Lakehill Preparatory

I knew I wanted my children to attend this school the first time I stepped through the doors. I remember how it made me smile each morning to see the Headmaster standing at the door and greeting each child by name as I dropped them off for lower school. My eldest child is a member of the "13 Year Club" (having attended from Kindergarten through Graduation); my younger child will join that club in just a few (too) short years. My graduate is living proof of the benefits of a consistent 13 year education and philosophy, earning top grades and multiple scholarships in college and making a seamless transition from "small school" to "huge university". Most of the negative statements I've seen / heard are about middle school. This age is frequently an awkward, difficult time for any kid no matter where they attend school (I know it was for me). The good news is that Lakehill provides a safe, caring environment for those lessons and they emerge from middle school as amazing young adults. At this school my children have learned to excel, participate in team sports, cheer, sing and act loudly and proudly on stage in front of hundreds of people. I could not ask for a better school.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is in Middle School at Lakehill and we are thrilled with the school! She is challenged academically, yet very supported socially. We have excellent communication with the teachers and the parents are very involved. The graduating classes continue to impress with their scholastic achievements and their invitations to top tier colleges. This school shows respect towards their students and visa versa. Lakehill handles their business! If anything does come up - they handle it in a swift, professional manner. Couldn't ask for anything more. The only thing I've ever heard is some kids want to leave and go to a larger high school. I've also seen a lot of these kids come back a year later! Bigger doesn't mean better. We're staying and feel very honored to be able to be a part of the Lakehill experience!
—Submitted by a parent

My child is a Middle School student at Lakehill, and I honestly can't imagine being at any other school. We chose Lakehill over Highland Park, DISD, and several other top private schools in Dallas, and are convinced on a daily basis that this was the right choice. The academics are strong, but more importantly, my child is treated with respect by peers, teachers, and the administration. Perhaps administrators who greet children at the door and know each child's name are old-fashioned to some, but I for one appreciate their personal investment in each child's success. My child's experience at Lakehill have been amazing, and we will definitely be here through graduation. One only has to look at the success of this year's graduates to know what a solid academic foundation Lakehill students receive. While reviews may be helpful, looking at the simple facts may paint a clearer picture of this school's excellence.
—Submitted by a parent

I have a son in Upper School and a son in Middle School at Lakehill. They have both been at Lakehill since Kindergarten and will graduate from Lakehill. Our experience has been top notch. Lakehill has an excellent administration that swiftly deals with issues and is proactive with their thinking. I could not imagine my boys at any other school.
—Submitted by a parent

My kids came home the other day raving about Senior Day--and they are lower school children. Senior Day recognizes each senior, where they were accepted to college and where they will be going to college. The seniors are also asked questions about their favorite memories, their favorite classes, and advice they would give to younger kids. Seniors raffle some of their favorite items to the other kids from books to shirts to art supplies to sports items--the little kids love this tradition and I suspect, even though they may not realize it now, the bigger kids will miss having the little ones around. It is a neat family dynamic to see--there is respect and admiration from both sides.
—Submitted by a parent

Unfortunately, the few bad reviews on this site seem to originate from the few families who have not been asked back. One of the best reasons to attend this school is that the administrators do not tolerate bullying or inappropriate behavior. We love this school for that reason alone! Not to mention the quality of the education and the dedication of the teachers - you simply won't find a more family-like atmosphere. Our family highly recommends that anyone interested in Lakehill come see for themselves. The 2013 graduates are headed to Harvard, Brown, Columbia, Tufts, Berkeley, UC-Davis, and USC to name a few! The best part about Lakehill is that the kids are not stressed out on their journey to excellence. They enjoy their time at the school, benefiting from the one-on-one teacher attention and a milieu of respect and high expectations. This is the only affordable private school in Dallas that trumps the Highland Park and other private & public schools, including the gifted programs (be careful of IB programs, as colleges do not accept those credits!); where students can be themselves; and where family matters.
—Submitted by a parent

I am middle school student at Lakehill. I am in touch with teachers at Lakehill because it is small. The teachers give one-on-one attention to any student who needs it. The school is set up to allow students to succeed. I also have great friends. I have not seen any bullying during my entire time at Lakehill. The school is pretty strict. The teachers do not put up with any bad behavior. I recommend Lakehill to students who care about their classes and homework and who like individual attention and praise for hard work. The high school seniors who are graduating are going to Stanford, Harvard, SMU, and many other good schools. A bunch of 7th grade kids took the SATs and tested into the Duke Gifted and Talented program. I think Lakehill is a great place to grow up.

