The purpose of this study is to examine how parents perceive the curriculum and school activities of Innovation schools and how such perceptions affect their children s preparation for university entrance exams. To this end, four parents at ‘A’ Innovation High School in Chungnam province were interviewed. The major results of the research are summarized as follows: First, parents of Innovation High School had a negative image of the learning atmosphere, educational conditions, and geographical location before their children entered the Innovation schools, but such negative perceptions gradually changed as they experienced school lives. Second, there were still more parents who did not know the exact characteristics of Innovation schools. Parents were aware of the positive aspects of Innovation high schools such as small number of students per class, various club activities, and the benefits of the comprehensive student record screening. However, such positive aspects of Innovation schools were undervalued because parents still recognized that effective preparation for university entrance is the most important criteria for defining excellence in high school. Third, there was no particular anxiety or strategy for university entrance preparation was found in parents of Innovation schools, and it was not much different from the experiences of students and parents of other general high schools. The findings from this study indicate that the anxiety regarding Innovation schools is caused by the inaccurate information parents had before they experience Innovation schools, rather than actual negative consequences of the curriculum or activities of Innovation schools. Based on such results, some policy implications that can improve awareness of Innovation schools are proposed.