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{{About|the private school in Seattle|the California school|University Preparatory Academy|the schools in Detroit, Michigan|University Prep Schools|the school type|University-preparatory school|}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox school
 | name                    = University Prep
 | logo                    = Uniprep logo.png
 | image                   = University Prep Seattle.jpg
 | alt                     = 
 | caption                 = Main entrance in August 2015
 | motto                   = Lead a Life of Learning
 | motto_translation       = 
 | address                 = 8000 25th Avenue NE, [[Wedgwood, Seattle|Wedgwood]]
 | city                    = [[Seattle]]
 | state                   = [[Washington (state)|Washington]]
 | zipcode                 = 98115
 | country                 = United States
 | coordinates             = {{Coord|47.687879|-122.300004|type:edu|display=inline,title}}
 | other_name              = UPrep
 | former_name             = University Preparatory Academy
 | type                    = [[Private school|Private]], [[Middle school|middle]] and [[Secondary school|high school]]
 | religious_affiliation   = 
 | established             = {{Start date|1976}}
 | founder                 = <!-- or | founders = -->
 | closed                  = 
 | oversight               = <!-- use | oversight_label = to override the default label -->
 | us_nces_school_id       = {{NCES Private School ID|01462315|school_name=UNIVERSITY PREP|access_date=April 1, 2019|ref_name=NCES}}
 | head_of_school          = Veronica Codrington-Cazeau <ref>{{cite web |title=Head of School Search |url=https://www.universityprep.org/who-we-are/headsearch |website=University Prep |access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref>
 | teaching_staff          = 59.3 {{FTE}}<ref name="NCES" />
 | grades                  = [[Sixth grade|6]]–[[Twelfth grade|12]]
 | gender                  = [[Mixed-sex education|Co-educational]]
 | enrollment              = 660
 | ratio                   = 9.1
 | campus_size             = 
 | campus_type             = 
 | colors                  = Blue, Green, and Yellow {{Color box|Blue}}{{Color box|Green}}{{Color box|Yellow}}
 | athletics_conference    = [[Washington Interscholastic Activities Association|WIAA SeaKing District Two]]
 | mascot                  = Puma
 | nickname                = 
 | team_name               = 
 | accreditation           = <!-- or | accreditations = -->
 | publication             = 
 | newspaper               = {{Unbulleted list|The Puma Press (Upper School)|The Puma Prints (Middle School)}}
 | yearbook                = 
 | affiliation             = [[Northwest Association of Independent Schools]]
 | website                 = {{URL|www.universityprep.org}}
 | footnotes               = 
}}

'''University Prep''' (known as '''UPrep''', formerly '''University Preparatory Academy''') is a [[Private school|private]], [[Mixed-sex education|co-educational]] [[Middle school|middle]] and [[Secondary school|high school]] in [[Wedgwood, Seattle|Wedgwood]], [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], United States. As of 2023, school review website [[Niche (company)|Niche]] ranks University Prep as the fifth best private high school, fourth best college prep private high school, and seventh best high school for [[Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics|STEM]] in Washington state.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore University Prep|url=https://www.niche.com/k12/university-prep-seattle-wa/|access-date=2020-10-11|website=Niche|language=en}}</ref> The mascot is the Puma, with a current student paid to wear the suit for sports games, open houses, and other school events.

== History ==
{{Expand section|date=March 2011}}
University Prep was founded in 1976 by a small group of [[Seattle Public Schools]] teachers dedicated to providing the best possible education to a heterogeneous student body. From 2002 to 2014, the head of school of University Prep was Erica L. Hamlin. From 2014 to 2019, the head of school was Matt Levinson. The temporary head of school for the 2019–2020 school year was Lila Lohr. The current head of school Veronica Codrington-Cazeau began to serve as head on school on July 1, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.universityprep.org/who-we-are/leadership|title=University Prep website|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007081746/http://www.universityprep.org/support-uprep/hamlin-endowment-scholarship-fund|archive-date=2014-10-07|url-status=dead|access-date=2014-10-19}}</ref>

== Curriculum ==
The school year is organized into two semesters and four quarters, and students are expected to carry a minimum of five classes each semester.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.universityprep.org/about |title=University Prep: About Us |website=www.universityprep.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030221110825/http://www.universityprep.org/about/ |archive-date=2003-02-21}}</ref> School hours are 8:25&nbsp;a.m. to 2:55&nbsp;p.m. for Upper School and 8:15&nbsp;a.m. to 2:55&nbsp;p.m. for Middle School, after which athletics, activities, and after-school programs begin. In addition to academic classes, the day includes electives, [[physical education]], supervised study, and free periods for Upper School students. The school transitioned from a [[Moodle]] education software client to a [[Schoology]]-based [[learning management system]]. In Middle School, all students have personal Chromebooks. In Upper School, students may choose either a [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] or [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] computer. In most cases, students are given the option to complete an assignment digitally or on paper. All classes, excluding Physical Education and fine arts classes, are honors level.

== Sports ==
University Prep competes at the 1A state classification level for sports. 
The 2010–2011 school year marked the change of the old sports system. Before that academic year, the Upper School had the same athletics program as the Middle School with the exception of having tennis. Boys soccer was moved to the spring season to bring a more competitive level of play for the teams and various other reasons. To counter the absence of boys soccer in the fall, boys tennis was added to the fall athletics season.

== Campus ==
UPrep's campus has four main buildings: the three-story classroom and administrative building (including a [[library]], cafeteria, science classrooms, and meeting spaces), a classroom building, a [[gym]]nasium, the [[fine arts]] center (part of the classroom and administrative building), which features a proscenium theater known as Founder's Hall as well as art and practice rooms, and the ULab which is home to an assortment of classes, a wellness center, as well as a makerspace, equipped with drones, VR headsets, 3D printers and more. The adjacent Dahl Playfield is used for sports and other activities.

== Notable alumni ==
* [[Sam Cho]], politician and entrepreneur
* [[Justin Kan]], internet entrepreneur and investor
* [[Benjamin Mako Hill]], technologist and author
* [[Katherine Reynolds]], professional soccer player
* [[Emi Meyer]], jazz pianist and singer-songwriter
* [[Rob Johnson (Seattle politician)|Rob Johnson]], politician
* [[Jackson Ragen]], professional soccer player

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|https://www.universityprep.org/}}

{{WIAA Sea-King District 2|B|1A}}
{{Wedgwood, Seattle}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Wedgwood, Seattle]]
[[Category:Schools in Seattle]]
[[Category:High schools in King County, Washington]]
[[Category:Preparatory schools in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Private middle schools in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Private high schools in Washington (state)]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1976]]
[[Category:1976 establishments in Washington (state)]]