In a world that moves on trends and shallow results, what sticks? Is what students learn all there is to school? At Karl G. Maeser Prep we believe education is more than what students know. It’s about who students become.
The Challenge: Educate beyond the standard
In a world where schools often focus on testing and content, families who want more for their child look for a school where their student not only gets strong in school but good at being human where students can study truth and live it. Families searching for a school that not only prepares students for college, but life, want their student to learn to think and live and reason, and find joy in learning.
The Education: Cultivating minds and souls
Karl G. Maeser Prep is a classical charter school Utah that provides its students with a classical liberal arts education. We believe this is the best education to provide a well-rounded education and one of the best college prep school in Utah County. Students at Maeser don’t just memorize information. Students learn the Great Books, they learn the great arguments, and students study primary sources to cultivate a love for the study of ideas, pursuit of truth, and development of virtue. Our integrated curriculum helps students understand how the disciplines of history, literature, philosophy, and fine arts are intertwined. Our Socratic approach to learning helps students learn to think deeply, speak clearly, and learn to listen well. Students learn humility and confidence in conversation which helps them become lifelong learners and active and virtuous citizens.
The Experience: Growing up in a community where everyone knows you.
In our small school, every student is well known to their faculty and staff. As a college prep school in Utah County, we care about students becoming strong scholars as well as virtuous citizens, we are about developing students who will live with Truth, Honor, and Virtue in the Honor Code. Maeser students participate in Socratic Seminars where they read, think, discuss, and debate deep ideas, Winterim where they go on adventures to explore new cultures and ideas, and Capstone where they must read and study, write, and defend in the face of tough questions in our senior thesis. Students learn and live in a community of virtue which makes them good citizens, good leaders.
Community: Building leaders for a complex society
Our vision, rooted in Karl G. Maeser’s conviction that real education “awakens the power within to do good,” doesn’t stop in the classroom. We want to grow students who go on to be leaders who will act with honesty, serve with faithfulness, and think critically about the needs of society. Our students aren’t just prepared to enter higher education; we’re shaping future virtuous citizens.
Evidence of Success
We’re always top-ranked as Utah’s #1 school by U.S. News & World Report, with an average 1330 SAT score and a 95%+ graduation rate. This is the power of virtue based education Utah: a rigorous college preparatory academic curriculum that’s infused with formation of character, creating graduates who are not only accepted to the colleges of their choice but also ready for a full, meaningful life.
Questions About Maeser?
What is classical education and how is it different? Classical education, as implemented at Maeser, relies upon a time-tested framework. Our students learn the core components of the liberal arts and Great Books from primary sources. This leads us to cultivate virtues of the mind and wisdom. It is not the progressive approach in education but one designed to cultivate wisdom, virtue, and discipline through a Socratic method of teaching.
How does the Socratic Method help students? Our students are engaged with Socratic learning, where our teachers guide students in deep thinking and learning through thoughtful questions. This allows our students to develop a deeper understanding through their own analysis and articulate critical thinking that will help them through their whole life as they debate ideas and listen to differing perspectives.
What kind of character development do students learn at Maeser Academy? Character formation is at the heart of every program we offer, from our emphasis on Truth, Honor, and Virtue to our Honor Code. As a virtue based education Utah, our students are guided towards developing a character of integrity, moral courage, and virtue through discipline in our daily lives. True education is about educating the heart, soul and mind and our students learn to apply that as they grow into leaders that will do good in the world.
What college prep programs does Maeser offer? As a college preparatory school, Maeser focuses on critical thinking and writing skills, and our curriculum is far above and beyond what is normally required in a standard high school curriculum. Our students are more than ready for college, as they are accustomed to rigorous work, deep reading, and complex writing projects. This explains our outstanding SAT scores and college placement rates.
We look forward to working with you and helping your student succeed both inside and outside the classroom! Get in touch today and let’s talk about how Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy can inspire your student to be a life-long learner and a virtuous citizen. Learn More About Enrolling