Masterman Julia R Secondary School

It's not a bad school. On the contrary, it's quite a good one, but like every other school, it has it's flaws. Masterman has a big problem with eliteism, and many of us do think we're better than others. Truthfully, we're not. Everyone tries, but there's the people who give the 80%, and then the people who give the 120% to balance everyone else out. And the cleaniness and supplies are definitely something to be desired.
—Submitted by a student

I attended Masterman from 1997 to 2004. I have stayed involved in the alumni association and activities because I love this school and have very fond memories of my time there. It is an excellent school and I plan to groom my soon to be born son to attend this institution and be part of it's legacy.
—Submitted by a student

Masterman did not live up to its expectations. I regret attending because of the homogeneous student population, a very corrupt teacher, ridiculous school policies, pointless assignments (mostly busy work), unclean facilities, lack of supplies, and horrible science programs/clubs/classes.

This is an excellent school. It properly melds both the academic and the athletic to provide its students with an outstanding experience. My wife and my daughter attended the school and both had extremely positive experiences. They are a public school that achieves like a private school.
—Submitted by a parent

This is the best public school available in the metropolitan Philadelphia area and probably the best performed public schoolin Pennsylvania in terms of the sate-wide annual PSSA tests. It did better than most expensive private schools around Philadelphia and in its suburbs. This school is probably the very reason I still dwell in Philadelphia in order for my kids to attend Masterman.
—Submitted by a parent

The best public Middle School in Philadelphia. A wide range of extra-curricular activities, especially academic activities. Teachers are mostly above average, some are superb. Several ignore the obligatory five-pound textbooks entirely. My only complaint is that the foreign language instruction is very weak. Either they should do it properly, or skip it entirely. The two principals have been highly visible, and have shown leadership.
—Submitted by a parent

This school offers students a rigorous academic experience.
—Submitted by a parent

Masterman is great for college-bounded students. If your kid is clear about what he/she wants to do, Masterman is great. Although some extracurricular organiztion are a bit small, it actually give individual students room to express themselves!
—Submitted by Elisa Chien, a former student

I am also a student at Masterman, in 11th grade. Masterman is a school for students that are exceeding the standards at their neighborhood schools greatly and need more of a challenge. While the resources aren't always the best (probably better than most Philadelphia Public High Schools, however), the teachers are mostly good to excellent and the student community is very tight-knit and for the most part accepting. The environment is one of learning and achieving, regardless of one's background. The major drawback is the pressure to succeed, which can create intense (though sometimes unspoken) competition between students. All in all, it's a great school and is perfect for those looking for a small, close community of students committed to living up to their full potentials.
—Submitted by Shana Knizhnik, a student

Awesome learning environment that gives the children the tools to succeed in life.
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent school. My only complaint is the school lacks the resourses commensurate with the level of academic achievement.
—Submitted by Steve Murray, a parent

I'm not a parent, I'm a kid going into 12th grade. All the same, having been in the school since 5th grade, I feel qualified to talk about it. My greatest advice is, if you're planning on going into science, stay away from Masterman. All of the science teachers in the high school have thick accents, or are simply not good teachers. They understand the material (some would argue this), but simply are not able to get it across very well. The Foreign Language (or French, at least) and Math Departments are very good, however, and if you are looking for a small school, I would recommend Masterman. FYI: It is more or less impossible to get into the high school without going to the middle school. Other than that, graduation rate is basically 100%, the students are crazy about grades, and facilities are bad. I've enjoyed my experience here.
—Submitted by a student

People send their children here for the peer group, because the teaching is pretty uneven. The facilities are overcrowded and a bit run down. The test score mania is annoying, but understandable. I'd like to see more emphasis on the Middle School, since the focus seems to be on the glory of having grads of the HS go to prestigious colleges. Still, my son seems happy there and I know he's learning.
—Submitted by a parent

This is probably the best public school in all of Pennsylvania. Some teachers (50%) are phenominal, some average and unfortunately 25% are incompetant. Specifically the science department is lacking in resources and good quality teachers. Of course now with the 'Leave no child behind' act testing occurs every five minutes and who knows what will happen.
—Submitted by a parent

The only reason to stay in Philadelphia, I don't think we could find a better school or a place where my son feels so much at home.
—Submitted by a parent

A remarkable, wonderful, talented student body... probably the best in any public school in the state. Its students deserve better than the insufficient resources devoted to the school by a bankrupt system. Teaching quality is very uneven, but over come by the students' capabilities. The school is a great feeder for highly selective colleges.
—Submitted by a parent

I have an 11th grader and an 8th grader in this school and I am completely happy with the education that they have received. If you are interested in applying for enrollment I suggest you do so before 5th grade, after that placement is very limited.
—Submitted by tracie adams, a parent

The discpline is unbelievably strict.
—Submitted by a former student

This is one of the best schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and in the whole United States, with 'Grade A' teachers and students, great faculity and an excellent facility.
—Submitted by a former student