CALIFORNIA · BOARDING SCHOOL GUIDE
The Webb Schools
Claremont · Los Angeles County, California
A college-preparatory boarding school founded in 1922 for grades 9 to 12, with what the school calls the only paleontology museum on a high school campus in the world.
- 1922
- Founded
- 9-12
- Grades
- 405
- Students (65% boarding)
- 6:1
- Student-to-teacher ratio
About The Webb Schools
The Webb Schools sits at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains in Claremont, Los Angeles County, on a 150-acre campus with 10 dormitories. Founded by Thompson and Vivian Webb, it opened as Webb School of California for boys in 1922 and added Vivian Webb School for girls on the same campus in 1981. The Head of School's August 2024 letter says the two schools came together as one Webb starting in 2024-25. The Head of School is Theresa A. Smith, Ph.D.
In 2026-27 the school enrolls 405 students, about 65% of them boarders; of 66 teaching faculty, 75% live on campus and 90% hold advanced degrees. Admission is test-blind, so the SSAT and ISEE are not considered. The Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology on campus is a signature of the school: students take part in fossil digs and research, and the school says more than 50 students have contributed to published paleontology papers.
| School type | Independent · Co-ed · Boarding and day · Nonsectarian |
|---|---|
| Divisions | High school, grades 9-12; Webb School of California and Vivian Webb School joined as one school in 2024-25 |
| Main entry grades | Mainly grade 9; the school notes students who enter after grade 9 |
| Mandarin | Yes: Chinese 1 to 5 and Advanced Studies Chinese Language and Culture |
| Head of school | Theresa A. Smith, Ph.D. |
| Associations | Member of NAIS and TABS (per NCES); no accrediting body listed on the website |
| Address | 1175 W. Baseline Road, Claremont, CA 91711 |
| Phone | (909) 626-3587 |
| NCES ID | 00083484 |
| Official Website | www.webb.org |
Academics and programs at The Webb Schools
- CORE Programin grades 9 and 10 students take required and elective courses across humanities (English and history combined), mathematics, science, world languages and fine arts, with Foundations of Civilization and Evolutionary Biology required in grade 9.
- Advanced Studies coursesthe 2026-27 school profile lists more than 136 courses, 46 of them faculty-designed Advanced Studies courses that the school describes as going beyond AP; juniors and seniors can also take courses and research with partners such as the Claremont Colleges.
- Alf Museum of Paleontologythe Raymond M. Alf Museum on campus is, according to the school, the only paleontology museum on a high school campus in the world, and every student studies paleontology and goes on a fossil field trip in grade 9.
- Unbounded Days and Honor & Leadership SymposiumUnbounded Days and the Honor & Leadership Symposium: the two programs alternate years; Unbounded Days offers nearly 30 interdisciplinary off-campus courses of three to five days, and the Symposium runs for three days.
- Chinese and world languagesthe school teaches Chinese, French and Spanish, with Chinese from Chinese 1 through Chinese 5 plus Advanced Studies Chinese Language and Culture; graduation requires three years of world language.
The Webb Schools tuition and family budget
Tuition, 2026-27
$87,430/ year · boarding
The website publishes the tuition amount only, with no list of inclusions, deposits or other fees
At 2026-27 boarding tuition, four years in grades 9 to 12 come to about $349,720, excluding other costs.
Financial aid at The Webb Schools is entirely need-based, more than $7 million a year, and 28% of families receive aid; the website does not say whether admission is need-blind.
| Boarding tuition | $87,430 |
|---|---|
| Day tuition | $62,180 |
| Financial aid | Entirely need-based, more than $7 million each year |
| Families receiving aid | 28% |
| Average award | $73,000 for boarders, $42,000 for day students |
| Aid application | Through Clarity, due January 15, 2027 for 2027-28 |
| Airport transport | Arranged by Student Services for official breaks and the start and end of the year, booked in advance |
Key dates for the 2027-28 The Webb Schools admission season
- Interview scheduling deadline
- Application and financial aid deadline
- Admission decisions
- Boarding enrollment decision deadline
Applications for 2027-28 are open through Gateway to Prep Schools. Interviews may be in person or virtual and are strongly recommended; the events page lists December 19 as the interview scheduling deadline while the How to Apply page says December 18, so plan for the earlier date. Day students confirm enrollment by March 27.
