2023 Best High Schools for Athletes in the San Francisco Bay Area

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.31 out of 5  186 reviews

Junior: Archbishop Mitty's overall culture is phenomenal. Mitty is a very spirited and close knit community which provides a safe learning environment for the students. The faculty are approachable and supportive. Mitty offers many clubs and has an excellent sports program! I feel that Archbishop Mitty is a very diverse, well rounded school with many opportunities for all students academically and socially.... Read 186 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Total number of sports —

• Concord, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.49 out of 5  95 reviews

Senior: A Jesuit high school that welcomes students of other faiths. The school is know for its sports but there is an amazing theatre and arts program. There is a place for everyone to belong. You just have to find others that enjoy the same things. This is a college preparatory high school. Normal classes are the equivalent to most public schools AP classes. Class sizes are small, teachers and staff know you by name. There is a lot of support, you just have to willing to ask or take advantage of what’s available.... Read 95 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 13

• Acalanes Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  287 reviews

Senior: I am currently a senior at Campolindo (class of 22) and, for the most part, I’ve enjoyed my time here! Some of my favorite parts of high school have been: -stellar teachers (especially Mark Roberts and Jake Donohoe) -great sports programs -challenging but rewarding classes that are good preparation for college -absolutely incredible performing arts programs! the annual musical is one of the best aspects of the school and something I have thoroughly enjoyed -for the most part, students are kind and accepting As with everything, I do have my criticisms of the school. -the political culture here is EXTREMELY toxic. everyone is expected (and borderline forced) to fall in line with far-left radical beliefs especially surrounding CRT. The school preaches “diversity and inclusion” but mainly talks in circles instead of saying anything of substance. If you want to be exposed to a diversity of beliefs and values, this is not the school for you. Campolindo is a great, but flawed, school.... Read 287 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 26

• San Mateo, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.98 out of 5  325 reviews

Alum: I am a 1960 graduate of Serra High School of San Mateo, California, my brother graduated from Serra several years later, and my son also graduated from Serra. I have been involved in the school as a supporter for many years. I have gotten to know many members of the staff and many many successful graduates. For Serra to have been ignored, when many other schools which are similar (Archbishop Riordan, for example, is very similarly-situated, not really close academically or otherwise) were ranked and Serra was ignored is really inexcusable.... Read 325 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 14

• Oakland, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.18 out of 5  208 reviews

Sophomore: I have been attending Bishop O'Dowd Highschool for two years now, and safe to say I love it. I am involved in the theater department, have run varsity cross country, joined many and started one club, performed in school-wide events, and enjoyed every moment. O'Dowd's academics have been challenging yet engaging. I never find myself struggling in class with the resources available to me, like tutoring and counseling, and you can tell that the teachers truly care about their profession. The community is supportive and the upperclassmen in leadership positions did a great job of welcoming and hyping everyone up for school! Especially during spirit week! My favorite place on campus is the living lab where students like me get to learn about growing and harvesting produce that is later used in the cafeteria for lunches and sustainable activities like eco club. In conclusion, I'd give my high school a five out of five rating and recommend any rising freshman, or transfer students to apply!... Read 208 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 24

• San Francisco, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.27 out of 5  368 reviews

Senior: SI is such a fun school! There is always something to do after school whether that be clubs, sports, arts, or other extracurricular and you are strongly encouraged to participate in the student life and attend the many fun events. SI has great school spirit and the teachers want you to succeed. The academics are also modern and prepare you for college, relating the classroom material to the rest of your life. In addition, you have room in your schedule to pursue your own passions as well, from computer science to jazz band, to yearbook! There is a wonderful Community Service program with a life-changing Immersion experience as well as Campus Ministry both with Frosh and Soph retreats and senior Kairos! Saint Ignatius’s Jesuit values inspire students to lead lives of generosity, called to service, to leadership and love. Even though SI is a Jesuit school, it is open to all religions and spiritualities. SI really does care for the whole person and I am so glad that I chose to go here!... Read 368 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Total number of sports —

• San Francisco, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.11 out of 5  177 reviews

Alum: AP classes are rigorous and set you up for success in college-- there are test-ins meant to make sure that those who take it are ready, but can punish kids who aren't good at testing. STEM classes have nice lab tables, equipment, live animals, and access to chemicals. The VPA dpt is full of wonderful human beings (kids, but especially teachers). Though it's not competitive by any means, it's a great place that feels like family and can't recommend it enough! Funded well, too. College advising dpt does a great job at guiding kids through the college app process. Teachers are hit or miss, but most genuinely care about students as people and aim to help kids succeed. Very white and affluent, then Asian 2nd most. I never saw a real fight in all 4 years there, and freshmen aren't physically bullied unlike elsewhere (taunted a little though, but never brutally). Admin tries, but often stopped by the Archbishop, esp in regard to LGBTQ issues. Atmosphere non-hostile though.... Read 177 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Total number of sports 22

• San Ramon Valley Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.81 out of 5  365 reviews

