25-583: Polytechnic School , often referred to simply as Poly, is a college preparatory private day school located in Pasadena, California with approximately 850 students enrolled in grades Kindergarten through 12. The school is a former member of the G20 Schools group. The school was founded in 1907 as the first non-profit , independent school in Southern California . It descends from
50-470: A local school district and draw from the entire district instead of the closest school zone . Some offer specialized courses or curricula that prepare students for a specific field of study. In contrast, others use the label as a promotional tool without offering programs different from a conventional high school. Preparatory schools began before the Civil War , when there were no public schools above
75-684: A school used to progress into another school. Prep schools in Japan are usually considered prestigious and are often difficult to get into. However, there are many tiers of prep schools, the entry into which depends on the university that the school leads into. Japanese prep schools started as chūgakkō ( 中学校 ) , secondary schools for boys, which were founded after the secondary school law in 1886. Later, kōtō jogakkō ( 高等女学校 ) , secondary school for girls (1891), and jitsugyō gakkō ( 実業学校 ) , vocational schools (1924), were included among chūtōgakkō and were legally regarded as schools on
100-500: A year in 2014). Some prep schools are affiliated with a particular religious denomination. Unlike parochial (Catholic) schools , independent preparatory schools are not governed by a religious organization, and students are usually not required to receive instruction in one particular religion. While independent prep schools in the United States are not subject to government oversight or regulation, many are accredited by one of
125-781: Is adjacent to the Caltech campus. Most of the North Campus buildings were designed by Myron Hunt , who also designed the Rose Bowl and The Huntington , and Elmer Gray, who designed the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Pasadena Playhouse . Some of the classrooms on the lower campus were also done by Gordon Kaufmann , and Roland Coate . The Cornett Mansion (now called the Haaga House) in the south campus
150-452: Is sometimes based on specific selection criteria , usually academic, but some schools have open enrollment. In 2017, 5.7 million students were enrolled in US private elementary or secondary schools, constituting 10% of total school enrollment. Of those, 1.4 million students were enrolled in a secular (nonsectarian) school. Public and charter college preparatory schools are typically connected to
175-697: The Claremont Colleges . Kaufmann, along with landscape architect Edward Huntsman-Trout, designed the general campus plan featuring four residence halls to be built the first four consecutive years of the College (1927–1930). The project's design is primarily in the Mediterranean Revival style. While gaining recognition for Kaufmann's work on the Scripps campus, he was also hired by California Institute of Technology in 1928 to design
200-690: The London Polytechnic Institute , circa 1908. Kaufmann then moved to Vancouver in British Columbia , where he spent the next six years. During Kaufmann's early career, he did much work in the Mediterranean Revival Style , which had become popular at that time. He was also the initial architect for Scripps College , a liberal arts women's college in Claremont, California . It is a member of
225-853: The Prep League . Poly has been competing in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) since 1962. In 2016–17, 82% of the students in the Upper School participated in some type of sport. The CIF Southern Section has recognized Poly for its commitment to sportsmanship and awarded Poly the CIF Southern Section Jim Staunton Champions of Character Award in 2012. Poly was named the ESPN Rise California/Cal-Hi Sport's Division 5 School of
250-492: The grammar school or elementary level anywhere in the US. Their graduates were not ready for college study, so many colleges set up "preparatory academies" to prepare them for college study. The preparatory division could dwarf the college enrollment, as at New York Central College . There were also preparatory schools unaffiliated with colleges, especially for girls, such as the Columbia Female Academy. At
275-402: The 13–18 age range. Little financial aid other than loans is available. Prep schools can be day schools , boarding schools , or both, and may be co-educational or single-sex . Currently, day schools are more common than boarding, and since the 1970s, co-educational schools have been more common than single-sex. Unlike the public schools which are free, they charge tuition ($ 10,000 to 40,000+
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#1732773092865300-586: The 21st century, some trial cases connecting public junior and senior high schools are seen in each region, too, broadening the education for college entrance. As the Japanese government provides grant-in-aid to private schools, the tuition is 5,000–10,000 US dollars per year, even if it is a private school. In the United States , there are public , private , and charter college-preparatory schools that can be either parochial or secular . Admission
325-532: The 84th most challenging high school in the United States in 2017. In their 2022 evaluations, Niche ranked Poly as the 3rd best private high school in Los Angeles, the 9th best private high school in California, and the 36th best private high school nationally. Polytechnic School covers 15 acres and is divided by Cornell Road into two campuses, north (Lower and Middle School) and south (Upper School), and
