Pace Academy

Pace is ok but has not made the esteemed matriculation lists or national prep school ranknigs compiled by Forbes, Worth Magazine, or the Wall Street Journal.

Posted 11/22/09 | Report Abuse

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In every school there are going to be teenagers who hate high school. I don't know how Pace was years ago, but I know how it is now. First of all, the headmaster at this school is awesome. He is caring and encouraging, but he also has high expectations for the students, teachers and parents. He does have four students at the school, which only makes him more invested in the quality of the teaching. Pace has an incredible network of parent volunteers who work really hard to provide students with a great experience. Pace does have a Diversity program led by a great director. Pace puts heavy focus on the arts and academics (the average SAT score is in the 1300s). They may not produce world-class actors or performers, but if that is what you are looking for in a school, then your priorities are skewed. Your child will have every opportunity at Pace to become very well-rounded and the theatre and arts programs are very challenging. While Pace is not an athletics school, they do encourage students to participate in sports. They have a ton of alumni who have gone on to become NCAA athletes.

The biggest selling point to Pace is that it is small, with 1,000 or so students in the whole school. The Lower School is amazing with wonderful leadership and very high expectations for its teachers. They are more conservative than the Middle and Upper schools because they are developing a very young child. They loosen the reins as they move up through the school. The Upper School is demanding. There are a ton of AP classes and a very dedicated college counseling office. There seems to be a lot of people on here who are disappointed with the acceptance of gay and lesbian students. I know of a few on campus who are very open and they seem to have plenty of friends. There are a few gay faculty members who are beloved by students, parents and administration. So, I don't see anything to this except that I think being in high school can be rough for anyone, especially if you are discovering that your sexual orientation is different than your peers.

It is true that Pace does have a lot of wealthy students. The tuition is pretty difficult for lower- to middle-class families to afford. But with this large amount of money comes great programs, great field trips, more money to pay better teachers and great opportunities to grow and learn. I would say that Pace is a little more liberal than most schools in that they don't make your wear uniforms, and there is no real religious affiliation. Take a visit and see the school. It's really pretty, and I think you will realize that most of these posts are simply not true. I am going to give it 4 stars for very good, because I know that there are probably no world-class schools in Atlanta, G.A., but it is a great school if you want to be challenged and if you can work hard.

Posted 10/15/09 | Report Abuse

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around 3 years ago, I was accepted to Westminster and Pace. I chose to go to Pace because I wanted to be challenged with a heavier workload, connect more with the teachers in the classroom, and start against varsity level competition in my sport as a freshman or sophmore. I can attest to the fact that these three happened. I have had a good experience at the school because as a strong student, the honors classes are very challenging and helpful, and because i'm a standout in one of the few strong sport programs that pace has. Unfortunately, I found that this hasn't been everyone's experience, and Pace has some major flaws.

1.School can produce a grueling social experience for some students

2. School is suprisingly, yet suffocatingly atheist.

3. 2/3 of the kids are there because of parent's money (typically came as 5-10 year old), not because of brains. They end up thrown in to a sup-par non-honors track in which teaching and academics are barely better that public school.

4. Unorganized athletic programs and coaching other that basketball, running, volleyball, and football (even if they're dismal)

5. School produces eight to ten ivy league quality students and amazing people/thinkers every class, yet the rest of the kids are overworked people who only know how to do busywork, not think independantly.

6. School provides phenomenal experience to the "standouts" like myself, yet many of the rest are looked over, stressed out, and not recipients of high quality private school education.

7. Pace has many failed systems and quirks that make you go "only at Pace could this happen"

Despite this, Pace provides a great springboard for talented kids who are willing to work hard. Also, the workload prepares students for college.

Overall, Pace isn't for you if you are socially fragile, not very intelligent, or have no very strong area of expertise.

