Charleston School of the Arts

If you are looking for a "public private school" with very little diversity in its population of students, faculty and staff, then this is the school for you...!!! There are no minority teachers and one or two administrators. The focus is definitely on the artistic ability of the student with very limited course offering. Foreign language is not offered until 8th grade, whereas other top middle schools in the area starts in 6th grade. Exploratory classes of the other majors are not available since you can only have one major. My gifted and talented child is a vocalist, instrumentalist (strings) and artist. I have to find other outlets to involve him in. The new school is state of the art. Overall, the teachers are okay, the administration okay, the academics okay and the students okay.
--Submitted by a parent

Great middle school. High school the students' passion should be their art. Not a high school for athletes or the average teenager.

Outstanding School. Extremely competitive. Challenging academics. Students are very well prepared for college in both arts and academics. Students are very accepting and supportive of each other.
--Submitted by a parent

My daughter loves the school environment and the great artistic freedom they are given. We are zoned for some of the best schools in SC, but we are very glad that she has chosen to stay at the School of the Arts. The new facility is absolutly amazing!!
--Submitted by a parent

Student have to have high grade to get excepted and be well above average in whatever major they are ezxcepted in. This school will not let someone who slacks off go anywhere, you have to earn the money to pay for everything yourself and maintain a profesonal misdemener whenever/where ever. This school is amazing in every aspect of the word.
--Submitted by a student

I would like to address the review written on June 24, 2009. I doubt the accuracy of the review because the 'student' starts with an error about the location. This school is not in a rural area. It is definitely urban, approximately 2 miles from City Hall in an area under redevelopment. I have had the pleasure of knowing the original principal, several of the students and a fair number of parents from this school. The parents of my acquaintance are all the sort of concerned parents who would require high standards of the school, not only for the educational issues but also for safety and other environmental issues. When this school was in the planning stage, the development was watched with tremendous excitement and enthusiasm. Charleston County School District and the faculty and staff of the the school have surpassed the community's expectations.

Great middle school program. Only for high schoolers who are not into sports and who are absorbed in their major. My daughter in dance loved it. My son in piano hated it. Not the right fit for all students. Lots of other good options out there.
--Submitted by a parent

This school offers exceptional educational opportunities in a caring, student centered environment.
--Submitted by a parent

This is a great school and you won't be able to find another one like it anywhere! We are currently about to move into our new building that has many state of the art classrooms. The major rooms are massive and offer everything an upcoming artist needs.
--Submitted by a student

In the words of Mr. Smyth; who said it the very best. SOA is the very best school for a creative hard working student.
--Submitted by a parent