Girls Preparatory School

What Girls Preparatory School does

Girls Preparatory School (GPS) is a private, nonprofit, all-girls college-preparatory day school located on a 35-acre campus in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, founded in 1906. The school serves students in grades 6-12 through a Middle School (housed in the Elizabeth Lupton Davenport Middle School, added 1999) and Upper School, with an academic model explicitly designed around how girls learn and emphasizing whole-student development across mind, body, and spirit. Its core product portfolio includes signature programs such as the Terpsichord dance company (state's first high school modern dance company, est. 1955), Girls Outdoor Leadership Education (GOLE), Laureate Scholars, Tucker Fellows, Winterim immersive week, and a coordinate coed life program with brother school McCallie. The campus features specialized facilities including the Evans Fine Arts Center with a 700-seat Frierson Theatre, the Digital Fabrication Lab (eLab) with 3D printers and laser cutters, an Olympic-sized indoor pool, the GPS | McCallie Rowing Center on the Tennessee River, and a fully renovated Caldwell Fitness Center (2026) with female-athlete-specific equipment.

GPS operates a tuition-based, subscription-like recurring revenue model with primary income from K-12 day school tuition, supplemented by auxiliary programs including a multi-tiered summer camp operation (All Summer Long Camp at $3,000, Camp Kaleidoscope at $350-$450/week, Camp GOLE at $550/week, and specialty camps at $280-$550/week), year-round athletic clinics, and a 10% sibling discount. The school offers need-based financial aid, 10-month payment plans, and Education Freedom Scholarship options. Its go-to-market is a sales-led admissions motion built around inquiry, campus tours, open houses, and structured visit events with Early Decision, supported by content marketing through a faculty-authored blog, active social media presence across five platforms, and membership in the International Coalition of Girls Schools. The 19-member Board of Trustees governs the institution; Megan D. Cover has served as the tenth Head of School since 2021. Class of 2024 outcomes include 85 students matriculating to 52 unique four-year colleges, supporting a consistent 100% four-year college placement rate.

Name

Girls Preparatory School

Legal name

Girls Preparatory School

Website

https://gps.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Girls Preparatory School is a nonprofit, all-girls private day school in Chattanooga, Tennessee, serving grades 6-12 with a college-preparatory curriculum, signature leadership and arts programs, and a coordinate partnership with McCallie School.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Single-Sex (Boys/Girls) Private Schools (EDAJABAK)

Keywords

• Private girls education
• College preparatory school
• All-girls secondary school
• Middle school education
• Summer camp programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chattanooga

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue stream from tuition payments for K-12 educational services. GPS also generates revenue from summer camp programs, athletic clinics, and auxiliary programs. The school offers 10-month payment plans and various financial aid options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Girls Preparatory School is a private, nonprofit, all-girls day school in Chattanooga, Tennessee serving grades 6-12 through Middle School (Elizabeth Lupton Davenport Middle School) and Upper School programs. The school delivers college-preparatory academics paired with signature programs (GOLE, Laureate Scholars, Tucker Fellows, Terpsichord, Winterim, Cat-Rat mentorship, and coordinate program with McCallie School), comprehensive arts, and competitive athletics, and it supplements the academic year with summer camps, athletic clinics, and rental/leasing of facilities.