Junior: I am so grateful to go to school at SRVHS. The culture is amazing, I have never had a teacher here that I believe wants me to fail or doesn't care about me. Additionally, there are a wide variety of options open to students from extracurriculars to academic classes. Finally, as a Leadership student, there are so many fun and interactive activities that unite the campus and make the environment enjoyable.... Read 365 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Total number of sports 20

• Palo Alto Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.93 out of 5  345 reviews

Senior: Amazing, dedicated students! Academics are challenging, and many students are stressed, but my experience here was incredible. The people are super nice and inviting. I recommend enrolling in Middle College or College Now instead of taking AP courses. You still get the high school experience and guaranteed college credit.... Read 345 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 24

• San Francisco, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.94 out of 5  67 reviews

Senior: I cannot be more grateful for the opportunity to attend this school. My family was offered a very generous financial aid package that made it affordable despite the high sticker price. The SFUHS environment is unrivaled in San Francisco. The staff and students have fantastic relationships, and everyone there wants one another to succeed. While academics are absolutely more rigorous than at other high schools, the school has endless advisory options, and teacher meeting hours are integrated into the schedule. This school cares about its students, reflected in its schedule with reasonable and never overwhelming start-end times or number of meetings per week. I have been happy and comfortable for the four years I have attended this school, and do not think I could have achieved nearly as much elsewhere. College placements are incomparable in San Francisco. I will be attending a university ranked top 15 in the country next year, and many others from my class will do the same.... Read 67 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 22

• Concord, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.97 out of 5  290 reviews

Alum: I graduated last year from CHS and can confidently say that I took much of my time there for granted. With teachers that care for your well-being while also pushing you to perform, the welcoming yet competitive environment, classes structured to push you outside of your comfort zone, and a progressive administration designed to educate youth within Catholic values without forcing beliefs upon them — this school builds good people. This school builds successful individuals and prepares them to make the world a better place. This school means the world to me and always will. Go cougars!... Read 290 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 36

• San Ramon Valley Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.88 out of 5  297 reviews

Senior: I absolutely love my school, Monte Vista High School. Though I did not originally attend school in the same school district, my transition into high school was very smooth and I immediately felt like I fit in. Since I knew literally NO ONE when I first stepped onto the campus (except my brother), I made a big effort to make friends even though I was rather introverted. Students and teachers would reciprocate friendly actions and I was met with kindness. Teachers at Monte Vista are incredibly good at their jobs - especially the science teachers. AP Chemistry and Physics have been my absolute favorite classes. The teachers for those classes were able to push my brain to the absolute limit and I feel like I grew as a person in their classrooms. I began to spend more time on my learning because I realized that I was truly interested in the subjects I was being taught. I sincerely love Monte Vista for its robust academics, welcoming community, and unshakable pride. Go Mustangs!... Read 297 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 20

• Kentfield, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.99 out of 5  121 reviews

Senior: Marin Catholic offers a great community of people with invested teachers and an all-around quality education. Despite the name, one does not have to be religious to attend and will generally take 1 of 7 classes as Theology. There are numerous advanced courses and diverse electives to interest students. Sports and extracurriculars are great ways to meet new people both within one's own grade and outside it. MC campus ministry is also a great way to connect with one's faith and attend retreats which are easily the highlight of all my four years!... Read 121 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Total number of sports 29

• Mountain View, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.16 out of 5  303 reviews

Junior: My experience at Saint Francis was very good. The academics, athletics, campus, religious aspect, and style of the Silicon Valley are what makes this school unique. Academics: the school offers plenty of honors and AP classes, and elective courses geared towards STEM, music, religion, and arts which are taught by nice and approachable teachers. Athletics: highly competitive sports led by very experienced coaches. For boys sports they are in the upper edge in WCAL division, rivaling BCP and AMHS, and girls are consistently extremely good, if not, the best. Campus: new and well maintained classrooms and athletic facilities, a high school that feels like a junior college. Religion: a Catholic school rooted in Holy Cross, students learn to bring hope, respect others, inspire integrity, and celebrate family. The student and faculty bodies are predominantly white but the school has welcomed and encouraged diversity through affinity groups (BSU, Fil-Am, Latinx, and Pride to name a few).... Read 303 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports —

• 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

• grade A

• Total number of sports 23

• Tamalpais Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  234 reviews

Senior: My experience in Redwood High School has been great! I have had a blast with friends in sports, class, and everything in between. It is crazy how fast the years have gone by and now I just remember the amazing things that has happen during my 3 years in Redwood. Teachers are very interested that you succeed in their class and will make time outside of school to help.... Read 234 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 25

• Tamalpais Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  260 reviews

Junior: For me overall it is still a good school with wonderful people and amazing teachers to help us get the best education possible! I am still there, going to be a senior, but so far I have met amazing people, made great friends and peers. The campus is really beautiful with the wonderful nature life we have growing and the nice facilities we have access to use with sports and such. We have an outstanding custodial staff who works super hard to make the school a wonderful and bright place to come to everyday! The one objective that needs to be improved is our diverse culture in the Drake community. We are struggling to find ways to improve this dilemma and we have a class on campus that are able to tackle these issues that happen to sometimes arise in our school district. It should be our job to promote a school where every human no matter race, etc to come to this school to feel safe, welcomed, appreciated, and so on. The most important is building a positive/supporting community!... Read 260 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 25

