Dunn School

P.O. Box 98, 2555 W. Highway 154
Los Olivos, CA 93441
Tel: (800)287-9197
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Dunn School Photo #1 - The STEM quad at Dunn, housing the math classrooms, tinker space, makers lab and more.
Dunn School Photo #2 - Our experiential education trips get students out into the world several times during their time at Dunn. Here, students visit the Channel Islands National Park for March Mini Term.
Dunn School Photo #3 - The trees in the center of campus make a great spots to catch up on class work while enjoying the California is sunshine.
Dunn School Photo #4 - Donna Frost (Chair of the STEM department) helps a student with his robotics project.
Dunn School Photo #5 - Weekend campus life on Munger Common. Students are enjoying the school carnival (in September) while they make new friends and reconnect with familiar faces.
Dunn School Photo #6 - Spanish class on Monday morning always gets a laugh and a smile from the students! Our foreign language department prides itself on active classroom learning, and it's been well-reveived by parents and students alike.
Dunn School Photo #7 - Our volleyball team competes at home.
Dunn School Photo #8 - Lip Sync Battle-- just one of the activities that happen during the Community Nights throughout the year! This was hosted in the barn (which is also where our theater performances happen).
Dunn School Photo #9 - Loy Dorm houses approximately 40 girls from all over the country/world.
Dunn School Photo #10 - We have a beautiful ceramics studio full of natural light.
  • Founded in 1957, Dunn School is an independent, college preparatory, 6th through 12th grade coeducational boarding and day school.
  • We are located in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, in Los Olivos, California, 30 miles from Santa Barbara.
  • The mission of the Dunn School community is to educate the whole student to his or her fullest potential in preparation for a life of learning and responsible leadership in society.

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Similar Size Schools

Dunn School is listed among the top 10 schools with 200-400 students (out of 110 schools) for:

Definition of Terms
 | 2019 School Data
Dunn SchoolBoarding School Avg.
School FocusCollege PrepCollege Preparatory
Grades Offered (Boarding)9-129-12
Grades Offered (Day)6-129-12
School TypeCo-edCo-ed
ADD/ADHD SupportYesYes
Supports Learning Differences (LD)YesYes
Religious AffiliationNon-denominationalNon-denominational
Year Founded19571909
Campus Size58 acres110 acres

Student Body

Enrollment249 students320 students
% Students of Color
45%
23%
% International Students
16%
20%
% Students Boarding
60%
70%
Average SAT Score1210* National Avg. »View
Average ACT score25*National Avg. » View
Offers Post-Grad YearNoNo

Academics and Faculty

Saturday ClassesNoNo
Classroom Dress CodeCasualCasual
Average Class Size10 students12
*National School Avg. » 20
Teacher : Student Ratio1:51:7
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered1318
ESL Courses OfferedNoYes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
63%
69%
Summer Program OfferedYesYes
Summer Program Cost$8,500
Summer Program DetailsLink to Summer Program Details

Finances

Endowment Size$7 million$20 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)		$61,000$57,650
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)		$28,000$30,400
Tuition international students$63,500$51,135
% Students on Financial Aid
56%
38%
Avg. Financial Aid Grant$22,961$25,000
Merit Scholarships OfferedNoNo

Admission

Application DeadlineFeb. 1 / rollingJan. 15
Accepts Standardized ApplicationYesNo
SSAT RequiredYesYes
Acceptance Rate
45%
57%
Director of AdmissionsMike Mckee
Associate Director of AdmissionsMandy Taylor-Gratzer

AP / Advanced Courses

# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered1318
CoursesAdvanced Art, Advanced English 11, Advanced U.S. History, Advanced World History, AP Biology, AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles, AP English Literature, AP Environmental Science, AP Spanish, AP Statistics, English 10 Honors, Math I Honors - Geometry & Algebra, Math II Honors - Data, Models, & Predictions, Math III Honors - Mathematical Analysis, Spanish II Honors, Spanish III Honors, US History Honors

Sports

# Interscholastic Sports Offered1416
SportsBaseball, Basketball, Climbing, Cross Country, Lacrosse, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Soccer, Softball, Surf Team, Tennis, Track and Field, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball

Extracurriculars

Total Extracurricular Organizations1323
ExtracurricularsClub or Organization:
Badminton Club, Computer Science Club, Dance Company, Dormitory Council, Dray Student Club, Film Club, Interact Club, Peer Tutoring Association, Student Government, Youth 4 Direct Relief Club

Recreational Athletic Programs:
Mountain Biking, Priory Volunteers, Yoga

College Matriculation

Year: 201410 Most Popular College Choices  (# Enrolled)
University of Colorado at Boulder5
Northeastern University4
University of San Francisco4
California Polytechnic State University2
Lewis and Clark College2
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute2
University of California at San Diego2
University of California at San Diego2
University of California at Los Angeles1
Whitman College1

School Notes

  • LD types supported: Mild Learning Differences
  • Dunn School accreditations: TABS, NAIS, WBSA, SSATB, WASC

Profile last updated:

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Quick Stats (2020)
  • Grades: (Boarding) 9-12
  • Students: 249 students
  • Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $61,000
  • Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $28,000
  • Acceptance rate: 45%
  • Average class size: 10 students
  • Application Deadline: Feb. 1 / rolling
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Dunn School seeks to enroll students who have strong academic potential and a desire to be part of a community where participation, compassion, and honesty are a part of everyday life. Priority is given to those candidates who apply by the February 1 deadline.

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