Academics

Upper School

Preparing for College and Life

At GPS, upper school students experience a highly individualized environment where learning is self-directed, hands-on, and multidisciplinary, making their educational journey relevant and meaningful. Our curriculum is designed to further expose girls to learning opportunities that exercise their creativity, critical analysis, collaboration, and communication skills while also building confidence. Upper school students will become the best versions of themselves at GPS.
At GPS, the upper school years offer a journey of discovery as each girl focuses more deeply in her areas of study, has freedom to pursue curiosities and passions, and gains an evolving sense of self.
As she develops her own interests, skills, values, and goals, she becomes not only prepared to succeed in college and beyond, but also equipped to do so with integrity and purpose. 

To open this path of discovery, we offer upper school students a fantastic array of courses, experiential learning opportunities, athletic teams, arts ensembles, and more. The depth and breadth of our program help develop the whole girl to be her unique and fascinating self. Our deeply invested teachers, coaches, deans, counselors, and learning specialists support and challenge each student to fulfill her potential and appreciate her strengths. Moreover, the small size of each graduating class allows each student to be known and valued for exactly who she is. 

Now is a great time to come on board at GPS—a time of joy, of momentum, of treasuring our history and continually pursuing our goal: to be the very best place for girls. As you learn more about upper school at GPS, I hope you see not only all that we love about our girls, but also what you love about your girl. If you can see her benefiting from and adding to the GPS experience, we welcome you to experience it firsthand through a campus visit and to apply for a place in the upper school. And if there is any perspective I can share about the upper school of both today and tomorrow, I invite you to reach out to me.

Beth Creswell Wilson ’96, PhD
Head of Upper School and Associate Head of School for Academics


The College Journey

The GPS college counseling experience is individualized, purposeful, and personal. Our counseling team provides expert advice, helping students evaluate their strengths and identify schools that will help them reach their goals. The College Counseling Team also coordinates year-round events to prepare students, including a summer application camp for rising seniors, three fall college fairs, meetings with students and parents, and a winter college admission panel.

Unique Offerings

True learning requires students to go beyond the classroom—to engross themselves in experiences. At GPS, we offer unique programming you won’t find elsewhere.

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  • + GOLE

    Our Girls Outdoor Leadership Education program focuses on developing girls' leadership skills from within and is specifically designed to help students discover their strengths and opportunities in leadership within the natural landscape of Chattanooga. Through GOLE, students explore what the GPS core values mean to them and how their actions to uphold these values impact our people, community, and environment. GOLE builds skills such as agency, advocacy, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and resilience.

  • + Independent Research at UTC

    Our students have the opportunity to collaborate on site with UTC professors in STEM fields, conducting research and developing semester-long projects that address community needs. We have established relationships with the biology, geology and environmental science, chemistry, and engineering departments.

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  • + Tucker River Fellows

    Tucker River Fellows is an endowed, multi-year cocurricular program started by the Board of Trustees and named after longtime former headmaster Randy Tucker. In year one of the program, Fellows engage in experiential learning about the many issues impacting their local watershed. In year two, Fellows focus on leadership skills and work with local experts as they collect, analyze, and publish data and propose solutions for healthier watersheds in the Chattanooga area and beyond.

  • + Winterim

    From riding horses at a dude ranch to exploring the workings of local and state governments, digesting art in NYC, and practicing wilderness survival skills, GPS students and faculty enjoy stepping into new and unfamiliar territories during a one-week Winterim program each February designed by faculty eager to teach more than the required academic courses. Through interactions and engagement with the world, GPS students learn not only about new topics, but also about trying new things, collaborating, taking risks, and being open to what the world has to offer.

Browse the Upper School Curriculum

After-School Enrichment

As part of our commitment to developing the whole girl and deepening our community connections, all students participate in after-school enrichment activities. Opportunities have differing levels of time commitment and include everything from creative writing to beginner guitar, esports, Science Olympiad, Mock Trial, and more.

Discover opportunities for girls at GPS.



Girls Preparatory School

PHONE (423) 634-7600    HOURS M-F 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.