My children graduated from Lakehill Prep from K - 12 th grade. They received such a solid education that provided them with strong critical thinking skills and the ability to quickly excell in the colleges they attend. Lakehill provides such a nurturing Lower School, an empowering Middle School experience, and an Upper School that offers advanced course opportunities that other schools simply cannot offer. The courses are planned to based upon the students needs and talents. This is part of the uniqness of an independent school of this size. The college acceptances and scholarships are very impressive, too! My children received unsolicited scholarships and many full rides.

Love this school! The students are so impressive - academically and socially. These students work very hard and respect their dedicated teachers (and the headmaster who holds the front door open and greets each student as they walk into school each morning!) The opportunities that this school offers are boundless from sports to the visial and performing arts. These students also take part in many community service programs. The parent and faculty is very familial. Parents graciously support the school through many volunteering opportunities. The faculty is very impressive and tenured. This school is a true gem!
—Submitted by a parent

I love Lakehill and its small size. The small size comes with a lot of perks. Perks like a lot of attention from teachers, getting to know people from various grade-levels, and being able to participate in all sports.

I attended Lakehill from kindergarten through eighth grade and loved it, but then I switched to a bigger school for high school. This new school was not what I expected it to be like. I spent a lot of my time there comparing it to my old school and missing my close friends. I missed the small class sizes, the personal attention, and the sense of family. So, I ended up coming back to Lakehill my junior year. It was a very easy transition and I'm so glad to be back where I belong.

Lakehill Preparatory, I can start off by saying that i love the school and its education program. At Lakehill everyone knows everyone so the small size benefits all. One great thing is that the students are able to get as much individual time with teachers as needed which never lets them fall behind. There is always a friendly atmosphere and smiling faces, the food is good and the lunch ladies always brighten my day!! LPS has a great sports department and all students get the chance to play, also a great volunteer program to give to the community. Since its K-12 the upper school always does fun activities with the lower school to set a great example. Lakehill is all around a fun place to be and a very relaxed environment which makes school something to look forward to in the student's eyes!!

Both of my children attended Lakehill beginning in Kindergarten. One chose to stay for high school. The other chose to attend the local high school (Woodrow pre-AP courses) to be in a larger environment. Each of my children was in the best environment for them. That being said, the college preparation at Lakehill was significantly better than the pre-AP and AP program at Woodrow. The overall level of caring and involvement of the teachers at Lakehill was greater. The response of administration to parent concerns was stronger at Lakehill. The amount of parent involvement was much higher at Lakehill. The sports at Woodrow were more competitive than at Lakehill. My child who attended Lakehill was able to participate with much success in a variety of activities achieving All-State status in football, basketball, and debate. I would highly recommend this school. However, it is a small school. So if your child is looking for a larger environment, Lakehill might not be the place for him/her.
—Submitted by a parent

There are a few good things about this school if you like to be sequestered in a tiny environment with little excitement. Most people are here because they don't want to be somewhere else. If the parents will let them, the kids leave. The ones living in the neighborhood have jumped ship to the DISD schools. Shocking, it would appear. However the middle and high school (Long and Woodrow) offer International Baccalaureate and a myriad of extracurricular activities and sports. I think half the sophomore class left for Woodrow. Some Lakehill veterans are freaked to learn that they can't handle the rigor of IB at Woodrow. Also WW has a very strong AP program with twice the course selections of Lakehill.