• Alameda, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.26 out of 5  117 reviews

Alum: Over my four years at Saint Joseph Notre Dame, I felt that the school was a top tier high school in comparison to others. SJND has well prepped me for college academically and as a an overall person. The best characteristic of the school is the diversity and inclusiveness of all students. Regardless of each person's background, each student is treated equally and with respect. Another great quality of SJND is the academics as each person coming out of the school will receive a great education. The sports are pretty great, however there is no football team. Some of the cons of the school may include that some teachers are mediocre and the spending budget of the school can be questionable at times. However, my experience there was great overall!... Read 117 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 12

• Ross, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.45 out of 5  82 reviews

Parent: Branson is wonderful school. It's academically challenging, but the teachers and faculty go above and beyond to support the student's success. Our son had an amazing experience throughout his four years at Branson. Some ups and downs? Of course, but all teaching moments for our teens! Great arts and music program, competitive sports, and a gorgeous campus!... Read 82 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports 13

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.56 out of 5  214 reviews

Senior: I'm currently a rising senior at Bellarmine. So far my experience has had its ups and downs, but great nonetheless. My only complaint is the phone policy. Recently, as in start of 2021-2022, there was the introduction of a banning of phones during school hours. Students would get detentions if caught using their phones. The thing is, everyone used phones with little enforcement of the policy. Whoever made the policy probably thought that it would get people away from their technology, but it didn't, and it probably never will. Other than my one complaint, Bellarmine is a great school. But it isn't for everyone due to occasional masses (once every few months) and it being all dudes. We have sister schools, but it ultimately comes down to how social you are.... Read 214 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• Total number of sports —

• San Francisco Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.9 out of 5  189 reviews

Alum: Originally transferred to MHS was because it was close to home and no transportation was needed. I’ve spent 3 years attending the school and it was an amazing experience. Many educators really care about their students and offer resources to support them. Student led activities throughout the years and is inclusive to everyone. Many students want to help each other out as family. The environment of the school is warm although it may have some bad days. At the end of the school day, it becomes a home away from home for many students as it was for me. I’m glad I got the opportunity to be able to attend. Thank you!... Read 189 reviews

• grade B

• grade A

• Total number of sports 16

• Richmond, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.8 out of 5  92 reviews

Alum: I attended Salesian College Preparatory only in my senior year and it was amid the pandemic. My previous school was closed due to lack of funds. To not compare with the old school, Salesian is one of the largest private high schools in Richmond, California. Classrooms are new, huge and well-equipped. Teachers to me are extremely helpful and well-prepared before each lesson/lecture. The whole year was remote but I was able to use provided resources to fulfill homework and extracurriculars. The exterior is nowhere to be complained about. I wish I attended Salesian throughout high school, even before Covid 19 hit.... Read 92 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Total number of sports 16

• Oakland Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.74 out of 5  23 reviews

Senior: At McClymonds, we're very small. The school is a one time experience. The vibe you get there is the vibe you won't get anywhere else. Everyone in the hallway wanting to look their best. Once you get a friend at our school, that friend truly has your back through whatever. The staff at my school is very supportive in any way possible. If you need any help with any work or even personal things outside of school, staff is willing to help you anyway possible. They keep things confidential and they are almost like Best friends. The school is majority African American, but we welcome every nationality as if they were one of us. I highly recommend the school to anyone that is needing an small (300- students). We have the highest African American male graduation rate in Oakland. We are an excelling high school with students that have high standards. I love my high school!... Read 23 reviews

• grade C

• grade A minus

• Total number of sports 8

• Acalanes Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.9 out of 5  277 reviews

Junior: The teachers and admin are genuinely kind, patient, and helpful! They go above and beyond to ensure every student feels welcomed, supported, and encouraged. Their dedication to helping students achieve their full potential is admirable! Secondly, the academic rigor + emphasis on learning are truly impressive, and the community service opportunities available to students are second to none; I appreciate how much the school values community involvement + encourages students to give back! Additionally, I want to highlight the diversity and multiculturalism at LL! I appreciate how the school celebrates and embraces differences and promotes an inclusive environment where every student feels valued and respected! Finally, the abundance of extracurricular activities at LL is remarkable, from DEI/affinity organizations to sports teams to debate clubs! LL provides students with many opportunities to explore their interests, develop new skills, and make lasting friendships!... Read 277 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• Total number of sports 26

• Pleasanton Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  412 reviews

Sophomore: I enjoy the the community-feel of my school; the teachers are very invested in providing the best education they can give to the students, which is so refreshing to see, especially during distanced learning. However, the school is very competative, so many students want take honors and AP courses, but there isn't enough space in classes to give everyone thos kinds of oppurtunities!... Read 412 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

• Total number of sports 24