Mission & Approach to Learning

The Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School is a public, academic magnet school located in the city of Philadelphia. Students from all sections of the city may apply, and are admitted based on highly selective requirements for standardized testing, grades, and attendance. The school serves approximately 1,200 students in grades five through twelve; there are roughly 740 students in the middle school and 460 students in the high school. Students enter Masterman Middle School in fifth or sixth grade and must apply to the High School when they are in eighth grade. The student population is diverse ethnically, racially, and socioeconomically.

Masterman provides an accelerated, enriched curriculum for academically talented students who are interested in a college preparatory experience. Masterman’s motto is “Dare To Be Excellent.” To that end, students participate in a rigorous academic program supported by a wide range of co-curricular activities. At Masterman, academic excellence and personal growth take place in a genuinely diverse community. Our students learn in and from this diverse atmosphere, truly experiencing and honoring the differences. Masterman promotes not simply tolerance, but the rich possibilities for individual and community growth.