2024-2025 Accreditation Survey

Alumni Student comments

What do you like best about our school?

I learned a lot of information that helped me throughout life. I was challenged and engaged.

The North Fork School laid the foundation I needed to have a successful career in the technology sector - the integrated curriculum, advanced analytical thinking skills taught, and the high standards are all critical to my job today. 

I profited from the small class sizes and challenging curriculum. I felt genuinely heard and understood during discussions. Assignments were tailored to my needs and interests which propelled my learning.

The level of education and challenging curriculum which encourages kids to truly think critically.

The teachers are incredible mentors and the class sizes are small. The result is a truly priceless relationship with both teachers and classmates.

I like the closeness of the teachers and students. My teacher knows exactly what I need to succeed, how I learn, if I'm not living up to my full potential, and more.

The small class sizes, interactive discussions, and customized feedback on writing.

I love the North Fork School's integrated curriculum where topics being taught in one subject correlate to another subject's topic at that time.

It's hard to quantify, even 12-16 years later, how The North Fork School best prepared me for academic and "real" life. At NFS, I learned to think in ways I never otherwise would have. I guess I "like" that it was a crucible for critical thinking, practical reasoning, communication, grit, and useful academic and interpersonal skills.

Small class sizes and challenging, dynamic curriculum.

I loved how personable and invested the teachers/staff are towards students. I always felt looked out for and cared about in regards to my education and future. Marie specifically always motivated me and made me feel like I could do anything I put my mind to, which I think is extremely important for young, impressionable minds.

The curriculum is incredibly rigorous and while my homework load is intense, I know that I am prepared for upcoming college courses. I also appreciate the small classroom sizes and intimate relationships with my classmates and teacher.

Holding young students to high intellectual/academic standards, while finding ways for students to still be kids, and foster their creativity and fresh perspective. Marie was always pushing us to push ourselves and our assumptions to really understand where intellectual rigor can take you, and the power of intensely critical thought.

The focus on critical thinking and written communication, two areas that are woefully lacking in modern America.

North Fork School pushed me to think critically and become self sufficient. I feel strongly that I would not be where I am now without the care and support of the teachers there. I also felt more prepared for college.

I like the personality of the school. The classes are small and there is a lot of direct and one-on-one contact with the teachers. The teachers really care about their students and continuously drive them to achieving their best work.

What do you like least about our school?

Didn't have any problems

N/A

The price tag.

All of it is good

It was difficult to be challenged. I faced a lot of growing pains. The teachers at North Fork expected my best work.

Sometimes the expectations are very difficult to live up to and it makes it very hard to be disappointed in yourself, often feeling burnout.

Having to commute to the school from the public school.

The facilities. BUT I appreciate that the focus is more strongly placed on high-quality education rather than flashy buildings, electronics, programs, etc.

N/A

I don't have much to say here! I do wish I'd maybe explored more options in regards to colleges I could have attended with Marie. However, if I had voiced that I know she would've helped me. I definitely could have used more college guidance in general and what to expect, etc.

The intense workload of each semester definitely causes stress in my life and I spend many nights staying up late to study.

The atmosphere of pushing kids to perform at their peak can sometimes be daunting, though it is a more realistic analogy for the real world anyway.

Although I now appreciate it, the North Fork School was rigorous and the teachers expected a lot from me.

I did not enjoy the homework or subject of English. This is personal preference as I am a a STEM-oriented person and favor courses in that area. I also disliked how much homework I had, but I will never regret doing it as it has helped me so much with writing.

What is one suggestion you would like to offer to improve our school?

Maybe some tech course offerings?

N/A

I really don't have a suggestion. I can't think of a better high school experience.

It would be nice if there were more students but that is it.

Some of the historical English readings were hard to grasp the context for a high schooler. Having a history lesson covering material specifically related to the English readings made the content in the books more meaningful.

N/A

I think students could really benefit from more public speaking exercises. I hardly did any public speaking until college and that was a bit of a rude awakening!

Nothing! North Fork School is a hidden gem in a small town in central Idaho.

I would suggest making the school more financially feasible for future parents and students. I know that my parents occasionally had a hard time paying for my tuition, but I think that the education that I received there was invaluable. Maybe offering a discounted rate for bundled classes or for families would be beneficial.

I suggest finding a way to draw more attention to the community about the school.

How did North Fork School classes affect your succeeding high school, college, and/or Graduate School experiences?

North fork school was immensely impactful in my college years and beyond. My writing, analysis, and editing abilities were consistently among the best in my classes and are consistently among the best in my workplace today. NFS has prepared me to succeed in communication and analysis better than any other schooling I’ve ever received.

Very positive impact through reading, writing, and history

NFS is the reason I was able to thrive at challenging, competitive schools including a BA and MBA at two different Ivy League universities. The skills I learned at North Fork enabled me to have a creative and challenging career in tech, where communication, analysis, and synthesis are all critical.

I felt properly prepared for college-level writing. I also felt I had a really good foundation for college applications. I don't think I would have achieved my goals for getting into college without North Fork.

It made all succeeding classes extremely easy and manageable.

I didn't think I could write before I met Marie. Under her influence I began a lifelong transformation towards self expression, effective communication, and rigorous analysis of my beliefs. The critical thinking and analysis taught at North Fork were specifically geared towards academic excellence in AP, SAT, and college settings -- standardized test prep was integrated into most examinations -- but ran so much deeper than that. I earned 5's on every English and history AP exam that I took and my SAT score was almost perfect but my growth as a thinker was immeasurably more profound than my growth as a test-taker.

