2024 Best Schools in Alameda County

• Oakland, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.18 out of 5  98 reviews

Parent: I feel that my child has gained self confidence, self awareness, and self acceptance by attending this school. The diversity of the student body, faculty, and staff is reflective of the world we live in today and creates an environment where all cultures are celebrated. Sure, it is academically challenging; but that is what makes it great. They are developing students to think so that one day they can change our world for the better. By attending College Prep, my child has risen to the occasion and is reaching his full potential . Yes, my child participates in sports here; and they CAN play sports! The 2022 NCS Boys Fall Soccer Championship Division 2 went to CPS. These students are the Champion Pacesetter Scholars: Intelligent and Athletic. No high school is perfect, but in my humble opinion, this one comes pretty close.... Read 98 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 370

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Oakland, CA•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.42 out of 5  78 reviews

Senior: As a current high school student, I can say with full confidence that this school will test your limits every year. Under the HS principal, Ricky Lapidus, the teachers have shown care for their students and have put a MASSIVE effort towards diversity and highlighting the experiences of minority groups. The teachers are overall good, but in HS give an incredibly large amount of homework. Especially in 11th grade, you will have almost no life outside of school. Some stand-out teachers are: Mr. Von, Ms. Sparks, Ms. Brown, and Mr. Taylor in middle school and Mr. Schneider, Ms. Guzman, Mr. VonK, & Naoko in the high school. If you are looking for a school with a lot of relationships and dating, this is not the school. While there are some couples, most students are too busy with school work and sports/clubs. Head-Royce is also an extremely liberal school. If you love to work and thrive in stress then you will love Head-Royce. If you want a more "normal" HS experience, don't go here!... Read 78 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 900

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Dublin, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  198 reviews

Alum: Since 2016, Quarry Lane School has been an integral part of my life, and I am incredibly grateful for the education and support it provided. The dedicated teachers and staff members created a nurturing and intellectually stimulating environment that not only helped me achieve academic success but also prepared me for the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead. Quarry Lane's tight-knit community and inclusive culture fostered personal, social, and emotional growth, equipping me with the skills and confidence necessary to pursue my passion for computer science at Harvey Mudd College this fall and beyond. I express immense gratitude for the incredible experiences I've had at Quarry Lane School. It has truly become a second home to me!... Read 198 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 975

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Oakland, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  214 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 214 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,259

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Alameda, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.27 out of 5  124 reviews

Parent: I am impressed with SJND. It is very well run, a friendly and kind community on a peaceful and beautiful campus. So far, as we just started this year, I am impressed with the enthusiastic teachers, the competent administration and the school culture. The communication is solid and clear and academics are challenging and supportive. It is a very integrated school from administration to faculty and support services. The Learning Services department is outstanding and the after school support is impressive. The diversity is great and the campus life is wonderful. The school also feels very safe which is so comforting during these times.... Read 124 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 390

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Pleasanton Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  558 reviews

Freshman: I love my school! It's a very fun environment to study in and the teachers are great. They teach very well and have very good knowledge of their subjects (as they should!). The students are very kind and we are constantly reminded to be good students (no smoking, drinking, bullying, etc). I've heard that some of the world language teachers aren't great at teaching, however, I haven't had that experience so far. The rivalry it has with Foothill is very friendly and enjoyable. (A lot of my friends go to Foothill, so we like to teach each other every now and then.) It would be nice if the clubs would do a better job at advertising themselves so that I can find out how to sign up for them if I'm interested.... Read 558 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,699

• Student-teacher ratio 25:1

• Pleasanton Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  424 reviews

Freshman: Foothill high school is in the Pleasanton Unified School district which is well off economically. The school receives large amounts of funding that is used to run over 50 clubs, Tens of various electives ranging from government to aerospace engineering, providing free lunches every day in addition to the variety of tools used for education. For example the multiple 3D printers utilized by STEM classes. A newer computer lab with Mac PC's. Foothill is an enjoyable high school experience. Most teachers here have graduated from good credited schools and are pleasant. The worst part of my time here would most likely be navigating a confusing campus with inconvenient locations.... Read 424 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,202

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• Piedmont City Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.75 out of 5  95 reviews

Senior: I loved Piedmont High School! I loved all of my teachers, learned so many things, participated in many sports and activities, and I feel ready going to college next year.... Read 95 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 814

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Alameda Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.94 out of 5  82 reviews

