I currently have 2 children at Fairmont Preparatory - one will be senior soon and the other will be sophomore. This is a typical private run high school, uniforms, smaller classes, college prep curriculum. I sent my kids here because I felt they take student safety as well as opportunity for learning, seriously. The tuition was always high, and every year it would increase 4-5%, typical of private schools. 2 years ago it was sold by the owning family to a conglomerate (named ISP or "International Schools Partnership"). Since then, many of the great teachers or people around the school, have begun leaving. The emphasis is now on creating a "glossy image" for the school to appeal to high income international students and their families. The have focused heavily on making everything look orderly, and making the student population look diverse (it is not). There is less emphasis on the actual curriculum (resulting in cutting down on classes offered) and less encouragement of school clubs. Due to this combination of unfortunate factors, teachers are leaving left and right. I cannot blame them. The school has increased tuition for this coming year by 11%, citing "maintenance needed for air conditioning, and more, etc." to the campus. While they have increased tuition by 11% for every student, they are cutting teacher salaries. If they increased tuition, to keep the teachers, it is something parents would understand and have to accept. To be told tuition is going up at this rate, and to know that teachers are all being told to take a pay cut - raises the question - where is all this money going? It is not benefitting the teachers, and not benefitting the students. I can only imagine it lining the coffers of I.S.P. and the management salaries of those who work there. I feel we are now stuck - I don't want to move my kids and upend their school life. I used to be able to "recommend" this school to parents who wanted an option for a private school. I do not recommend this school anymore, because the current owning company is only interested in increasing their profit, and promoting all their portfolio of international private schools, rather than actually caring for each campus, the happiness and motivation of the teachers, and the offerings and education for each student. I will be very fair. If you a family from outside United States and would like to send your child to an expensive international private school through a student visa, I believe you are the target market. They can place your child with a host family or house them in a dorm, and bus them to school, etc. This will cost you yearly about the same as a US Private College tuition, but if money is not an object, this will not matter. You are the most important target market for I.S.P., and your child will attend Fairmont Preparatory with many other children just like them. This is not derogatory- my children have many international student friends, precisely due to this marketing strategy which heavily influences the student population. If I had known another entity would purchase the school, raise tuition, and order pay cuts for teachers (again, where is all the money going then?) which then causes an exodus of great teachers, then I would have looked for another private school for my children's high school education. read more

Not a good option. Kids are all "same type." They're all just dressed, competitive, lack of sports, arts classes, some teachers are good some whatever. Save your money. Kids are judgy and many socially-emotionally not healthy. ASB teachers are not good. Take your student elsewhere. read more

My son has graduated WSU with a bio-engineering degree and a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. National Guard. Graduating from advanced officer training school soon and will be deployed to train other soldiers in Jordan (or wherever they need him). Has a patent in the prosethic field and has a published reasearch in the field. Thank you Fairmont for giving my son what he needed to succeed in life. read more

My experience at Fairmont Prep has been really great. I attended Fairmont North Tustin elementary school and looking back, it prepared me really well for the high school environment. I'm currently a senior, so I can say that every teacher I've had thus far has been not only knowledgeable and passionate about their subject, but also very considerate, caring, and dedicated. Being part of the Advanced Science and Engineering Program and International Baccalaureate program, I feel really confident in my intellectual ability and my ability to time manage a pretty rigorous course load. The range of CP, AP, Honors and IB courses, athletics, arts, and everything in between makes it so that the Prep is suitable for any student who is looking to be well prepared for college. read more

the school was not worth the money, lack of sports, the teachers where ok, and the kids where to stressed about how much homework they had. it was overall a bad experience. read more

Couldn't be happier with the prep. My son thrived. He found great friends and community. Teachers care for their students and work hard to make them succeed. Great advanced science and engineering program. Lots of AP classes with great prep for exams. Good theater program and I love the shows the students put together. Smallish school, high standards, caring staff. We had a great experience. read more

If I'm being honest, my Fairmont Prep experience exceeded my expectations in so many ways. After attending Fairmont K-8 I made the decision to attend a public high school because I thought I wanted a "real high school experience." However, it only took a few months to realize how much I missed Fairmont and that public high school was not the "real high school experience."Fairmont was. I transferred back to Fairmont my sophomore year of high school. The three years I spent at Fairmont Prep were some of the best of my life. Not only is the education incredible and relevant, but every other aspect was equally great. I played basketball at the Prep and had such a great time getting better and growing as a player. I became involved in ASB, which is the school's student government, and Husky Vision, which is the school's monthly television show. As I became more involved I realized how awesome all the people around me were. The teachers and staff were so knowledgable, fun, and willing to help and the students I was surrounded with were equally fun and very driven individuals. Basically, my experience was one so special that I will always have nothing but the fondest memories of Fairmont. Not only did I make friends for life, but I was well prepared for what was to come in college. read more