I wouldn't trade my years at Pace for anything, but it is somewhat flawed,
Anonymous

Posted 07/21/09 | Report Abuse

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One report further down states the students here are "more liberal then their parents" (while failing to notice that several of my classmates have written reviews on this). Well here's ANOTHER CURRENT-STUDENT PROSPECTIVE:

Pace children are born-to-be conservatives with the exception of a very select few including me. Some kids make me downright sick to my stomach with their staunch homophobia and SEXISM. The only kids who have a good time here are the white male heterosexual students with their preppy little girlfriends. The clique and bullying problems here are phenomenal. You got to be perfect, thin, athletic, so called attractive and attend all sport games with P-A-C-E stamped across your forehead in blue paint to even be considered "normal".

The school doesn't have wealthy-wealthy billionaire families, or multi-multi-millionaires families. Maybe a FEW families with some millions but not, like, $50+ million, really. Mostly upper middle class families, not super-classy 150-room mansion families. It cost only $15-18 thousand/per year to attend, not $32-45 thousand/a year + other fees like much much much more prestigious U.S. schools.

I believe crummy academics, overrated art programs, bad college matriculation and bad sports programs have already been covered by other (thankfully) honest reviewers. Still considering sending your children to Pace? Then prepare to see them more depressed then you've ever thought one person could be, and watch them walk off to the "oh-so-prestigious" colleges of Ferman and Clemson and Southern Methodist!

Posted 09/27/08 | Report Abuse

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I'm so tired of people calling Pace "one of the nation's most prestigious". The school has NEVER ranks anywhere in Ivy and elite college matriculation lists, like the highly noted one the WSJ conducts. Kids here usually go to schools in the South like U. Georgia or Kentucky or Southern Baptist. The art programs are way overrated and may I point out their is no well-known actor that has come out of Pace, only very few actors that are (barley) known for regional theatre or a (very) minor television role. Add to actors, NO nationally-acclaimed visual artists or dancers or musicians or writers. Now Pace's "competition", Westminster, has a sizable Ivy League matriculation (with the nation's largest non-boarding endowment) and a handful of notable artistic alumni (including Margaret Mitchell, the author of "Gone With the Wind"; Shuler Hensley, a noted Broadway actor; Brian Baumgartner, Emmy Award-winning actor and regular on the critically-acclaimed television series "The Office"). Rigid, hollow and born-to-serve the Young Republicans, prepare yours kids to be homophobic, conservative rats who will not be prepared for the real world beyond the overdone Pace Academy campus.

Posted 09/27/08 | Report Abuse

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While criticized as being elite and stuffy, this Atlanta treasure is one of the best private schools in the country. But do not listen to the "jilted" families, visit for yourself and see the facility, faculty and students. Great academics and superb enrichment programs, Pace is dedicated to the whole child and cranks out well educated, and more importantly, well rounded graduates. Each of the schools has its own vibe and Pace's is one of joy!

Posted 08/27/08 | Report Abuse

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A graduate of this school (and now a education major at a NYC college), I have problems with the school's curriculum. Pace falls short in challenging academics. Their AP programs are just okay, and regular classes can be below average. Parents are required to put in a lot to the school. Very peppy-school where kids are only lightly prepared for the real world after high school. You certainly don't here about major people coming out of Pace, just a minor stage actor or a silly baseball player. Not giant moguls or big-time actors (which is weird because the school claims to have one of the best art programs in the nations, which, compared to most private schools across the East Coast I've gotten the pleasure of visiting for my private study on independent schools, Pace's arts, as well as academics and athletics, are no where close to being a great, at all). These East Coast kids go to Harvard and MIT and NYU (and are much more tolerable toward LGBT student and speaking-out then Pace kids), while Pace kids traditionally go to U. Georgia, Georgina Tech, U. Virginia, and Kentucky.

Posted 06/19/08 | Report Abuse

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Well, this school isn't as good as it boasts. it's art programs are okay but not one of the best in the southeast like they claim, just average with an overdone fine arts center.

Yes, this school is more on the conservative side (i.e. no LGBT alliances or feminist clubs).

