Great Hearts Academies - Veritas Prep

Great Hearts Academies - Veritas Prep

Charter Middle, High School | Grade 6-12
3102 N 56th St,  Phoenix, AZ
3.9
3.4
792 Students
A
Niche Grade
Home of the Falcons, Veritas Preparatory Academy is a tuition-free public charter school that focuses on cultivating students’ minds and hearts with truth, goodness and beauty. The academy offers a rigorous liberal arts curriculum with an emphasis on critical thinking. Here, students in grades 6-12 are assigned to one of six houses, each named after a historical figure — Homer, Da Vinci, Joan of Arc, Newton, Charlemagne and Washington. As the cornerstone of Veritas Prep, the House system fosters a sense of community and friendly competition unrivaled by most schools. Like all Great Hearts Academies, the school sets high expectations for students not just in academics but in personal conduct and behavior as well. The faculty follows a classical approach to education, where, beyond the mastery of subjects, students can also learn virtues to make them more responsible citizens. In addition to athletics and a number extracurriculars in the fine arts, some of the school’s notable programs include the student newspaper, yearbook, the annual Veritas Art Walk, student musical, and the Iliadathon, which is an all-night reading marathon of Homer’s classic epic.

School Details

Head of School
Douglas Minson
Average SAT Score
1290
Average ACT Score
29
Math Proficiency
62%
Reading Proficiency
66%
Average GPA
3.48
Graduation Rate
92%

Niche Grade

A
Academics
A+
Teachers
A
College Prep
B+
Administration
B
Resources/Facilities
C+
Clubs and Activities
B-
Sports
A+
Food
Source: Niche
Niche Grades

Niche grades and rankings are calculated using dozens of public data sets and millions of reviews. Niche data scientists and user researchers rigorously analyze data and user opinions to assess the key aspects of K-12 Schools, Colleges, and Places to Live. Every month, millions of students and families use the Niche grades and report cards to find the right school or neighborhood.

Niche Grade Details

Academics
Average GPA
3.48
Reading Proficiency
66%
Math Proficiency
62%
Teachers
Teachers in First or Second Year
4.5%
College Prep
Average SAT
1290
Math
650
Verbal
650
Average ACT
29
Math
27
English
30
Reading
30
Science
27
Number of AP Courses
7
Clubs and Activities
Girls Athletic Participation
Low
Boys Athletic Participation
Low

GreatSchools Rating

Source: GreatSchools
GreatSchools Rating
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

GreatSchools Rating Details

Test Scores

Math
21%
State Average
48%
Science
14%
State Average
30%
GreatSchools Test Scores Rating
GreatSchools
The Test Score Rating reflects annual state test results for this school compared with scores statewide.

Teachers and Staff

Students Per Counselor
398:1

Student Diversity

Female
53.3%
Male
46.7%
White
62.2%
Hispanic
22.2%
Two or more races
6.6%
Asian or Pacific Islander
5.5%
Black
2.5%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
<1%
Native American
<1%
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School Rankings

#17 Best Public HS Teachers in Arizona
#21 Best Charter HS in Arizona
#27 Best Public HS in Arizona
Source: Niche

Specialty School Programs

Free/Reduced Lunch Offered

Colleges Students are Considering

Students are most interested in or go on to attend these colleges.
Arizona State University 121 Students
Northern Arizona University 80 Students
University of Arizona 72 Students
Grand Canyon University 40 Students
University of San Diego 26 Students
University of California - Los Angeles 19 Students
Chapman University 15 Students
Arizona State University - Polytechnic Campus 14 Students
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott 14 Students
Arizona State University - West Campus 12 Students

What Students Want to Study

Niche users from this school are most interested in the following majors.
Psychology 30 Students
Business 23 Students
Political Science and Government 18 Students
Biology 16 Students
Pre-Medicine Studies 15 Students
Philosophy 15 Students
Mathematics 14 Students
Engineering 12 Students
Computer Science 11 Students
Kinesiology and Exercise Science 11 Students

This School’s Reviews

Niche Reviews
3.9 56 Reviews
4.0 Alum
6/27/2022
This school is a very immersive liberal arts experience. If there was one thing I wish I could change, I would have liked to have had more social activities that weren't weird.
4.0 Senior
2/17/2022
I love the emphasis on growing a love of learning instead of focusing on test scores. It's an extremely intense school, but I feel well prepared going in to college, and I loved the classes and teachers. Veritas truly focuses on growing a sense of wonder, and inspired us to ask deep questions and discuss with our peers. Typically, there was no pointless/busy work. Physics 2 was definitely a pain though
4.0 Senior
4/17/2020
I attended Veritas for 9 years. This school has taught me, through schoolwork and other activities, how to be a well rounded woman. The challenging class work and supportive staff have made my high school experience amazing. I have learned through role models such as Aristotle and Socrates how to be virtuous and pious.
GreatSchools Reviews
3.4 23 Reviews
1.0 parent
8/20/2024
My son attended Great Hearts for two long grueling years in high school. Unless your child is an academic robot, this is not the environment you want for him/her. The environment is one of uniformity, that does not allow your child to express individuality. It was stifling, and ultimately, damaging...
1.0 parent
6/24/2024
Veritas Preparatory Academy has been a disappointment on multiple fronts. The administrative staff is unresponsive and often dismissive of parental concerns, making it difficult to address any issues or seek assistance. The teachers, while some are competent, seem generally overworked and unable to...
2.0 parent
11/14/2022
Many teachers have kids in the school and some of the parents are involved in more in the school. These parents formed a center core group. Their kids always got more attentions in school no matter academically or after school activities regardless the skill level. If you are one of these core paren...
1.0 parent
4/14/2022
Administration has their teachers trained very well to be puppets, they all speak in scripted language, promote bullying as they permit it. The teachers limit the calls to parents to no more than 15 min and then all make a great excuse that they need to be somewhere else. I had a teacher flip out on...

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