( also prep school ) n
1. ( in Britain ) a private school for students aged between 7 and 13, whose parents pay for their education. Preparatory schools prepare their students for the Common Entrance exam, which allows them (if they pass) to go on to a public school (1). Most preparatory schools are for either boys or girls, and some students may live at the school rather than at home.
2. ( in the US ) a private school that prepares students for college.