So, you’re interested in going to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters? As a mutant who’s curious about the wider world of heroes and villains, we’d love to have you. But, before we give you the cursory Xavier’s School pros and cons list, we’d like to give you a little history on the most successful and adaptable mutant school in the country.  The original building used for the school was founder Charles Xavier’s childhood mansion. After realizing how poor mutants were being treated by society, he decided to use his family’s vast fortune to fund a school that would teach young mutants how to use their powers. Xavier’s first student, eleven-year-old Jean Grey, represented the beginning of the school’s long history. After Jean, Charles gained numerous other young pupils, including Cyclops, Angel, Beast, and Iceman.

The school has gone through numerous changes over the years, both structurally and symbolically. For a brief while, the name of the school was changed to “The Jean Grey School for Higher Learning.” Physically, we’ve rebuilt and renovated the building dozens of times thanks to frequent attacks. For this list, we’re not specifying a particular building or era. CBR is taking its readers on an in-depth tour of the most famous school in comic book history. We’re going over the positives and negatives of being a student there as if you, the reader, were actually going. While we may not be members of the real Xavier’s student orientation group, we’re giving it our best shot. If you’re considering enrolling, keep reading.

20 PRO: MUTANT OASIS

For young mutants just gaining their powers, there is no better place to go then Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. At all hours of the day, you’ll be surrounded by other mutants who are also trying to learn how to use their newfound gifts responsibly.

No matter your mutation, Xavier’s School is more than willing to accommodate you and your special gifts. We cater to all kinds of mutants, so if you’re lacking a physical body or are prone to randomly catching on fire, don’t worry. Here at Xavier’s, all mutants are welcome. Life as a mutant is difficult, but luckily for you Xavier’s School is a (relatively) safe island in a sea of mutant hate.

19 CON: ALWAYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

While the Xavier’s School does have state of the art amenities, due to consistent supervillain attacks, those facilities need almost constant maintenance. Running a superhero team out of a school is no simple task. As private as the X-Men try to keep their missions, they often inadvertently lead their enemies to the school. During your stay at Xavier’s, you will certainly see some destruction firsthand.

As a student at Xavier’s, you will be expected to use your mutant gifts to assist the current reconstruction project in any way possible. This could entail something as simple as helping hammer a few nails to something as advanced as reinstalling a new roof using telekinesis. No matter what you can do, we’ll need your help to keep the school up and running.

18 PRO: MEET THE X-MEN

They may not be the Avengers, but Prof. Xavier’s X-Men are still superheroes! As a student at Xavier’s School, you’ll have numerous opportunities to meet some of the founding X-Men including Jean Grey, Cyclops, Iceman, and Beast. Since many of the X-Men members act as teachers when not on missions, you’ll form close relationships with heroes such as Kitty Pryde, Wolverine, and Cannonball.

Classes with these respected heroes will send you back to famous battles between the X-Men and their many adversaries. Learn firsthand how Kitty Pryde saved the world from a giant bullet by attending her class on superhero history. We only advise you to keep your minds to yourself during Emma Frost’s telepathy class. We are not responsible for any psychic damages committed by our staff.

17 CON: RESTRICTED STUDIES

Xavier’s School prides itself on having a diverse range of classes. These include a few of your basic fields of study, such as English, History, and Science. But, be warned, every student at Xavier’s is expected to put a stronger focus on fighting and mutant studies, since we feel those benefit the school’s goals the most. While we do offer a few other classes that don’t fulfill that basic requirement, we require students to take certain classes, such as “The Art of Fighting” with Headmaster Wolverine and “Psychic Self-Defense” with Rachel Grey.

As per the 1993 X-Men: Survival Guide to the Mansion, all students must at least 72 hours interning at the Med-Lab. This greatly reduces our risk of fatal injuries after random attacks. We hope you’re interested in being pre-med!

16 PRO: TRAIN IN THE DANGER ROOM

In order to prepare our students for the worst situations possible, all Xavier’s School pupils are required to take at least one Danger Room course. We’re sure most of you are already familiar with the Danger Room and its many capabilities. Created using Shi'ar hard-light holographic technology, the Danger Room has the capability to reproduce any scenario. This allows students to battle Apocalypse without becoming harmed in the process.

As a student at Xavier’s, you’ll have numerous opportunities to train in the Danger Room and explore different scenarios. We only ask that a member of the X-Men is always present during these training sessions to ensure that the holographic tech isn’t used for nefarious means.

15 CON: SUPERVILLAIN TEACHERS

While we adore our faculty here at Xavier’s, we have had some notable mishaps in the past when it comes to our teaching staff. We aren’t proud of these issues, but we’re willing to talk about them in order to ensure they never happen again. During the 2001 New X-Men series, one of our favorite teachers, Professor Xorn, revealed himself to be Magneto halfway through the semester. He then proceeded to end the future headmistress of Xavier’s, Professor Jean Grey.

