Laurel Springs Homeschool vs. Sora Schools | Full Review

Sora Schools vs. Laurel Springs: which online school is right for your child?

Sora Schools and Laurel Springs are both online private schools, but they fit different kinds of learners. The biggest differences come down to cost, class size, and teaching style:

• Tuition: Sora's full tuition is $17,900 per year, but it's need-based — about 65% of families pay a reduced rate, with Flexible Tuition ranging from $7,500 to $16,000. Laurel Springs prices by program: its full-time Academy high school is $17,250 per year and its standard high school program is $11,700 per year, without income-based aid.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Sora keeps a 9:1 ratio; Laurel Springs is reportedly closer to 24:1.
• Learning model: Sora is interactive and project-based, with students progressing by mastering skills; Laurel Springs offers a more traditional, self-paced curriculum with a wide range of electives.
• Best fit: Laurel Springs suits highly independent learners who want an online version of traditional school; Sora suits students who learn through interaction, projects, and pursuing their own interests.

In short, Laurel Springs mirrors a conventional classroom online, while Sora — a fully remote, accredited school for grades 6–12 — is built around small, project-based classes and personalized, mastery-based learning.

Are you interested in finding a private online school for your child? It can be a daunting task to figure out which online schools are the best fit for your child. It's one thing to find a list of "Top 100 Online Schools" through Google. It's another to find the school that will best support your child's specific needs.

Here's a comparison between two competitive options across key considerations: Sora Schools and Laurel Springs. After reading, you'll have a better idea of how to determine which online school is best for your child.

Academic Quality

Most student and parent reviews attest to their satisfaction with Laurel Spring's academic quality. Several say that it provides more academic rigor than their local public schools. This seems especially true for students who were unsatisfied with their public schools' remote learning response to the pandemic. Notably, they provide a healthy list of electives that students can choose from to dabble in different interests.

At the same time, some say that the curriculum can feel dated. Several reviews also cite frustrations from mistakes in course materials and online quizzes.

At Sora, students and parents have expressed high satisfaction not only with Sora's rigor but also with its commitment to innovation. Sora's parents rave over the amount of initiative Sora gives their children to shape their academic journey and pursue their passions. As one parent put it,

> Sora allows [my child] to follow her passion, making it a focal point, and it has the added bonus of providing her with the educational rigor of high school. And it doesn't hold her back from advancing at her own pace. I absolutely love that!

Affordability

Let's be honest, in-person private school can get expensive. Opting for an online high school like Laurel Springs or Sora can save you thousands of dollars.

Laurel Springs has a variety of tuition rates depending on factors like grade level, full-time versus part-time, and advanced placement courses. For its full-time Academy high school, tuition is $17,250 for the year (about $9,425 per semester); its standard high school program runs $11,700 for the year.

Sora takes a different approach with need-based Flexible Tuition. Full tuition is $17,900 per year, but about 65% of Sora students pay a reduced rate — the Flexible Tuition range runs from $7,500 to $16,000, and the school awards more than $3 million in need-based grants each year. At full price the two schools are comparable, but for families who qualify for aid, Sora is often the more affordable option.

Student-to-Faculty Ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio indicates the number of students enrolled in a school compared to the number of faculty members available to teach them. Generally speaking, both students and faculty tend to benefit from lower student-to-faculty ratios.

Why? Because lower student-to-faculty ratios tend to mean smaller class sizes. This means that teachers can more effectively tailor their instruction methods to individual student's needs and learning styles. It means more time and resources for students to engage in hands-on learning rather than passively absorbing information through lectures. And smaller class sizes afford more opportunities for students to form deeper bonds and learn from one another.

Ideally, schools should strive for less than a 20:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

Laurel Springs reportedly maintains a 24:1 ratio. This may not be a problem for highly independent learners who aren't looking for engaging interactions with their teachers. But this may be why some students report their disappointment with their teachers' minimal feedback on coursework and unresponsiveness outside of class.

Sora, on the other hand, relies on a low student-to-faculty ratio to support its personalized, project-based learning program. Sora maintains a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, which allows faculty to engage students in targeted, discussion-based learning to develop their projects.

Teacher Accessibility

When it comes to teacher accessibility, students and parents give mixed feedback for Laurel Springs. Some say the teachers were responsive and helpful. Other student and parent reviews report that Laurel Springs teachers hold rigid office hours that don't align with their schedules. It appears that some teachers are only available early in the morning, such as 4 am to 6 am, or late in the evening. This may be an important consideration if your child values easy access outside of class for help with course materials.

Sora has made communication between students and faculty fast and easy through the use of Discord. Using a live chat platform to consolidate communication promotes responsiveness and fluid conversation. One student shared,

> Sora's experts are also incredibly accessible. If I have a question about anything, be it about the course work or the details of a particular assignment or even the time of a meeting, I know that I'll get an answer quickly.

Which School is Best for Your Child?

Laurel Springs offers more course variety than most local public schools, while still providing a relatively traditional education experience. Its high student-to-faculty ratio and mixed reviews concerning teacher responsiveness suggest that highly independent learners may be best suited for their program. If your child works well alone and is looking for an online version of traditional education, this may be a school to consider.

Sora provides a more innovative and interactive approach to learning. Its low student-to-faculty ratio and personalized learning model provide an active, hands-on experience. Sora's approach especially supports the student who is tired of lectures and learns better through interaction. If you're interested in your child learning by mastering skills over memorizing information, Sora may be a great fit for you. To find out more about enrolling your child at Sora, click here to speak with our admissions team.

If you're weighing other options, you can also compare Sora vs. Stanford Online High School.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Sora Schools cost compared to Laurel Springs?

Sora Schools' full annual tuition is $17,900, but most families pay less: through its need-based Flexible Tuition program, tuition ranges from $7,500 to $16,000, and about 65% of enrolled students receive a discounted rate (Sora awards more than $3 million in grants each year). Laurel Springs prices by program and grade — its full-time Academy high school is $17,250 per year and its standard high school program is $11,700 per year, with no income-based discount. At full price the two are comparable, but families who qualify for need-based aid often find Sora the more affordable option.

What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Sora vs. Laurel Springs?

Sora Schools maintains a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, which supports its small, discussion-based Learning Expeditions and lets faculty tailor instruction to each student. Laurel Springs reportedly runs a much higher ratio, around 24:1. Lower ratios generally mean smaller classes, more individual feedback, and more hands-on learning, so Sora's model is built around close student-teacher interaction, while Laurel Springs leans toward independent, self-paced study.

How do students reach their teachers at Sora vs. Laurel Springs?

Sora consolidates student-teacher communication on Discord, a live chat platform, so students can ask questions about coursework, assignments, or meeting times and get quick responses throughout the day. Laurel Springs receives mixed feedback on teacher accessibility: some families find teachers responsive, while others report rigid office hours — in some cases only early morning or late evening — that don't fit their schedules. Easy access to teachers outside of class is a key difference between the two schools.

Is Sora or Laurel Springs a better fit for my child?

Laurel Springs suits a highly independent learner who wants an online version of a traditional education, with a broad elective catalog and self-paced coursework. Sora is a better fit for a student who learns through interaction and hands-on projects rather than lectures, and who is motivated to pursue their own interests and progress by mastering skills rather than memorizing information. Families weighing the two often decide based on how independently their child works and whether they want a traditional or a project-based learning experience.