It is an unfortunate truth that every Cathedral boy eventually has to leave CSB. As eighth grade approaches, there can be anxiety about the next step: high school. We live in the midst of the one of the most competitive private high school markets in the country. In addition, San Francisco Unified School District’s lottery system means that families don’t have certainty about their public school option. The unknown future can make the process stressful for eighth graders and their families.
with their peers, who are from around the country and indeed, the world. All of these experiences serve to deepen and enrich the high school years. It is no wonder that with so many terrific options, the high school process can feel overwhelming. We move through the process step-by-step, taking about a year from start to finish. I meet with each seventh grader and his parents in the spring and together we develop a list of schools to research. After initial research, each student has a list of schools that he will further get to know through school-day visits, open houses, and in many cases, admission visits to Cathedral. The fall of eighth grade is a busy time of getting to know the schools, taking the SSAT (the standardized test for independent school high school admission) and the HSPT (the standardized test used for Catholic school admission), and working on applications. The applications ask boys to reflect on big, important questions. The two choices offered by the local independent schools this past year asked applicants to think about a time they acted with courage, or discuss something they learned from someone with a different perspective or background. Finally, most of these schools require an interview, so we spend time discussing interviews and the boys practice interview skills with adults at Cathedral. At the end of this yearlong process, my hope is that each student looks at his list of schools and sees a number of schools where he would be happy. Schools both locally and nationally recognize that Cathedral graduates boys who will be valuable additions to their student bodies. A Cathedral education represents academic preparation and also represents something less tangible and arguably more beneficial: Cathedral students understand the value of a strong community. When they join their new schools, CSB graduates become involved in their communities right away as engaged students in the classroom,
AS CATHEDRAL’S HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR, it is my mission to guide students and their families through the high school admission process and to help everyone view the experience as an opportunity rather than a burden. For many of the boys, this is their first time having a voice in where they will go to school. Parents navigate the kinder- garten and middle school application processes. The high school search is often the first time a boy has the chance to think about who he is and what kind of an educational environment will be best for him. Ideally, the process encourages introspection from both the teenager and his parents. The student has the opportunity to think about what kind of learner he is, what kind of community he’d like to be a member of, what values are essential to him, and how he will devote his time during high school. Parents, meanwhile, have the opportunity to step back and examine their child on the cusp of adulthood and consider what educational environment will nurture him, while simultaneously challenging him to grow. When both students and parents take time to honestly and thought- fully address these questions and seek
athletes, musicians, and club members. They often develop into leaders. As high schools read admission applica- tions in order to create their next class of students, they assess what the students write in their applications and what CSB teachers write about the students. Schools generally require recommenda- tions from the student’s current English teacher and current math teacher. Cathedral’s small student body allows the teachers to know each boy well, in and out of the classroom. Our teachers have the benefit of knowing the boys since sixth or seventh grade and can write thoughtful, detailed depictions of each boy that really bring him to life. These perceptive recommendations highlight the strengths of each Cathedral student. Unfortunately, an inescapable part of the high school process is a consideration of cost. The cost of high school ranges from free public school to approximately $65,000 for annual tuition, room, and board at a boarding school. Fortunately, private and independent schools want students that represent a broad spectrum of society, so they distribute a
significant amount of tuition assistance every year. The tuition assistance process is complex, but Cathedral is lucky to know Pierre Jospé, the School’s former Director of Finance. Having been in charge of tuition assistance at Cathedral, Mr. Jospé now helps families navigate the tuition assistance process through his website: finaidnav.com. As of this writing in the summer of 2020, the ramifications of the COVID-19 crisis on the next admission cycle remain uncertain. One local high school has already announced that it will not require, or even consider, the SSAT this year. More schools are expected to follow that lead. Even if COVID-19 precludes many of the normal admission events, admission offices will be creative and tireless in their efforts to introduce
Graduation Celebration Zoom
out appropriate schools, the process becomes manageable and less stressful. There is a perception that there are just a handful of schools to consider. In fact, there are numerous excellent schools both locally and nationally, and our boys are incredibly fortunate to have access to many top-notch academic institutions. Many parents emerge from the high school process wishing that they could return to high school at one of these superb schools! Students and parents look for a variety of characteristics in a high school, but almost univer- sally, everyone wants to find a school with teachers like those at Cathedral: excellent individuals who care about their students and have time to develop relationships with them. In search of these outstanding teachers, our students consider independent high schools, private Catholic schools, and public high schools.
The Bay Area is home to some of the best high schools in the country. However, for students and parents who are intrigued by the idea of boarding school, there are excellent schools throughout the country that recognize the value of a Cathedral education and are eager to have CSB graduates join their student bodies. Over the past few year’s boarding schools have increasingly targeted the Bay Area as a source of well-prepared students who bring a different perspective to their communities. For our students, boarding schools can provide a rich academic and life experience. At boarding school, students immerse themselves in academics as well as all of the peripheral experiences: sports, music, clubs, and relationships. Students get to know their teachers beyond the classroom—in the dining hall, on the athletic field, and relaxing in the dorms. Students also develop strong and lasting relationships
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