Sophomore: My experience at Alameda Science and Technology Institute has been highly positive and rewarding, providing me with a well-rounded education and a supportive community of students, teachers, and staff. Fortunately, there are no worst parts of my experience, but one big thing I would like to see, is making the school bigger, so we can potentially create a sports team, rather than trying out for Encinal High school or Alameda High school.... Read 82 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 168

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• Fremont, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Parent: We travel more an hour each day to be here. Our children thrive here and we look forward to sending our third student in a few years. Committed staff and parents make this community one that we are proud to call our own. Our students are challenged while being nurtured and supported. Students are exposed to a curriculum that is so much more than memorization and regurgitation. They are required to think critically when completing assignments. Our students have made life long friends among their schoolmates and their families. Staff routinely goes above and beyond what is expected of them and consistently make our students feel secure while at school. The travel component has immeasurable benefits. While COVID19 disrupted most travel for our students, we look forward to enjoying the lessons that await our students when they can again visit the nation's capital, the Navajo Nation, a Civil Rights tour in the South and Islamic(Andalucia) Spain. Grateful that we chose Averroes !... Read 3 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 49

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Hayward, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  252 reviews

Parent: We would like to see more practice teams at Moreau. There are so many kids that love playing sports and need to keep up with physical exercise but get cut from teams like basketball. Hope that they can consider something to make sure the kids have somewhere to play and practice and develop the same important skills that the players do. I would also love to see more opportunities for the parents to get to know each other or the creation of a Parent mentor to guide those parents who are new or have challenges participating in most events. Also asking parents about any special need for themselves for additional support. Our family loves that our kids receive great academic learning but more than that we value to importance of a religious education, compass and developing their compassion and empathy. We are very happy with the teachers, they are engaged, non-judgmental , supportive and in tuned with the students. We also appreciate that they offer shuttle services. Thank you!... Read 252 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 793

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Berkeley, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.79 out of 5  14 reviews

Senior: The teachers are incredible here! Their enthusiasm and dedication makes you love what they teach even more. I like the small class size I think it is much easier to learn and go to office hours if needed. There's a lot of freedom to create your own clubs and to be apart of school activities. I feel like my voice is heard here and that I can make a change. A lot of students are very supportive and you can pretty much strike up a conversation with anyone here. Although we don't have a cafeteria there's plenty of shops nearby. Even though we don't have sports teams you could probably make one and the beginning of the year and the end of the year camping trips + other school activities make up for it. If you're thinking about going here I'd sign up for an open house cause personally I've been the happiest I've ever been (in high school) being here at Maybeck! Not alot of little people have heard about Maybeck but I feel like this school is a little gem.... Read 14 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 110

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Oakland, CA•

• Public School•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  4 reviews

Works Here: Hardworking teachers and staff. Supportive administrators. Parents are super involved and contribute so much to the school.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 672

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Oakland, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.97 out of 5  94 reviews

Alum: I really liked the diverse student population, the supportive nature of the students and faculty, and the small classroom environment. Holy Names offers a stellar experience for women in the Bay Area who are looking to focus on academics, develop their leadership skills, and make amazing connections with counselors and teachers. Before coming to Holy Names, I was terrible at math and science. Holy Names empowers women to go into STEM and offers fabulous math and science departments. I would say that my only criticism of the school is that the administration should try to build a connection with a local all-boys school. Girls here don't have a lot of social connections outside of school.... Read 94 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 121

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Berkeley Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.83 out of 5  548 reviews

Junior: Berkeley High School is a wonderful institution. One can easily find community within the school, get access to several classes and electives, and it is in a great location. Berkeley High holds over 3,000 students and we are all really diverse. Not only racially, but individually we all present differently and that brings a unique touch to our school. Because the school has so many students, we get a lot of choices for electives, which is fantastic and helpful for students who want a more personal and individualized academic experience that will benefit them in college. Berkeley is a college town and there are many cute shops and restaurants near Berkeley High's campus, due to its proximity to UC Berkeley. It's as if you are attending college, just with less responsibilities! I love Berkeley High School.... Read 548 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 3,222

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Dublin Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.83 out of 5  474 reviews

Junior: Dublin High School is an extremely safe school, with great students who are open to support you at any time. The school itself is located in a good part of town, and it is a safe campus. The curriculum of most classes is rigorous and adequately prepares you, but certain advanced classes have terrible teachers with low exam pass rates, such as certain AP classes. Most staff at school care little about students and will do the bare minimum to ensure their job. In comparison to other schools I have been in, the teachers here generally don't care about a student's academic excellence. The student board and school board are also terrible, making few decisions to actually improve the student experience, and instead spending money on unnecessary products, such as spending thousands on homecoming concerts when students don't have enough textbooks for their classes and are forced to share. However, the students here make up for its cons, and their accepting and encouraging nature is amazing.... Read 474 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 3,370

