St. George's School, Vancouver - Review #2

At St. George’s School, learning wasn’t only about textbooks and assignments. From my first day, teachers said the goal was growth, not grades and they really meant it. What made St. George’s unique was how structured the academic support was. Teachers stayed after class to review problems, especially in physics and math. College prep happened in every class, every meeting. Being part of the boarding community in Vancouver placed me in a city full of options, whether it was museum trips on weekends or hitting the ice before school to practice. St. George’s blends university prep with real-world skills and a boy who entered Grade 8 unsure about his path leaves with direction and confidence.

The best thing about boarding was independence. Managing study time, sleep and team practices prepared me for university structure. I remember my first big project in Grade 10 where I led a study group for physicsand that experience built confidence.

If I could do something differently, I would talk to teachers sooner when struggling with concepts, not wait until late nights before tests. My advice to new boarding students is to join a mix of activities early because that builds your circle and keeps life grounded.

What I liked most was the sense of purpose. Students at St. George’s worked toward goals in class and out of class. You leave with academic foundations and life skills that make university work manageable.

Bring a notebook to every first week class. You’ll use it many times. Visit the lounge on rainy afternoons. Talk to upper years about courses you’re considering. Because many stayed ahead with shared notes and strategies, this made the transition to post-secondary smoother.

The academic program at St. George’s pushed me hard. I appreciated small class sizes where teachers could see when I struggled. In senior years, advanced courses like AP Physics and Calculus demanded focus. Teachers would review assignments with detailed feedback, not generic comments, which helped my skill growth. I liked how we learned through problem solving, not memorization. Group projects and class discussions were common. I felt prepared for university work because of how classes challenged my thinking and work habits.

St. George’s has one of the broadest athletics programs in Canada. Every student had to take part in sport starting in Grade 8 and I think that requirement built discipline. Ice hockey was my focus but I also joined the cross country team in the off-season to work on endurance. Training was structured with schedules released weeks ahead so you could adjust studies and practice. Games had travel and tournaments on weekends, so you learned time management quickly.

St. George’s offered solid arts and theatre opportunities. I wasn’t in drama myself but I saw talent grow in productions like Our Town and Les Misérables. Visual art classes filled the studio with work from every level, from sketchbooks to large canvas pieces. Teachers in the arts encouraged students to explore ideas outside comfort zones. While I was focused on sciences, seeing creative peers thrive was inspiring.

Club life extended past academics and athletics. The Debate Society met weekly, discussing topics from ethics to elections. I attended Model United Nations sessions sometimes because I wanted exposure to public speaking and issues. Community service was built into the schedule. I volunteered with the used hockey equipment drive, organizing donations for youth leagues downtown. Moments like these taught perspective beyond the classroom.

Boarding life was structured yet flexible. Rooms were assigned by grade, with seniors on the top floors. Lights-out times were more lenient for study nights. Visiting hours and check-ins brought normal rhythms of independence and rules. There were quiet study areas and common lounges where we talked about classes, games, or plans after graduation. Boarding taught accountability because you managed laundry, meals, tasks and your schedule without reminders.

Dining was more than food. Breakfast often happened before training and lunch was a chance to regroup between classes. Dinner was served family-style in the hall. Choices usually included protein, starch, vegetables and fruit. There were theme nights like pizza or cultural food days and dietary needs were respected. You learned to make balanced choices and lunch queues weren’t too long compared to other schools.

Located on the western edge of Vancouver near UBC, St. George’s let us explore the city on free weekends. Walks in Pacific Spirit Regional Park were common breaks. Coffee shops and small boutiques near Dunbar were good places to unwind after study blocks. Trips downtown for museums or to Granville Island were popular with friends. City life meant access to transit, which made independent outings possible while keeping safe boundaries with parents and boarding staff.

Friendships formed in class, on teams, and in dorm wings. I connected with peers who shared interests beyond schoolwork. Weekends saw us gathering in lounges or planning hikes. Social life balanced busy schedules with moments to hang out, eat together and support each other. One memory that stands out is sitting in the common room on a Friday night discussing engineering goals with classmates before we split for hockey practice.