Founded over 30 years ago, The Marin School has always been a special place, a unique place.

The Marin School is a fully-accredited,* independent, college preparatory high school offering a dynamic, thought-provoking curriculum that propels its graduates to colleges and universities around the US.

What is unique and different about The Marin School is its personalized approach. The Marin School is small by design, not by default. Being small has significant benefits. In particular, there is the transformative effect The Marin School experience has on the young people entrusted to it.

Because of the small class size (8 on average) and the low-student-to teacher ratio (7 to 1 on average), teachers at The Marin School truly understand their students—who they are, how they think, what motivates them and how they learn. The Marin School students have a real relationship with their teachers and the administrators.

Most important, our teachers have the motivation and experience, far broader than only teaching skills, to tailor and personalize the learning process for each student individually. We have an unshakeable belief in the potential of each and every person. We also know that not everyone learns in the same way. As a result, creative approaches for teaching and learning are cornerstone values at The Marin School.

Creativity is encouraged and embraced at all levels of the learning process, in the classrooms and across disciplines. The Marin School teachers are empowered to teach, and students are free to learn in surprising, sometimes unorthodox, yet thoroughly effective ways. Creativity is also evident in the traditional sense of drawing, painting, photography, design, film, technology, creative writing, drama and music.

Because different people learn in different ways the environment and conformity necessary for large schools to function efficiently does not suit everyone. The congeniality and collaborative nature of The Marin School are key to our students’ success. Smart kids who want something different thrive at The Marin School.

The Marin School is unique in its interpretation of what it means to be “educated.” Being educated is certainly mastering content and subject matter but it is also learning how to think, reason, interpret, and analyze. In our minds, it also means developing character and learning to make good decisions. Our graduates master these academic and life skills and leave with the ability to proceed on life’s journey as confident, contributing members of our global community. The Marin School delivers personalized education at its best.

*National Association of Independent Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges