Cate School
Founded in 1910, Cate School is a grade 9-12, coeducational, college preparatory boarding school in Carpinteria, California.
What began as a group of twelve boys and a few teachers has expanded into a 280-student, 57-teacher, deeply academic and talented community with the most diverse student body of any boarding school of its size in the United States.
One of the most experienced and committed teaching faculty in the country: 82% hold advanced degrees, 18% of these have PhDs.
Cate is one of this nation's most selective boarding schools, accepting under 20% of our applicants each year.
60% of Cate's most recent graduating class attend the 25 top-ranked colleges and universities in the country and 18% went to Ivy Leagues and Stanford.
The Cate experience combines academics, athletics, art and co-curricular activities in a close-knit, community setting where students are enriched by their relationships with their teachers and each other.
When students leave Cate, they have the tools and the conviction to seek out lives full of purpose and meaning.
College admissions offices often report back that Cate students are among their schools' brightest, most dynamic, and intellectually curious individuals.
Mission: Through commitment, scholarship, companionship, and service, each member of the Cate community contributes to what our founder called: "...the spirit of this place...all compounded of beauty and virtue, quiet study, vigorous play, and hard work.".
Quick Stats (2022)
- Grades: (Boarding) 9-12
- Students: 300 students
- Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $68,150
- Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $53,750
- Acceptance rate: 17%
- Average class size: 10 students
- Application Deadline: Jan. 15
Alumni Reviews Review School
Review
Description
Cate is one of the unique places you could ever imagine. High up on a mesa with an ocean view surrounded by hundreds of acres of avocado trees, a utopian little community exists and thrives. . .
One aspect of Cate School that I think makes it unique is its campus. When I was doing my research for what kind of boarding school, I wanted to apply to, there were a few. . .
Cate is a smaller boarding school and has a very much community bubble. This is a west coast boarding school so people are more liberal and open to alternative teaching. They also emphasize outdoor learning. . .
Show more reviews (16 reviews)
Top Rankings
Cate School ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 309 schools) for:
Category
Attribute
School Resources
Selectivity
Offering Breadth
Student Test Scores
Student Test Scores
School Overview
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
Grades Offered (Boarding)
9-12
9-12
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
Year Founded
1910
1907
Campus Size
150 acres
125 acres
Student Body
Enrollment
300 students
300 students
% Students of Color
55%
25%
% International Students
18%
20%
% Students Boarding
77%
70%
Offers Post-Grad Year
No
No
Academics and Faculty
Saturday Classes
No
No
Student : Teacher Ratio
5:1
7:1
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
46
17
ESL Courses Offered
No
Yes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
80%
70%
Summer Program Details
Tuition Cost
Endowment Size
$90 million
$25 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
(Boarding Students)
$68,150
$59,900
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
(Day Students)
$53,750
$33,250
% Students on Financial Aid
28%
40%
Avg. Financial Aid Grant
$52,700
$25,000
Merit Scholarships Offered
No
No
Acceptance Rate
Application Deadline
Jan. 15
Jan. 15
SSAT Required
Yes
Yes
Average Percentile SSAT
85%
-
Acceptance Rate
17%
58%
Director of Admissions
Charlotte Brownlee
Associate Director of Admissions
Faimie Kingsley
AP / Advanced Courses
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
46
17
Courses
Advanced Art (A and AB), Advanced Art History, Advanced Biology, Advanced Calculus 1 (AB), Advanced Calculus 2 (BC), Advanced Ceramics, Advanced Chemistry, Advanced Chinese: Chinese Cinema, Advanced Chinese: Literature, Advanced Chinese: The Chinese Idiom, Advanced Choral Music: Camerata, Advanced Computer Science, Advanced English 11, Advanced English 12, Advanced French: Language Studies, Advanced French: Literature Studies, Advanced Global Systems, Advanced History: Anthropological Perspectives, Advanced History: Comparative Revolutions, Advanced History: Modern Middle East, Advanced History: Modern Presidency, Advanced Mechanics with Calculus, Advanced Molecular Genetics, Advanced Multivariable Calculus, Advanced Photography, Advanced Physics: Astrophysics, Advanced Physics: Electronics, Advanced Physics: Mechanics, Advanced Spanish: Hispanic Cinema, Advanced Spanish: Language Studies, Advanced Spanish: Literature Studies, Advanced Spanish: Magical Realism, Advanced Spanish: Master Works of Spanish Literature, Advanced Statistics, Advanced Studio Art, Advanced U.S. History, Directed Studies, Japanese 4, Linear Algebra, Senior Inquiry Project, Statistics
Sports
# Interscholastic Sports Offered
17
16
Sports
Extracurriculars
Total Extracurricular Organizations
44
23
Extracurriculars
Club or Organization:
Alianza (Latino Student Alliance), Black Student Union, Blue Crew, California Mathematics League, Cate Liberals League, Cate Repbulicans, Cate Review (Literary Magazine), CateNet Masters, Chinese Language & Culture Club, Coagess (Yearbook), Cougar Cup, Cougar Online, Cultural Awareness Club, Culture Pot, Dance Club, Film Society, George School Investing Club, Goldfish in Java, Green Team, Havurah, Jewelry and Metalsmithing Club, Lantern (School Art & Poetry Magazine), LOGOS, Pennswood Committee, Pets Are Worth Supporting, R&B Step Team, Round Square, South Asian Student Society, Squares, Student Book Club, Student Senate, TERRA, The Crew (Video Club), The Curious George (School Newspaper), Theatre Arts, Tour Guides, Women's Forum
Arts and Music Programs:
Camerata, Cate Artists' Theatre, Chamber, Chorale, Latin American Students Organization
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Martial Arts Club, Pacific Rim Organization (PRO)
Alianza (Latino Student Alliance), Black Student Union, Blue Crew, California Mathematics League, Cate Liberals League, Cate Repbulicans, Cate Review (Literary Magazine), CateNet Masters, Chinese Language & Culture Club, Coagess (Yearbook), Cougar Cup, Cougar Online, Cultural Awareness Club, Culture Pot, Dance Club, Film Society, George School Investing Club, Goldfish in Java, Green Team, Havurah, Jewelry and Metalsmithing Club, Lantern (School Art & Poetry Magazine), LOGOS, Pennswood Committee, Pets Are Worth Supporting, R&B Step Team, Round Square, South Asian Student Society, Squares, Student Book Club, Student Senate, TERRA, The Crew (Video Club), The Curious George (School Newspaper), Theatre Arts, Tour Guides, Women's Forum
Arts and Music Programs:
Camerata, Cate Artists' Theatre, Chamber, Chorale, Latin American Students Organization
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Martial Arts Club, Pacific Rim Organization (PRO)
College Matriculation
Year: 2012 - 2016
10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled)
New York University
20
University of Southern California
17
Stanford University
14
University of Pennsylvania
13
University of Chicago
11
Barnard College
10
Colorado College
10
Georgetown University
10
Santa Clara University
7
Columbia University
6
School Notes
- With more than 150 courses offered, the goal of the Cate curriculum is to teach students to think and to develop in them a lifelong love of learning. Cate graduates consistently enroll in the country`s top colleges and universities. Cate strongly values diversity. Our student body is comprised of 51% students of color. We enroll boys and girls from 26 states and 14 countries. Our commitment to socio-economic diversity is evidenced by a financial assistance budget of more than $4,070,000.
- Cate School accreditations: Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
- Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- David Crosby - Singer/songwirter
- Garrett Lisi - Noted physicist
- Billy Steinberg - Musician/Songwriter
- Warren Breidenbach III - Pioneering surgeon
- Sir John R.H. Bond - Financier
- Mona Khalil - United Nations
- Dr. William New - Inventor and physician
- Joshua Yaro - Professional soccer (MLS)
- Ema Boateng - Professional soccer (MLS)
Profile last updated: 08/24/2021
Related Schools
Show me:
Popular comparisons: Cate School vs. The Thacher School
People that viewed Cate School also viewed these schools: The Thacher School, The Webb Schools, Stevenson School, Choate Rosemary Hall and Deerfield Academy.
The nearest boarding school to Cate School is Villanova Preparatory School (12.3 miles away)
School
Location
Miles
Grades
Students
254 students 17.3 miles 5025 Thacher Road
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 640-3210
Ojai, CA 93023
(805) 640-3210
17.3
9-12
254
399 students 101.2 miles 1175 West Baseline Road
Claremont, CA 91711
(909) 482-5214
Claremont, CA 91711
(909) 482-5214
101.2
9-12
399
500 students 204.9 miles 3152 Forest Lake Road
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
(831) 625-8300
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
(831) 625-8300
204.9
9-12
Pre-K-12
Pre-K-12
500
867 students 2557.8 miles 333 Christian Street
Wallingford, CT 06492
(203) 697-2239
Wallingford, CT 06492
(203) 697-2239
2557.8
9-12, PG
867
648 students 2563.2 miles 7 Boyden Lane
Deerfield, MA 01342
(413) 774-1400
Deerfield, MA 01342
(413) 774-1400
2563.2
9-12, PG
648
Recent Articles
Want To Teach In A Boarding School?
Teaching in a boarding school is the same as teaching in a public school, right? Not exactly. Some explanations here.
Academics: Advanced Placement
As part of your evaluation of boarding schools, you will examine the academics. We look at one aspect of what many schools teach, namely, Advanced Placement courses.
Are You Looking At The Wrong Schools?
By "wrong schools", I mean schools that don't fit your needs and requirements. Finding the "right school' implies that the school meets 99% of what you require. More here.
