Masterman Julia R Secondary School

Masterman is a very advanced school, the work is advanced, the majority of the teachers are kind, and the students are friendly. There is no repetitive school uniform that you have to wear, and the cafeteria food is better than usual school food (that's my opinion, at least). The work will be much more difficult than other schools, and there will be some days where you will have to work for a while. My only complaints are that the bathrooms are dirty sometimes, and you will most likely have to wake up earlier than usual the go there (it's not a neighborhood school). Besides this, the school is excellent, and you will not regret enrolling.

I'm a junior at mansterman and i have started at 5th grade. The school is pretty good and the staff members are also good. The biggest problems for me as transition from my old school to masterman due to it's work load. The teachers here are it and miss some are really good others are not as good. My one bit of advice is take spanish the French program is really good in 10th and 11th grade but 8th and 9th graders will struggle with french and the huge spike in difficulty doesn't help.

I am currently enrolled in this school at sixth grade. The majority of kids here are pretty nice. But the amount of work here, is well totally different than the amount at my old school. You get projects like every week along with bunch of other homework. They give you like one week to complete a complicated project. You hand in homework one day late, you get a fifty. Often, on one day, there could be more than two tests and all these assignments due. I mean, I use to enjoy school days and dread weekends because I get to hang out with my friends. But now, I love weekends, the main reason is SLEEP. Gosh, I was so close to falling asleep in couple of classes today. I often get less than six hours of sleep because I live far away and the loads of homework.

Masterman Is the top high school in the country. And the middle school is top notch. Anyone that says derogatory things about Masterman it's because they could not make it. The school is extremely competitive. Private schools are all about money. Masterman is about getting the best of the best.
—Submitted by a parent

Masterman is a remarkable community of students, teachers, staff & families.Students are very well prepared for the academic rigors of college.This is remarkable given the poor physical plant and funding challenges.Despite the competitive nature of academics found in any academically oriented school. Graduates consistently talk about how close they are, support one another, and feel they are competing with the outside world not each other. We give most of the credit to the kids themselves and the teachers in the classroom. How, there are some areas that could use improvement. While there is a core of outstanding, dedicated, talented teachers at every level, there are still many teachers the kids adn parents (and perhaps administration) shake their head s about and wonder how they continue to teach here. With large class sizes, the teachers need to be engaging, engaged, interesting, and able to be understood. Language is sometimes a barrier, lack of interest, or just poor teaching skills still persist. We need more tutoring and/or before and after school availability of teachers in every subject to support the students, especially in high school.
—Submitted by a parent

I went to Masterman from 5th to 8th grade and I hated it. The majority of the kids are extremely snobbish and look down on you if you are not on their level. The academics are good, but some teachers are better than others and certain star pupils get way more attention, also when I was there, the nurse never did her job. The faculty does not care enough about what is going on with students outside of their academics. Not a wide variety for sports and clubs, overall I am very glad I left this school. Do your child a favor and don't send them to this school.

I'm Currently Not Attending Masterman But I'm Going To Apply To Masterman Because I've Been Hearing Nothing But Good Thing's Of This School, But On This Page, Reading Everyone's Review Of Masterman I'm Starting To Have Mixed Feelings Of Masterman. Someone Help !!

Masterman is truly a great school it teaches you many things. I happened to be advanced at this school taking high school courses in middle school. The four years I spent here were truly a fun and educating. I can't thank this school enough for helping me get into a great high school. Not all the teachers there are great but that is the case in almost every public school. The teachers I had were truly amazing. Although a person wouldn't think it was a great academic school by looking at it. Master an didn't have a lot of money. I got accepted to the high school but didn't go. Lots of teachers at the middle school level were high school teachers increasing your chances of getting a bad teacher someone may have received. If someone does pick Masterman they made a great choice.

I currently attend Masterman and sure we don't have a science lab, and we use online textbooks, but we have a laptop cart in everyroom. I wouldn't call that limited resources.

Masterman is great and all, but a lot of students cheat. That's how some of them get into the high school. The teachers at Masterman were, 3/5 of the time, awful. I didn't get accepted anywhere for high school and I blame Masterman a teensy bit. There is nothing for middle schoolers to do, unless you like track, yearbook, band, or choir. And the fact that Masterman is so academically far ahead, I'm talking high school material for 7th and 8th grade and some college stuff for high school. Even if you happen to fall behind, like I did, you're still on a 10th grade level by the time you graduate middle school. If you didn't get into Masterman for high school, you're at the biggest disadvantage. Your mates are progressing and then you have to take middle school all over again. Masterman should definitely be bigger, as to accept the population of 8th graders as a whole for high school. Still love Masterman, though.

