2022 Best Schools in Cary

Cary Academy

• Private School
• CARY, NC
• 6-12
• Rating 4.19 out of 5  99 reviews

Alum: I loved my time at Cary Academy (as much as you can for a high school)! For a quiet, yet hardworking and ambitious kid, the faculty at Cary Academy helped me find my voice and my passions. High school is transformative for most students, but Cary Academy helped me in ways beyond standard test preparation. Cary Academy taught me how to work, think and study. I went to college more than prepared and excited to take advantage of every opportunity. I would, however, like the school to focus more on the students and less on the business of the institution. Listen to the kids as your guide and hire faculty that are right for them.
Read 99 Reviews

• grade A+

• 784 Students
• 10:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Green Hope High School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• 9-12
• Rating 3.94 out of 5  469 reviews

Alum: GHHS is a great school but I wish it had prepared me better for life after high school! I knew nothing about dual enrollment, military service, or college opportunities and wish I had been given information about those things so I wasn't completely lost when I graduated.
Read 469 Reviews

• grade A+

• 2,503 Students
• 20:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Panther Creek High School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• 9-12
• Rating 3.9 out of 5  515 reviews

Sophomore: Panther Creek is a very diverse high school with a friendly environment.I met some of the kindest and most involved teachers here. On the other hand, there are some uninterested, hot tempered teachers too. For example, the Spanish department is made up of teachers who would rather be doing anything than teaching. The Spanish department is just one department among many others. The science and math departments consist of excellent teachers. A complaint I have about Panther Creek High school is that they do not have a health science department. This was very disappointing for me to find out since I want to work in the medical field one day.
Something that I cannot dismiss is the variety of clubs and sports that Panther Creek has to offer. There is a club for almost anything at this school. From Chinese Yo-Yo club to the Muslim Student association, Panther Creek has a broad selection.
Overall Panther Creek is a good High school to attend!
Read 515 Reviews

• grade A+

• 2,539 Students
• 21:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Wake NC State University STEM Early College High School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• 9-12
• Rating 4.21 out of 5  39 reviews

Alum: I graduated from STEM last May, and let me tell you, these 4 years were some of the best years of my life.

I met my best friends at this school - the tight-knit community of your class (~50-60 students) allows you to form friendships that will last a lifetime.

I have also had the wonderful opportunity to be taught by some of the kindest teachers I've ever had - I can truthfully say that both the faculty and administration at this school care about you and genuinely want you to succeed in life - and will give you all the support to do so.

The workload was tough - as it is with any Early College. But the students, faculty and administration made it all bearable.

Go STEM! So proud to be an alum.
Read 39 Reviews

• grade A+

• 254 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Cary Christian School

• Private School
• CARY, NC
• K-12
• Rating 4.18 out of 5  72 reviews

Parent: We have been with CCS since our oldest started Kindergarten and she is now in 3rd grade. We are so thankful for this school. Our own private school experience growing up wasn't great but CCS blows our experience out of the water! Not only do they provide an excellent Classical Christian Education, they also focus on the hearts of their students versus merely modifying outside behaviors. To feel like we have partners in raising our kids in the teachers and staff is such a blessing. To know that my kids are being challenged academically and spiritually is priceless. Seeing them start their journey in Kindergarten with presenting in front of the class as a 5 year old and headed to the finish line of their senior thesis presentation is exciting! I/we know the preparation they are receiving for college and life beyond is top notch! I can't imagine a better place for our children!
Read 72 Reviews

• grade A+

• 785 Students
• 9:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Wake Early College of Health & Sciences

• Wake County Schools, NC
• 9-12
• Rating 3.88 out of 5  139 reviews

Sophomore: I am a sophomore at Wake Early College of Health and Sciences, and I got to say that it has been a great school so far. The teachers here are great as they are very knowledgeable of their subjects and capable of explaining concepts to students. In addition, this school provides us with many opportunities to learn more about different careers. As a part of our early college program, we become full-time college students at Wake Tech. This is great considering that we get to graduate with an associate's degree at no extra cost. This not only helps families financially but also saves two years of time and prepares students for college. Overall, my experience at Wake Early College of Health and Sciences has been great!
Read 139 Reviews

• grade A+

• 339 Students
• 25:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Apex High School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• 9-12
• Rating 3.75 out of 5  436 reviews

Senior: It's a very nice school!

I moved here a year ago from my country and didn't know anybody.

But the diversity in Apex High made it easier to fit in and make friends.

The academics was also fairly easy, the teachers made it easier.

All the teachers I have had an encounter with were extremely helpful and friendly.

The Conselors are also amazing, they are helpful and nice.

Good:

-Easy academics

-Easy to make friends

-Awesome Library

Bad:

- Lack of Competition

-Could be more diverse

-Unnecessarily long Carpool Lane
Read 436 Reviews

• grade A

• 2,170 Students
• 19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Triangle Math & Science Academy

• Public School
• CARY, NC
• K-12
• Rating 3.56 out of 5  27 reviews

Senior: Overall, fairly good school.

Good academics (offers all non-obscure APs in HS) with strong teachers in all your core classes. More flexibility than most schools, very accommodating of students charting their own course through taking advanced classes. Never felt unsafe. Prepares you well for college.

It's a smaller STEM school, so sports are middling. You'd think the clubs would be strong, and they can be, but only when students or parents take initiative/leadership and take over the club. When this happens, strong resources are provided. When it doesn't, clubs fall into disrepair until another leader comes along.

The schools weakest point is admin, which seems to be quite bad. Teacher management is bad: I've seen teachers dealing with unreasonable/confusing demands, and more than one leave because of it.