Academics are better then public schools, I guess. But Pace isn't the nationally ranked school they think they are. I mean, the school website says that Stanford is one of their top attended schools, but the college profile says otherwise, and it's pretty sad.

I graduated in the class of 2006 and that was only two years ago.

Posted 03/15/08 | Report Abuse

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As a current student, the school website does NOT state true facts. If the school's facts were true, then why would so many people be on here trying to tell people the truth? Pace's college advising program isn't very good. It will be tough to get accepted to Cornell for me at this school with their low AP class selections. The school academics are fairly easy and not as challenging as the school website boasts. The school is actually cheap compared to East Coast schools that cost 30-40 grand a year. As a current student with a different sexuality then others, it is very tough to fit in. There is no Gay/Straight Alliance or diversity club, so I can't meet students who support LGBT rights, so i'm forced to mingle with homophobs (headmaster puts a strong emphasis on "family values" with his four hundred children, and probably to him homosexuals are sinners and non-family-like, and yes, this school puts a very strong emphasis on the conservative judeo-christian beliefs (stated on their old website, and this is actually the only true fact on there). One of my classes has just over twenty students and almost all of classes are large with almost 20 students. I really can't stand this school, it academics, or homophobs, let alone the faculty who can be very stiff and tough to approach.

And no. This school's AVERAGE art programs have NO connection with RADA like the school website says on the theatre director's page.

Posted 03/14/08 | Report Abuse

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I just wanted to point out that a number of the most negative reviews about Pace Academy on this website are using statistics and citing "facts" that are either distorted or simply not true. I would suggest reading through Pace's website, or visiting the school yourself.

(The fact that one "Anonymous" post above rails against the academics at Pace while simultaneously misspelling numerous simple words should be a clue as the veracity of that posting.)

Pace does a wonderful job of getting students ready for university, and also has some first-rate art programs, service opportunities, and clubs. I will admit that it probably would be frustrating for students who do not do well in a rigorous and structured academic environment, or who need a lot of hand-holding. Some of the most brilliant graduates of Pace that I know had trouble coming in to the school in 7th grade because the academics were simply on such a higher level than they were used to.

As a past graduate, I couldn't have been happier with my time spent at Pace, and I feel that it prepared me quite well for college and law school. Also, unless things have changed in the past few years, the school is not simply a rich kid's club. The high cost inevitably provides for a student body that has more money on average than many other schools, but I came from a middle class background, and so did many of my classmates. As to the overwhelming conservative bias many posters complain of, I don't believe it is true. Many of my classmates were very liberal. I believe that parents (the ones writing most of these reviews) interact only with other parents (who are often much more conservative than their children). Thus, when they write these posts, they fail to understand that the students have many political leanings, and the mix leads to wonderful intellectual discussions for the students.

In any case, you should certainly visit any schools you are interested in and see how they feel to you. Finding a good fit for your child is difficult to do just by reading others' reviews!

Posted 03/12/08 | Report Abuse

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This schools is horrible and has not changed. Art programs suck even though they claim to have the one of the best in the Southeast. bull. They say they have strong connection's with London's RADA. complete bull. They say their one of the top private schools in the nation. absolute BULL BULL BULL. Very low SATs compared to fellow Atlanta private schools like Westminster. The art director can't direct a play for anything. The headmaster's rude and apparently no women parents here work so the school expects them to help out 24/7, and get angry with me that I have a career. Very homophobic student body who all like to hate and bully, and a bad athletics program. Not enough AP exams and bad college matriculation. Included in their top ten schools for 04-06? Virginia, Auburn, Southern Methodist, Florida State, Kentucky, and Washington and Lee. No lie. The only remotely good schools in the top ten were Duke, Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Vanderbilt. Very low Ivy matriculation. The Upper School is overcrowded. In the kindergarten, their are 40-50 kids. in the 12th grade their is nearly 100 kids. Classes get more crowded as the grades go on, jumping in the Lower School at approx. 12 to approx. 20 in the Upper School. Just a horrible school.

