Woodside Priory School (Priory)
Woodside Priory is the only boarding school in Silicon Valley.
Located within 40 minutes of San Francisco and 10 minutes of Stanford University, the Priory is a coeducational boarding and day school for grades 9 through 12 as well as a coeducational day school for grades 6 through 8.
Situated on a 50-acre campus in the heart of Silicon Valley, Priory offers a 7:1 student/teacher ratio, a strong college and university preparatory curriculum, a vast performing arts program, and a competitive athletics program. The Priory strives to create a balanced experience for students where they can explore interests, develop passions, and discover meaningful activities.
Quick Stats (2022-23)
- Grades: (Boarding) 9-12
- Enrollment: 375 students
- Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $71,975
- Acceptance rate: 20%
- Average class size: 13 students
- Application Deadline: Jan. 9
- Source: Verified school update
Top Rankings
Woodside Priory School (Priory) ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 307 schools) for:
Category
Attribute
Selectivity
Student Test Scores
Student Test Scores
School Overview
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
Grades Offered (Boarding)
9-12
9-12
Grades Offered (Day)
6-12
5-12
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
Year Founded
1957
1907
Campus Size
50 acres
126 acres
School Calendar
Student Body
Enrollment
375 students
300 students
% Students of Color
53%
26%
% International Students
10%
20%
% Students Boarding
20%
70%
SAT range (25th-75th percentile)
1260 - 1505
-
Offers Post-Grad Year
No
No
Academics and Faculty
Saturday Classes
No
No
Student : Teacher Ratio
7:1
7:1
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
22
17
ESL Courses Offered
No
Yes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
80%
70%
Summer Program Offered
No
Yes
Tuition Cost
Endowment Size
$15 million
$25 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
(Boarding Students)
$71,975
(Additional fees are $1,600. Books are extra.)
(Additional fees are $1,600. Books are extra.)
$61,200
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
(Day Students)
n/a
$34,900
% Students on Financial Aid
20%
40%
Avg. Financial Aid Grant
$40,945
$25,000
Merit Scholarships Offered
No
No
Acceptance Rate
Application Deadline
Jan. 9
Jan. 15
SSAT Required
Yes
Yes
Average Percentile SSAT
85%
-
Acceptance Rate
20%
58%
Director of Admissions
Matthew Lai
Associate Director of Admissions
Cherie Baylis
AP / Advanced Courses
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
22
17
Courses
Advanced Music Theory, Art History, Biology (Advanced), Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Computer Science, Differential Equations Honors, Economics, English Literature, Environmental Science, French Language, Human Geography, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Multivariable Calculus Honors, Physics, Psychology, Spanish Language, Spanish Literature, Statistics, Studio Art, U.S. Government and Politics, U.S. History
Sports
# Interscholastic Sports Offered
11
16
Sports
Extracurriculars
Total Extracurricular Organizations
23
23
Extracurriculars
Club or Organization:
Admissions Assistants, Art in Public Spaces, Associated Student Body, Athletic Therapy Assistants, Campus Ministry, Community Ensemble, Daraja Club, Gay/ Straight Alliance, Green Campus Action Team, International Club, School Reach, Social Justice Club, VEX Robotics, Web Design, Womentors, Yearbook
Arts and Music Programs:
Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, Fashion Show, Improv Club, Jazz Band, Middlesex Art Association, San Domenico Singers
Admissions Assistants, Art in Public Spaces, Associated Student Body, Athletic Therapy Assistants, Campus Ministry, Community Ensemble, Daraja Club, Gay/ Straight Alliance, Green Campus Action Team, International Club, School Reach, Social Justice Club, VEX Robotics, Web Design, Womentors, Yearbook
Arts and Music Programs:
Chamber Choir, Concert Choir, Fashion Show, Improv Club, Jazz Band, Middlesex Art Association, San Domenico Singers
College Matriculation
Year: 2013 - 2018
10 Most Popular College Choices (# Enrolled)
University of Southern California
14
Santa Clara University
13
New York University
12
University of Colorado at Boulder
12
University of California, Berkeley
11
Chapman University
10
Boston University
9
Carleton College
7
Northeastern University
7
University of Oregon
7
School Notes
- Located within 40 minutes of San Francisco and 10 minutes from Stanford University, the Priory is a coeducational boarding and day school for grades 9 through 12 as well as a coeducational day school for grades 6 through 8. Situated on a 50-acre campus in the heart of Silicon Valley, Priory offers a 7:1 student/teacher ratio, a strong college and university preparatory curriculum, a vast performing arts program, and a competitive athletics program.The Priory strives to create a balanced experience for students where they can explore interests, develop passions, and discover meaningful activities. Everything we do revolves around our Mission to assist students in becoming lifelong learners and stewards who will productively serve the world in need of their gifts and our five Benedictine values of Community, Hospitality, Individuality, Integrity, and Spirituality. Priory students are challenged to develop their fullest potential in the classrooms, on the athletic fields, in the performing and visual arts, and in service to the greater community around them. Priory graduates go on to attend schools all across the country, including bigger schools such as Stanford, Harvard, Yale, UC Berkeley, and UCLA, as well as smaller colleges like Carleton, Oberlin, Santa Clara, and Whitman.The Boarding Program embodies a family model with a full-time Residential Faculty dedicated to working with boarding students after school, in the evenings, and on weekends. The goal of the Boarding Program is to develop independent, responsible, and kind students who will engage in their communities. International in scope, the program attracts students from all parts of the world and throughout the western United States. Boarders enjoy the seamless interaction with the Priory's day students in and outside the classroom. This provides for a rich diversity of peers and experiences that create a strong, vibrant community.
- Woodside Priory School (Priory) accreditations: Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), Western Catholic Education Association (WECA), The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS)
- Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
- Taylor Eigsti - Grammy nominated jazz pianist
- Marc Fiore - Awarded 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Political Cartooning
Source: Verified school update
Alumni Reviews Review School
Review
Description
Priory has a high student-to-teacher ratio, which means that each and every student is taken care of by the teacher and the teachers really know the students well. It helps with accommodating individual student's needs. . .
Our school is composed of about 20% boarding students and 80% day students in the upper school, meaning we are a smaller, very close-knit community within our larger school community. (The middle school is completely. . .
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The nearest boarding school to Woodside Priory School (Priory) is The Athenian School (34.7 miles away)
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