Perhaps the biggest manifestation of this is that the school is currently too small for how many students it has. A second school has been promised for years and is needed.
Read 27 Reviews

• grade A

• 900 Students
• 13:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Cardinal Charter Academy

• Public School
• CARY, NC
• K-8
• Rating 3.33 out of 5  3 reviews

• grade A

• 922 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Hortons Creek Elementary

• Wake County Schools, NC
• PK, K-5

• grade A

• 933 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

White Oak Elementary School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• PK, K-5
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Niche User: I am zoned in to this school however the Grade 4, 1 and kindergarten are capped as of 2020 Feb. The current overflow school is Davis Drive Elementary.
So far, the school, it's parents and admission staff has been very helpful and transparent.
I have heard only good things about white oak elementary. Hoping to get my son placed here and add to this review.
Read 1 Review

• grade A

• 746 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Mills Park Elementary School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• PK, K-5

• grade A

• 847 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Highcroft Elementary School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• PK, K-5
• Rating 3.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Alum: Overall it was a good experience, the teachers are very nice and pretty well educated. I was only there for a couple years but all my memories are fond. The teachers truly care for the students and care about their education.
Read 4 Reviews

• grade A

• 925 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Davis Drive Elementary School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• K-5
• Rating 3 out of 5  2 reviews

Parent: As a mother of a child who struggles and has an IEP/some special needs, I have been blown away by the team's ability to support us. IEP meetings are efficient, proactive and quick. They are organized, well-thought through and have excellent advocacy skills. The teachers think about diversity and inclusiveness. What I love most is that they hold students accountable but are not consequence based. They encourage, support and provide incentive to motivate. Wonderful school!
Read 2 Reviews

• grade A

• 861 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Green Hope Elementary School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• PK, K-5

• grade A

• 680 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Morrisville Elementary School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• K-5
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Alum: Hi, I previously attended this school, and I would like to briefly show such of the wonderful memories I've made. Everyday you were greeted with the warm, genuine smiles of the staff who would always treat you like family. The PTA and school events were planned out giving the school most of its competitive culture. They communicated with each other to ensure their students would be their best. The school was very clear when disciplining at a young age and gave us time to experiment what way was easiest to learn. Through technology, friends, independently, and outside all engaged students learn about topics. I recommend this school if you want our child to value resources and friends in their life for a bright future. Go Mustangs!
Read 1 Review

• grade A

• 729 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy

• Wake County Schools, NC
• 6-12
• Rating 4.22 out of 5  27 reviews

Senior: Known as WYWLA, a middle and high school and dual college enrollment, located in Raleigh, N.C.. WYWLA's teachers and staff are very personable and friendly. The academic teachers are very knowledgeable and are well connected in our community. I entered WYWLA as seventh grader, coming from a large middle school, with the expectations that it was going to be "boring". I quickly learned that it was not so-called boring, but rather challenging and rewarding. I really like the small classes and how personable the teachers are to each one of us. The school work was hard, but you have plenty of resources to help you. There are numerous field trips. The school's academics prepares you for your college admissions, SAT/ACT, credits, and internships. The foundation is to prepare you for college. On the opposite side, there are few clubs and no sports on campus. School transportation is a challenge, since the school serves all of Wake County. Overall, my experience has been positive.
Read 27 Reviews

• grade A

• 332 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Davis Drive Middle School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• 6-8
• Rating 4.22 out of 5  9 reviews

Freshman: I went to Davis Drive Middle School all three years of middle school. There were some really nice teachers who really cared about the students. If you like joining clubs, Davis Drive is a great school because there are a variety of clubs to choose from. There were also very organized Mathcounts and Science Olympiad clubs. Overall I would recommend this school.
Read 9 Reviews

• grade A

• 1,108 Students
• 17:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Cedar Fork Elementary School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• PK, K-5
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Niche User: Awesome! It was so fun to go to school everyday. The campus is always kept clean and the teachers truly care about the students. Awesome school.
Read 1 Review

• grade A

• 851 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Weatherstone Elementary School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• PK, K-5

• grade A

• 846 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Mills Park Middle School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• 6-8
• Rating 4.29 out of 5  7 reviews

Niche User: Mills Park is a wonderful school! The teachers and students have a special kind of relationship, not to mention the school spirit is amazing! The teachers are very good in making sure that students ask questions and they understand that some students take longer to understand than others. The diversity is great and they have a variety of sports to offer.
Read 7 Reviews

• grade A

• 1,746 Students
• 19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Middle Creek High School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• 9-12
• Rating 3.79 out of 5  444 reviews

Senior: Middle Creek High School has the best educators. I would put them up against any other Wake County School. My school has a drive for excellence and not just in academia but in developing and preparing students for the future. It has been a challenging year as my family and I decided to do virtual schooling for the entire year. My teachers had to deal with real-life challenges due to COVID and did so with tenacity. From having to set up virtual classrooms, to teaching kids in a completely different learning environment which was difficult. Most families have two working parents so the ability for them to assist while working full-time jobs was difficult. The teachers offered up flexibility and empathy to all students which have been profound in bringing our community together.
What would I like to see changed? I think during this pandemic Middle Creek over-communicated on several different platforms making it more difficult for our parents to stay abreast of what is taking place.
Read 444 Reviews

• grade A

• 1,982 Students
• 19:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Olive Chapel Elementary School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• PK, K-5

• grade A

• 984 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Penny Road Elementary School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• K-5

• grade A

• 540 Students
• 15:1 Student-Teacher Ratio

Holly Springs Elementary School

• Wake County Schools, NC
• PK, K-5

• grade A

• 867 Students
• 16:1 Student-Teacher Ratio