Dunn School vs. Cate School

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.

Dunn School's 60-year old mission is to educate the whole student to his or her fullest potential in preparation for a life of learning and responsible leadership in society. We achieve this by focusing on the development and integration of 5 core values: Social and emotional wellness; physical readiness; intellectual growth; social responsibility; and moral courage.

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 300-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 country's 25 top-ranked colleges and universities, 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.