We have also had Emma Frost as a professor, even though her criminal record is extensive. At the moment, she is wanted for conspiring to bring monumental chaos to planet Earth, but for a stint, she was a top-notch Ethics teacher.

14 PRO: NEVER A DULL MOMENT

Here at Xavier’s, a day never goes by without something big happening. From Headmaster Wolverine leaving an interdimensional door open, allowing a herd of adorable “Bamfs” to infiltrate the school to Professor Jean Grey nearly melting Professor Emma Frost’s mind after discovering her husband’s infidelity, there is always something going on. Normal schools are, for the most part, pretty boring. When you’re a student at Xavier’s, you’ll always have an unbelievable story to tell your family and friends.

Of course, we encourage our students never to be passive observers. At any moment, Xavier’s is most likely understaffed so please remember to step up and take action if something like a Phoenix battle begins to go south.

13 CON: DORM LIFE

Ah, dorm life. Part of growing up and going to school is learning how to live with another person in a tiny room. In most cases, dorm life can be an enjoyable, social experience that will grant you everlasting friends. Here at Xavier’s, all students are expected to share rooms, but don’t worry: most students are willing to be friendly and accommodating.

Of course, there are some students who can be a little difficult to live with. Students with pyro mutations are notorious for accidentally burning their roommate's belongings, while invisible students are frequently caught stealing from their roomies. With the many different kinds of mutants, we have at Xavier’s, you could be rooming with someone who could make your life a little uncomfortable. But, at Xavier’s, we try to keep our judgments to ourselves so please don’t ask for reassignments.

12 PRO: FANCY TECH

There is no other high school in the world with the kind of technology that Xavier’s boasts. Thanks to Charles Xavier’s relationship with Empress Lilandra of the Shi’ar, Xavier’s has some amazing tech at its disposal. For those unfamiliar, the Shi’ar are a race of people with a sprawling, intergalactic empire. With technology hundreds of years more developed than our own, Lilandra’s generous donations really helped make Xavier’s what it is today. Without the Shi’ar tech, the Danger Room and our recently-installed floating towers wouldn’t be possible.

Famous X-Men member Forge also helps keep Xavier’s on the cutting edge in terms of technology. Every time the school gets destroyed, Forge and Professor McCoy are always there to install the newest upgrades.

11 CON: TRIP TO LIMBO

All new Xavier’s students are curious about our famous “Trip to Limbo”. While it’s normal to be curious, we encourage you to not look too deeply into this particular event. Since we understand you will probably try to find out about it yourselves, we’re willing to give you a quick abridged version to satiate your interest.

A few years ago, during the Terrigen mist outbreak, professor Ororo Munroe moved the school fiery realm of Limbo. She did this in order to protect her students from both the mists and the rise in mutant hatred. Limbo is practically synonymous with hell and isn’t an appropriate place for a school, but it was a dire situation. It (most likely) won’t happen again in the future. But, just in case it does, we require all students to sign a waiver before enrolling.

10 PRO: SPORTS GALORE

If you’re a mutant with an affinity for sports then Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters is for you! When students aren’t in class, we encourage them to get outside and participate in some recreational sports. We don’t have official Xavier’s School teams, since no other school would play against us, but students have a lot of fun playing against each other in a variety of different sports.

On special occasions, you might even get to see a few of the X-Men come out to play baseball or basketball. Just remember to make it clear whether or not powers are allowed! Professor Jean Grey has been known to use her telekinesis to score points when the rules aren’t well defined.

9 CON: ISN'T ALWAYS A SCHOOL

The mutant world is constantly changing, which also means Xavier’s School must always be in flux. Over the years, our school has gone through many different eras, both in the physical structure of the school and in what the school actually is. Due to various circumstances, the school has been a refugee camp, a hospital, and an X-Men-only headquarters.

Education is very important at Xavier’s, but it always comes second to worldwide mutant events. As a student at Xavier’s, you must understand that at any moment, the school could spontaneously shut down or move to a different dimension. Unfortunately, all credits earned at Xavier’s are non-transferable and non-refundable.

8 PRO: X-MEN MEMBER IN TRAINING

Have you always wanted to save the world? Has Captain America always been your hero? Xavier’s School can’t technically promise you Captain America-status but most of the members on our various X-Men teams started as students at Xavier’s. This means you too could one day sport the famous X-insignia and fight for mutant rights... after you’ve passed all your classes.

