U Prep It

What U Prep It does

University Prep (UPrep) is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) independent school serving grades 6–12 in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1976 by seven public school teachers, the school operates a single campus in the Wedgwood neighborhood (8000 25th Avenue NE) and currently enrolls approximately 781 students (~300 middle school, ~400 upper school) with 147 faculty and staff at a 9:1 student-teacher ratio. The school is accredited by the Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS) and is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). UPrep's product offering spans a college-preparatory academic core (English, Math, Science, History, Languages, Fine Arts, Computer Science & Technology, Physical Education & Health), supplemented by Intensives (a three-week January immersive program), College Counseling via the SCOIR platform, Makerspaces featuring the ULab innovation facility, Integrated Learning support, Global and Outdoor Education, a dedicated DEIB program, inclusive competitive athletics (67% participation), and arts programming across Dance, Drama, Music, Visual Arts, and Publications.

Name

U Prep It

Legal name

University Prep

Website

https://www.universityprep.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Short description

University Prep (UPrep) is a private, nonprofit 6–12 independent school in Seattle, Washington, enrolling 781 students with a 9:1 student-teacher ratio, college-preparatory academics, Makerspaces, and inclusive athletics and arts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Primary revenue from tuition fees for middle and upper school students. Middle school tuition is $47,250 and upper school tuition is $48,690 for the 2026-2027 academic year.
2. Additional Fees and Programs: Revenue from optional programs including custom bus service ($2,940/year), Global Link trips ($1,000-$3,850), musical instrument rental ($55/month), ski bus ($400), meals ($16/day), and technology purchases ($800-$1,600).
3. Financial Aid Fundraising: School awards nearly $5 million annually in need-based financial aid, funded through fundraising efforts including the Puma Fund and annual giving programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

UPrep is an independent, nonprofit 6–12 private school in Seattle that delivers a college-preparatory education through a Middle School (grades 6–8) and Upper School (grades 9–12) academic core, supplemented by specialized offerings including three-week January Intensives, College Counseling, Makerspaces/ULab, Integrated Learning support, Global and Outdoor Education (Global Link trips), Athletics, Arts, and a Diversity/Equity/Inclusion/Belonging program. The school's primary sellable offering is enrollment-based tuition for these academic divisions, supported by ancillary fee-based services (custom bus, trips, meals, technology, instrument rental).

Product overview

UPrep is a 6-12 independent private school offering a unified educational program. The core academic structure includes Middle School Academics (grades 6-8) and Upper School Academics (grades 9-12), supplemented by specialized programs including Intensives (three-week January immersive program), College Counseling services, Makerspaces (including the ULab facility), Integrated Learning support, Global and Outdoor Education (including Global Link trips), Diversity/Equity/Inclusion/Belonging programming, Athletics, and Arts programs. The school operates under a seven-block rotating schedule with 60-minute classes and daily Community Time for assemblies, advisory, and clubs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Middle School Academics
• Upper School Academics
• Intensives
• College Counseling
• Makerspaces (including ULab)
• Integrated Learning
• Global and Outdoor Education (Global Link Trips)
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Program
• Athletics
• Arts

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% college acceptance rate
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Rainier ScholarscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2002Deep and long-standing relationship since shortly after Rainier Scholars' inception. UPrep currently has 34-40 Rainier Scholars enrolled, more than any other independent school of similar size. Over 80 Rainier Scholars have graduated from UPrep and gone on to excellent colleges. School created the Erica and Nason Hamlin Endowed Scholarship Fund in 2014 to support Rainier Scholars.
• Lakeside SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide custom Metro and Zum bus routes serving students from across the city, enabling geographic diversity from over 50 zip codes.
• The Evergreen SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide custom Metro and Zum bus routes serving students from across the city, enabling geographic diversity from over 50 zip codes.
• Global Online Academy (GOA)supportingTechnology or IntegrationPartnership allowing UPrep students to take online courses beyond campus offerings, expanding academic curriculum options for upper school students.
• One SchoolhousesupportingTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with online learning platform expanding course offerings for UPrep students.
• National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)supportingOthersNational membership organization supporting independent schools. UPrep participates in NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference.
• Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS)supportingOthersRegional accrediting body and membership organization. UPrep is an accredited member. Participates in regional Student Diversity Leadership Retreat.
• EABsupportingOthersEducation Advisory Board providing research and best practices for independent schools.
• Common Good Caring SchoolssupportingOthersProgram supporting student well-being and social-emotional learning initiatives.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lakeside School: Premier independent 6-12 day school in Seattle's North End with ~870 students, similar academic rigor, 100% college placement, and elite college admissions. UPrep has an explicit partnership with Lakeside for shared bus service, and the two are the most direct competitors in the Seattle private school market.
• The Bush School: Independent K-12 day school in Seattle serving ~575 students with a similar college-preparatory mission, progressive pedagogy, and commitment to diversity. Comparable tuition tier and competes for the same Seattle family demographic.
• Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences (SAAS): Independent 6-12 school in Seattle serving ~935 students with a college-preparatory focus and strong arts/sciences integration. Direct competitor in the same downtown-adjacent Seattle market with similar tuition and family demographics.
• The Overlake School: Independent 5-12 day school in Redmond, WA serving ~530 students on Seattle's Eastside. Comparable college-prep mission, 100% college acceptance, and competes with UPrep for Eastside families willing to commute across the metro.
• Eastside Preparatory School: Independent 5-12 day school in Kirkland, WA on Seattle's Eastside with ~440 students. Comparable small-class-size college-prep model, similar tuition, and direct competition for Eastside families.
• The Evergreen School: Independent K-5 school in Shoreline/Seattle (former Head of School Ronnie Codrington-Cazeau led here before UPrep). Partners with UPrep on shared bus routes; families commonly feed from Evergreen to UPrep, making it a feeder rather than direct competitor at the secondary level but tightly linked institutionally.

Broad incumbents

• Phillips Academy Andover: Elite independent boarding and day school in Massachusetts, ~1,150 students, with the largest financial aid budget among U.S. independent schools (>$20M). Sets the national benchmark for college-prep outcomes; comparable on academic outcomes and financial aid scale but operates at much greater scale with a national/boarding draw.

Regional players

• The Harker School: Independent K-12 day school in San Jose, CA serving ~2,000 students with elite college placement and similar Silicon Valley tech-family demographic. Comparable on outcomes and demographic but operates in a different metro and at larger scale.
• Crossroads School: Independent K-12 day school in Santa Monica, CA with ~1,200 students, progressive college-prep mission, and commitment to diversity/social justice similar to UPrep's DEI focus. Comparable academic positioning but in the Los Angeles market.
• Castilleja School: Independent 6-12 girls' day school in Palo Alto, CA serving ~430 students with elite college placement. Comparable academic outcomes, tuition tier, and Bay Area demographic but single-gender and in a different metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJeFbi-9fdzNfaGIip0HFkA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-prep
• Instagraminstagram.com/uprepseattle

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 U Prep It