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.
有名な進学校に通っている。
I attend a famous college-prep school.
あの高校は県内でトップの進学校だ。
That high school is the top college-prep school in the prefecture.
進学校に入ったので、毎日勉強に追われている。
Since I entered a college-prep school, I'm busy studying every day.
WORD FORMATION:
進学 (advancing to higher education) + 校 (school). Literally 'a school for advancing to the next level of education.'
CULTURAL NOTE:
In Japan, 進学校 typically refers to high schools with high university acceptance rates, especially to prestigious universities. They are distinguished from 商業高校 (commercial high schools) or 工業高校 (technical high schools), which prepare students for employment.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 有名進学校 (famous prep school)
- 県内トップの進学校 (top prep school in the prefecture)
- 進学校に通う (to attend a prep school)
- 私立進学校 (private college-prep school)