Norfolk Academy

I am an eighth grader at na right now and I couldn't be happier with it. Lots of parents will comment on sever bullying but I can tell most of the bullying are jokes that have been seen in different ways. The class's are more diverse than it is said and the kids are ego controlled socialpaths with rich families and in fact almost half the kids have finianal aid. If your child is having problems in lower school just tell them it will get better. Believe me the lower school is not the best I went through all 6 years of it (lower school goes to sixth grade) middle school is real fun. I play football wrestling and lacrosse and the programs are great and the school does not recruit so coaches can work to improve their players and not look for the best. Athletes of all skill levels at any age are welcome. The students at na are deep into culture and the students watch many places and listen to many concerts in Johnson theatre. The teachers are great and don't focus on their lessons as much as on their students to make sure they are at the same level as everyone else. Students have many chance to meet friends and develop life long companions friends here stay friends for life

My daughter loves the school while my son was treated unfairly. Lower school's guidance counselor lacked credential. If you dare to voice your "opinion" that is different than theirs, you are "criticized" beyond belief. Staff's children are treated to be more "honest and better". You must play NA's game or else..... You must not have an opinion of your own as a "parent". Anyone who was mistreated in NA, please contact me.
--Submitted by a parent

I have been going to NA for 7 years now and by the 4th grade if you walked into the class room you could tell who was popular and who was not. By the 6th grade if you walked into the "quad" or locker area you could easily see the cliques and the space between them. Some reviews on here are from parents but i dont tell my parents that i hate na, so why would their kids. The middle school is even worse then lower, the teachers are moody and mean and its just insane how much we have to keep up with. Weekends use to be for hanging out with friends now their for studying and catching up on sleep. My mom sends me to na because she went their, and I'm guessing things have changed or my mom is just trying to make my life miserable. Norfolk Academy is just not the great environment and education its made up to be.

I am a student from this school and I say that I'm a bit of a social person but when it's time to be quit I'll be quit. I have A.D.D and I have a hard time to focus in this school. I have never ever had a bully problem or made any body feel sad for something i said or did wrong, however we do have guidence and health resourcses to keep us on task on harassment or gossip and anything like that. Some people in my homeroom and/or grade think they are not smart enough to go to this school..... but i keep telling them anyone is smart emough to be in this school if your in THIS particular school you are doing great in your education this goes for mostly evreyone and I'm also talking about me. Sure It's expensive but It's DEFFENITLY worth it!!! :)

We have 3 kids at Norfolk Academy. All 3 love it and I wouldn't send them anywhere else.
--Submitted by a parent

Although there was a year or so when I thought about leaving, sending me here was one of the best decisions my parents have made. When it comes to extra-cirricular activities, there really is something for everyone. Academically, the school is unrivaled by any other in the area in rigorous cirriculum, test scores, and college matriculation. The school's philosophy is not to designate classes as 'AP' so teachers do not have to spend the year teaching to a test as opposed to teaching the material as best as possible; however, a plethora of students still take the AP exams at the end of this year and do very well. Socially, some of the younger years can be rough for some. However, I have suprisingly found that the higher the grade, the easier it is socially (particularly once you reach the Upper School). Best things: Great Honor Code. Great teachers.
--Submitted by a student

Overall, I think Norfolk Academy is one of the top schools in the area, at least academically. Our foreign language programs, especially German, our top notch, and we have consistently had the highest number of National Merit scholars in the area. On the down side, the social aspect of the school can be rather dull or exclusive. The small class size can be annoying and the geographic distance between students can aggravating for people who don't live in Virginia Beach or the nicer Norfolk neighborhoods. Athletically, we tend to do pretty well, with the exception of our football team which varies year to year. It is nice that pretty much anyone can join a sports team, no matter what their skill level is. These things considered, I'm more than happy about the past 12 years I've spent at Norfolk Academy.
--Submitted by a student

All three of my daughters attended Norfolk Academy and went on to do very well in college and in graduate school. Norfolk Academy is a very academically rigorous institution and I think that the students who are most successful there have to be both bright and motivated. For those that are, however, there is nothing close to NA in terms of college prep in the Tidewater area. My daughters were also happy there and chose to be there - being a graduate of a Virginia Beach public high school, I always left that option open to them. But I am very glad they chose to remain at NA. It is a truly excellent school and it has a strong emphasis on honor and character development, as well as academics.
--Submitted by a parent

Well, saying whats true is that I went to NA for a year, and was bullied by kids whoms parents are richer than mine. Sure the building is huge, fancy and, did I mention big? the kids there act like they are a present from the heavens. If you want small classes, more 1 on 1 time and nicer people and staff in general, I reccomend Cape Henry. Check out their page.

I'm just going to be totally honest. I came to Norfolk Academy in 7th grade from another local private school I loved b/c the only way to get into NA for highschool is to be there in middle school. There's no doubt that the buildings are awesome and the best in the region, but the environment was awful, at least for me. I'm from Norfolk, but most of the kids are from Virginia Beach and act like they are God's gift to society. I also thought it was strange that there were no AP Classes...to common i guess. I left after my sophomore year and went to Norfolk Collegiate. Collegiate isn't as flashy, but there is greater diversity, AP classess, and great teachers. It also costs about four thousand dollars less. Save your money!
--Submitted by a student