ORANGE COUNTY · PRIVATE SCHOOL GUIDE
Harbor Day School
Corona del Mar · Newport Beach, California
A co-educational K-8 independent school founded in 1952, which describes itself as Orange County's first independent school.
- 1952
- Founded
- K-8
- Grades
- ~416
- Students
- 22
- Lower school class size
About Harbor Day School
Harbor Day School sits on a 6-acre campus in Corona del Mar, with the motto "Gradatim ad Summum" (step by step to the summit). Its curriculum follows CAIS and NAIS recommendations, and it is a CAIS member school.
In the lower school (K-4), every academic subject is taught in classes of 22. Grade 5 remains self-contained; from grade 6, students move between subject classes of 8 to 16. Of 56 faculty, 61% hold advanced degrees; NCES reports an 8.3:1 student-teacher ratio for 2023-24.
| School type | Non-sectarian independent · Co-ed · Day |
|---|---|
| Divisions | Lower School K-4 / Middle School 5-8 |
| Main entry grades | Kindergarten, grade 5, grade 6 |
| Mandarin | Yes: a semester each of Latin and Mandarin in grade 5, optional in grades 6-8 |
| Head of school | Joe Powers |
| Accreditation | CAIS (full member), WASC |
| Address | 3443 Pacific View Drive, Corona del Mar, CA 92625 |
| Phone | (949) 640-1410 |
| NCES ID | 00083633 |
| Official Website | www.harborday.org |
Academics and programs at Harbor Day School
- World languagesSpanish three times a week beginning in kindergarten; grade 5 students take one semester each of Latin and Mandarin, and grades 6-8 continue with one of the two
- Specialist classesart, music, technology, physical education, library and engineering/woodshop
- iPadA one-to-one iPad at every grade level, with the cost included in tuition
- Beyond the BellMonday through Friday until 5:00 p.m., with a snack and enrichment classes such as Minecraft, art, chess and robotics
- CurriculumThe curriculum follows CAIS and NAIS recommendations
Harbor Day School tuition and family budget
Tuition, 2026-27
$39,350/ year · one price for K-8
Includes daily lunch, all field trips, school supplies, athletics, a one-to-one iPad and the yearbook
At 2026-27 tuition, nine years of K-8 total about $354,150, excluding registration, deposits and activities.
Admission is need-blind: applying for financial aid does not affect the admission decision (Affording Harbor Day page).
| Contract deposit | $4,000 (applied to tuition) |
|---|---|
| New family registration | $2,000 (once, for the first child) |
| Each additional child | $500 registration |
| Pay in full | $35,350, due May 1, 2026 |
| Two payments | $24,745 + $10,605 |
| Ten payments | $3,535 each, plus refund insurance at $400 per student per year |
| Financial aid | Need-based, through Clarity; about 10% to 90% of tuition |
| Aid application | Opens December 1, 2026, closes February 5, 2027; $60 fee |
| 529 plan | Up to $10,000 per student per year toward K-12 tuition |
Key dates for the 2027-28 Harbor Day School admission season
- Application opens
- Application deadline
- ISEE and teacher recommendations due
- Decisions released
The school calls the deadline a hard deadline: no rolling admission and no mid-year entry. Tours open only after you apply, and every applicant completes the visit day on campus.
- Grades 5-8 open house
- Teacher recommendation form opens
- Kindergarten parent session
- Middle School Experience
- ISEE on campus
Harbor Day School entrance assessment and ISEE requirements
| Entry grade | Assessment |
|---|---|
| K, grade 1 | On-campus assessment, no ISEE (in person only) |
| Grades 2 / 3 / 4 | Primary 2 / 3 / 4 |
| Grades 5, 6 | Lower Level |
| Grades 7, 8 | Middle Level |
| School code 054016 · On-campus test 2026.12.05 · Test fee $165 · Online at home allowed | |
- The ISEE may be taken once per testing season and at most three times a year: the fall season (August to November) suits a first attempt, and the winter season (December to March) is the last chance before the deadline.
- Online scores usually arrive in 3 to 5 days and paper-based scores in 5 to 10 days; leave that margin when picking a test date (ERB official ISEE information).
EDUBUS sets the ISEE level from the entry grade, starts with a free practice test, plans the fall and winter seasons back from the January 15 score deadline, and then prepares for the visit day. ISEE tutoring · Free practice test
Where Harbor Day School graduates go to high school
Local high schools12 schools
- Corona del Mar High
- Crean Lutheran High
- JSerra
- Laguna Beach High
- Mater Dei High
- Newport Harbor High
- Orange Lutheran High
- Pacifica Christian High
- Portola High
- Sage Hill School
- Santa Margarita High
- St. Margaret's Episcopal
Boarding schools7 schools
- Cate School
- Choate Rosemary Hall
- Hawaii Preparatory Academy
- Phillips Academy Andover
- Phillips Exeter Academy
- Stevenson School
- The Thacher School
Placements listed over the years on the school's High School Placement and Admission FAQ pages; counts and percentages are not published. Schools marked → link to an EDUBUS admissions guide.