Product overview

Girls Preparatory School is an all-girls private school offering a unified educational program spanning Middle School (grades 6-8) and Upper School (grades 9-12). The core academic offerings are complemented by signature programs including the Girls Outdoor Leadership Education (GOLE), Laureate Scholars Program, Tucker Fellows Program, Terpsichord dance company, Winterim experiential week, and the coordinate program with McCallie School. Summer programming includes GPS Summer Camp with diverse camp offerings (Camp Kaleidoscope, Bruiser Camp, Bruiser Bakers, Camp GOLE, STEAM Camp, and athletic camps). Fine and Performing Arts encompasses music, theater, dance, and visual arts. Bruiser Athletics provides competitive sports with comprehensive facilities including the Caldwell Fitness Center (renovated 2026), Olympic-sized pool, and tennis facilities. Student support services include College Counseling, Advisory programs, and the Cat-Rat mentorship tradition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Middle School Program College-preparatory day program for grades 6-8 housed in the Elizabeth Lupton Davenport Middle School, designed specifically for how girls learn and fostering curiosity and confidence during pivotal middle-school years.
• Upper School Program College-preparatory day program for grades 9-12 with rigorous academics, signature experiences, leadership opportunities, and college counseling starting in sophomore year.
• Fine and Performing Arts Program Comprehensive arts curriculum in music, theater, dance (including the Terpsichord dance company), and visual arts, housed in the Evans Fine Arts Center and the 700-seat Frierson Theatre.
• Bruiser Athletics Program Competitive girl-centered athletics program offering 15+ sports including basketball, volleyball, soccer, lacrosse, softball, cross country, track and field, tennis, and rowing across campus facilities such as the Olympic-sized pool, gym, track and field, and Caldwell Fitness Center.
• GPS Summer Camp Premier summer camp program in Chattanooga serving children Pre-K through 12th grade across STEM, academic, arts, athletics, and leadership tracks, including the All Summer Long Camp and specialty camps.
• Camp Kaleidoscope All-day summer camp for grades K-6 featuring specialized learning activities, indoor-pool swim lessons, organized games, and creative activities, offered full day ($450/week) or half day ($350/week).
• Bruiser Camp Summer day camp for grades 4-6 with field trips around Chattanooga, STEM projects, sports, dance, water games, and art activities.
• Camp GOLE Outdoor leadership summer camp for grades 4-6 ($550/week) featuring hiking, whitewater rafting, and climbing activities.
• GPS Athletic Clinics Year-round skill-development clinics in basketball, volleyball, soccer, and other sports taught by GPS coaches and varsity athletes, open to students beyond the enrolled body.
• College Counseling Comprehensive college counseling service pairing each student with a counselor starting sophomore year to navigate college selection, applications, and admissions.
• GPS | McCallie Rowing Center State-of-the-art rowing facility on the Tennessee River shared with brother school McCallie for training, competition, and community building; established as a varsity sport in 1994.
• GPS Racquets Racquet-sports program featuring four indoor and eight outdoor tennis courts supporting year-round training and competition.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of GPS students admitted to four-year colleges
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• McCallie SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPS maintains a coordinate program with McCallie School (brother school) for coed activities including social events, dances, athletics coordination, and the shared GPS | McCallie Rowing Center on the Tennessee River. This partnership allows students to benefit from single-sex education while developing coed communication skills through structured joint programming.
• TASIS DoradominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPS connected with TASIS Dorado (independent school in Puerto Rico) during a Winterim trip, building cross-cultural relationships through Spanish and Puerto Rican culture workshops, culinary workshops, and student-led campus tours. The partnership provides international exchange and cultural learning opportunities for GPS students.
• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and EPBcoreOthersGPS received a $25,000 grant through the TVA School Uplift Program, a partnership between TVA and EPB supporting school improvement and sustainability initiatives at local schools.
• International Coalition of Girls SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPS is a member school of the International Coalition of Girls Schools, an advocacy organization that provides research on the benefits of all-girls education and connects member schools in shared mission to empower young women.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves3 records

Direct peers

• The Spence School: Elite New York City all-girls independent school serving grades K-12. Comparable single-sex curriculum philosophy, signature programs in arts and leadership, and similar college-preparatory positioning as a reference all-girls model.
• Baylor School: Largest private school in Chattanooga and a direct competitor for tuition-paying families in the same metro. Coeducational day and boarding model makes it the primary alternative for families considering GPS.
• Westridge School: Pasadena, California all-girls independent school grades 4-12. Comparable signature programs in STEM, arts, and athletics with similar emphasis on confidence-building during adolescent years.
• National Cathedral School: Washington, D.C. all-girls independent school grades 4-12 affiliated with the Washington National Cathedral. Comparable single-sex model with signature programs in arts, athletics, and college preparation.
• The Hockaday School: Dallas, Texas pre-K through 12 all-girls independent school with century-long history. Comparable signature programs, college counseling approach, and leadership development curriculum design.
• Miss Porter's School: Historic Connecticut all-girls boarding and day school founded in 1843. Comparable signature programs, traditions, and emphasis on female leadership development with similar tuition-supported model.
• McCallie School: All-boys independent school in Chattanooga with a formal coordinate program partnership with GPS. Operates in the same market, serves similar affluent Chattanooga families, and shares the GPS | McCallie Rowing Center — making it the closest direct comparable on geography, scale, and customer base.
• Madeira School: Virginia all-girls boarding and day school with coed Curricular Center for collaborative learning — structurally analogous to GPS's coordinate program with McCallie. Similar signature experiential programming model.
• The Holton-Arms School: Bethesda, Maryland all-girls independent school grades 3-12. Comparable signature programs in leadership, arts, and athletics with similar tuition-supported model and emphasis on whole-girl development.

Others

• TASIS The American School in Switzerland / TASIS Dorado: International school network with which GPS has an established sister-school partnership. Not a direct competitor but relevant as a peer institution serving globally mobile families and providing cross-cultural exchange programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GPSBruisers
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/GPSBruiserTube
• Facebookfacebook.com/GPSBruisers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/girls-preparatory-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/gpsbruisers
• TikToktiktok.com/@gpsbruisers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Girls Preparatory School