Midland School

Midland School

1. The school was founded in 1932, located in Santa Barbara, Southern California, a 2.5-hour drive from Los Angeles International Airport.
2. Signature Programs: Experiential learning, outdoor leadership program, work program, maintenance team, etc. The school has its own farm and ranch, where students can participate in various campus operations such as farming, ranching, kitchen duties, and equipment maintenance.
3. Outdoor Education: Explore the beaches, coastline, and wilderness areas near the school, including Los Padres National Forest. Day hikes and overnight or longer backpacking trips are offered. Cultivate the habit of connecting with nature and develop crisis management awareness in outdoor environments.
4. Circus: The program is guided by professionals who are circus performers, conducting learning and training three times a week in outdoor or indoor stadiums.
5. Experiential Week: In early April (the last week of the fourth term), all students participate in experiential projects that complement the main subjects they learn in class.
6. Equestrian: The program teaches students basic horsemanship. All participants learn preventive veterinary care, nutrition, ranch management, horse behavior, fundamental knowledge, and how to ride a horse.

I am a student from the Midland Class of 2025. This school is different from others; each of us has our own job. In my ninth grade, my job was to be a waiter and clean classrooms. The waiter job was very interesting, and I learned a lot about formal dining. We only have about 20 students in each grade, so our relationships with classmates are exceptionally good. What's particularly interesting is that we used to have to burn firewood ourselves to get hot water for showers, but unfortunately, due to some policies, we can no longer burn firewood for shower water. At school, we don't have mobile phones, and computers are designated. Precisely this increases communication between students, as well as between students and teachers. Our relationship with teachers is also very good. Midland is a very interesting school.

I am a student from Midland's Class of 2024. During my time here this year, I've truly felt that this school is a paradise. My other classmates have never chopped wood, built fires, or fed pigs, and they likely never will... These tasks, which seem out of place for a high school, have become part of the students' daily lives here. Our school doesn't have a single cleaner, because we don't pamper students like they do in the city. From cleaning classrooms to washing dishes, these are daily tasks and responsibilities for the students. Although students might find the process dirty and tiring, looking back, it feels very worthwhile. Personally, I feel a sense of superiority, thinking others wouldn't experience this. The relationships among Midland students are excellent because there are only about 80 people in the entire school. Students not only know all the teachers but also the cooks, workers, gardeners, and so on... Anyone who comes to this school becomes part of a family. Teachers' homes are always open to students; you just need to knock on the door (you can even ask for some snacks or ice cream). Many students might find it hard to accept that they can't use their personal phones and must use school-provided computers. Actually, there's no need to worry. After class every day, all communication websites are open. You can watch YouTube, scroll Instagram after class. Even WeChat can be used at school now. The key is that students will discover things more interesting than playing on their phones during this process. Many parents are concerned about college admissions. Our school's advantage is the small student body, which naturally leads to less pressure. It's relatively easy for Chinese students to achieve good grades if they put in the effort. In recent years, other Chinese students have been under immense pressure ('involution'), but our school has fewer people, so the competition isn't as fierce.

Over ten years ago, a good friend asked me to help him find a suitable university preparatory boarding school for his son in the United States. After extensive searching, I was deeply drawn to Midland's educational philosophy of 'needs not wants'.
I have always believed that for growing teenagers, understanding and providing what they need for their development is more important than simply giving them what they want. The school focuses on cultivating students' learning abilities while also emphasizing exercise and life skills development.
Midland's environment is nestled between mountains and the sea. All teachers and students live together on campus. Mobile phones have no signal, and school online gaming websites are blocked. In such an 'idyllic' campus environment, students cannot be addicted to modern devices like mobile phones, making it easier for them to return to the essence of simple learning and living. Here, students can treat teachers as their friends or even family, and can knock on a teacher's door anytime to seek help or guidance. At Midland, students become more confident, open-minded, and independent. Furthermore, they can improve their practical skills through daily tasks.
Midland does not have ELS courses specifically for international students; Chinese students attend classes with local American students, teaching them better self-supervision and self-discipline, which I believe is very important for adolescents.
Appreciating Midland's educational philosophy, I have always been dedicated to recommending Midland to Chinese students and their parents. I know Chinese students who, after leaving Midland, were accepted into their ideal universities, such as Duke, UCLA, and Boston College.