Is it tacky to write a review about your own school? No, of course not! I'm a senior right now, and to be honest, I secretly wish I could stay here a few more years. Maybe just one. But Fairmont is always going to have a really special place in my heart. I really understand now why people say once you've gone to Fairmont, you always come back. This school has been my second home for the last four years and it's been a crazy ride. Because we have a grand population of about 400+ it's not hard to know everyone by face and name. Hell, I have more facebook friends than classmates now that I think about it. The (good) teachers here truly care about you. Their one goal is to make sure you do well and get into the college you want to go to. Depending on your relationship with him/her, you can ask for extensions on deadlines most of the time, as long as you have a logical reason for why you need the extension. Since this is yelp, I guess I have to mention the food. It is simply eh. Somedays the meal of the day is really good. Somedays, you just want to feed the people who made it and ask them if they'd be willing to pay for it, smh -_- But regardless, I love this place, from the weird smells on campus thanks to our fantastic plumbing, to the annoying dress code checks (that no longer apply to future students as long as the Dean of Students stays the same) to the horribly unenthusiastic social events (rallies, assemblies). I really hope I put my mark on this place in just a teeny way somehow. I was in varsity tennis, ASB, IB, concert choir, varsity cheer, ambassador, assist, a bunch of other clubs, and probably a bunch more things I can't remember. We all say we hate fairmont at one point in time, but I think many of us actually enjoy it here. You really can't get the experience you get at Fairmont anywhere else. It's a really weird but special bond that grows on you over the years, and you cherish it the most senior year (trust me, I know). I'm kind of glad that I wasn't a "Fairmont baby" meaning I wasn't in Fairmont since I was like 4 or something because it gave me a real view of the world before coming here. Then, when I got here, I was just happier because I could appreciate how much better Fairmont is compared to a lot of other schools. I've met so many amazing people, experienced so many amazing things, and grown in ways I never thought I'd be able to, here in this tiny little dot on the map. It's simple, I love this school. read more

I've been a student at Fairmont Prep for a year now and I am so glad that I am going to high school here! The students are very welcoming and the teachers also help to accommodate the students with any struggles they're experiencing. I used to go to the Historic Anaheim Campus for junior high and transitioning to Prep was a very good experience. I was able to join the business program, volleyball, National Art Honors Society, ASB, and so much more! The programs are very beneficial for the students and they help me build important skills both inside and outside the classroom. My favorite part of Prep so far was the sports events and homecoming! Everyone had lot of school spirit and it was amazing to be with everyone and celebrate fun moments. I highly recommend Fairmont Prep because it's very welcoming and it's a great place to build academic, athletic, work ethic, and community skills! read more

The school's administration is very disorganized and no one is taking charge of anything. You can never find anyone to have things done. I know they have great teachers and a great variety of APs but their international admission office and academic counselor are awful. The school is very uncooperative when transferring a student out. The student filled the forms and provided to the school for transfer. Their academic counselor said she gave the forms to the admission office and they are done. What the heck is that? I then contacted the admission office, which is hella hard to find. One day the director of international admission said she never received the forms from the academic counselor, but in fact the academic counselor told me she already put the forms on the director's desk. One day the director said she never heard from the school the student is transferring to, but in fact that school spoke with the director right before calling me for updates. This school does not care about their students. They only care about money. read more

I have been at Fairmont since preschool and have attended the Prep for the last 4 years. I am a part of the Advanced Science and Engineering Program, International Baccalaureate Program, Debate team, ASB, and a few other clubs and activities. Fairmont has been my home away from home and has catered to both my social and academic development perfectly. The student-teacher relationships are extremely valuable and I have thought that the unique opportunities available have made all the difference in my education. I am confident that Fairmont has prepared me well for my future academic goals as well as my personal goals. read more

I have attending fairmont for 4 year so far, and may i say it has changed my life. I came to the prep Because it offers great eduction, lots of opportunity, the diversity at this school. What I love about fairmont is for the fact that you have this completely different reltationship with the teachers than other teachers at other schools. i recommend enrolling students because it really interacts everyone social nd emotional. read more

I have been at Fairmont since preschool and could not emphasize what a phenomenal experience it has been for me. It has not simply handed me, but rather taught me the hard work ethic that will help me grow and succeed as a person. Rather it is through their countless clubs which students are free to join and create, nationally ranked debate team, robust athletic program, honors business program (my personal favorite and one I highly recommend) , or incomparable counseling program, I have all the resources to find who I am as a person and push myself to be the best student I can be.  Fairmont's family structure where we all support one another and help one another grow from our mistakes, while still pushing each other to be our best is so rare. It is the reason why I came to Fairmont, and continues to be my favorite part of it. read more

Good Academics, Great Advance Science and Engineering Program. Lots of AP and Sports offering ! Awesome Debate and Robotics.

