University School of Milwaukee

My child is in her first at USM and we are exceptionally happy with the comprehensive education she is receiving. There is not only a strong focus placed on academics; but character development, fine arts, the languages, fitness and nutrition. She has been challenged and supported as a new student and she is very happy!
--Submitted by a parent

I think only parents of kids who attend USM should rate the school. I am sorry that you did not enjoy the tour (February 1, 2012 post) but my children have been at the school for 5 years now and they love it. Not to say there aren't things that should improve, but that can be said for any school. As far as I am concerned USM is the best school in the state, period. My husband and I have examined a number of different schools before deciding on USM - and we are so glad that we did.
--Submitted by a parent

This school has beautiful campuses, looks like a castle. When you are coming first time, you feel like in Harvard University... But that is the only resemblance. We took school tour and were surprised to see so low quality and very cheap education. Direct approach, not individual focus. In one class, a teacher that we saw after about 15 minutes we saw him in the library. The class was left without a teacher. In another class, a math teacher spent the whole lesson for multiplying numbers by ten and hundreds for 5th grade. Another math teacher presented a weird vocabulary word "speed" for 6th graders. She showed a formula of speed without any explanation and started to talk about average speed (completely different worlds) instead of asking the students to try to get a formula from this distance formula and time formula and check their ability to operate fractions. History was pretty good and science too. A special mess was waiting for the kids outside at the and of the day where the pick up area is. This is not an organized pick up and so dangerous. Overall it's a perfectly organized business, but not a school.
--Submitted by a parent

As a teacher who has taught is several schools, I can honestly say there is no better place to work. We all work incredibly hard, and so do the students. Those who don't work hard have trouble and often don't last. The cultural diversity is fabulous. Cristians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus and atheists all work together in a secular environment to promote the virtues of a no-nonsense, no-excuse emphasis on achieving at the highest level. Physical fitness, nutritious food, scientific inquiry, no-cut sports, world languages, fine arts and constant professional development make this place very special; not perfect, of course, but the best I've ever seen. And I'm old.
--Submitted by a teacher

i really like this school. the students are nice and there is not a lot of bullying compared to other schools. the small class sizes let the teacher know you personally and you know every person in the grade. the downsides are that it is a lot of work. also it is super expensive. its worth it though.

Yes, it is a great school, but it also a business. It is also very elitist. If you can afford the tuition, then by all means, send your child there. They will be taken care of. If you want a more diverse and global experience for your child, then you may want to look elsewhere. Many of the teachers are excellent, but like with any school, there are some that should not be there. To spend that much money and have to worry about "who your child gets" for a teacher is not worth it in my book. The parental gossip doesn't help either.
--Submitted by a parent

My son received an excellent education at USM. The faculty and staff helped him become involved in classes and activities that interested him and in which he could excel. Socially, he was involved in sports and chess, and activities determined his weekend activities. He has been accepted at selective professional programs, often with academic scholarships. I owe much of his academic success to his firm grounding from University School.
--Submitted by a parent

This school by far provides the best education in the Milwaukee area. While good morals are taught and reinforced daily, it is a secular school...which is a good thing in a city with such a limited number of private educational schools outside of Christianity. You get what you pay for, so the tuition is not cheap. However, you can hardly compare what is provided in other Milwaukee area schools (both private and public) - USM is better compared to more prestigious private schools in bigger cities like Chicago, or New York. When that prospective is used, USM is a value compared to the $30K+ one can pay at other schools.
--Submitted by a parent

This school has most importantly taught me to how to learn through study habits mostly found on college campuses and energetic and excellent teachers.
--Submitted by a student

My children love this school. Everything at this school is top notch. The college prep curriculum is amazing, and 99.9% of the kids go onto fantastic colleges after graduation. We have been here for 3 years and couldn't be happier.
--Submitted by a parent