Clear Horizons Early College High School

"Well. It's a school, in a good way. There is alot of construction but that's mostly San Jacinto's property. It's a good school, plus the teachers actually care about your grades to some extent, staff is so nice and they truly care about their students. The classes are hard but you're also going to an early college highschool so it's expected."

"I’m a student and I can honestly say that this school is a mixed bag. For one this school definitely holds up to its title of getting your child prepared for college. Freshmen->Junior years you take around 4 college courses each year (2 per semester) and the rest of your classes are high school classes. Then in your Senior year your entire schedule is college classes and only 1 high school class. The community college is pretty good for the most part, and you sit in classes with other college students. You get used to talking to professors, doing college undergrad level work etc. There is also a class and plenty of good resources here focused on helping students find a careers their interested in. The only real problems I have noticed on the college side is age discrimination. Most professors and students are fine but some professors absolutely hate the fact that they are teaching high school students. So much so that some have either barely passed students or have failed them in the course just based on their age which can affect class rank. On the high school side there are issues and one is with the school is the size. By the end of sophomore/junior year the student size is pretty much solidified. This can be a good think since most of the disruptive kids have left. The class size is normally around 100 students. This can be an issue not only for class rank but socially as well because some students get completely shut out and isolated because it’s so small. The general atmosphere of the high school school is good and bad. Some students who go for class rank end up being extremely competitive and cutthroat at times. This is only made harder due to the class size being so small. But if you don’t have your heart set on rank then most of the other students are relatively nice and helpful and so is some of the staff. But there are quite a few teachers here on the flip side that don’t know how to teach the material, but there are some really good teachers here as well too. This is the main reason that the high school side feels harder than the college side. Lastly the amount of work here is a lot. It mostly comes from the high school side and near the end of the year the workload becomes ridiculous. It is super stressful and a lot of kids end up feeling depressed due to the large workload and class rank stress. But that’s just the trade off. Honestly I would recommend that if your child doesn’t want to go here, DON’T make them. But if they do and they do their work and go to classes they will make it. This school has ups and downs. Your experience will vary depending on if you have your heart set on grades and rank (then it will be harder). I personally think it’s better to work on what your good at and work towards a job you might want to do in the future since there are tons more resources here to help with careers compared to a regular high school. If your child is looking for a social life, sports, extra curricular activities, then this school isn’t for them."

"This is definitely one of the better schools in the district, but it comes with a price... Presumably, if you're reading this, you're likely either a prospective student, or a student already here (or a teacher / parent that is just curious about the reviews.) So, therefore, I will address this from a student perspective. I am in the graduating class of 2019, so this is my experience. I'll be going year by year. Keep in mind that some of these events were 4 years ago, so they might be a bit muddled. Freshman year: This is your first year of high school. Coincidentally, this is also your first year of college. The first week has no college classes, which is nice because you get time to meet people and get to know your teachers. After the first week, your college classes start. You typically only have 1 per day, 2 total. (6 credit hours per semester freshman year.) This is relatively easy, since the counselors are extremely competent, and are aware that students need to be eased into this. Many students that leave the school leave during freshman year, which is good because it only gets harder. Sophomore year: Sophomore year is nearly identical to freshman year, except that the friend groups have been relatively solidified. This is also the last year the new students can join the school. You cannot join in your upperclassmen years, due to the amount of work you would have to do to make it up. I personally struggled during this year, because I treated it with the same level of freshman year. While it is true, the work load is similar to freshman year, the level of difficulty was increased. Junior year: Junior year, similar to freshman year, is also a transition year. They're transitioning you to being an independent college student, for senior year. This was personally my best year academically. It is significantly more difficult than sophomore year, but if you go into it with a level head than you'll be fine. Senior year: This is where I am now, so I cannot give you an accurate overall view. It is by far the most difficult year, however I am not failing anything. The hardest part is the level of independence that students receive. The competition above you to first ranking puts pressure on you, that is also a little hard to compete with, which can cause some students to think lower of themselves than they might at other schools. So, essentially, this school will prepare you for college, and put you ahead. That is definitely a plus. However, the tiny class size (my senior class is roughly at 90 students,) can cause people to become isolated, and shut out. The competition within the school can cause stress, and some people might not be able to handle this. There is an aura of support throughout the school, however there is also always a disconsolate atmosphere. If you're not sure whether or not this school is for you, then it probably isn't . There are no extra curricular, this school is 100% academic paced. If you think you can do well here though, then it is a good school. Just make sure that you are willing to put forth the work, and make sure that you speak to your children/parents, because if you attend this school, you WILL experience a lessened mental health, at least once during your venture."

"CHECHS is not for everyone. If your child wants a social life, play sports, or go to football games this is NOT the school for them. This school prepares students who want to excel academically only. Your child will have tons of homework and will be push to his/her limit at times. In my person experience my child has excelled 10 fold in this school and will be plenty ready for college. In today world of global competition to get into the best colleges any advantage is welcome."

"I am a parent of a student attending this school. I would not recommend this school to anyone. Although it offers college credit courses, it is not worth the isolation my child has gone through. While academics are important, so is a well rounded environment. This school offers only academics, nothing else. My child is inundated with work. Work is good but so is socializing-equally important. It is great to prepare a student for college, but also understanding that they are NOT college aged. My child comes home, and has so much work, that after school lessons have been eliminated.I also feel the students are held to a higher standard than the teachers. The teachers don't always help. Especially with the difficulties encountered with the online sites where homework is due. My child's tablet NEVER works. Constant stress. Even after the IT people look at it, no difference. Students' grades are jeopardized by this. Try having to access your textbook online, and not being able to log on. Really makes getting homework done, impossible.This school is more impressed with itself than it should be."