4 college preparatory schools shaping leaders of tomorrow

A high quality education is one of the best long-term investments a parent could make for their child. Prestigious college preparatory schools around the US are not only guiding its students to achieve outstanding academic excellence, but they are also moulding them to develop physically, mentally and emotionally.

Personal development constitutes demonstrated and continuous improvement in one’s personal attributes such as character development, critical thinking skills, leadership skills as well as communication skills — all of which are crucial to succeed in university life and beyond.

The holistic teaching style implemented in US college preparatory schools focus on a more personalised and explorative learning framework to inspire these skills. Collectively, they help lay a stronger foundation for students to evolve into ambitious thought leaders and change agents — the kind our world needs today, and will continue to need tomorrow. These four schools in the US are renowned for producing just that:

Long Island Lutheran Middle & High School

Long Island Lutheran Middle & High School (LuHi) provides outstanding academic support and experiential learning opportunities. Source: Long Island Lutheran Middle & High School

On a beautiful 32-acre campus in Brookville, New York lies the prestigious Long Island Lutheran Middle & High School (LuHi), a private Christian college preparatory where every student is known by name. LuHi is a close-knit community where students are empowered to reach their full potential.

This is evident by the fact that every graduate effortlessly progresses to higher education. School counsellors are assigned to grade nine students and older to ensure they receive the acceptance letters of their dreams.

LuHi’s high school academic tracks span college prep, honours, advanced placement (AP), and dual-credit opportunities through its partnership with Molloy College. All routes include exposure to interest-building electives such as Multimedia Journalism, Introduction to Psychology, Marine Science, Website Design, and Sports Medicine. Championship-winning athletics programmes and community-bettering service opportunities are equally favoured.

Their state-of-the-art spaces inspire learning. For instance, the LuHi library is where students relish their favourite topics after school hours. When they’re done with the classics, they explore the future through Campus Technology, a robust and secure schoolwide wireless network that exemplifies LuHi’s future-focused repute. The school even positions discipline-based technology tools, such as cameras, probes, SmartBoards, and a digital language lab throughout campus.

Little wonder why LuHi’s graduates are experts in several areas by the time they take their next academic step, or why the Class of 2021 collectively earned US$3 million worth of scholarships. Recent college acceptances include Harvard University, Boston University, the University of Pennsylvania, Cornell University, and Princeton University. If this sounds like an achievement with your child’s name on it, click here to learn more about LuHi.

Episcopal High School

Episcopal High School (EHS) is a private, 100% boarding school for boys and girls in grades nine through 12. EHS has been around for 175 years, and today is home to 440 students. What’s unique about EHS is that students are guided by four principles: honour, academic distinction, spiritual growth, and community.

Here, students learn by making connections from freshman to sophomore and junior to senior years. Teachers work alongside each pupil in an open classroom. While EHS encourages students to embrace the principles of a liberal education and appreciate a deep and rigorous learning process, they are equally encouraged to challenge, question and explore the content of that learning, to push boundaries and overturn expectations.

Learning also takes place outside the classroom. Physical activity is key to the EHS curriculum, which believes that it is crucial to the health of every teenage boy and girl. The habits and routines of exercise at a young age is important to lifelong health, as well as the other values gained from athletic competition, from sportsmanship to self-discipline and perseverance.

A squash centre, a wrestling cage, a tennis court, and a field house — these showcase the school’s commitment to help EHS students earn these qualities through various athletic activities such as football, basketball, tennis, golf, cross country and so forth.

St.Timothy’s School

St.Timothy’s comprehensive academic programme is complemented by a beautiful, well-resourced 145-acre campus located in Stevenson, Maryland.
Source: St. Timothy’s Facebook

For more than a century, St. Timothy’s boarding and day school has been offering young women a chance to better themselves and the world around them. The School’s motto “truth without fear” was first established by sisters Sally and Polly Carter in 1832, to help girls achieve their potential and lead lives of meaning, purpose and consequence.

Today, this goal is facilitated via the prestigious pre-university International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and Middle Years Programme for students in grades nine through 12. The preparatory programme boasts a high success rate with plenty of breadth and depth to prepare students for college.

The comprehensive academic programme is complemented by a beautiful, well-resourced 145-acre campus located in Stevenson, Maryland, and the supportive community atmosphere of the School. Approximately 30% of population are day students, and the remaining are boarders who live in a close-knit community where the connection amongst students and staff goes well beyond the classroom. It is also a genuinely international institution, with one third of the population deriving from outside the US, encouraging students to develop an appreciation of the global community.

While academics are highly valued at St Timothy’s, they are considered just one part of student life, so students also heavily engage in artistic, athletic and moral pursuits.

Boston Trinity Academy

Boston Trinity Academy produces well-rounded students who are college-ready through completing their proprietary Senior Synthesis & Symposium project. Source: Boston Trinity Academy

Boston Trinity Academy is a Christian, coed, college preparatory middle and high school located in the heart of Boston, Massachusetts. It educates students in grades six through 12 and merges a strong faith culture, demanding academics, and service to others. The result? Graduates who exude the intellect, leadership, and moral character needed to succeed at top colleges and universities.

The journey to esteemed institutions begins in the Upper School, where students complete a rigorous course of study that includes four years of English and History and a minimum of three years of Science, Mathematics, and World Language. All students take a half-year Biblical Studies class, fulfil requirements in the Arts and Athletics, and complete a minimum of three out of 13 Advanced Placement courses offered.

When learners are ready, they seek guidance from their school’s Office of College Counseling. Their services aim to assist students through the often intimidating process of college admission. Every angle is covered. The process kicks off by experts helping students narrow down a list of college and universities that will best nurture their interests and strengths. They then guide students through SAT preparation, financial aid options, and the rest of the application process. Little wonder why high-achieving students attend Ivy League schools and top liberal arts colleges.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International