Advisor/Advisee Program. The Advisor/Advisee Program is one of the most important ways through which students develop feelings of belonging in the school community. Students develop personal and academic plans, portfolios, community service projects and with the advisor's assistance seek internships and other special activities in the community. Through daily contact with an advisor students learn in a supportive community of peers and faculty.

Portfolios. Student portfolios capture the progress of learning for students throughout their time at University Schools. Each student is expected to create a portfolio of learning. Portfolios provide a comprehensive view of the student as a "whole person," providing better articulation of a student's achievement and progress than traditional number or letter grade reports.

Interdisciplinary/Integrated Education. The world operates as a whole, not in isolated fragments. Interdisciplinary/integrated instruction at University Schools connects traditional subject areas so that students can better understand that all knowledge is connected and that learning has application in the real world.

Self-Directed Learning. Students direct many aspects of their learning. Advisors and other teachers assist students in this process. During advisor/advisee time elementary students develop personal learning plans. Focused learning courses in middle school help students pursue individual interests. In high school student may take "self-directed Learning" courses or create independent study courses, which provide time and adult assistance for students to pursue individual passions and interests.

Community Service. All students serve the school community and the community beyond the school. Elementary students serve the community through group service projects. Middle school student give community service in varying ways (6 hours in sixth grade, 7 hours in seventh grade, and 8 hours in eighth grade). In addition each advisee group contributes to the school by serving in the cafeteria every 10 weeks. All high school students must contribute 50 hours of community service as a part of the graduation requirement.

Multi-age grouping. Students learn in a variety of groupings. Most elementary students are grouped based on learning or developmental needs rather than by age or grade. Middle School students (grades 6, 7, and 8) are grouped together for most of their classes. High school students take classes based on their learning needs rather than on traditional grades. In addition, students work together across ages; high school and middle school students work with younger children and elementary students often work with preschool or kindergarten students.

Real-Life Learning Opportunities. University Schools provides a multitude of opportunities for students to learn how to apply what they have learned to real-life situations. Morning Munchies is an elementary project, designed as a business project for students to buy and sell snack food items to middle school students. The Middle School Restaurant and Malt Shop provide an opportunity for students to learn how to run a food service. A high school course, Outdoor Education, also provides students with an opportunity for real-life learning. Students at each level develop knowledge and skills about the outdoors through camping and day trips. Most students engage in an outdoor education project at least once and usually more often during their time at University Schools.