The Athenian School
With distinctive meaningful programs, The Athenian School goes far beyond preparing talented and diverse students for outstanding colleges.
Athenian empowers its graduates to become world citizens with lives of purpose and personal fulfillment.
Athenian's distinguishing features include: an exciting and challenging academic curriculum, required community service, a required wilderness course, and extraordinary international experiences.
Other signature programs include: town meeting, an airplane construction project, an award-winning robotics team, and many international opportunities (exchange, service projects, annual conferences, and faculty-led educational and service trips).
Located on 75 beautiful acres at the base of Mt. Diablo, Athenian is the San Francisco Bay Area's only nonsectarian school with a high school boarding program.
Virtually 100% gain admission to 4-yr. universities, fr om all the Univ. of CA campuses, to USC, Stanford, all the Ivy League campuses, outstanding liberal arts colleges, and a wide range of others.
Athenian encourages students to find the colleges or universities that best fit them, and most students gain admission to their first-choice school.
Most importantly, Athenian students develop a deep understanding of themselves, extraordinary skills for achievement, and the compassion to make a positive difference in the world.
Alumni Reviews Review School
- Review Description
- Brown University 1) AWE - 26 Day backpacking trip in either High Sierras or Death Valley. It is truly a life-changing experience and you really get to know the 10 people that you are grouped with. It. . .
Top Rankings
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The Athenian School ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 303 schools) for:
- Category Attribute
- Student Test Scores High average SAT scores
| Definition of Terms | 2021 School Data | The Athenian School | Boarding School Avg. |
| School Focus | College Prep | College Preparatory |
| Grades Offered (Boarding) | 9-12 | 9-12 |
| Grades Offered (Day) | 6-12 | 9-12 |
| School Type | Co-ed | Co-ed |
| Religious Affiliation | Non-denominational | Non-denominational |
| Year Founded | 1965 | 1907 |
| Campus Size | 75 acres | 125 acres |
Student Body
| Enrollment | 530 students | 300 students |
| % Students of Color | 59% | 25% |
| % International Students | 13% | 20% |
| % Students Boarding | 17% | 70% |
| Average SAT Score | 1363 | * National Avg. »View |
| Average ACT score | 31 | *National Avg. » View |
| Offers Post-Grad Year | No | No |
Academics and Faculty
| Saturday Classes | No | No |
| Classroom Dress Code | Casual | Casual |
| Average Class Size | 15 students | 12 *National School Avg. » 20 |
| Student : Teacher Ratio | 10:1 | 7:1 |
| # of AP / Advanced Courses Offered | 8 | 18 |
| ESL Courses Offered | Yes | Yes |
| % Faculty with Advanced Degree | 76% | 70% |
| Summer Program Offered | Yes | Yes |
Tuition Cost
| Endowment Size | $8.7 million | $25 million |
| Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students) | $71,800 | $59,500 |
| Yearly Tuition (Day Students) | $46,900 | $33,500 |
| Tuition international students | $73,500 | $54,500 |
| Yearly Tuition (5 Day Boarding) | $73,500 | $44,100 |
| % Students on Financial Aid | 24% | 40% |
| Avg. Financial Aid Grant | $26,000 | $25,000 |
| Merit Scholarships Offered | No | No |
Acceptance Rate
| Application Deadline | Jan. 7 / Feb. 15 / rolling | Jan. 15 |
| Accepts Standardized Application | Yes | No |
| SSAT Required | No | Yes |
| Acceptance Rate | 43% | 58% |
| Director of Admissions | Christopher Beeson | |
| Associate Director of Admissions | Nenelwa Tomi | |
AP / Advanced Courses
| # of AP / Advanced Courses Offered | 8 | 18 |
| Courses | AP AB Calculus, AP BC Calculus, AP Computer Science, AP French IV, AP Spanish IV, AP Statistics, Honors Advanced Biology, Honors Advanced Chemistry, Honors Advanced Physics, Honors Algebra II, Honors Applied Science, Honors Biology, Honors Chinese III, Honors Chinese IV, Honors French V, Honors History Seminars (many), Honors Humanitas, Honors Literature Seminars (many), Honors Marine Biology, Honors Pre-Calculus, Honors Spanish III, Personal Projects in Art | |
Sports
| # Interscholastic Sports Offered | 12 | 16 |
| Sports | Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Golf, Lacrosse, Sailing, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball, Wrestling | |
Extracurriculars
| Total Extracurricular Organizations | 35 | 23 |
| Extracurriculars | Club or Organization: Airplane Construction Project, Asian Club, Floor Hockey, Gardening Society, Juggling, Missionary Society, Open Mic, Outdoor Adventure, QED Math Club, Robotics Team--award-winning, Round Square Int'l. Service Projects, Round Square Int'l. Student Conferences, Round Square Study Abroad, Squash, Student Self-Government, Students of Color, Weekend Crew, Yearbook Arts and Music Programs: Classics Society, On Campus speakers and artists, Poetry Interest Group, Poetry Readings, StuCo, Theater Interest Group, Theater Productions Recreational Athletic Programs: Athenian Wilderness Experience--required, Computer Technology Association, Rock Climbing, Running, Sailing, Tour du Lac, Ultimate Frisbee, Unicycling, Weight Lifting, Yoga | |
College Matriculation
| Year: 2010 - 2013 | 10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled) | |
| New York University | 13 | |
| University of California, Berkeley | 10 | |
| University of California, Santa Cruz | 8 | |
| University of Calfornia, Los Angeles | 7 | |
