Van Nuys Senior High School

My experience at the school as a parent has been amazing in the magnet. There are very smart kids from great families with good values.

I love the school, the teachers are great and overall great school! However, if your child is serious about music and you are looking to send your child to performing arts magnet, I say don't do it. The level of the music at the performing arts are terrible. I don't see how they can call performing arts magnet proudly. Its very disappointing. This is only for music. I am not sure about theater dept. I've heard regular school with much better choir and better music band (jazz band).

I like it more and more each year. The magnet programs are solid and while the campus needs TLC it is quite nice to visit on back to school nights etc. The students I encounter seem to enjoy being there and all seem to be thriving.

Van Nuys High is a treasure with one qualification. If you are lucky enough to be in one of the Magnet Programs the school resources are great. The home school experience is less than stellar, though, and there is such a stark difference in the classroom experience. I took a Government/Civic course that was mixed Magnet/Home school students and the level of academic rigor was nil. We read information from our textbook and answered the very basic questions at the end if the chapter, stuff I could do in junior high school. Magnet program offers lots of AP courses and teachers are often inspirational. I also took the Auto Shop class, which I felt was a unique offering at a high school these days.