You are not going to find a better education with a broad spectrum of opportunities and programs for domestic and international students and excellent student to teacher ratio where teachers really care and are passionate about helping students succeed. Students are well challenged in a caring family centered environment and are well prepared for college. read more

I'm so bored... can't believe I'm writing a review about this place. Anyways, please don't send your children to this hell. I can go on and on and on about how this place is a piece of shit. Generally, the dean is crazy. The rules are ridiculous. The school is worn-down. It is a waste of your money. The money that my mom spent for me to go to fairmont could have been used for better causes/things. Like many other schools, this place has it's pros. Mrs. Leslie was a prty great teacher. The librarian was pretty awesome too. You build your own little network and etc... My worst memory was my last year at Fairmont. It was the day the my class was taking our class picture. As I was walking that to class the assistant dean, mrs. marston, screamed at someone to tuck their shirt (if you're shirt is "caught" untucked, then you get detention... btw an hour detention costs 10 dollars). I checked the front of my shirt, and it was tucked. So, I continued walking to my class. Then that woman barked at me and everyone turned around to look at her. She screamed and pointed at me to come to her. I didn't think she was talking to me because my shirt was tucked, but little did I realize that the back was untucked. I walked toward that crazy woman and she harshly grabbed by arm and literally threw me into her office. I forgot what she said, but she said something like, "dont you dare ignore me." She slammed the door and locked it behind her to go take her faculty picture. What the fuck? Did she think I was going to escape? Why would you lock a 13 year old kid in your office? I was locked in the room for 30 minutes. I just in a chair and started crying. A secretary guard came in and saw me. He asked me why i was in there and I told him my shirt was untucked and that crazy bitch threw me in her room. He sighed and said, "just one of those days." When marston came back, she looked at me and said, "don't ever ignore me." She sat at her desk and wrote me a detention slip. She didn't even let me explain myself. I walked back to my class, and my teacher asked me why I was late... the class was about to end. I went home crying my eyes out. It's been four/five years and I still remember that like yesterday. On your child's behalf, I encourage you to not send him/her to Fairmont. It really is a waste of money and life. read more

I'm a guardian of a student at Fairmont. I noted that their graduates of 2015 were accepted into major universities across the country. "College Night" in the fall of 2014 was well attended! I've heard about a few students that have difficulty focusing. This is not the majority. My own student respects her teachers and the work they give. She's challenged by her AP courses. She's earning the grades. They have international students and learn respect for other cultures. I've attended "Back to School Night", met other parents, guardians, and qualified teachers. My student has real text books, produces work on technology, and is appropriately exhausted at the end of the day. She sometimes shares what goes on. It all sounds appropriate to me, a retired teacher myself. It's a small campus but pleasant and maintained. I'm most definitely a fan. read more

I have been attending Fairmont since third grade and I am graduating from the prep this year. Although I look forward to graduating I am sad to leave the school that has been my second home for the past 10 years. During my time at the prep I have been involved in several extracurricular activities such as Cheerleading, Volleyball, Soccer, Debate, Choir, Husky Vision, ASB, and the list continues. Without the prep's supportive and positive environment there is no way that I would have been able to do all of these extracurriculars and still be successful in my academics. I think that one of the greatest things about the prep is how they deal with unexpected obstacles that present themselves such as COVID. Being one of the first schools in Orange County to return to in person learning was an amazing experience. Although I am sad that my senior year is not what I had expected it to be, I am glad to have been able to still have experiences that I will remember for years to come. I highly recommend Fairmont Preparatory Academy as the place to send you children for the next four years. This school has really shaped me into the person I am today and I'm not sure where I would be without it. read more

I have attended Fairmont prep for about three years now and this school has been the best change for me. Previously, I attended all public school and coming to Fairmont has really shown a difference in quality of education. I originally was looking for a private school to attend but what made me choose Fairmont Prep over others was definitely the close student faculty relationship. Everyday I feel like my teachers are always there to help me succeed and really emphasize on actual learning over the letter grade. My favorite part about the Prep would have to be the ability to choose different aspects of high school and do them all. As a junior, I am in the ASEP program along with cheer and ASB. At other schools, it may be difficult to be involved in many activities but Fairmont emphasizes student engagement and allows me to explore all my interests! I would recommend every student to give a chance to Fairmont prep. As a public school student I went in unsure of the outcomes but I wouldn't have my high school experience any other way! read more

I have been waiting to do this for the longest time. Worst school on the planet they only care about there money even though the school is run but a bunch of incompetent insensitive asses!! Im 28 now and when i think back 11 years ago when my father put me on this school and took me put of my public school which was the biggest mistake my dad made because of course FPA would want me to transfer claiming there education is better there and Why would they want me there, because my dad paid and i wish he hadn't because all the money that was wasted could have been used to save him when he had his heart attack or help my mother and i. My house wife mom concerned about my education but when things got hard for me instead to being supportive the school alienated me and never tried to counsel me or even try to see how i was doing. EVERYONE KNEW, Mr Mendoza who was working there at the time, he called me once to the room in the office to talk about my behaviour instead of asking me why i felt like dying after my dad. so i could at least graduate but nope they forgot me and what i was going through as a 15 year old with my mom. Eventually my mom moved to another country after his passing. I came back 4 years ago after more than a decade. The only reason im writing this is because i have to drive past this dump every time i go to work. Oh and incase anyone read this. My mother passed when i turned 20. So in a nut shell this is a school from my nightmares. Save your money this place steals happiness and provides opportunities to those families that have deep pockets. read more

there are some great teachers that go out of their way for their students to understand certain topics, while other teachers just tell us info and give us a test, but overall okay school at best. read more

staff are incompetent. students barely speak english. im glad i got out when i did