Private/Public High Schools Question (Durham, Cary: chapel, public schools, universities)

[Hellokittyfan]

We will be relocating to the Triangle area this coming summer for my husband's job.Our older one is in high school and we are looking at Durham Academy or Cary Academy.Anyone have any feedback on those two schools?At the same time we are considering East Chapel Hill High School.What are the dynamics at these schools socially for a regular teenage boy?What are AP classes size-wise at ECHHS?How competitive and rigorous is ECCHS compared to a college prep private high school.Any feedback would be appreciated.

[CaryGal]

I graduated from CA, is there any specific info you're looking for?

One of the things I loved most was how innovative the teachers and faculty were in teaching us. The use of computers in the classroom was amazing, and I know all the students work off of tablet laptop's in the classroom now.

I adored some of my teachers, and many times spent spare time hanging out in classrooms just to be around them. There is a real community feel to CA, almost family like, and I loved that part of school. The family style lunches was also another unique way to bring students closer together.

I would recommend just going over there and taking a tour, their facilities are amazing, and have grown since I was there. I never went to another school in the area, so I can't speak to the public schools, but at CA there is no doubt your child will get a good education.

Oh, but CA doesn't have football if that is something your son is interested in. So if he wants to play or be at a school with the Friday night football experience then he might not be happy there.

[frogandtoad]

Of the 3, I'd go Cary Academy or ECHHS. I am not a big fan of DA. If you look at the schools the kids go to from DA and East, they are almost identical. If your son is already tracking high (AP courses and the like), then he will be with the kids at East who are going on to excellent universities and he will get an excellent education. The main difference, imo, between DA and East (if your child is a good student this is), is that you have a huge snob factor at DA, but not so much at all at EAst. Parents at both are highly educated and wealthy (for the most part), so it's an attitude difference. Also a size of school difference of course, so if your son is more comfortable socially in one or the other, that might make a difference whether he would "fit" better in private or public.

CA I like more just b/c it is smaller and seems to have a bit less snob factor (why, I don't know). It also has some really neat programs that aren't offered elsewhere.

[Hellokittyfan]

Thank you CaryGal and Frogandtoad.That helps a lot.How about class size at ECHHS?Typically what is the teacher-student ratio in honors or AP classes?My son is tracking towards higher level courses and is used to being in a rigorous,diverse,multicultural environment.We don't care about the snob value,it's the learning environment we care for.My son is not into football so that does not figure on our list of priorities.He plays tennis and I see that is available at most schools in the Triangle area.

[CHTransplant]

ECCHS is a BIG public school. And many of the kids there are taking AP classes. So it's not the place for an intimate educational setting and unusually small class sizes and low teacher/student ratios. But it is diverse, rigorous, and multicultural. And it is consistently ranked among the best high schools in America.