Pacific Academy

Pacific Academy is an amazing school that is supportive, loving, and unique. I was a part of Pacific Academy in my junior and senior years of high school and I loved every single day there. The teachers and staff are all very supportive and they are extremely flexible with student schedules. As a pianist, I frequently had to travel for competitions and PA was very understanding. They also provide many opportunities for students to get involved in clubs and even apply for leadership positions. I loved the environment at PA and also enjoyed every club and activity I was a part of. Although the school is small, the community is very tight-knit and that is what I love most about Pacific Academy. PA also provides great activities including Outdoor education experiences, dances, interactive school projects, and more. I am also very grateful for the school counselors. They are very experienced and help keep you on track during the college application process. I am now a freshman at Harvard College. Pacific Academy is really unlike any other high school, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a high school in Irvine. It is an amazing experience you will never forget!

Not only did my son have a meaningful and memorable high school experience at Pacific Academy (PA), but he also enrolled at the Tandon School of Engineering at NYU last year. I am so proud of the effort my son dedicated to his studies, but so much of his success is the result of Pacific Academy and their educational standards. I am pleased to share our story here for families who are evaluating academic options for their children, just as we did. My family moved to America in May 2017. Our community's public school placed my son in the 11th grade because of his age. We began searching for a private school because we thought that a more personalized, intimate environment would better help our son adjust to life in a new country. We visited every private school in the area, but, unfortunately, found that most private schools had closed their applications in January. Pacific Academy alone remained open, seeming like our only choice. I was so upset at that time, worried that PA was too small and had many international students. When I talked with Mrs. Kelly, the CEO of PA, and Mr. Corpus, the Principal of PA, I was impressed by their passion for and positive attitudes towards education. They gave me confidence in PA, and now it is clear that our decision was the correct one. PA was the best school for my son. Everything has two sides. We worried that PA is too small. Because the school is small, my son consistently received individual attention. First, my son felt welcomed from his first day, when almost all of PA's faculty and staff knew him and could address him by name. Second, he received close attention and substantial support from his teachers. For instance, when his math teachers (Ms. Catherine and Mrs. Kile) recognized my son's strength in math, they encouraged him to establish a Math Club to help students needing assistance in math, which allowed my son to develop self-confidence as well. PA also arranged a special fast-paced math plan for my son that allowed him to complete all the high school math courses in the10th grade and then study college-level math, such as multi-variable equations and online courses through Johns Hopkins, from the 11th grade. This demonstrated my son's math ability and made him a more competitive student in pursuing STEM majors. When his English teacher, Mrs. Green, realized that my son was interested in logic games, she inspired him to design his own game and helped him establish a Murder Mystery Club. He worked together with the club members to create murder scripts, edit games, and organize events where teachers and students played the games together. This activity not only enhanced the relationship between teachers and students but also helped my son strengthen his writing and leadership skills. Finally, I must recognize the outstanding faculty and staff at PA. They are committed not only to helping students build a strong academic foundation but also to enriching their study experience. My son benefited tremendously from PA, and the skills and knowledge he learned there continues to help him in his current college studies. No doubt, Pacific Academy was instrumental in our son's success, and we were lucky to make the best choice for him.

Choosing Pacific Academy is one of the best choices I have made! When I first moved to the U.S. three years ago, I attended another private school in my neighborhood. Everything seemed awkward and unfamiliar to me. I felt lonely and depressed almost every day, and did not feel like I belong here. Then everything changed when I came to PA. I noticed that teachers cared about and remembered each student on my very first day. What really helped me was PA`s small-size class, usually 5-10 students per class, allowing teachers to provide personalized attention to students. In terms of academics, PA focuses on what you can do, and not what the stipulations dictate. PA provided me with tailor-made curriculum plans that perfectly fit in my strength and needs for my future academic path. PA teachers are also willing to use their free time to help the students and provide extra sessions, which was never the case in my previous schools. The class environment at PA allows students to find smooth and strong bonding, and the support from teachers enables students to try different things while being exceptional academically. Regarding extra-curriculums, I had the opportunities to take part in the Science Olympiad and Math Club. Additionally, I established the Murder Mystery Club from scratch, drafting stories and making clues by ourselves, which turned out to be one of the most anticipated events at school for both faculties and students each year. I also organized a benefit concert for Moringa for Love, in which I planned all the performing details and donated all the profits to help Haitians in the aftermaths of a natural disaster. Without the support of PA, none of these would have been possible and I would not have created memorable moments during my high school life and get into Computer Science major at New York University. I`m so thankful for having attended PA when I came to the U.S. PA gave me so much support in both my academic and personal interests, and it is like a second home to me. PA helped me rebuild my confidence and pursue what I love, which eventually got me into NYU majoring in Computer Science. I thank PA for who I am today!