350-541: The Throop Polytechnic Institute founded by Amos G. Throop , the same institution that grew into the present California Institute of Technology . In the spring of 1907, the Institute decided to focus on the college level and closed the grammar school. Citrus tycoon and noted eugenicist Ezra S. Gosney donated $ 12,500, a sum matched by twelve other donors. This money allowed them to purchase
375-529: The Year in 2011. CIF-SS Team Championships (38) CIF-SS Individual Championships (69) University-preparatory school A college-preparatory school (usually shortened to preparatory school or prep school ) is a type of secondary school . The term refers to public , private independent or parochial schools primarily designed to prepare students for higher education . In Japan, college-prep schools are called Shingakukō ( 進学校 ) , which means
400-487: The best high schools in Los Angeles. The September 2008 issue praised Poly for its "national reputation for producing scholars, artists and athletes." Using test score data, the September 2014 issue of Los Angeles Magazine ranked Poly 2nd of 75 Los Angeles high schools. With an average score of 2150, Poly students had the highest average SAT score of any school included in the rankings. The Washington Post ranked Poly
425-691: The complex of dormitories now known as the South Houses , and the building for the Athenaeum , a private club located on the school's campus. Later in his career, Kaufmann worked primarily in the Art Deco style, with a personal emphasis on massively thick, streamlined concrete walls which gave his buildings a very distinctive appearance. Kaufmann's buildings as a result took on a very "mechanical" appearance, often resembling huge versions of old-fashioned appliances. The Los Angeles Times ' headquarters
450-528: The new system (6-3-3) took effect in 1947. Many shingakkō are six-year schools . Many have their origins in kyūsei chūgakkō and kōtō jogakkō , or ones attached to universities. Japanese pupils who aspire to a prep school education take written examinations in sixth grade in each prep school. Unlike six-year prep schools, the top municipal senior high school (three-year schools) in each school zone and some high-ranked private senior high schools (ditto) are also regarded as shingakukō ( 進学校 ) . In
475-526: The property at the present site, originally an orange grove. The school opened in October 1907 with 106 students. At the time, the school was named Polytechnic Elementary School . The school added a ninth grade in 1918 and expanded to high school in 1959. Polytechnic ended its pre-kindergarten program in 2005. Poly has a rigorous academic curriculum, which includes Advanced Placement and Honors classes as well as arts and athletic programs. In 2006, Poly
500-416: The same level as a school for boys. However, graduates from those two types of schools had more requirements for college entrance. In the modern period, many Japanese secondary schools were five-year schools, except for during a short term from 1943 to 1946. The social status of chūgakkō , or kyūsei chūgakkō ( 旧制中学校 ) , secondary schools for boys under the old system, did not disappear even after
525-591: The six regional accreditation agencies for educational institutions. Gordon Kaufmann Gordon Bernie Kaufmann (19 March 1888 – 1 March 1949) was an English-born American architect mostly known for his work on the Hoover Dam . On 19 March 1888, Kaufmann was born in Forest Hill , London, England. Kaufmann attended Whitgift School in South Croydon , and went on to graduate from
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#1732773092865550-529: The time, men and women did not study together at any level, and there were no women's colleges . Some of the female preparatory schools became women's colleges after the Civil War. Free high school level education for all became available in the later 19th and early 20th centuries. Since then, the surviving "prep schools" in the US are primarily private, elite institutions that have very selective admission criteria and high tuition fees , catering to students in
575-410: Was designed in 1907 and serves as the administration building and houses several classrooms for the Upper School. Facilities include a Lower and Middle School Library, Upper School Library, Pool, Boys and Girls Gyms, Athletic field, Performing Arts Center, and historic as well as new classrooms. Poly's Athletic Department currently offers 25 Varsity sports in the three seasons of play and is a member of
600-617: Was named a world leader in student participation and performance on Advanced Placement exams by the College Board . The school frequently had the highest percentage of its students receive a 3 or above on the AP Calculus AB examination when compared to all other small schools administering the test across the globe, according to the College Board. In recent years, the most popular college destination for Poly students
625-721: Was the University of Southern California . The Wall Street Journal ranked Poly 4th in the world as a feeder school for "elite colleges," including Harvard University , Princeton University , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Williams College , Pomona College , Swarthmore College , the University of Chicago and Johns Hopkins University . In the 2016-17 class, 35% of the class were National Merit Semi-Finalists & Commended students and 80% of students were accepted to 'highly-selective' top tier universities (institutions with an admit rate of 30% or lower). Los Angeles Magazine has also consistently recognized Poly as one of
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