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School Overview

Data & methodology
Overall
A+
Matriculation A+
Academics A+
Extracurriculars A-
Community B
Reviews A
Located one mile from the ocean, in the foothills of Santa Barbara County, Cate School is a coeducational college preparatory boarding school. Founded in 1910, the School delivers a demanding academic program resulting in a breadth and depth of scholarly inquiry. Cate School seeks students with the capacity to handle a demanding college-preparatory curriculum, with the curiosity to engage in our student-centered small classes, and with the compassion and character to be active and caring members of our small community. The student body of 265 students (83% are boarders) comes from 22 states and 19 foreign countries and is both academically talented and remarkably diverse (41% students of color). In an intimate setting, students and teachers together pursue high ideals. Cate's mission statement reads: "Through commitment, scholarship, companionship, and service, each member of the Cate community contributes to what our founder called "the spirit of this place...all compounded of beauty and virtue, quiet study, vigorous play, and hard work."
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Cate School With Reviews, Requirements 2024 | FindingSchool

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School Stats

Average
Current School
Tuition
$80000
Enrollment
305
International Students
18%
Faculty with Advanced Degrees
71%
Teacher-Student Ratio
1:5
Endowment
$90 millions
Average SAT Score
1424
Average ACT Score
34
Class Size
10
Boarding %
79

Matriculation


Matriculation

(2019-2023)
Ranking University/College Students
#2 Columbia University 9
#2 Harvard College 6
#2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1
#5 Yale University 5
LAC #1 Williams College 2
#6 Stanford University 9
#6 University of Chicago 13
#8 University of Pennsylvania 9
#9 California Institute of Technology 1
#9 Duke University 4
#9 Johns Hopkins University 1
#9 Northwestern University 2
LAC #2 Amherst College 4
#13 Dartmouth College 6
#14 Brown University 12
#14 Vanderbilt University 2
#14 Washington University in St. Louis 2
#17 Cornell University 6
#17 Rice University 2
#19 University of Notre Dame 4
#20 University of California: Los Angeles 4
LAC #4 Pomona College 5
#21 Emory University 4
#22 University of California: Berkeley 7
#23 Georgetown University 6
#23 University of Michigan 1
#25 Carnegie Mellon University 3
#25 University of Virginia 5
LAC #5 Wellesley College 5
#27 University of Southern California 12
#28 New York University 11
#28 Tufts University 7
#28 University of Florida 1
#28 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1
LAC #6 Bowdoin College 7
#34 University of California: San Diego 1
#36 Boston College 1
#38 University of Texas at Austin 2
LAC #8 Claremont McKenna College 2
#42 Boston University 2
#42 Case Western Reserve University 6
#42 Tulane University 15
#42 University of Wisconsin-Madison 2
LAC #9 Carleton College 1
LAC #9 Middlebury College 5
#47 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1
#49 Lehigh University 1
#49 Northeastern University 7
#49 Purdue University 1
#49 Villanova University 2
#55 Santa Clara University 2
#55 University of Miami 2
LAC #11 United States Military Academy 1
#57 Penn State University Park 1
#59 Syracuse University 1
#59 University of Washington 3
#63 George Washington University 3
LAC #13 Davidson College 2
LAC #13 Grinnell College 1
LAC #13 Hamilton College 2
#68 Indiana University Bloomington 1
#68 Southern Methodist University 7
#68 Texas A&M University 1
#68 University of Minnesota: Twin Cities 1
#72 Reed College 1
#75 Loyola Marymount University 4
#79 American University 1
#79 Gonzaga University 1
LAC #17 Barnard College 7
LAC #17 Colgate University 1
LAC #17 Wesleyan University 1
#93 University of San Diego 1
#103 University of California: Santa Cruz 1
#104 University of California: Merced 1
#104 University of Colorado Boulder 2
LAC #22 United States Air Force Academy 1
LAC #22 University of Richmond 2
LAC #22 Vassar College 2
#117 University of Vermont 1
#122 Chapman University 1
#124 Westmont College 1
LAC #25 Bates College 7
#127 Seton Hall University 1
LAC #26 Colorado College 5
#136 Catholic University of America 1
LAC #28 Harvey Mudd College 1
LAC #30 Bryn Mawr College 1
LAC #30 Kenyon College 3
LAC #30 Scripps College 8
LAC #35 Pitzer College 2
LAC #36 Oberlin College 1
LAC #38 Bucknell University 1
LAC #38 Lafayette College 1
LAC #38 Skidmore College 1
LAC #42 Occidental College 2
LAC #45 Union College 1
LAC #46 Trinity College 2
LAC #50 Connecticut College 2
LAC #60 Bard College 1
LAC #61 Gettysburg College 2
American University of Paris 2
Babson College 1
California Polytechnic State University: San Luis Obispo 4
California State University: Northridge 1
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art 1
eugene lang college of liberal arts 1
parsons school of design 1
Queen's University 1
Santa Barbara City College 3
School of the Art Institute of Chicago 1
University of Portland 2
University of St. Andrews 7
Wheaton College-Norton-MA 1
View all
Matriculation
Ranking University/College 2019-2023 2018-2022 2017-2021 2016-2020 2015-2019 Total
All schools 234 229 223 213 212
#1 Princeton University 1 1 2 4
#2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 1 admitted 2
#3 Yale University 5 5 admitted 6 6 6 28
#3 Harvard College 6 4 admitted 4 4 4 22
#3 Stanford University 9 12 admitted 14 16 15 66
#6 University of Chicago 13 9 admitted 8 7 7 44
#7 Johns Hopkins University 1 1 admitted 2 4 5 13
#7 University of Pennsylvania 9 10 admitted 10 12 12 53
#9 Northwestern University 2 1 1 2 6
#9 California Institute of Technology 1 1 admitted 1 3
#10 Duke University 4 4 admitted 4 1 1 14
#12 Dartmouth College 6 4 admitted 4 5 6 25
#13 Brown University 12 10 admitted 10 7 6 45
#13 Vanderbilt University 2 2 admitted 2 2 1 9
#15 Washington University in St. Louis 2 1 admitted 1 1 3 8
#15 Rice University 2 1 admitted 1 1 1 6
#17 Cornell University 6 7 admitted 8 7 5 33
#18 Columbia University 9 10 admitted 11 9 7 46
#18 University of Notre Dame 4 5 admitted 3 2 2 16
#20 University of California: Los Angeles 4 4 admitted 5 5 4 22
#20 University of California: Berkeley 7 7 admitted 6 7 4 31
#22 Carnegie Mellon University 3 4 admitted 3 3 4 17
#22 Emory University 4 4 admitted 3 4 5 20
#22 Georgetown University 6 5 admitted 5 7 7 30
#25 University of Southern California 12 12 admitted 12 7 10 53
#25 University of Michigan 1 3 admitted 6 8 9 27
#25 New York University 11 13 admitted 14 13 14 65
#25 University of Virginia 5 4 admitted 3 4 5 21
#27 Wake Forest University 1 2 3
#28 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1 1 2
#29 Georgia Institute of Technology 1 1 2
#29 University of Florida 1 1 admitted 2
#32 Tufts University 7 5 admitted 3 3 2 20
#34 University of California: San Diego 1 1 admitted 2 2 2 8
#34 University of California: Santa Barbara 1 3 4
#36 Boston College 1 1 admitted 1 2 1 6
#38 University of Texas at Austin 2 3 admitted 3 2 3 13
#38 University of Wisconsin-Madison 2 1 admitted 1 4
#41 Boston University 2 3 admitted 4 4 4 17
#44 Case Western Reserve University 6 6 admitted 5 3 3 23
#44 Brandeis University 1 admitted 1 1 1 4
#44 Tulane University 15 12 admitted 9 6 6 48
#44 Northeastern University 7 7 admitted 5 2 1 22
#51 Purdue University 1 1 admitted 2 3 7
#51 Villanova University 2 2 admitted 2 1 7
#51 Lehigh University 1 1 admitted 1 1 2 6
#55 University of Miami 2 3 admitted 2 1 2 10
#55 University of Washington 3 4 admitted 4 4 2 17
#55 Santa Clara University 2 5 admitted 4 6 7 24
#59 Syracuse University 1 1
#62 George Washington University 3 3 admitted 3 3 1 13
#67 Texas A&M University 1 1 admitted 2 2 2 8
#68 Indiana University Bloomington 1 1
#72 Southern Methodist University 7 9 admitted 6 7 3 32
#77 Loyola Marymount University 4 5 admitted 4 1 1 15
#79 American University 1 1
#83 Gonzaga University 1 1 admitted 1 1 4
#84 Elon University 1 1
#97 University of San Diego 1 2 admitted 2 2 1 8
#97 University of San Francisco 1 1 2
#103 University of California: Santa Cruz 1 1
#117 University of Vermont 1 1
#121 Chapman University 1 1 admitted 1 1 1 5
#125 Simmons University 1 1
#136 Catholic University of America 1 1
#137 Seton Hall University 1 1 admitted 1 1 4
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1 1 admitted 1 1 1 5
University of Colorado Boulder 2 2 admitted 4 4 4 16
University of California: Merced 1 1 admitted 1 1 1 5
University of Minnesota: Twin Cities 1 1 admitted 1 1 1 5
Penn State University Park 1 1 admitted 1 3
Matriculation
Ranking University/College 2019-2023 2018-2022 2017-2021 2016-2020 2015-2019 Total
All schools 92 97 99 108 108
#1 Williams College 2 4 admitted 3 4 3 16
#2 Amherst College 4 2 admitted 2 2 10
#3 Pomona College 5 7 admitted 6 7 5 30
#5 Wellesley College 5 4 admitted 2 4 5 20
#6 Bowdoin College 7 6 admitted 10 12 11 46
#6 Carleton College 1 2 admitted 2 2 1 8
#9 Claremont McKenna College 2 4 admitted 3 6 7 22
#10 Washington and Lee University 1 1
#11 Middlebury College 5 3 admitted 5 4 6 23
#13 Vassar College 2 4 admitted 4 3 2 15
#15 Hamilton College 2 2 admitted 2 2 1 9
#15 Grinnell College 1 1 admitted 2 2 1 7
#15 Davidson College 2 2 admitted 1 1 6
#16 Haverford College 1 1 2 4
#18 Colgate University 1 3 admitted 3 2 3 12
#18 Barnard College 7 6 admitted 6 6 7 32
#18 Wesleyan University 1 2 admitted 3 3 3 12
#18 University of Richmond 2 3 admitted 2 2 2 11
#18 United States Air Force Academy 1 1 admitted 1 1 1 5
#24 Colby College 1 admitted 1 1 1 4
#25 Bates College 7 6 admitted 4 2 1 20
#27 Colorado College 5 3 admitted 2 6 7 23
#27 Macalester College 1 2 2 5
#29 Harvey Mudd College 1 2 admitted 3 4 4 14
#30 Mount Holyoke College 1 1 1 3
#31 Bryn Mawr College 1 1 admitted 1 1 1 5
#31 Kenyon College 3 4 admitted 4 3 3 17
#33 Pitzer College 2 2 admitted 4 3 4 15
#33 Scripps College 8 4 admitted 7 5 5 29
#37 Occidental College 2 1 admitted 1 3 3 10
#37 Bucknell University 1 2 admitted 2 2 1 8
#39 Lafayette College 1 1 admitted 1 1 4
#39 Skidmore College 1 2 admitted 2 3 4 12
#39 Trinity College 2 3 admitted 1 1 1 8
#46 Dickinson College 1 1 2
#48 Whitman College 1 admitted 1 1 1 4
#55 Connecticut College 2 2 admitted 1 1 1 7
#60 Bard College 1 1 2
#61 Gettysburg College 2 1 admitted 1 1 1 6
Oberlin College 1 1 admitted 1 1 1 5
United States Military Academy 1 3 admitted 2 1 2 9
Union College 1 1 admitted 1 3