As a student at Pacific Academy ever since 7th grade all the way to my senior year in high school, I can certainly say that it was a life changing decision to come to this school. As a competitive golfer that has played in national as well as international events, balancing athletics and academics is a struggle that all athletes can relate to. Pacific Academy has enabled me to travel the world while giving me leniency to complete my assignments. They also provide me with a flexible school schedule that allows me to pursue my golf practice and fitness every single day. This school has really given me a platform to thrive and pursue my passions in sports and academics. Without Pacific Academy, I would never be able to commit to Stanford as a D1 collegiate golfer and come out as Rolex Junior Player of the Year in 2019.In addition, all of this wouldn't be possible without the PA staff and teachers. The CEO Ms. Kelly, the principal Mr. Corpus, as well as all my teachers and office staff have really contributed to help me excel in my academic foundation. Missing school is tough, but everyone in PA has cared and gone above and beyond to help and make sure I could handle my work.Last but not least, I have to say that the PA environment is simply amazing. There are so many well rounded students who are amazing at what they do. From music to tennis to dance and so much more, these students become lifelong friends that have your back and you can always learn from them. This school is not just a small private school, but everyone is a family who has passions and love for what they do. All in all, for anyone who wants to develop their talents in sports, music, art, or prefer a small school, and want to build a strong academic foundation, I highly recommend Pacific Academy.

As a student at Pacific Academy from all of middle school to all of high school, it has been completely life changing for me. They have provided me with a foundation of academic excellence as well as a flexible schedule in order to pursue my golf career. The entire staff as well as the teachers do everything in their ability to provide you with the best quality of teaching and education. Not only does the private school enable one to follow their passions and dreams outside of school, but the entire community is amazing as well. All the students and classes are able to know each other well and really makes the school environment enjoyable and comfortable for any new or incoming student.

This review is long overdue (the student got admitted in Oct 2016).I wanted to really thank you PA for the quick and seamless process of getting my (international student) nephew's paperwork completed within a very short amount of time to bring him to PA. Every questions got answered, every email got responded, and every call got picked up. Three other private schools did not want to accept new student during the semester, but PA had this option and helped us get our student admitted - a special thank you to Ms Laura who helped us every step of the way.PA is a safe, encouraging, and educationally cultivated environment. My nephew got fit in, blended in, and became part of PA within the very first week. The staff play a big part of making our student feel comfortable and at home.Thank you PA for all the detail effort to cultivate such an environment for the future of our students.

I would recommend this school to any parent who has the word "excelllence" in mind. Pacific Academy nurtures each student's natural ability to excel. I knew that my son was not excelling in the public school system simply because sometimes, not all students require the same amount of attention. I felt my son needed a bit more guidance and help since he gets very distracted by socials and sports. PA gave him the room to be able for him to explore what he was good at. The small student population also allows teachers to pay close attention to their students performance. I could see the change in my son's behavior and performance. He now enjoys going to school, he studies on his own, he feels more independent yet accountable for his work. I cannot thank PA enough for allowing my son to explore a higher level of academic performance in a very well balanced manner. They also have a lot of social and community activities on the weekends which is great. As a parent, I could not be happier. I know my son is in good hands.

The staff here are really great because they care so much about the students. If a student is falling behind, the amount of effort that they put in to help that student get back on track is amazing. I cannot emphasize enough about how much the teachers care about the students. Also, the small classes increases the anount of attention that each student receives. The normal class size is only around 7-8 people. Overall, the amount of care and attention that the school provides is what makes this school so great.

I feel that one of the school's greatest strengths is the amount of flexibility that they provide for students who are often out of school due to concert tours or who need to go to the occasional international sports tournament. The teachers there really try to help you stay on track so that while you're out traveling, you don't get behind. Also, the students there are all really nice there. It's not uncommon to see students say hi every time they pass each other in the hallways. This may seem like a small detail but it just shows the general friendliness of all of the students at the school.