Woodside Priory School (Priory)

302 Portola Road
Portola Valley, CA 94028
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Woodside Priory School (Priory) Photo #1 - Woodside Priory is a Benedictine Catholic, independent college preparatory school. Founded by Hungarian monks in 1957, Priory has been an international school from its very beginning.
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Woodside Priory School (Priory) Photo #1 - Woodside Priory is a Benedictine Catholic, independent college preparatory school. Founded by Hungarian monks in 1957, Priory has been an international school from its very beginning.
Woodside Priory School (Priory) Photo #2 - Our 50-acre campus is located 10 minutes from Stanford University, 40 minutes from San Francisco, and less than 30 minutes from the headquarters of companies like Facebook, Apple, and Google.
Woodside Priory School (Priory) Photo #3 - School spirit is huge at Priory. More than 30 club and activity choices are available to High School students. Clubs provide opportunities to discover passions, develop strengths, apply academic knowledge in a practical way, develop self-knowledge, and learn to make the choices necessary to manage a busy schedule independently.
Woodside Priory School (Priory) Photo #4 - Academic rigor is part of life at Priory. Our students graduate fully prepared to enter the most selective colleges and universities.
Woodside Priory School (Priory) Photo #5 - Our classes are intentionally small and last between an hour and an hour and fifteen minutes, allowing students and teachers to engage deeply in intellectual discourse, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
Woodside Priory School (Priory) Photo #6 - At Woodside Priory, we offer a competitive interscholastic athletic program. At the same time, we don't cut students from teams, so everyone has the opportunity to participate.
Woodside Priory School (Priory) Photo #7 - The Priory values arts in education as an expression of one's own humanity and an aspect of understanding all humanity. In concert with academic studies, learning about and doing arts is part of fully developing students' intelligence and potential.
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. Priory strives to create a balanced experience for students where they can explore interests, develop passions, and discover themselves.

Quick Stats (2024)

  • Grades: (Boarding) 9-12
  • Enrollment: 425 students
  • Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $84,660
  • Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $58,200
  • Acceptance rate: 30%
  • Average class size: 13 students
  • Application Deadline: Jan. 9
  • Source: Verified school update

School Overview

Definition of Terms | 2023 School Data
Woodside Priory School (Priory)
Boarding School Avg.
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
Grades Offered (Boarding)
9-12
9-12
Grades Offered (Day)
6-12
6-12
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
Religious Affiliation
Non-denominational
Year Founded
1957
1906
Campus Size
50 acres
130 acres

Student Body

Enrollment
425 students
314 students
% Students of Color
63%
25%
% International Students
15%
20%
% Students Boarding
20%
70%
Offers Post-Grad Year
No
No

Academics and Faculty

Saturday Classes
No
No
Classroom Dress Code
Casual
Average Class Size
13 students
12
* National Avg. »18
Student : Teacher Ratio
7:1
7:1
# of AP / Advanced Courses Offered
22
17
ESL Courses Offered
No
Yes
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
80%
71%
Summer Program Offered
No
Yes

Tuition Cost

Endowment Size
$15 million
$25 million
Yearly Tuition
(Boarding Students)
$84,660
(Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and weekend activities)
$64,460
Yearly Tuition
(Day Students)
$58,200
(Day tuition includes daily lunch. Additional fees include Student Store deposit of $600. Books are extra.)
$35,600
% Students on Financial Aid
20%
40%
Merit Scholarships Offered
No
No

Acceptance Rate

Application Deadline
Jan. 9
Jan. 15
Acceptance Rate
30%
60%
Director of Admissions
Kirk Gossman
Associate Director of Admissions
Nils Leitz

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Woodside Priory School (Priory) cost?
Woodside Priory School (Priory)'s tuition is approximately $84,660 for boarding students and $58,200 for day students.
What schools are Woodside Priory School (Priory) often compared to?
Woodside Priory School (Priory)is often viewed alongside schools like Stevenson School, The Athenian School, Cate School by visitors of our site.
What is the acceptance rate of Woodside Priory School (Priory)?
The acceptance rate of Woodside Priory School (Priory) is 30%, which is lower than the boarding school average of 60%.
Who are famous alumni from Woodside Priory School (Priory)?
Woodside Priory School (Priory) famous alumni include: Taylor Eigsti and Marc Fiore.
What sports does Woodside Priory School (Priory) offer?
Woodside Priory School (Priory) offers 11 interscholastic sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Lacrosse, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball and Water Polo.
When is the application deadline for Woodside Priory School (Priory)?
The application deadline for Woodside Priory School (Priory) is Jan. 9.

Alumni Reviews Review School

Review
Description

Class of 2013
5.00
Brown University
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. . .

Class of 2014
5.00
King's College London
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. . .
Submit Review for Woodside Priory School (Priory)
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Quick Stats (2024)

  • Grades: (Boarding) 9-12
  • Enrollment: 425 students
  • Yearly Tuition (Boarding Students): $84,660
  • Yearly Tuition (Day Students): $58,200
  • Acceptance rate: 30%
  • Average class size: 13 students
  • Application Deadline: Jan. 9
  • Source: Verified school update

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