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Harker School

School rating 4 / 5 by

500 Saratoga Avenue San Jose CA 95129 United States
Day
K to 12th
Gender
Coed

Academic

Harker School review by .

The Harker School, although known especially for strong performance by students in the sciences, supports a full range of interests. Class sizes do not exceed 18 and are more often smaller, averaging about 11 students per class. The vast majority of teachers are readily accessible during or before and after school either by drop-in or appointment. Academically, Harker is on par with almost any institution as courses are taught in depth and at the highest standards. However, academic excellence does not come without a price. The average workload at Harker is about an hour a day per class, with school days on the block schedule holding 4 to 6 classes per day. Overall, Harker's work load is appropriate in the school's goal of preparation for college as the amount of work given is comparable to that in college. Although exams are important, the overall attitude of Harker seems to be education for life.

College Counseling

College counseling at Harker begins as early as freshman year where parents and students (optional)....

Sample insights on college counseling

  • They have contacts at most of the major universities and feel perfectly comfortable picking up the phone and advocating for a student to get accepted somewhere they feel is a good fit for that student. However, these counselors are certainly not magic bullets. They cannot guarantee that a student will get into an Ivy League university...
  • For those wishing to move on to Oxford or Cambridge, the provision is second-to-none. In the months running up to application and interview, every subject faculty offers classes (often run by former Oxbridge tutors) exploring further areas of their subject as well as offering advice on personal statements, interview technique and more...

Admissions - Getting Accepted

Admissions no longer involves an entrance exam as it once did. The mandatory essay as....

Sample insights on admissions

  • For the interview, dress conservatively. Try to be very clean and put together. Also, I was a tour guide for two years and at the end of every tour, we were asked to evaluate the candidate so if you think the tour is not apart of the process, you are very wrong. Ask questions and be interested. Also, tip for the parents: the kids speak on the tour. Do not ask their questions for them...
  • Most younger siblings have an easy time in the admissions process. I can only think of one case of a younger sibling not being admitted. About half of the students who entered with me had come from public schools. The remainder came from private K-6 schools, or had transferred from other New York private schools The Elizabeth Morrow School and St. Bernard were two of the larger feeder schools...

School Life

There is no on campus housing. The cafeteria at Harker is among the best in terms of cafeteria food. There is daily variation in food made from the best ingredients with the utmost quality. Facilities are well maintained and boast several new complexes. Harker has a wide range students from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. In the heart of Silicon Valley, Harker has no trouble finding diversity in its students. Although tuition is whopping over $30,000 per year for high school, financial aid is widely available....

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