Alta High School

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest. The quality of education at this school for my kids is below the standard of schools years ago where I obtained my public education. In my observation, the left hand rarely knows what the right hand is doing.
--Submitted by a parent

We moved here from a wealthy out-of state district in a large city, so I was relieved to find that the students are not fashion conscious at all by comparison. You can be poor and be popular here--I can name a dozen kids whose fathers are not employed or who make next to nothing who are popular. Kids at Alta dress down compared to wealthy communities in large cities back east. It's very laid back...no changing your wardrobe every season as soon as the models hit the runway...thank heavens. The kids are happy, not too competitive, and yet they try to get good grades so they can have a future. There isn't much of a push to help the kids get into top schools, but then I think most people here just plan to send their kids to the state schools or religious schools in state. Kids are mostly middle to upper middle class and their parents are professionals and small business owners...nothing spectacular, but still respectable people. They have good music, dance, and sports programs.
--Submitted by a parent

for a high school in this state to even be competing on a sunday is usually not done in most areas, but to have a manditory event on that day is unconcunable your community ratings and the pay for the people who make these kinds of decisions should both be reduced

I've had 1 son that hated Alta and quit to attend an alternative high school. I've had another son that liked Alta, but graduated as an average student and complained of boredom. Now I have a daughter attending there and she loves it and excells. I think the academic choices and the teachers are very good - although I think there's too much homework assigned. The struggles I've heard about are largely due to social issues. It's a very large school and there can be alot of peer pressure to be popular and fashion forward. Just help your child to be self-confident and ignore the crowds.
--Submitted by a parent

Alta isn't terrible; but it is far from being a good school. The academics are poor. Most of my classmates can't spell words my 8 year old brother can. The overwhelming amount of LDS can feel suffocating to those outside of the church. They are not extremely exclusive, but the LDS do have a tendency to stay within themselves. Additionally, the school has the feel of a trap. There are few windows, and the upstairs classrooms are unbearably hot. If I could choose, I would elect to go back to my previous school in a heartbeat.
--Submitted by a student

I have a child attending this school. A warning for anyone planning to attend Alta, you will feel worthless unless you are 'popular'. My daughter is miserable here and I have noticed she has become much more self-consious. She is constantly growing more high maintenence as she tries to keep up with the trends just so she can keep her friends. On the plus side, there are many different classes available at Alta and most of the teachers are very encouraging.
--Submitted by a parent

This school has really great teachers who try to encourage students to succeed. The only problem I have had with sending my daughter here is that she has grown more high-maintenence, She has to keep up with the trends to keep her friends, and she feels miserable because she complains she is not 'popular' enough. The teachers are great but the vibes that come from the fellow students are often discouraging. I sometimes feel that every day my daugter prepares for school as if she were in a competition for the 'best looking'.
--Submitted by a parent

I'm not a parent, but I am attending Alta right now, and I think its a wonderful school. The teachers are amazing, and they have so many options, whether your just trying to get through highschool, or trying to graduate with an associates, you can do it at alta. There is alot of students at alta but personally I think that just allows you to make more friends and be with different people. There are loads of extracurricular activites from football, to mathletes, to anime clubs, alta has it all. I would highly suggest it to anyone.
--Submitted by a student

L love the teachers and the students. The principal is terrible, but other than that I have no complaints
--Submitted by a parent

I graduated from Alta in 2006 and it is a great school. Many people complain that snobby people go here, but not everyone is snobby or rich for that matter (you could say the same thing for most high school in Utah). I never felt the need to be popular to fit in. The teachers were great, though the classrooms were a little crowded. I loved it here.
--Submitted by a student