• Student-teacher ratio 25:1

• Alameda, CA•

• Public School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  35 reviews

Parent: We chose to send our daughter to ACLC based on the recommendations of our friends with kids at the school and our visit to the campus. We love the small class sizes and the accessibility of the teachers and staff, as well as the engagement and involvement of the families - we certainly feel very respected as parents here! Academics are obviously a core focus, but the breadth of extracurriculars (clubs and sports) is amazing for such a small school and was something we were glad not to have to give up by leaving the traditional school district.... Read 35 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 402

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• Piedmont City Unified School District, CA•

• K-5

• grade A+

• Students 261

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Piedmont City Unified School District, CA•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: Our oldest daughter started as a kinder at Beach in August and every day when she gets home she'd a share how her day was with a glean and excitement in her expressions. While they have "homework" (lite practice worksheets and fun arts/crafts), she likes doing them so much that she'd remind us of what her assignment is that she needs to work on before evening TV time. Her teacher Ms. Mayer has been awesome and her weekly email updates provide great insights to what they are working on in class and ways for parents to engage their kids in (again) fun ways. We can't wait for our preschooler to join Beach next year!... Read 1 review

• grade A+

• Students 264

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Berkeley, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.07 out of 5  236 reviews

Senior: Saint Mary's College High School is an excellent school that has helped me to progress as a person. Ever since touring the school in 8th grade, I fell in love with the campus because it really does feel like a college campus. Now, as a rising senior, I feel that I have grown in my academics, social life, and thinking skills. The teachers are always there for their students and the school itself feels like a welcoming community. They also offer many academic opportunities like A-block, allowing around an hour of time for students to go to different teachers to ask for help, as well as using that time for clubs. Saint Mary's College High School is also very diverse and provides an inclusive community for everyone!... Read 236 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 630

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Albany City Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.69 out of 5  301 reviews

Senior: Albany high school has an excellent set of teachers in every department that truly care about the subjects they are teaching. The students are typically very satisfied with their teachers and the classroom environments are nurturing and engaging. Although one thing I think that Albany could improve on is helping to lessen the culture of "grades make a person" that is common among the students. Since the school doesn't offer many AP classes, and only allows students to begin taking them in Junior year, many students grasp at as many AP classes that they can within their last two years of schooling which creates overly stressed kids who worry more about getting an A than they do actually learning. I think this overall is the #1 cause of a lot of the mental health issues among students who crack under the pressure to uphold the "perfect student" narrative that is commonly associated with students at Albany High. While this is the case, the school is still exceptional overall.... Read 301 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,187

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Fremont, CA•

• Private School•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 3.61 out of 5  18 reviews

Senior: Alsion is a great school for students who are willing to put in the initiative and make the leap towards higher education. The duo-enrollment program has allowed me to learn how to communicate with others much better, as well as learn how to reach out to my professors when I need help. As a result, I feel very prepared for college, since all of my classes since 10th grade have been at a community college. This school's culture is geared more towards academics than anything else, and I have formed a tight bond with everyone in my grade.... Read 18 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 65

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Alameda Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.7 out of 5  427 reviews

Alum: Fantastic college prep, multiple workshops offered. The college and career counseling is definitely top notch. Lots of individualized attention if you ask for it. However the school district as a whole is not fantastic about disability accommodation, and the administration has a history of protecting students who bully or hurt other students.... Read 427 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,808

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Fremont, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.02 out of 5  85 reviews

Parent: We love FCS! We are thankful for this institution. Not only do the teachers truly love our kids but they also care for them. As a mom, I have the confidence that my child is in good hands and is being taught Godly Christian values - also thankful for the community of moms and parents that support each other. There is a good balance of life with academics and after school programs so our child is well rounded.... Read 85 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 580

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Dublin, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.7 out of 5  20 reviews

Senior: The teachers are phenomenal and really care about your education, as well as support you in your personal life or whatever you are going through. The campus is ideally located with a beautiful view and clean buildings and facilities. There are many opportunities to get involved with the school academically, or through extracurriculars. As a small school, the community feels more like a family environment.... Read 20 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 429

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1