Does Preparatory School Mean?

Preparatory school, school that prepares students for entrance to a higher school. ... In North America, where secondary education has been less selective and entry to it less competitive, the term generally refers to private secondary schools that prepare students for universities.

What age is preparatory school?

As their name suggests, preparatory (prep) schools are schools whose main purpose is to prepare children for entrance to a private secondary school. These independent, fee-paying schools usually take children aged eight to 13, although at girls' and mixed prep schools children often move up to senior school at 11.

Why is it called a preparatory school?

Preparatory schools, such as the Western Reserve Academy, began before the Civil War, when there were no public schools above the grammar school or elementary level anywhere in the U.S. Their graduates were not ready for college study, so many colleges set up "preparatory academies" to prepare them for college study.