The Bolles School

Posted: August 14, 2023

This school has not been a great experience for me.
(1) There is A LOT of Bulling. (The teachers don't even care.)
(2) I was also the only one in my class who got a 100% on my math exam and they gave me a C for my grade.
(3) Also at school when we learn we are mostly playing.
(4) Their sports are really good! ( I recommend doing sports here )
(5) I recommend not coming to this school for learning.

Posted: August 14, 2023

Posted: August 14, 2023

Posted: August 14, 2023

Posted: August 14, 2023

Posted: August 14, 2023

Posted: August 14, 2023

Posted: August 14, 2023

Posted: April 18, 2022

Posted: April 18, 2022

Posted: April 18, 2022

Posted: April 18, 2022

Posted: April 18, 2022

Posted: April 18, 2022

So far, Bolles has not been a great experience for me. Although I have met some amazing people throughout my time at Bolles, the school has so many problems. It is extremely cliquey. I have felt ignored by many teachers and coaches, even when I ask for help. The dorm program is poorly run. There are some great teachers and dorm staff, but the way the dorm program is being run is not working. There is bullying. There are students who feel like they are entitled to everything. Although it is a college preparatory school, the homework load is sometimes unbearable. I have had terrible anxiety because of this school. Although it is a very pretty and nice school, it's what's on the inside that matters.

Posted: April 18, 2022

Posted: April 18, 2022

Posted: October 30, 2017

Posted: October 30, 2017

Posted: October 30, 2017

Strongly caution anyone looking to apply to this school who is a minority. The admissions process is vastly different depending on skin color. If you still want to send your child here be sure to coordinate directly with the Dean of Admissions during your application process. He seems to be the most open to allowing diversity onto the campus.

Posted: August 3, 2017

As parents we made an excellent choice Bolles is the Best there is no other

Posted: August 3, 2017

They have zero hour for additional help

Posted: August 3, 2017

They care on a daily basis, and willing to assist the students.

Posted: August 3, 2017

Good character is the Bolles way good citizens

Posted: August 3, 2017

The students must learn decision making on there own

Posted: August 3, 2017

Help us always there if needed all times.

Posted: August 3, 2017

Zero tolerance to bullying, they teach tean work not hurt

Posted: July 18, 2017

Posted: July 18, 2017

Posted: July 18, 2017

Posted: July 18, 2017

Posted: July 18, 2017

Posted: July 18, 2017

Posted: July 18, 2017

My daughter had an amazing experience her first year at the Whitehurst Campus. The fifth grade team is amazing, caring and effective!

Posted: April 4, 2017

The teachers usually favorite others which is not fair. They also just spill out homework and tests without caring. They never help me out either.

Posted: April 4, 2017

Posted: April 4, 2017

Its a terrible school. I'm extremely disappointed.

Posted: February 6, 2017

This is the worst part of this school, Bullying is the main problem. The Honor Code is a joke. The kids that usually do football or their rich parents are donators they treat them like royalty

Posted: February 6, 2017

This school doesn't help students that need help. Especially someone with a failing grade the teachers should be helping them and asking them why

Posted: February 6, 2017

No not at all the kids don't help others and just care about their own grades.

Posted: October 17, 2016

I had a great high school experience at Bolles. I see a lot of reviews mention things that I never encountered at Bolles. One reviewer said that it is hard for minorities at Bolles, but as a minority with many friends of various ethnicities, I never once felt that I stood out or had to try harder to fit in. Many reviewers mentioned socio-economic status and wealth, but, once again, I never once saw that. I loved my experience at Bolles and I think that it pushes your academic abilities so that you can be the best that you can. College was a breeze, and I thank Bolles for that!

Posted: April 4, 2016

Posted: April 4, 2016

Posted: April 4, 2016

Posted: April 4, 2016

Coming from another state we enrolled our son in Bolles 4 years ago after reading about all the nice things it had to offer. But soon we realized it was a big mistake. Although the school offers advanced learning in every field, it’s social environment is very challenging. It transformed our son from a happy, confident child into someone gloomy and diffident. He would come home sad and started having nightmares about going to school. The school along with the families promote a cliquey environment and favor their own people, it gets even worse for minorities. Even though our son is extremely bright academically, he was constantly picked on by the teachers, one even called him a cheat and one would purposely ignore him till the very end of the class session to mount up pressure on him. The homeroom teacher would constantly evaluate our socio-economic status and at some point asked us if our house was big enough to accommodate a study area for our son. We pulled him out after a year, although wish we had done it much earlier. Within a year, the school was successful in ripping out my child’s self-esteem, which I believe can be quite damaging in the long run. Glad it’s all over now and my son doesn't want to keep anything that reminds him of Bolles, not even the yearbook! Bolles was definitely not our cup of tea!

Posted: December 15, 2015

Posted: December 15, 2015

Posted: December 15, 2015

My family is newer to the Jacksonville area, coming from a larger metropolitan city. I had heard good things about Bolles and spoke with an admissions representative and toured the lovely campus. The admissions representative I dealt with took quite an unsophisticated approach in questioning my husband and I about our careers, what neighborhood we were considering settling and our family backgrounds. My husband and I both felt that we were being evaluated on our economic status. Further, this representative and another school administrator gave an elaborate dissertation on how many prominent professionals send their children to Bolles. Finally, the admissions representative (maybe with the intention of trying to impress us) shared where she lived and that she is only in this position because it does not require a large time commitment and she is free to travel extensively. These encounters left us with the impression that Bolles places a heavy emphasis on a families socio-economic status. That may be appealing to some families. Not so for us.

Posted: October 10, 2015

I am so pleased with my son's experience here it is everything I've looked for in education. The staff is attentive, dedicated, and hard-working. The coursework is rigorous, but presented in a way that doesn't discourage the students. And the campus is incredibly beautiful. I can't believe my child gets to go to school there.

