Academy of Thought and Industry - San Francisco

Our daughter is a highly focused and motivated young person, but she had always felt like high school was a waste of her time. I wish we had found ATI sooner. She was able to spend her senior year there and just finished in their first graduating class. We are so grateful to her guides and to the leadership of the school. We wish continued success for the school and the many future students fortunate enough to attend ATI.

It's hard to say enough good things about this school. I had quite a precocious, independent-minded teen on my hands with few educational options as we approached high school and I was very apprehensive. We are very thankful we found ATI. From the process of determining if ATI was a good fit through my daughter's first year at the school, several things have impressed me:

Michael Strong is passionate about mentoring young people and seems to understand and connect with them. He's also assembled a fabulous staff team who share a genuine affection for the kids they mentor and teach.

Students have the chance to ask relevant questions and do work relevant to their lives. Their education is shaped and driven by things that inspire them. This makes all the difference.

The rigor is impressive without being oppressive. Our daughter has had the chance to take AP classes at 12 and is thriving on the challenge.  High expectations are set for students and because their education is shaped by what drives them, they seem to rise to meet those standards and still have time to grow and process because there are less boxes to check off. The evaluations are especially helpful in taking on the role of coach for an increasingly independent teen.

ATI is a positive, necessary, well-crafted and refreshing alternative to traditional "big box" school teaching methodology. We found it an ideal fit for our child who benefitted from their empathetic and open minded approaching to education which fosters a self-motivated mindset. I can happily and enthusiastically endorse their program for the positive impact it has had on our son.

We have seen an enormous improvement in our 13-year-old daughter’s self-confidence, independence and maturity since she started at ATI. She is also more articulate and focussed. Thanks to the Socratic Method which is practiced throughout the school every day, our daughter is learning to think critically, form opinions and participate in intellectual discussions. We are also impressed with how her writing skills have improved and evolved.

We love that she can choose electives that thrill and engage her, such as Film, Design, Art and Chemistry, and that she is encouraged to discover and pursue personal interests that are meaningful to her. She can also work at her own pace and receives one-on-one tutoring to help her on her journey of self-discovery. Her guides are supportive, involved and engaged and care deeply about our daughter’s welfare.

The collaborative nature of the school encourages the students to work in teams, as well as on their own. When you visit the school, it is amazing to see so many students who are confident, articulate and so comfortable in their own skins.

ATI is a precious jewel in the San Francisco independent high school scene. My son is getting in depth academics, the choice he craves in how to spend his intellectual time, college prep testing/training, an intimate community of peers that values kids who walk off the beaten track, incredible mentoring from committed teachers, and the time to pursue his non-school interests. He has just the right amount of homework, allowing him to connect to activities in the whole city and to develop not just as a student but as a well rounded citizen. The school expects a kind of independence from students that is, in our experience, both age appropriate and liberating.