I was excited to go on to Lakehill. I was transfered from Greenhill to Lakehill because of convenience. Looking back however I would have stayed at Greenhill. The school has significant bullying and the kids are not only obstreperous and arrogant, but they are also ignorant. As a former student of Greenhill, the contrast of students and their behaviors couldn't be bigger. They are much more cruel and unaccepting on things such as religion and race. The school staff is not near as informative as they were at Greenhill. I am a student who asks many questions and most of my more critical and in-depth thinking questions go unanswered. The school and its students absorbs enthusiasm and liveliness from people effectively turning them into "zombies". The school lacks most amenities, giving students superfluous electives and forces kids to limit most of their expectations in life. Their "claims" of connections and their students going on to high ranking colleges are simply bogus. Rarely does a student at Lakehill even leave the state for college. Lakehill is one of the weakess ISAS, SPC,SACS schools in all of Dallas and Fort Worth. No wonder all of the middle schoolers want to leave.

I can honestly say that this is four years of my life I will never get back. My year in lower school was amazing, I had the best teacher and everything was going fine. Then the horrible middle school days kicked in. I've seen some reviews addressing bullying, which in fact is completely true. The school is so small and profligates their money on an unnecessary environmental science center, money that could be used to make the middle school students actually want to stay for high school. I am overjoyed that I am leaving for high school. I am super disappointed in my overall Lakehill experience. Look elsewhere for a good private school!

What a wonderful college preparatory school nestled in the Lakewood community in Dallas, Texas. My son drove all the way from Plano to attend this well directed college preparatory school! The administrative and academic leadership is fantastic. The school s academic program is challenging and offers upper school students a variety of quality AP courses. The student body is very inclusive and fun! My son was able to fit immediately which is a testament to the school. The school's community service programs are wonderful! Students giving back to the community are a tradition at the school. In addition, there are all kinds of competitive sports teams available for students. The school s baseball coach was awesome with his players, too!! Way to go R.C.! I can't say enough good things about this school!!! Thank you Headmaster, Perry!
—Submitted by a parent

As a working mom of Lower School students, I wanted to say I feel very comfortable in the school environment. I remember the headmaster once saying at a meeting with parents that there will be many opportunities to help, fiscally and physically, but you have to pick and choose and contribute where and how you can, if you can. I have found ways to help out through assisting with parties, driving to field trips, setting up for seasonal events, etc. I am fortunate that I have a job that allows me some time away from time to time to do these things, but if I couldn t participate, I would not feel out of place. People do what they have to do to make a living and provide for their children. I am amazed by the number of parent volunteers and their willingness to cooperate in whatever ways they can: moms, dads, grandparents, working, and stay-at-home. Major fundraising is not my area of expertise, but I love buying books at the book fair or donating a dollar or two or a canned good here or there to various charities and organizations supported by school groups. I know that every little bit helps and working together will accomplish greater things than we can imagine.
—Submitted by a parent

I completely agree with other parent's comments about bullying, catering to higher income parents and lack of educational opportunities. Bullying is ongoing and there is very little intervention from administration. Lower school is wonderful and is led by the most amazing head of lower school. Im thrilled my child went through those years. Middle school has been a mixed bag and there was NO way I would send my child to HS there. There is ALOT of pressure from staff to stay for HS and anyone who visits another school is made an example of. Very few (somewhere around 15 at last count) out of 40 are actually staying. Its a shame that the administration cant spend more of their money taking care of the middle school kids to make them want to stay or rather relocate the high school so that it is longer than a hallway. Alot of money was spent on an environmental science center and a football field named after the principal while other things were ignored. The sports are only important to faculty if you are in HS and only mildly so. Parents have to pick up a lot of the slack here in terms of extracurricular activities. Also, in middle school they are offered meaningless electives.
—Submitted by a parent

Lakehill has many unaddressed problems with bullying. The administration ignores parental input on curriculum and prefers parents focus on fund raising only. The administration treats higher income parents more favorably than lower income parents. Lakehill's test scores are mediocre at best and certainly not what they should be for the tuition. Certain staff members frown upon working moms. Your child can get a much better education elsewhere and for less money.
—Submitted by a parent