A university-preparatory school or college-preparatory school (also known as tertiary preparation and usually abbreviated to preparatory school, college prep school, tertiary prep, or prep school) is a secondary school, usually private, designed to prepare students for a college or university education. Some schools will also include a junior, or elementary school. This designation is most common in North America.
In many parts of Europe, such as Germany, the countries of former Austria-Hungary, the Netherlands and Scandinavia, secondary schools specializing in college-preparatory education are called gymnasia and/or in some countries athenaea. College prep schools are usually a secondary school along with work for a host school, to help get into a desired college. Most students attend a college-preparatory school but also accomplish the host school's work for a high school diploma.
Famous quotes containing the word school:
“I’m not making light of prayers here, but of so-called school prayer, which bears as much resemblance to real spiritual experience as that freeze-dried astronaut food bears to a nice standing rib roast. From what I remember of praying in school, it was almost an insult to God, a rote exercise in moving your mouth while daydreaming or checking out the cutest boy in the seventh grade that was a far, far cry from soul-searching.”
—Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)