I found that taking criticism is easier now and I am able to build off it and better myself.

It improved my ability to write, which was something that did not come naturally to me. Learning to communicate more effectively is a lifelong journey and NFS was an awesome springboard.

I felt very confident in my studies and assignments as a college student - while my peers were stressed about projects and writing papers, my time at North Fork equipped me with the skills I needed to approach any assignment with ease.

in innumerable ways

North Fork classes challenged me to develop strong reading, writing, critical analysis and independent thinking skills that proved extremely valuable throughout high school, college, and graduate school.

North Fork classes did wonders for me in college. I can confidently say that not a single college essay was more difficult than my essays at North Fork, which made those types of assignments really easy.

I spend a large chunk of my job communicating with customers and technical glitches with our brand partners and support team. I'm so grateful for my ability to write clearly and communicate issues in a time where people are email fatigued and miscommunication is common. Through my strong writing skills and work ethic. I can manage countless tasks and keep multiple teams on track so we can achieve our ever-morphing deliverables.

North Fork school was critical to my academic success in college and later in life. Establishing a clear baseline of expectations and helping me understand my own learning style ensured I knew how to adapt to meet changing and increasing demands of future academic/intellectual challenges. Everything from mastering time management, to “how to learn” knowledge, to the fundamental academic learning, it inspired me to be a scholar rather than simply a student.

My ability to write clearly and concisely has contributed more to my success in school than most other academic accomplishments.

I strongly feel that I would not be where I am today in my career without the preparation I received from North Fork School. I learned to be self sufficient and self motivated at an earlier age than some of my coworkers and friends. When reflecting on our secondary school experiences, I can confidently say that North Fork School prepared me better when entering college.

North Fork School provided me with effective communication skills in every realm. I know how to organize my thoughts and writing tasks take me less time than the average person.

Was the value you received worth the costs in time, effort, and money?

Incredibly so. Every college writing assignment was a breeze compared to NFS. My reading and writing skills are founded almost entirely on the work I did at NFS.

Yes!

Yes!!!

I think it was a little expensive for a single class but considering the effort I put in and the tailored curriculum, I would consider it mostly worth it.

YES without a doubt

My education was priceless.  There is no substitute for being tutored by master teachers. I am so fortunate to have attended this school.

I would say it was slightly too expensive for what I received.

Yes, the interactive education helped me so much in my writing and reading ability.

100% absolutely.

absolutely

Undoubtedly yes

I definitely think the knowledge and experiences I gained was worth the time, effort, and money. I do wish I had tried harder and taken more advantage of the resources that were being provided to me. I'd say North Fork is truly what you make of it.

Unequivocally.

Yes, though there were times where I felt like I was being pushed to the limit of my comfort zone of academic performance; this was impacted by my parents as well, to be fair.

I would say yes, and I think that my parents would agree. However, as a high schooler, I found this difficult to appreciate in the moment.

Yes, I am almost done with a double major in college. To this day, I have never had a more challenging or effective course. My family does not have the most money, but we always prioritized my education and found a way to pay for the school. My family understood the importance and value it added to my life.

Would you want your own children to take classes like those you experienced at North Fork? Why or why not?

Yes. They were an incredibly valuable educational experience that prepared me better than any other for adult life.

Yes, they were very helpful courses

Yes - the rigor taught me how to think critically and be resilient, skills I would want any developing child to have access to.

I would say yes. I think the North Fork curriculum creates discipline through writing and critical thinking. I believe this has been formative to my development as a writer, student, and person.

Yes, I plan to have them take classes at North Fork

Absolutely. If I had kids they would attend North Fork.

I would want my children to take some of the classes, but I don't find some of the other classes to be worth the money.

Yes, it is not easy for kids under 30 to grasp different time periods, but the NFS’ focus on classic books really stretches kids minds to comprehend other periods in history and the associated human mentality at a very deep level.

Yes, if I had children I would hope they could attend the North Fork School.

yes

I absolutely would want my own children to take classes like those at North Fork; the deep and mutually respectful relationships between teachers and students, together with challenging curriculum and emphasis on independent problem-solving, research, analysis, feedback, and revision provide an invaluable platform for education (and life!)

I'd love my future children to take North Fork classes because I think the value of smaller class sizes and one-on-one time with teachers is life changing, especially while co-attending public school. Marie was not only my teacher but also a mentor to me. She changed my life in so many positive ways.

Absolutely! If we lived in McCall it would be a no-brainer to send our kids to North Fork so they can experience the same education and intimate teacher experience I had growing up.

Absolutely. In fact, I’ve talked to my spouse about ensuring we find something similar, or simply move back to McCall to send our kids to the North Fork School. I fear the current environment of schooling is too reactive to the whims of political and social chaos, and ensuring that critical thinking, deep analytic ability, and independence is one of the best things we can offer for the youth of society. North Fork School provides this in excess.

Yes. Life is difficult and full of hard work, and having high expectations and standards applied in early education is a good way to help kids succeed.

Yes. If I lived in the area, I would definitely enroll my children in classes at North Fork School. I think that North Fork provided a strong educational base, as well as invaluable life lessons that lead to personal growth.

Yes, I have developed a life skill that will remain with me the rest of my life. I am very grateful for the opportunity that I received.