Google Is Removing School Reviews — What You Need to Know
Engaged Right-Fit Families
If you’ve ever felt the sting of a one-star Google review or dealt with prank ratings on your school’s profile, here’s some news you’ll want to hear:
Starting April 30, 2025, Google is removing all reviews and star ratings from Business Profiles for K–12 schools.
Yes — all of them.
This is a big shift for schools managing their digital reputation. For the past five years, Google has mostly blocked reviews for K–12 profiles. Now, they’re going a step further by removing the entire reviews section altogether. Their reasoning? A steady stream of unhelpful and false comments that have become more of a liability than a value-add for schools.
If your school has worked hard to build a strong Google review presence — maybe even a 4.9-star rating — this news can feel like a gut punch. Especially if you’ve been in the admissions seat since before the review freeze in 2019, and put in meaningful effort to capture parent voices while the feature was still live.
That work wasn’t wasted — and you don’t have to lose the stories those reviews told.
Let’s walk through the steps you should be taking now, and what this means for your school.
Why This Matters
Whether your school had glowing reviews, negative ones, or none at all, this change resets the playing field on Google. But reviews still matter — a lot. In fact, when families are exploring schools, they’re looking for signals of quality and trust. If they can’t find those on Google, they’ll look elsewhere.
That’s why now is the time to rethink where and how you’re encouraging reviews, and make sure your online presence continues to reflect the experience your school offers.
7 Places Families Will Still Look for Reviews
Google may be phasing out school reviews, but these platforms are still live and active:
- Facebook – Parents often turn here for recommendations and reviews from other families.
- GreatSchools – A go-to source for comparison shopping in public and private school searches.
- Niche – Known for its detailed rankings and parent reviews.
- Yelp – Yes, families use Yelp for more than restaurants.
- Private School Review – Tailored for families considering independent schools.
- US News & World Report – Offers curated data and rankings for schools.
- Boarding School Review – Important if your school offers boarding options.
These sites aren’t disappearing. And in a post-Google-reviews world, they’re more influential than ever.
How to Strengthen Your School’s Review Strategy Now
This update from Google isn’t a reason to panic — but it is a moment to get proactive.
Here’s where to start:
- Back up your existing Google reviews. If you have positive feedback on your profile today, copy and save those reviews before April 30. You can repurpose them for your website, social media, admissions materials, or even a testimonials page.
- Audit your school’s presence on the review sites above. Is the info accurate and up to date?
- Encourage current families to leave thoughtful reviews — especially those who’ve had a great experience.
- Respond strategically to reviews when you can. A professional, warm tone goes a long way.
- Keep reviews top of mind in your admissions strategy. They’re a key part of how families build trust before they schedule a tour.
Your hard work on reviews still matters. And with the right approach, you can carry the momentum you built on Google into platforms families continue to trust.
Ensure your digital reputation reflects your school community.
If you’re wondering how to adapt your approach — or want help creating a review strategy that supports healthy enrollment — we’re here to help. Schedule a conversation with the Tassel team to get expert insight into protecting and promoting your school’s online presence.