We came from a highly academic prestigious Quaker school. My son is eceptionally happy and intellectually stimulated at Masterman, and much prefers his current school to his previous one. There is no substitute for the real life lessons to be found in a truly diverse community of bright kids.
—Submitted by a parent

Masterman definitely needs a new building;however, the district does not have financial means to do this. However, my daughter interview @ Penn Charter one of the most selective Private school in Philadelphia Area, guess what they were not far academically compare to Masterman Students. The teacher really teach the subject so not having science book may be a problem for student who teacher does not teach. Phillip Exeter one of the premier top academic program Private education does not use a text book for math, guess what the student still learn. I absolutely hate elitist; stop bashing Masterman. Masterman sends public school children to some of the best university and a lot of private school kids come to Masterman in the 5th and they absolutely love thrive academically at this school. World Class facilitate, no ? World Class students and teachers, yes.
—Submitted by a parent

Corrected review ....After extensive research my husband and I chose to submit an application to Masterman Middle School for our 5th grader. Coming from a private school we were a bit overwhelmed by the class sizes - 33 students per class, the deteriorating condition of the school building and the lack of resources and extracurricular activities offered to the students. Coming from a regular public school and being accepted at Masterman would be a great accomplishment but coming from a blue ribbon private school , I am not impressed. I believe the school is doing the best it can within it's financial constraints but the school is not the best fit for my son . I was quite surprised the students are not provided science textbooks nor does the school have a science lab. I was not impressed with the rooftop play area , I was not impressed with the cafeteria but what has impressed me is the dedication of the staff. The school staff truly cares about the students, so much so many teachers volunteer their time for extracurricular activities and tutoring. Although the school wasn't a good fit for my son, it really provides a good education for an above average self motivated
—Submitted by a parent

I came to this school expecting it to be good. The teachers vary from absolutely amazing to awful. There are more awful teachers than good teachers. It makes me wonder how they got to teach at this school in the first place. I am in 8th grade and have been here since 5th grade. I got into the high school, but I'm not going. Traumatizing experience over-all

Hey so, i go here at masterman and i've been here since 5th grade. It's honestly a great school and i love it here, and i love my friends but sometimes it gets a little over whelming. 5th grade was a big adjustment from my other school to masterman, 6th grade was smooth sailing, 7th grade was honestly the worst for me. They put so much pressure on you saying that it's what matters for high school, and even though it is, i lost so much sleep from it. 8th grade is the best year of all and i feel like i've got everything together. Grades, Boyfriend, Friends, but the thing is, i didn't get accepted. I cried because i feel like it's my second home. I'm going to Saul, and I'm excited for that, but i really wish i was able to get in. Time to start a new chapter ... and so it begins ...

I love this school for is wonderful reputation and I am pleased to have a son there in 7th grade whose first report card was all A's and one B!
—Submitted by a parent

I'm in 6th grade at Masterman, and it's a good school, but it lives on its reputation. All year, especially in fifth and seventh grades, there is constant reminder of the PSSAs, that part is terrible. The fifth grade teachers are definetely not superior to any others, but there are some wonderful teachers in the other grades. I have learned a lot. Also, I am being challenged a lot more than if I had been back at my old school. Oh, and the homework is not all what it is worked up to be. We don't get a humongous amount, though there are a few nights a year when you are working from the minute you get home to bedtime. We have many extracurricular activities, and a wonderful arts program (the play each year). I do agree on the point of the lunchroom. It is not completely repulsive, as I have read, but it is not better in any way than any other school cafeteria, no matter what you hear about a cold/hot line. All in all, if you excell in anything acedemic, you would fit right in here at J.R. Masterman Labratory and Demonstration School.......whatever that means. -one happy camper at masterman

National Blue Ribbon School and President Obama gives his Back to School address from this school. Highest SAT scores in Pennsylvania.
—Submitted by a parent

I am an 8th grade student at Masterman School. I'll be honest to you. There is indeed alot of homework we receive each day, including projects and other things. But I feel at home in Masterman. I know everyne and everyone knows me. You have your variety of students and teachers so you'll never be bored, basically. You have that math teacher from last year who believes math is groovy (and it is). Then you have your science teacher who gives the best experiments. You have students in the hall waving hellos to you, and you have teachers from 5th, 6th, and 7th grade who ask you if you plan to stay in Masterman for high school. I just received my application for high school, and with no doubt, Masterman will be my first choice. I've developed a family in Masterman, and I guarantee you will too. :)

My child is an 8th grade student at Masterman. Next year she joins the elite 100 as a 9th grader. Masterman is a school that virtually runs itself academically because of the students. The majority of the students are gifted and thanks to their own initiative or that of their parents they will always do well. My child has been fortunate because every year she has had at least one superior teacher. The teachers in the middle school do not appear to be as invested as the high school teachers but those that were invested were excellent. We are looking forward to our next four years at Masterman. The administration is very approachable and easy to work with. The building itself due to its age could use some updating. The School District needs to pay better attention to the needs of their gifted students too much emphasis lately on empowerment.
—Submitted by a parent