- Webb Information Night: campus tours from 5:15 p.m., presentation and Q&A 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
- Discover Webb Day, the annual open house
- Campus tour
The Webb Schools entrance assessment and SSAT/ISEE requirements
| Entry grade | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Grades 9 to 12 | SSAT and ISEE not considered (test-blind) |
| Non-native English speakers | TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test if they have had fewer than two full years of English-medium schooling |
| All applicants | Character Skills Snapshot optional |
| Interview scheduling deadline 2026.12.18 · Application deadline 2027.01.15 · Decisions 2027.03.10 · Apply through Gateway to Prep Schools | |
- The Webb Schools states that it does not consider the SSAT or ISEE; the admission team weighs academic performance, teacher recommendations and personal experiences.
- Students applying to other boarding schools that require the SSAT or ISEE should still prepare for those tests; for Webb, the weight falls on the interview and school record, and the interview must be booked by December 18.
Because Webb does not consider entrance tests, EDUBUS focuses preparation on school grades, teacher recommendations and the interview: working back from the January 15 deadline, book and prepare the interview by November and finish the application in December; SSAT prep for other schools follows those schools' own deadlines. SSAT/ISEE prep · Boarding school application guide
Where The Webb Schools graduates go to college
Colleges58 schools
- New York University (8)
- University of Southern California (7)
- Boston University (6)
- Occidental College (4)
- Stanford University (4)
- University of California, Berkeley (4)
- Loyola Marymount University (3)
- University of California, Los Angeles (3)
- Washington University in St. Louis (3)
- Colorado College (2)
- Columbia University (2)
- Cornell University (2)
- Emory University (2)
- Northeastern University (2)
- University of California, Irvine (2)
- University of Chicago (2)
- University of St Andrews (2)
- Arizona State University
- Azusa Pacific University
- Barnard College
- Bowdoin College
- Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
- California Institute of Technology
- California State University, Fullerton
- Carleton College
- Case Western Reserve University
- Chapman University
- Colorado School of Mines
- Davidson College
- Dickinson College
- Duke University
- Florida International University
- Georgetown University
- Harvey Mudd College
- Howard University
- Lake Forest College
- Northwestern University
- Parsons/The New School
- Pitzer College
- Purdue University
- Reed College
- Rhode Island School of Design
- Rice University
- Scripps College
- Syracuse University
- Tufts University
- University of British Columbia
- University of California, Davis
- University of California, Riverside
- University of California, San Diego
- University of Hawaii, Manoa
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Toronto
- University of Washington
- Vassar College
- Virginia Tech
- Wellesley College
From the school's Class of 2026 matriculation list: 58 colleges and universities, with the number attending in parentheses and one student where none is shown, sorted by count. The school profile says 99% of graduates gain admission to selective four-year colleges. Schools marked → link to an EDUBUS admissions guide.
Getting to The Webb Schools from Irvine
| Northwood | 28.6 mi |
|---|---|
| Portola Springs | 29.0 mi |
| Woodbury | 29.2 mi |
| Turtle Rock | 33.9 mi |
These are straight-line distances from Irvine communities, not driving times; try the drive once on a weekend. The school says campus is about 12 miles from Ontario International Airport; Student Services provides transport to and from area airports for official breaks and the start and end of the year, with a sign-up link sent each mid-July. Seniors aged 18 or older may use rideshare with a parent's permission.
School address: 1175 W. Baseline Road, Claremont, CA 91711
The Webb Schools: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Irvine families applying to The Webb Schools need the SSAT or ISEE?
The Webb Schools is test-blind and does not consider SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) or ISEE (Independent School Entrance Exam) scores; the admission team looks at academic performance, teacher recommendations and personal experiences. The Character Skills Snapshot is optional, and applicants whose first language is not English and who have not had at least two full academic years of English-medium schooling must submit TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test results.
