In 1932, the Philadelphia High School for Girls, located on 1699 Spring Garden St., was demolished to make way for a larger, more modern building to make room for a growing school population. When the Girls' School had to once again relocate in 1958, the building reopened its doors as the Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School. This place was originally a magnet school for students in grades four through six, and has since expanded to include both middle and high schools. Consistently one of the highest-performing schools in both the city and state, Masterman's highly competitive nature contributes to its high test scores and stellar graduation and college acceptance rates. Here you will find useful graphs that visually describe the type of environment cultivated at Masterman. They display information about the 2013-2014 school year as collected by the School District of Philadelphia.
Enrollment |
Ethnicity |
Special Education |
Economically Disadvantaged |
If students wish to attend Masterman, it is nearly imperative that they are accepted for the fifth grade. These students must fill out an application to submit, along with their most recent report cards and standardized test scores, by late October. The competition is fierce, and only the highest-performing students are even considered for placement. By winter, candidates will be informed whether or not they have been accepted. The admissions contest for high school is perhaps even more intense. Roughly half of the middle school gain access into the high school; the rest must attend a different school. For students outside of Masterman's own middle school, gaining acceptance is a near impossibility.
Those who do get in, however, join one of the most prestigious high school communities in the nation. Masterman takes the label of "college preparatory school" very seriously: 99% of the seniors in 2012 graduated, and 97% went on to college. The entire curriculum is organized so that Masterman students will develop the academic, social, and physical skills to be fully prepared to succeed in a challenging college environment. All students are challenged to enroll in Advanced Placement courses, engage in community service projects, and participate in extracurricular activities. The success of this approach is evidenced by numerous recognition of the school by local, state, and national groups. Recently, U.S. News voted Masterman the 52nd best high school in America, as well as the top high school in the state of Pennsylvania.
Those who do get in, however, join one of the most prestigious high school communities in the nation. Masterman takes the label of "college preparatory school" very seriously: 99% of the seniors in 2012 graduated, and 97% went on to college. The entire curriculum is organized so that Masterman students will develop the academic, social, and physical skills to be fully prepared to succeed in a challenging college environment. All students are challenged to enroll in Advanced Placement courses, engage in community service projects, and participate in extracurricular activities. The success of this approach is evidenced by numerous recognition of the school by local, state, and national groups. Recently, U.S. News voted Masterman the 52nd best high school in America, as well as the top high school in the state of Pennsylvania.