(しんがくこう)

しんがくこう
noun
college-prep school; academically competitive school
1. college-preparatory school; academically competitive school
A high school (or sometimes middle school) where a high percentage of students go on to university. These schools emphasize academic achievement and university entrance exam preparation.
有名(ゆうめい)進学校(しんがくこう)(かよ)っている。
I attend a famous college-prep school.
あの高校(こうこう)県内(けんない)でトップの進学校(しんがくこう)だ。
That high school is the top college-prep school in the prefecture.
進学校(しんがくこう)(はい)ったので、毎日(まいにち)勉強(べんきょう)()われている。
Since I entered a college-prep school, I'm busy studying every day.

WORD FORMATION:
進学(しんがく) (advancing to higher education) + (こう) (school). Literally 'a school for advancing to the next level of education.'

CULTURAL NOTE:
In Japan, 進学校(しんがくこう) typically refers to high schools with high university acceptance rates, especially to prestigious universities. They are distinguished from 商業高校(しょうぎょうこうこう) (commercial high schools) or 工業高校(こうぎょうこうこう) (technical high schools), which prepare students for employment.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 有名(ゆうめい)進学校(しんがくこう) (famous prep school)
  • 県内(けんない)トップの進学校(しんがくこう) (top prep school in the prefecture)
  • 進学校(しんがくこう)(かよ)う (to attend a prep school)
  • 私立(しりつ)進学校(しんがくこう) (private college-prep school)