| University of California, Davis | 7 | |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 7 | |
| Chapman University | 6 | |
| George Washington University | 6 | |
| Occidental College | 6 | |
| University of Colorado, Boulder | 6 | |
School Notes
-
Athenian's superb curriculum extends far beyond academic subjects with distinctive programs which develop students as world citizens for successful, meaningful, and purposeful lives.The academic curriculum offers:
- Interdisciplinary humanities courses in grades 9 and 10, followed by diverse seminars in history and literature
- Hands-on and applied science options, including: an airplane construction project, an applied science course, and an award-winning robotics team
- Extensive mathematics offerings beyond our two years of AP calculus courses to AP statistics and AP computer science
- Extensive offerings in the arts, including drawing, painting, pottery, stained glass, and photography, theatre, dance, and chorus
- Honors and/or AP courses accross the curriculum
- Superb college counseling with an individual plan for each student and counselors dedicated only to college advising
- Meaningful required community service
- Extraordinary international opportunities through the Round Square Consortium of 100 schools on six continents: study abroad exchanges, international community service projects, and annual international student conferences
- Participation in school-governance through town meeting
- Guidance from a residential community of faculty who live on campus with their families. Faculty know students well, offering advice and support as mentors for each student.
- The Athenian Wilderness Experience, required of all 11th grade students (a meaningful program developing independence, leadership, and teamwork)
- An amazing an advantageous location which offers a beautiful 75-acre campus at the base of Mt. Diablo as well as easy access to the San Francisco Bay Area
- Faculty who not only teach academic subjects but mentor students individually as academic advisors, residential program advisors, dormitory parents, coaches, club sponsors, community service trip leaders, and interim trip leaders.
- Service Learning in which academic courses include hands-on experiential learning with a community service focus. Such programs happen on campus, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and on international trips to such places as Africa, South America, Asia, and Europe.
- "With the perfect balance of challenge and nurturing, Athenian teachers encourage you to experience and connect with your studies. I enjoyed academics, athletics, and the arts. I pursued my passions, graduating more certain of myself. I felt intellectually confident in my first college class. Athenian changes lives, and it's graduates affect change in the world." --Sarah Ames, Athenian Class of 2005, Vassar College
- "Athenian's inclusive environment enables every student to make a mark--whether in academics, performance and art, or clubs and sports. Athenian consistently produces bright, engaging, and confident young adults who are keenly aware that they are citizens of the world." --Deepak and Sherry Kamlani, current parents
- "Athenian encourages maturation as a full person and student. Athenian created a passion for learning in my son. He attended a Round Square conference in South Africa that profoundly affected him. He wants to help better the world. Jason now attends Stanford. The excitement about ideas ignited at Athenian shone through in his Stanford application. --Tina Levy, alumni parent (Jason, Athenian Class of 2004)
- "Athenian contributed to my growth as an intellectual and individual. The Athenian community helped me understand my role as a citizen of the world. I will be able to contribute to the greater society thanks to Athenian's rich ideals and supportive atmosphere. I will always cherish and stay connected to this amazing place." --Carmen Jimenez-Robbins, Athenian Class of 2005, Brown Univ.
- "Athenian teachers respect students, saying, "I not only see your children as they are now, but as what they can become." In my daughter, I now see a strong student, a self-motivated learner, and a well-rounded young lady with the desire to serve and take full responsibility for her life." --Margaret Bam, boarding student parent, South Africa
- "At Athenian you can do so many things--like start a club or propose a change. The avenues are open for you to explore. Personally, Athenian teachers are open to conversation outside of the classroom, and you get to know people really well. I have learned so much, both inside and outside the classroom. Many students leave Athenian and find college writing easy; Athenian prepared them well." --Kevin Burke, Athenian Class of 2005, University of Pennsylvania
- The Athenian School accreditations: WASC, NAIS, CAIS, TABS, SSAT, ERB
- Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Phillip Bennett - Geology Professor, Univ. of Texas, Austin
- Benjamin Brandzel - MoveOn.org Student Action Founder
- Greg Sherwood Cohalen - Emmy Award-Winning Public Broadcasting Anchor
- Craig Debro - KTVU 2, Oakland, Television News Reporter
- Joan Haratani - Attorney, San Francisco Bar Association President
- Carol Moldaw - Noted Poet, Winner of the Field Prize
- Douglas Perednia - Physician, Business Executive, Entrepreneur
- Korshied Samad - Journalist, Bureau Chief, Afghan Nonprofit Org. Founder
- Jackie Thomas - Nike Executive, Athenian School Trustee
- Andrew Wistrich - United States District Magistrate Judge
Profile last updated: 12/15/2020
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