CALIFORNIA · BOARDING SCHOOL GUIDE
Cate School
Carpinteria · Santa Barbara County, California
A coeducational boarding high school for grades 9 to 12, founded in 1910 on a mesa above Carpinteria.
- 1910
- Founded
- 9-12
- Grades
- 79%
- Boarding students
- 5:1
- Student-teacher ratio
About Cate School
Cate School was founded in 1910 by Curtis Cate and is a coeducational boarding high school for grades 9 to 12 on a mesa in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County, less than three miles from the beach. In 2026-27 it enrolls 313 students, 79% of them boarders, from 18 states, the District of Columbia and 17 nations and regions; 21% are international students. The Head of School is Alexandra Lockett.
The school offers 141 courses with a 5:1 student-teacher ratio, and 82% of faculty hold advanced degrees. Teaching is built around inquiry, with each year organized around a school-wide question; students attend a weekly Convocation series and Saturday classes. Cate admits new students into grades 9, 10 and 11 only, with no grade 12, PG or mid-year entry.
| School type | Nonsectarian independent · Co-ed · Primarily boarding |
|---|---|
| Divisions | Grades 9-12, about 20% day students |
| Main entry grades | Grades 9, 10 and 11 (no grade 12 or PG) |
| Mandarin | Yes: up to Advanced Chinese: Idioms, Cinema, and Literature |
| Head of school | Alexandra Lockett |
| Accreditation | WASC; member of NAIS, TABS and CAIS |
| Address | 1960 Cate Mesa Road, Carpinteria, CA 93013 |
| Phone | (805) 684-4127 |
| NCES ID | 00080949 |
| Official Website | www.cate.org |
Academics and programs at Cate School
- Culture of inquiryCate School offers 141 courses, organizes each year around a school-wide question, and seniors present Senior Inquiry Projects at Inquiry Day in the spring.
- Advanced coursesthe highest-level courses are designated Advanced or Honors and are mostly taken in grades 11 and 12, including multivariable calculus, linear algebra, artificial intelligence in computer science, and advanced Chinese, French and Spanish.
- Arts requirementninth graders take Foundation Arts across all art forms, then choose two more yearlong art courses, and many seniors continue in advanced electives.
- Outdoor programOutings Week is an annual backcountry expedition, and students can surf, hike, bike, climb, kayak and camp, with the beach less than three miles away.
- Service and global tiesthe motto Servons means “let us serve”, students volunteer weekly at Public Service Night, and Cate is a Round Square member with conferences and exchanges abroad.
Cate School tuition and family budget
Tuition, 2026-27
$87,340/ year · boarding
Published 2026-27 boarding tuition; day students pay a separate rate
At 2026-27 boarding tuition, four years total $349,360, excluding travel, books and personal expenses.
Financial assistance at Cate School is entirely need-based, and the school treats admission and aid as separate processes: a student must first be admitted before being considered for aid.
| Boarding tuition | $87,340 |
|---|---|
| Day tuition | $70,990 |
| Day student eligibility | Primary residence in Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Paula, Carpinteria, Summerland, Montecito, Santa Barbara or Goleta; all others apply as boarders |
| Financial assistance | Need-based only, no scholarships; follows NAIS guidelines using Clarity |
| Aid budget | $5.4 million for 2026-27; 24.6% of students receive assistance |
| Aid deadline | February 1, 2027 for new families, through Clarity; aid decisions arrive with admission decisions |
| International families | Eligible for need-based aid with an additional International Student Form; funding is limited |
Key dates for the 2027-28 Cate School admission season
- Campus visits open
- Application and SSAT/ISEE scores due
- Financial assistance due
- Admission decisions
Applications for 2027-28 are open for grades 9, 10 and 11. Admitted students reply by April 10, 2027. The campus is closed to visits October 15-19, November 23-December 1 and December 21-January 8.
- Bangkok boarding school fair
- Shanghai admission reception
- Seoul admission reception
- Hong Kong admission reception
Cate School entrance assessment and SSAT/ISEE requirements
| Entry grade | Testing |
|---|---|
| Grade 9 | Upper Level SSAT or Upper Level ISEE |
| Grade 10 | Upper Level SSAT or Upper Level ISEE |
| Grade 11 | PSAT, SAT or ACT |
| International applicants | Also TOEFL 110, IELTS 7.5 or Duolingo 140 and above |
| SSAT code 2170 · ISEE code 050485 · Scores due 2027.01.15 · TOEFL code 8529 | |
- Tests must be taken between January 15, 2026 and January 15, 2027; ask for scores to go directly to Cate School at registration.
- The admission page states that competitive applicants typically score around the 80th percentile on the Upper Level SSAT (totals of 2100 to 2400) and earn ISEE stanines of 7 to 9 (77th percentile or above).
