Merit Academy vs. Kirby School

At Merit Academy, there is one student per class.

Teachers teach directly to that one student, so there's no way to slip through the cracks.

The classes move at a level appropriate for each student. You won't have to wonder whether your child is participating in class discussions or whether the teacher is engaging your child; these concerns are nonexistent at Merit.

Merit's teachers and director keep close tabs on each student's progress.

Teachers report directly to Merit's Director about each student's work.

The director meets with each student once per week to ensure that the student is making good progress, enjoying their classes, and using their time wisely.

If a student looks like they might fall behind, they are able to receive extra tutoring.

No one gets lost in the shuffle at Merit.

At the same time, we employ rigorous standards to fully prepare students to be successful at even the most selective universities.

Our dedicated teachers, who are experts in their fields, offer exciting lectures and individualized support. Students not only take a full load of accelerated classes, but they also get experience with life outside the classroom-holding internships, working on special projects, and performing community service.

At our intentionally small 612 school in Santa Cruz, students are known not just by name, but by heart.

With an average class size of 12, Kirby offers a learning environment built on trust, depth, and connection-where teachers don't just teach; they challenge, guide, and believe in every student.

Here, intellectual rigor and emotional belonging go hand in hand.

Our college preparatory curriculum is inquiry-driven and human-scaled-designed not just to check boxes, but to cultivate thinkers, creators, and contributors who can navigate complexity with confidence and care.

We serve students who are curious, capable, and courageously themselves.

They learn to ask big questions, take meaningful risks, and lead with integrity-not because they're performing, but because they're becoming.

At Kirby, students don't just prepare for college. They prepare for a life of purpose.