Upper School (Grades 9 - 12)
Preparing to Step Into College and Work
RANKED #1 Best Private High School in Charleston
Holistic Preparation for Life Beyond School
USL's Upper School cultivates more than academic achievement. Students develop critical and creative thinking, empathy, leadership, and genuine communication skills—the capacities they'll actually need in college and beyond. The school's consistent focus on personal accountability and self-advocacy means that when students graduate, they know how to ask for help, advocate for their needs, and navigate complexities. USL graduates thrive in post-secondary settings because they've been building these skills for four years, not discovering they need them on the first day of college.
Individualized Paths to College Readiness
Every student receives their own academic plan, continuously tailored to both progress and evolving interests. Rarely are two student paths alike. All non-elective courses at USL are Honors-level, ensuring rigor across the board. Students visit five or more college campuses every year, building a concrete understanding of what's out there. By junior and senior year, many students have completed their required on-campus coursework and move into dual-credit college classes aligned with their specific interests and ambitions. This flexibility, combined with individualized acceleration, is why USL's standardized test scores average approximately 300 points higher than Charleston County School District and 200 points higher than the South Carolina state average.
Where USL Graduates Land
2026
State Math
Champs
No USL graduate has dropped out of college, and fewer than 1% have transferred schools—a statistic that speaks to the precision of college matching. All graduates who attended South Carolina colleges received at minimum the LIFE scholarship. Graduates report feeling genuinely prepared for college coursework and, on average, graduate in four years.
In the last three years alone, USL students have been accepted to institutions including Cornell, Georgetown, Notre Dame, UNC Chapel Hill, University of Virginia, RISD, SCAD, Emerson College, Appalachian State, Colgate University, Drexel University, Fashion Institute of Technology, George Washington University, Macalester University, Maryland Institute College of Art, Rhodes College, Southern Methodist University, University of the Arts London, University of Vermont, University College Dublin, University of Virginia, and all SC schools—a roster that reflects both the diversity of student interests and the rigor of preparation.