Prep schools (full name: university preparatory schools, but also abbreviated as preparatory school or university prep school), are a strength in the school listings of our site. The vast majority of boarding schools and indeed many private schools are focused on preparing students for higher learning. The phrase 'prep school' is used often in the US, but it applies equally well to many Canadian private schools.
See below for our complete listing of prep schools.
Often, the prep schools in our listings brag - rightly - about alumni who have gone onto highly successful careers in academics, business, politics and other pursuits for which their time in private school served to prepare them well. Indeed, presidents of the US including George H. W. Bush, John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama as well as prominent Canadian figures like Michael Ignatieff, Ted Rogers and many others are all graduates of prep schools.
Typically, prep schools are boarding schools, although this need not be the case. A day school can fit the bill as well as any school. 'Prep schools' are also most often thought of as gender-specific (boys only or girls only), although, again, this need not be the case.
Prep schools in the US and Canada draw on the European or British tradition but they have developed specifically US or Canadian traditions. While media portray these schools as a kind of subculture ("preppies") in actual fact, there is a lot of variety and competition among prep schools. One thing they can be said to share, though, is a focus on excellence in education.
List of Prep Schools (University Preparation Schools)