EDUBUS plans back from the January 15 score deadline: an SSAT practice test in the summer before grade 8 to set a baseline, a first official sitting in the fall, a second before December, a decision on a third against the published 80th percentile range, and interview practice alongside. SSAT/ISEE prep · Boarding school application guide
Where Cate School graduates go to college
Colleges47 schools
- University of California, Berkeley (13)
- University of Chicago (13)
- New York University (10)
- University of Southern California (10)
- Barnard College (9)
- Bates College (9)
- Northeastern University (9)
- Tulane University (9)
- Brown University (8)
- Emory University (7)
- Stanford University (7)
- University of Pennsylvania (7)
- Wellesley College (7)
- Yale University (7)
- Amherst College (6)
- Case Western Reserve University (6)
- Claremont McKenna College (6)
- Colorado College (6)
- Dartmouth College (6)
- Northwestern University (6)
- Scripps College (6)
- Southern Methodist University (6)
- Colby College (5)
- Columbia University (5)
- Georgetown University (5)
- University of St Andrews (5)
- University of Virginia (5)
- Bowdoin College (4)
- Boston University (4)
- Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo (4)
- Carnegie Mellon University (4)
- Harvard University (4)
- Middlebury College (4)
- Tufts University (4)
- University of Colorado, Boulder (4)
- University of Michigan (4)
- University of Wisconsin (4)
- Washington University in St. Louis (4)
- Princeton University (3)
- University of California, Los Angeles (3)
- Duke University (2)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2)
- Rice University (2)
- University of Notre Dame (2)
- Vanderbilt University (2)
- California Institute of Technology (1)
- Cornell University (1)
From the college enrollment list for the Classes of 2022 to 2026 in the 2026-27 School Profile; numbers in parentheses are five-year totals. Shown are colleges with four or more enrollments, plus other colleges that have an EDUBUS admissions guide. Schools marked → link to an EDUBUS admissions guide.
Getting to Cate School from Irvine
| Turtle Rock | 109.2 mi |
|---|---|
| Northwood | 109.2 mi |
| Woodbury | 110.6 mi |
| Portola Springs | 112.1 mi |
Straight-line distances from Irvine, not driving distances. The school describes the campus as minutes from Santa Barbara and 90 minutes from downtown Los Angeles. Irvine is outside the day student boundary, so Irvine students apply as boarders; the school has three major breaks (fall, winter and spring), and families should confirm departure and return arrangements with the school.
School address: 1960 Cate Mesa Road, Carpinteria, CA 93013
Cate School: Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Irvine family applying to Cate School for grade 9 need the SSAT or the ISEE?
Cate School requires grade 9 and 10 applicants to submit either the SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) or the ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam). The test must be taken between January 15, 2026 and January 15, 2027 and reach the school by January 15; the SSAT school code is 2170 and the ISEE code is 050485. Grade 11 applicants may submit the PSAT, SAT or ACT instead.
What SSAT score does an Irvine student need for Cate School?
Cate School sets no minimum score, but its admission page states that competitive applicants typically score around the 80th percentile on the Upper Level SSAT, with totals between 2100 and 2400, and generally earn ISEE stanines of 7 to 9 (77th percentile or above). The school adds that testing is one component of a holistic review.
Does a child in an Irvine school need the TOEFL to apply to Cate School?
Cate School requires English proficiency scores only from international applicants whose first language is not English: TOEFL 110, IELTS 7.5 or Duolingo English Test 140 and above. An Irvine student in U.S. schooling whose family's main residence is in the United States is not an international applicant under the school's definition; confirm individual cases with the admission office.
How does the Cate School interview work for Irvine families?
Cate School requires an interview for every applicant, held on Zoom for about 45 minutes and followed by a conversation with a parent. Before scheduling it, the applicant completes the Gateway to Prep Candidate Profile and pays the application fee. Campus visits are optional but encouraged, offered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings by appointment.
What is Cate School tuition for 2026-27, and can Irvine families apply for aid?
Cate School charges $87,340 for boarding and $70,990 for day students in 2026-27. Aid is need-based only, with no scholarships; the 2026-27 financial assistance budget is $5.4 million and 24.6% of students receive assistance. New families apply through Clarity by February 1, 2027, and aid decisions arrive together with admission decisions.
Can an Irvine student apply to Cate School as a day student?
No. Cate School limits day students to families whose primary residence is in Oxnard, Ventura, Santa Paula, Carpinteria, Summerland, Montecito, Santa Barbara or Goleta; families outside that boundary apply as boarders. Irvine is not on the list, so Irvine students apply for boarding.
Which grades does Cate School admit, and when should an Irvine family apply?
Cate School admits new students into grades 9, 10 and 11 only, with no grade 12, PG (post-graduate year) or mid-year entry. Irvine families applying for grade 9 usually start preparing in the fall of grade 8 and submit by January 15.
Sources: the school website and public filings · compiled 2026-10-07 · current policy follows the school's own notice
Sources14 sources · checked 2026-10-07
Compiled from the official Cate School website and public filings. Tuition and deadlines follow the school's current notice. The 79% boarding share and 5:1 student-teacher ratio come from the Quick Facts page and the 2026-27 School Profile; total enrollment is 313. The school does not publish an average class size.
- cate.org
- cate.org/about/quick-facts
- cate.org/admission
- cate.org/admission/apply
- cate.org/admission/financial-assistance
- cate.org/admission/day-student-applicants
- cate.org/admission/on-the-road
- cate.org/admission/downloads
- cate.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Cate-School-PROFILE-2026-2027-08.05.2026.pdf
- cate.org/education/college-counseling/college-matriculation-school-profile
- cate.org/about/head-of-school
- cate.org/about/partners-accreditations
- nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&ID=00080949
- niche.com/k12/search/best-boarding-high-schools/s/california
Ask about applying to Cate School and SSAT/ISEE prep
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