Academics

Sports

(16)
Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Dance
American Football
Lacrosse
Baseball
Basketball
Cross Country
Dance
American Football
Lacrosse
Off Piste Skiing
Outing Club
Soccer
Strength and Conditioning
Surfing
Swimming
Tennis
Track and Field
Volleyball
Water Polo
View all

Extracurricular Activities and Clubs

(20)
Black Student Union
California Mathematics League
Camerata
Cate Review (Literary Magazine)
CateNet Masters
Chamber Orchestra
Black Student Union
California Mathematics League
Camerata
Cate Review (Literary Magazine)
CateNet Masters
Chamber Orchestra
El Batidor (school newspaper)
Foster Homes (community service)
Gay-Straight Alliance
Green Team (recycling)
International Students Club
Jazz Band
Kayaking Club
Los Ninos (community service)
Mesan (school yearbook)
Mock Trial
Peer Tutors
Student Book Club
Student Senate
Tour Guides
View all

Arts

(10)
Art History
Art
Choral
Choreography
Music Production
Theater
Art History
Art
Choral
Choreography
Music Production
Theater
Digital Art
Studio Art
Visual Arts
Tech Theater
View all

Basic Info

Co-ed
Boarding Grades: 9-12
Rural
IB: No
ESL: No
Year Founded: 1910
Campus Size: 300 acres
Boarding Rate: 79%
Religious Affiliation: No Religious Affiliation

Application Info

Deadline: 01/15
Interview: Skype, On Campus
Pre Interview: No Requirement
School Code:
TOEFL: 8529
SSAT: 2170
ISEE: 50485
Recommended
4.9
Recommended
5.0

Frequently Ask Questions about Cate School

Tell me a bit about Cate School.
Cate School is Co-ed private boarding school located in California, US. It was founded 1910 , and currently has about 305 students, 18.00% of whom are international students.

For more official information, please visit http://www.cate.org.
Does Cate School have rigorous academic requirements?
Cate School also have 71% of faculties whose degrees are master and above.
Where do Cate School students typically go for their colleges?
Based on the most recent matriculation data, 24.44% go to top 50 US universities and colleges*, 24.17% go to top 25, and about 14.72% go to Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford and MIT.

*Ranking is based on the 2024 US News College Ranking.
What is the application requirement for Cate School?
Similar to most private schools in the US, Cate School’s typical admission requirements include school transcript, recommendation letter, application essay, TOEFL for international students, and interview (often optional, but highly recommended).
What is the latest tuition for Cate School’s Co-ed student?
The total fee for Cate School in 2024 is $80,000 which typically includes tuition, boarding fee, student management fee and a few other fees associated with managing international students.

For more information, please contact school’s admission team at admission@cate.org .
Where is Cate School located?
Cate School is located in the State of California of USA.
How popular is Cate School on FindingSchool network?
Based on FindingSchool monthly traffic data as well as onsite search record, Cate School is among the most popular schools, within top 27 for all schools on FindingSchool.

Also Cate School has been favorited by 904 users.
How to start with an application with Cate School?
The first stop is to carefully review the school profile on FindingSchool to learn more about Cate School. Most of them are directly provided by the school.

Also it is highly recommended to visit Cate School’s official site: http://www.cate.org or call them at 805-684-4127.
Please share a few nearby schools that are close to Cate School?
What is the FindingSchool rating for Cate School?
The overall rating for Cate School is A+.

The section ratings of Cate School are:
A+ for Matriculation
A+ for Academics
A- for Extracurriculum
B for Community
A for Students and Parents reviews

Nearby City

Los Angeles, commonly known as L.A., is the largest city in California and the second most populous in the U.S. It serves as the commercial, financial, and cultural hub of Southern California. With a population of around 3.9 million as of 2020, L.A. is famous for its Mediterranean climate, diverse population, and as the epicenter of the entertainment industry, particularly Hollywood. The city also offers a rich mix of cultural landmarks, including world-class museums, beaches, and a dynamic food scene, making it a global metropolis.

Population (2022) 3,833,995
Cost of Living Higher than average 54%
FindingSchool collects its data from a variety of reliable sources, including schools, advisors, official U.S. statistics, and feedback from actual parents and students.
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