Posted: October 10, 2015

Posted: October 10, 2015

Posted: October 10, 2015

Posted: January 1, 2015

The school is very rigorous. Many AP classes.Great variability in the skills and level of passion of teachers. Many teachers pride themselves on being "hard" teachers rather than "great teachers committed to teaching." Although there is zero hour to meet with teachers, many teachers are not willing to help explain the material. Some teachers are excellent teachers very committed to teaching. Others are not. There is SO much homework, it is difficult to fit in social activities and sports. This is a very sports oriented school. If you want your child to spend all night and weekend and holiday breaks and summers studying, this is the place for your child. But all of that homework does not translate into becoming a strong writer, critical thinker or compassionate person. There are many super wealthy elitist kids who go to Bolles as well as many regular kids. There is a strong emphasis on popularity, probably similar to other high schools. Also, do not believe the myth that going to Bolles will get you into an elite college. My point is why should kids be forced to give up their childhoods--why not wait until college to have that kid

Posted: October 5, 2014

My child is a sophomore at Bolles. I am very impressed with this school. Prior to Bolles, we utilized every opportunity in the Clay County gifted program. Even so, the rigor at Bolles is substantially beyond the best the public schools have to offer. The honors classes especially are simply excellent. My son's wit and conversational maturity improved within 2 months of being there. The only concern I have is related to high school in general. If playing sports, my son is truly gone from 6:30am until 7:30pm. I feel as a mom, I'm not done raising him! I need more time. :) The other day, I reminded him he could go to the local public school and be home by 1:45. He said, "But then I couldn't learn like I'm learning now. And nothing's worth that."

Posted: September 19, 2014

I was new to Bolles this year and it has got to be the best school you can attend. First off, people are not "spoiled rich brats" I have met some of the sweetest most down to earth people at this school. For the people saying that athletes at Bolles are stupid and they just get by because they are athletes, you clearly have no clue what you are talking about. Teachers are there to help you, they make themselves available to you and are always happy to help, whether you use that or not, its up to the individual students. Bolles as a community is extremely welcoming and close. Most of my friends went to Bishop Kenny and they all tell me about the upperclassmen hazing the underclassmen, physically hitting them, and verbally insulting them. At Bolles the upperclassmen are helpful and generally very nice. If you want a school that prepares a well rounded student than send your child to Bolles.

Posted: June 1, 2014

I attended this school for one year before transferring to Bishop Kenny. Bolles was over run with rich brats, who all felt they were Gods gift to the world. The classes at Bolles lacked real challenge due to the large amount of athletes who were not smart. I found Bishop Kenny to be a much more accepting, challenging, and and cheaper environment. Students were not treated equally at Bolles, at Bishop Kenny everyone follows the same rules. The students at Bolles have no morals, and are materialistic. The students at Bishop Kenny demonstrate strong Catholic values. Do not waste your money sending your child to Bolles.

Posted: November 23, 2013

I'm currently in grad school studying computer science, but went to Bolles for middle and high school. I frequently thank my parents for sending me there, as it prepared me academically for college. The first 2-3 years of college were significantly easier than high school. Academics are the only area where I will praise Bolles. The social atmosphere at Bolles was brutal and certainly not helpful as I was growing up. Money and who has it is at the forefront of pretty much everything, from the school's response to honor code violations to who hangs out with who. The teachers are varied - some are awesome, some are of the "teach yourself" variety, either way you'll learn because the standards are high. For better or worse, that helped me when I got horrible "read the slides" professors. My parents gave up a lot to send me to Bolles, and I do think they made the right decision. Keep your kids feet on the ground, expose them to life outside of the Bolles bubble, and they'll do do great at Bolles.

Posted: October 29, 2013

My son came in in the 8th grade this year.. It has been an amazing experience. The culture for excellence is making him a great leader and honestly he loves it. I am looking to have all three of my children to attend next year. We are greatly pleased. It is a champion culture with loving staff.

Posted: October 6, 2013

My son is new to Bolles this year. He attends the Whitehurst Lower School Campus. Coming from Catholic schools as the youngest of three, we weren't sure what to expect. What we have encountered is a loving, safe, friendly and challenging environment that makes me proud and happy to have him attend. When we asked him what he thought of his new school he said that he absolutely loved it and he felt the teachers loved him back. The school has a reputation as one for only wealthy students. I can report that there is a wide mix of student types and socioeconomic circumstances represented at Bolles. The education is top notch and we are very happy to have our child there.

Posted: July 24, 2013

I will be a junior this upcoming semester at Bolles, and I have attended Bolles since 7th grade. Honestly, I have no complaints at all about this school. Most of the people are more than friendly (of course it has its few, as every school does...but all you have to do is avoid them). The teachers and staff could not be more helpful and friendly. The only time it seems as though they aren't helping you is when they really want you to work on your own and be independent. As for the review that claimed that Bolles allows smoking in the dorms and does not enforce policies, you cannot be more wrong. Bolles is very adamant about following school policies and they enforce them constantly. Many people think that Bolles is only a place for "rich brats", but I can tell you that I am definitely not rich even though I attend Bolles, and many of the "rich brats" are not brats at all. Bolles houses and teaches some of the nicest most giving people I have ever met. in fact, the people I met at Bolles are much more welcoming than anyone I met when I was at public school.

Posted: November 9, 2012

My son started Bolles last year, and loves the school. He is a boarder and he has been welcomed by the other students since the first day. He is highly involved in sports (swimming) and his grades have improved a lot since he started the school. He is actually challenged, and his self-esteem and enthusiasm to do well have increased every day he has spent at the school. It is a very expensive tuition, but worth every cent. I wish I could afford to send my other two kids there as well.