2023 Best Boarding Schools in the San Francisco Bay Area

• Danville, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.37 out of 5  76 reviews

Parent: The Middle School was a terrific fit for my son. The teachers "got" him. He thrived academically and socially. The administration was transparent -- just about everything worked well. The High School didn't seem quite as well run, but was still a very positive experience, overall. Most of the classes were well-taught, but there were enough exceptions that I considered going to four stars. Expectations for academic performance and involvement in extracurriculars can make it more than a full time job. Frankly, it's hard to understand how some kids managed their time, with multiple hours of homework competing with the time demands of the athletics and other extracurricular activities. And yet, the school was such a welcoming and supportive environment that it worked.... Read 76 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 536

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Portola Valley, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.04 out of 5  72 reviews

Alum: Work Culture: Priory emphasizes balance. The people within this community care about your wellbeing and are more focused on creating great people than producing more robots who fuel Silicon Valley's toxic work culture. But, don't get me wrong, kids still care about academics a lot. For example, in one class, around fifteen kids got into ivy league schools and six kids got into Stanford. Social Life: Your social life is determined by who you hang out with and the general attitude of your class. Luckily, there were a lot of people in my class who loved to host parties or knew kids from other schools who were throwing parties. During my senior year, there were stretches where my friends and I were going to a party every weekend for eight weeks straight. Dating: Dating at Priory is pretty normal, but due to the small class sizes, it's pretty hard to keep your business private. Sports: Basketball, XC, and Girls Soccer are the strongest programs. Campus: Best in NorCal easily.... Read 72 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 426

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• San Anselmo, CA•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.48 out of 5  108 reviews

Parent: As educators, my husband and I know what to look for in terms of "style versus substance" of schools that claim to be able to focus on academics, social emotional learning, diversity, inclusion, equity, mindfulness, kindness and respect. We are blown away at how exceptional SD is at providing all of these things for our daughter. My husband was literally in tears at the back to school night after hearing about the details and intentionality around the lesson plans and approach to literacy and math, as well as the social and emotional aspects of learning in and out of the classroom. The teachers are masters and know what they are doing, and they are provided with the resources and professional development to provide an excellent research-based curriculum to the students. I've worked at many independent schools for more than a decade and SD stands out as one of the best schools that I've encountered in my history as an educator. We are so grateful that our daughter has SD!... Read 108 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 680

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Hayward, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  20 reviews

Senior: I’ve been going to California Crosspoint Academy all of my academic life. From Kindergarten to my Senior year of high school, I have seen myself, as well as the school, grow academically and spiritually. California Crosspoint Academy has-and will always be-my second home as I have been able to be a part of a great, loving community of students, teachers, and friends. California Crosspoint Academy is constantly growing in student population, in building complexes, and in doing the works of Jesus Christ. If your looking for great education, exceptional academics, and long-lasting friendships, California Crosspoint Academy is the place to go.... Read 20 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 497

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• East Palo Alto, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.06 out of 5  145 reviews

Senior: Eastside college preparatory is a small school in which allows you to communicate with your teachers very well. Eastside has many summer classes that prepare you for college. Eastside also helps students keep up with their grades in order to learn how to take responsibility of their own work. The teachers do give out lots of homework but it all is worth it in the end because at the end you will be well prepared for college and very responsible. Eastside also has a couple sports like basketball, volleyball, cross country/track, and soccer. They also have electives such as photography, art, yearbook, journalism, creative writing, music and much more! Overall Eastside has helped me reach my own potential that I never thought I would reach and it has also helped me be more responsible with managing time with homework and work.... Read 145 reviews

• grade A

• Students 336

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• San Francisco, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.13 out of 5  127 reviews

Parent: My son is a sophomore at Archbishop Riordan and he absolutely loves school. As an all-boys school, the focus centers on guiding boys to become young men. There is a mandatory "frosh" skills class, where students learn skills such as shaking hands, balancing a checkbook, taxes, ironing a dress shirt, creating a resume, and more. The fact that Riordan is all-boys, means that the instruction targets specifically how they learn and the distractions faced at a co-ed school don't exist. Overall, we are so happy with the school and we highly recommend!... Read 127 reviews

• grade A

• Students 968

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Vallejo, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.96 out of 5  134 reviews

Parent: St. Patrick-St. Vincent is an amazing place to be! I like the school because it has a close community, a college-prep environment, friendly faculties and staffs that encourage your student to be involved. The school also has an Augmented Reality Sandbox, which is a great tool for my kid who is interested in geology. And my kid also participates in the instrument class to develop his interest. Plus, the police station is right across the street that makes the school area a very safe place.... Read 134 reviews

• grade A

• Students 479

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1