future of education. I love that Iam actually learning while getting to travel and work at my own schedule. I came from a school of 33 middle and highschool and it was basicly a homeschool Co-Op run out of a church. With this program Iam challenged every day but I enjoy doing it. The instructors are great and I dont have to deal with any attitudes like I used to have to when I was in private school. One of the best things about it is that they are a nationally accredited school with thousands of students, so I dont have to worry about explaining where the podunk school I came from is.
—Submitted by a student

I enrolled this year for my Sophomore year and am loving it. The courses are great and allow for a flexible schedule, and the teachers are very helpful and easy to contact. And I love how students connect through facebook or skype - I've made many new friends and really enjoy the great feeling of community. Thanks, Keystone!
—Submitted by a student

Pros: - Work at your own pace - Readily available teachers, guidance counselors, and technical support staff - Well-organized and easy to follow instructions and learning material - Textbooks included in tuition, so you don't have to worry about hunting down the required text - Unlike at public school, the entire textbook is used for a course, so you're getting your money's worth out of it AND learning a wide range of material - Correspondence coursework can be submitted by mail, e-mail, or fax Cons: - The online classes seem to glitch up fairly often and go down for several hours - You must be highly motivated and independent; if you put off public school homework until the last minute because you 'don't feel like doing it,' distance learning will most likely not work for you - Very limited selection of courses compared to other popular programs - English classes have ten times the amount of writing assignments than most other classes, and it's overwhelming if you don't pace yourself
—Submitted by a student

I enrolled at Keystone for freshman year and am working on my junior year. I am very pleased with the program, although some improvement could be made on the German 1 class. The classes are not what I would call "easy," but they are not terribly difficult, either. Those enrolling in English classes can expect to see a good deal of required writing, but when managed adequately, the workload should be alright. Other classes frequently require 1 or 2 research papers written in MLA format. The variety of classes, including AP classes is extensive, from high school-prep like Pre-Algebra and Life Science all the way to AP Calculus and AP Physics. The teachers are helpful at answering questions, and most often reply to e-mails or call back within 36 hours. Customer service is also good. The price is very reasonable, going from about $1500 to $2000 a year for 5-6 classes. Overall, I would highly recommend this school. It is an excellent opportunity for a prep-school education without the exorbitant tuition.
—Submitted by a student

I just started this school in August, and even though I was nervous about the transition, it turned out to be the best decision I've ever made. I love this school and all it overs, which is over and above the ordinary. The teachers are great and the classes are thorough and well laid out. I love the flexibility we have and it is just all around the best school.
—Submitted by a student

I am a Keystone student who has been enrolled for just over a year. It is a great way to be able to finish your schooling early, focus on sports or the arts, or just a way to get a better education. I feel I have learned so much more in this time with Keystone than I have my past 2 years in a public school. The English courses are by far the most difficult to the amounts of writing. One person previously stated that you must be organized to use this school. I procrastinated and am now past my deadline using extensions to finish my classes. You do need to stay organized however, Keystone is there to help you throughout your journey and make it a success. The teachers are amazingly helpful and the student services are always available as well. I am VERY happy with my time at Keystone and have recommended it to many people looking for a homeschool program.
—Submitted by a student

I am a keystone student currently and just started it this year. I had a medical condition and had to drop out of high school and this was a great way to still get a high school education with a diploma. Its very flexible and the classes aren't too easy or too hard. the teachers are nice and very helpful and there are a lot of different classes to choose from. You won't do well with keystone if you aren't organized. having a set schedule definitely makes things a lot easier although when you are first starting with the school it could be hard to find out one that works for you. overall its a great school.
—Submitted by a student

I attended Keystone from about 1-2 years, I think it's a great program with great teachers, the staff is very helpful. However, the only problem I had was motivation, there is no schedule it's a self-pace program and personally that was the only problem I had. If you are good with making your own schedule and strictly follow it.. this school is for you! many people mentioned the hard work, shouldn't that get us prepared for colllege? ;)
—Submitted by a student

I attend Keystone and enjoy it very much. I do feel that there are deffinatley to many journals and papers but other than the large amount of writting required it is a great online school!!
—Submitted by a student

My son chose to enroll in Keystone to complete his senior year. The teachers are capable and responsive. Many of the courses are very difficult requiring many journals and research papers, almost to a fault. It can be frustrating to a student when so much writing is required. Other than that, the school is excellent and a great alternative for students.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is starting her 3rd year with Keystone. There seems to be a variance between difficulty of courses. The majority of instructors are capable and responsive. The only drawback is lack of activities and socialization but that is to be expected with a distance learning education.
—Submitted by a parent

Not excellent. I didn't feel stimulated. The classes were really easy and I felt like I was missing out on going to school. Needless to say I finished the semester at Keystone and then quickly transferred to a normal school.
—Submitted by a student