Getting to Harbor Day School from Irvine
| Turtle Rock | 3.2 mi |
|---|---|
| Northwood | 8.8 mi |
| Woodbury | 9.1 mi |
| Portola Springs | 10.6 mi |
Straight-line distances, not driving times; test the drive at school hours. The school website does not mention bus service, so ask on your visit.
School address: 3443 Pacific View Drive, Corona del Mar, CA 92625
Harbor Day School: Frequently Asked Questions
What test does Harbor Day School require?
Harbor Day School uses the ISEE for applicants to grades 2 through 8. Kindergarten and grade 1 applicants do not take the ISEE; they complete an on-campus assessment. The ISEE level follows the entry grade, and Harbor Day School applicants take the Primary, Lower or Middle Level.
Which ISEE level does a child from Irvine take when applying to Harbor Day School for grade 5 or 6?
Applicants to Harbor Day School for grade 5 or 6 take the ISEE Lower Level. The level follows the entry grade, not the current grade: applicants for grades 7–8 take the Middle Level, and applicants for grades 2, 3 and 4 take Primary 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Kindergarten and grade 1 applicants do not take the ISEE; they complete an on-campus assessment. Harbor Day School's regular entry points with openings each year are kindergarten, grade 5 and grade 6.
What ISEE score does Harbor Day School require?
Harbor Day School publishes no cut-off and states that scores are only one part of the review. From EDUBUS's own records of past students' scores and admission outcomes, percentiles from 55 in the four scored sections of the ISEE give a realistic chance and 72 and above are competitive; this is a reference range, not a school threshold. Applicants to Harbor Day School for 2027-28 must complete the ISEE by January 15, 2027.
Can the ISEE for Harbor Day School be taken online at home?
Yes. Harbor Day School states that the ISEE for grades 2–8 may be taken remotely, and the school also hosts a test on campus on December 5, 2026. Enter school code 054016 when registering; the test fee is $165. The student visit day must be completed on campus and cannot be done remotely.
Does Harbor Day School accept F-1 international students?
No. Harbor Day School does not issue I-20s and enrolls only local students or students with other lawful status.
How much is tuition at Harbor Day School for 2026-27, and is aid available?
Tuition at Harbor Day School is $39,350 for 2026-27. Financial aid is need-based and applied for through the Clarity platform; the school's FAQ puts awards at roughly 10% to 90% of annual tuition, and families must reapply each year. For 2027-28 the Clarity application opens December 1, 2026 and closes February 5, 2027, with a $60 submission fee; current families receive decisions on February 26, 2027, and new families receive them with the enrollment contract. Harbor Day School's admission is need-blind: applying for financial aid does not affect the admission decision.
When should an Irvine family start preparing for Harbor Day School?
For 2027-28, Harbor Day School's online application opens September 1, 2026 and closes January 8, 2027; the ISEE and teacher recommendations are due January 15, 2027, and decisions are released in March 2027. The deadline is firm with no rolling admission, so Irvine families should plan ISEE preparation backward from the January 15 testing deadline. EDUBUS advises Irvine families applying to Harbor Day School from its Irvine office, with ISEE preparation and interview coaching. The school is in Corona del Mar, Newport Beach; time the drive from Irvine during school hours on your visit day.
Sources: the school website and public filings · compiled 2026-10-05 · current policy follows the school's own notice
Sources17 sources · checked 2026-10-05
Compiled from the official Harbor Day School website and public filings. Tuition and deadlines follow the school's current notice. Enrollment as reported on the school's About page; NCES lists 414 for 2023-24. Class size is for the lower school (K-4); from grade 6, classes have 8 to 16 students.
- harborday.org/about
- harborday.org/about/history
- harborday.org/about/welcome
- harborday.org/academics/curriculum
- harborday.org/admission/affording-harbor-day
- harborday.org/admission/how-to-apply
- harborday.org/admission/frequently-asked-questions
- harborday.org/admission/beyond-hds
- harborday.org/admission/open-house
- caisca.org/schools/harbor-day-school
- nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&ID=00083633
- harborday.org/site-map
- harborday.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/306/download/download_11700786.pdf
- harborday.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/306/download/download_11700788.pdf
- harborday.myschoolapp.com/ftpimages/306/download/download_11700829.pdf
- erblearn.org/families/isee-by-erb
- WeIrvine: community and commute notes for this school
Book a free ISEE practice test, or ask about Harbor Day School
Add a course advisor on WeChat, or leave your details in the form. An Irvine-based advisor reaches out within one business day to schedule a free ISEE practice test, with an error report afterward, and can answer questions about applying to Harbor Day School.
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