Posted 01/26/08 | Report Abuse

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Over the past few years, this school has gone from an overpriced school where rich white parents sent their children. Now with the addition of a new middle school, new leadership and a completely different focus, it has changed. Right now in my child's eigth grade class, half of the children who have been there since Kindergarten are 100% rich white kids with some being intelligent or talented. Now the outstanding middle school with great new facilities, teachers, and curriculum have brought in a group of talented, intelligent, diverse group of kids who are exemplary of the new look of Pace Academy. The new curriculum and leadership are innovative and focused on the right things. The new people in charge of Pace (New headmaster, head of middle school, new head of admissions, and soon coming is a new head of the high school) are really set on making this school one of the premier schools in the nation.

Posted 12/19/07 | Report Abuse

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My son just graduated here, he's been attending Pace since 7th grade and we hated every minute. We just pulled our six year old out of pace and put her in Westminster . This is a horrible school, bad academia, crummy college matriculation (less then 1%^graduates to ivy leagues), and horrible teachers. My son now attends Columbia in NYC, no help from Pace since there graduation requirments are very weird, we had to beg the college counselor to let him take more then three AP's since the school"rarely lets a student take more then three AP's" (like the ivy leagues REALLY accept only three AP classes). Don't send your kids here, the best college they'lle get into is U. Georgia and U. kentucky!

Posted 09/16/07 | Report Abuse

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Pace is like a country club for a homogeneous bunch of rich kids (i.e., no diversity). If you don't fit this narrow mold (rote prepping for Ivy League admissions) & if your bright, analytical, creative & self-motivated student has a learning issue of any kind, you will not find support. It's Pace's way or the highway. What bothered us the year my student was enrolled (& couldn't leave fast enough) is the condescending attitude most of the teachers displayed towards the students. They used "put down" ways of teaching & teachers showed surprise & disbelief when kids did well. We discovered the hollowness of Pace's reputation once we "got inside." It seems they care more about their image (& money) than quality education. It's time to say, "The Emperor has no clothes!" We certainly did not get what we expected & paid for!

Posted 07/17/07 | Report Abuse

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If your republican send your kids here where there is no Gay/Straight Alliance, no Diversity Week, and still follows the Judeo-Christian values even though the school "claimed" they've dropped their religious studies. I send my five year old to a $30,000 a year all girls private school in NYC, and worth every cent. Not only is the school one of the most challenging in the Nation, but the school also celebrates Diversity and has a club that celebrates too, called C.A.F.E. and DO HAVE Gay/Straight Alliance. So I know my daughter will not only graduate the NYC school to be a Dartmouth College or Yale University attendee, but will also know that being a bigot is WRONG!

Posted 03/30/07 | Report Abuse

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This school is nothing compared to The Dalton School on the
Upper East Side of Manhattan NY where I send my 5 year old daughter(www.dalton.org) Sure Dalton cost $10,000+ more to
attend, except they are more academic focused, not Fine Arts focused like at Pace

Posted 01/08/07 | Report Abuse

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Pace is a way overpriced school that focuses more on your flaws than youre achievements. People that go there are over worked and make people feel more depressed than happy. If you want your kid to grow up spoiled and sad send them their.

Posted 09/16/06 | Report Abuse

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This is a nice private school in Atlanta that has more of a focus on the performing arts. There has been a recent expansion at the school with new facilities added.

Posted 11/21/05 | Report Abuse

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this place is a private school and i think that the price they charge is very high. the service that they provide for that price is pretty good. they are always friendly and nice to talk to and take good care of the students. individual attention.

Posted 10/30/05 | Report Abuse

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This is a way over-priced private school, located in the heart of buckhead on paces ferry rd, with a lot of rich kids go, so prepare to spoil your kids, and access in and out of the school is very bad, sucks during rush hour.

Posted 10/27/05 | Report Abuse

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