What are The Webb Schools deadlines for Irvine students applying for 2027-28?
The Webb Schools application for 2027-28 is due January 15, 2027 through Gateway to Prep Schools, with decisions posted in the applicant portal on March 10. Interviews must be scheduled by December 18, 2026 (the events page says December 19), may be in person or virtual, and are strongly recommended. Day students confirm enrollment by March 27 and boarders by April 10.
What does The Webb Schools cost Irvine families in 2026-27, and is aid available?
The Webb Schools charges $87,430 for boarding and $62,180 for day students in 2026-27. The school gives more than $7 million in need-based aid each year, 28% of families receive aid, and the average award is $73,000 for boarders and $42,000 for day students; aid applications go through Clarity and are due January 15, 2027.
Are The Webb Schools still separate boys' and girls' schools, and what should Irvine families know?
The Webb Schools grew from Webb School of California for boys, founded in 1922, and Vivian Webb School for girls, founded in 1981, which share one campus; the school profile notes more than 40 years of single-sex education in grades 9 and 10. The Head of School's August 2024 letter says the two schools came together as one Webb starting in 2024-25, now known as The Webb Schools.
What are dorms and weekends like for an Irvine student boarding at The Webb Schools?
The Webb Schools houses boarders almost entirely in single rooms, and every dorm has a live-in Dorm Head; boarders check in at the dorm at 7:30 and again at 9:00 each night. Weekends bring campus events run by the Director of Student Life and clubs, plus trips to Los Angeles and the Claremont Village.
What does the Alf Museum at The Webb Schools offer Irvine students?
The Webb Schools' Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology is, according to the school, the only paleontology museum on a high school campus in the world. Every student studies paleontology in grade 9 and joins a fossil field expedition, interested students can continue in Honors and Advanced Studies museum research courses, and the school says more than 50 students have contributed to published paleontology papers.
How do Irvine families travel to The Webb Schools?
The Webb Schools is in Claremont in Los Angeles County, about 12 miles from Ontario International Airport (ONT) and 41 miles from John Wayne Airport (SNA), according to the school. Irvine families usually drive; Student Services provides transport to and from area airports for official breaks and the start and end of the year, booked in advance.
Sources: the school website and public filings · compiled 2026-10-07 · current policy follows the school's own notice
Sources32 sources · checked 2026-10-07
Compiled from the official The Webb Schools website and public filings. Tuition and deadlines follow the school's current notice. Enrollment of 405 is from the 2026-27 College Guidance Profile and the About page, which also gives the 65% boarding share; NCES lists 404 for 2023-24. The school does not publish class sizes; 6:1 is its stated student-to-teacher ratio, not a class size.
- webb.org
- webb.org/about
- webb.org/about/mission
- webb.org/about/school-leadership
- webb.org/from-the-head-of-school
- webb.org/admission
- webb.org/admission/how-to-apply
- webb.org/admission/tuition-and-financial-aid
- webb.org/admission/admission-events
- webb.org/admission/why-webb
- webb.org/admission/our-location
- webb.org/admission/our-location/travel-and-accommodations
- webb.org/academics
- webb.org/academics/core-program-grades-9-and-10
- webb.org/academics/grades-11-and-12
- webb.org/academics/alf-museum
- webb.org/academics/world-languages-at-webb
- webb.org/academics/college-guidance
- webb.org/matriculation-2026
- webb.org/ftpimages/823/download/download_11767331.pdf
- webb.org/student-life/dorm-life
- webb.org/student-life/after-school-and-weekends
- webb.org/student-life/student-leadership
- webb.org/student-life/chapel-program
- nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/privateschoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&SchoolName=Webb&State=06&ID=00083484
- southwesternacademy.edu/tuition-fees
- southwesternacademy.edu/admissions/apply
- fsha.org/admissions/tuition-financial-aid
- fsha.org/admissions/apply-to-fsha
- reagansecondary.us/admissions
- oakschristian.org/admissions/tuition-and-financial-aid
- oakschristian.org/admissions/application-process
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