Tallulah Falls School

Tallulah Falls is located in Tallulah Falls, Georgia, covering approximately 500 acres. It is about a 1.5-hour drive from Atlanta and about a 1-hour and 10-minute drive from the University of Georgia.

School Introduction:

1. In partnership with Truett McConnell University and Toccoa Falls College, it offers 20 college dual enrollment courses.

2. Featured courses include Forensic Science, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Culinary Arts, Precision Shooting, and more.

3. Senior Capstone Project: Senior students are required to complete an academic and intellectual capstone project. Throughout the year, students dedicate themselves to researching a topic and also practice valuable life skills such as interviewing, financial management, etc.

4. The arts curriculum is very rich. In addition to regular courses, the Culinary Arts program, in collaboration with Toccoa Falls College, also offers dual enrollment courses in Art Appreciation and Studio Art.

5. Sports: In the past five years, the school's high school teams have won the 8A District Sportsmanship Award 35 times, the middle school teams have won the Tri-State Sportsmanship Award 27 times, and there have been 20 Tri-State championships.

6. Universities that admitted Chinese students in 2019 include NYU, Emory, Purdue, UCD, UCLA, University of Florida, UCSB, and others.

Tallulah Falls School, abbreviated as TFS, was founded in 1909. With a 500-acre campus, it offers grades 5-12. The school is located in the historic town of Tallulah Falls, nestled in the beautiful mountains of Northeast Georgia, a serene and safe place suitable for living and learning. Breathtaking mountains, rivers, lakes, trails, and the town itself form an incredible landscape, providing an excellent outdoor experience and a community suitable for living and growing.

My child has studied here for three years and had a good experience. They really like their school uniform, which is predominantly green and looks vibrant and full of energy. The school is right next to a forest, providing a natural 'oxygen bar' with pleasant weather and distinct seasons. Winters are not too cold, yet you can witness heavy snowfall. There are activities every weekend, and international students are taken shopping. The school receives substantial annual donations from The Coca-Cola Company, and there are special discounts for families enrolling two children together. Especially during last year's pandemic, the school cooperated with students returning home, arranged online courses, regularly sent emails to remind teachers and students of important precautions, and reduced a significant amount of tuition fees (I understand it was more than other schools). Admission is not difficult, and Chinese students generally go on to good universities after graduation. It's a school with a relatively high cost-performance ratio.

TFS has a very mature international student department. The international student department is very supportive of students, and the school's senior management also cares deeply about international students, providing assistance with daily life and other aspects. Most school teachers are very competent, do not overwhelm students with coursework, and reserve dedicated office hours daily for after-school tutoring. Since there's a stable community of Chinese students, you don't need to worry too much about experiencing psychological issues in an unfamiliar environment. Even if issues arise, the school counselor, Mrs. Barron, will provide a quiet environment and arrange for professional psychologists for counseling (it seems the school has a cooperative program with a clinic, so it's free). Other international students mainly come from Spain and Serbia, with some also from Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and Thailand. African countries include Nigeria, among others. International students in grades 11-12 are very friendly with each other (personal experience). I had a very happy two years studying at Tallulah Falls.
However, TFS does not offer AP or IB courses, but students can take AP exams independently each year. GPA is relatively easy to achieve.
The dormitory experience is quite complex; some people in our dorm liked to steal things... Some day students, being less exposed to the world, can be quite annoying. TFS is located in the mountains, so buying daily necessities usually requires waiting for the school shuttle on weekends to go and return together, leaving virtually no time for personal browsing.
School life is relatively peaceful, laid-back, and suitable for students who prefer a quiet environment.