Students at other schools have only mundane jobs to look forward to after graduation. At Xavier’s, your future could be full of life-changing adventures! Work hard, make friends with the X-Men, and you could easily join the ranks as one of the world’s most famous mutants!

7 CON: MIGHT BECOME A CHILD SOLDIER

As a student at Xavier’s School, we do not technically expect you to become an X-Men member or assist in defending the campus. However, in times of great stress, we highly encourage those who have applicable gifts to put their Danger Room skills to the test. Since the school is regularly under attack, not fighting can often lead to serious injuries.

Fighting an alien invasion might seem a little scary, but don’t worry. After a few battles, you’ll be much more confident in your amazing abilities. If you think you’re too young to fight, just remember that the first group of students at Xavier’s (Marvel Girl, Cyclops, Iceman, Angel, and Beast) were around your age and look how well they turned out!

6 PRO: MOST BEAUTIFUL SCHOOL EVER

It may sound a bit vain, but Xavier’s is, undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful schools in the nation. When not recently destroyed, Xavier’s is an architectural marvel. Our school is a fusion between modern and Neo-classical design elements. It's easily one of the most unique educational facilities in the country.

Thanks to our beloved faculty member, Professor Drake, the Xavier’s School has numerous ice sculptures and a one-of-a-kind “Ice Palace” on our property. We also have numerous floating towers that give the school a very futuristic feel. In terms of interiors, the Xavier’s School tries to make students learning environments as aesthetically pleasing as possible. At the school, you’ll find gorgeous green houses, majestic staircases, and surprisingly well-furnished dorm rooms.

5 CON: STAFF IS RARELY QUALIFIED

Few other schools can say they have a faculty consisting of numerous superheroes who’ve saved the world countless times. We are beyond lucky to have the teachers we have. However, as we’ve already mentioned, they aren’t perfect and we’re candid about that. Most of our staff aren’t supervillains, but, full-disclosure, most of our professors are also not technically qualified to teach.

Many of our professors do have college degrees, but those degrees aren’t necessarily in education. We also don’t enforce a strict curriculum so the professors get free reign on what they want to teach. If that bothers you, we suggest you search for an alternative school. There is no possible way we could get teaching certificates for all of our professors. Can you really imagine Wolverine taking an education class? Yeah, neither can we.

4 PRO: CENTRAL PARK LOCATION

As of fairly recently, Xavier’s School has moved to Central Park in New York City! Headmistress Kitty Pryde relocated the school in order to better facilitate mutant-human relations. We have had a few hiccups during the transition (i.e. the very high tax rate) but we’re sure the change will positively affect the student body. With our new central location, students will be able to stay better connected to the world outside of Salem Center.

Students can spend weekends exploring the sprawling city and visiting famous tourist spots like the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. As mutant activists, we encourage our students to enjoy every aspect of the Metropolitan experience. But, for convenience sake, please remember how your mutation affects others when taking public transportation.

3 CON: OFF-LIMITS AREAS

Like all schools, Xavier’s does have some areas that are off-limits to students. For whatever reason, this is a serious area of contempt among our students. All schools have areas where students can’t wonder, but perhaps Xavier’s does have a few more than an ordinary school. Since this is the working headquarters of the X-Men, any room used for debriefings, such as the War Room or the Z'Nox Chamber in the basement, cannot be accessed by students.

The Cerebro chamber is also off limits. As tempting as the psychic device looks, do not, under any circumstances, try and use it. Only high-level telepaths can withstand its power. We are not personally responsible for students who go into these restricted areas and wind up seriously injured or worse.

2 PRO: LEARN THINGS YOU CAN'T LEARN ANYWHERE ELSE

Where else can you learn how to dismantle a Sentinel or infiltrate Mister Sinister’s lab? Xavier’s School isn’t conventional by any means, but it does give mutant students what they need to survive. Danger Room courses and fighting lessons from the Wolverine aren’t the sort of thing you’ll find on a typical high school class roster.

The stuff you’ll learn at Xavier’s won’t only benefit you, it’ll benefit everyone in your future. No matter what the public thinks about mutants, you’ll always be able to keep you and your family safe. In a world where no one promises tomorrow to mutants, that’s a really important diploma.

1 CON: INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS

Before you enroll at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, there one very important detail you should know. As great as Xavier’s School is, we are (most likely) the most dangerous school in the world. Although we have top-notch security, the X-Men’s villains routinely demolish the school in unplanned attacks. During these attacks, many students are injured or worse.

We cannot, at any time, ensure your safety while you’re a student at Xavier’s. Chances are, while you’re studying here, at least ten “apocalyptic” events will strike the school, causing serious property damage and loss of life. If this is a problem for you, might we suggest enrolling at the Avengers Academy?