@CaliMex Thanks for those names! I’d heard of Cate but didn’t realize how many others are around. The whole boarding school application process is overwhelming, I don’t know how you go about picking a school that’s across the country.
@basil1 My kid will be starting at Thacher this fall… in case that ends up on your list
Hi @Hopeful0304 - Looking forward to pming in the near future!!! Great to see all these Stevenson parents on here 
and good job @calimex for raising awareness of some excellent west coast boarding options!
But where were you, @CaliMex, when I needed you in 2010?
I so regret we did not know about west coast boarding schools, especially Thacher, when our son started on this path. Best of luck to your kiddo and your family as you start your Thacher journey. Keep this thread going.
Thank you, @ChoatieMom!
@westcoastmom987-we did cast a wide net as the Bay area private school applications are soooo crazy competitive and in hindsight it just meant we applied to quite a few schools that my son would not have enjoyed. It was actually a relief that he didn’t get into some of them. The ones where he did get offers he would have liked. I wish I could have trusted the process more and reclaim all that time I spent on those damn parent essays (not my forte). Glad we both found a great fit for our boys! OK how many more posts do I need to PM???
^^ 10 total, I believe
Woodside Priory is a very good school, although boarding spots are limited. If you live close to the Bay, you can apply as a day student as well. I was a recent graduate and my class had a RIDICULOUS college matriculation. Ask me if anyone has questions.
^^ agree, Woodside Priory really impressed us.
Anyone know Cate School’s most recent admissions statistics ?
@Publisher, a Cate admissions officer quoted an 11% acceptance rate when I met him at a boarding school fair in the spring. I’m not 100% positive, but I feel like I also saw that number on their website.
@janehoya: Thank you !
Anyone applying to Thacher? Let me know if you have questions.
Sure, @CaliMex. We originally weren’t interested in Thacher, but were swayed by Bill McMahon at a local event, and visited/interviewed and really liked it. The reason we liked it is because it seems like it would push our daughter and challenge her in a lot of ways that she would not experience elsewhere. That said, it’s hard to know if she’ll fit in, and it’s such a small school. She’s pretty nerdy and even clumsy. She likes technology, science fiction, K Pop, etc. But she really wants to broaden her horizons too. Are there any kids like that at all? She is intrigued by the challenge but I’m trying to picture her with the horses and really struggling.
There are all kinds of kids at Thacher. It is incredibly diverse in terms of student interests and backgrounds. What they have in common: They are all incredibly motivated, intellectually curious, kind, and grounded. Thacher kids have a strong desire to challenge and push themselves, but are committed to living by the code of “kindness, fairness, honor, and truth.” These are NOT just words at Thacher. There is strong peer pressure to do the right thing, even when no one is looking.
There is tremendous diversity in the interests students pursue. If she’s at all interested in Astronomy, it is an incredible place to be as the kids get to work and present research at major conferences, as well as write the code that runs the Thacher observatory and the programs that crunch/analyze the data they gather. There is a current senior who is raising worms and insects as part of a project to identify sustainable and affordable sources of protein to combat world hunger without exacerbating climate change! (It is part of her Senior Exhibition capstone project and will culminate in a 30 minute presentation in the Spring.) Lots of nerdy kids find their home doing technical theater, too, for the school’s various performances. When we were in the middle of the application process, we met a girl who went on to study engineering at Stanford after running the tech aspect of most theatrical productions at Thacher.
The horse program is INCREDIBLE and challenges (and bonds!) all the freshmen. Most have never been on a horse before arriving at Thacher. They take full responsibility for another living creature and must prioritize its care over all other commitments. They must conquer any fears they might have about trying new things, riding, falling, or getting bitten. They ALL fall. They ALL get back up. The horse program builds their character and confidence in ways that are hard to describe.
It is NOT fun to get up at the crack of dawn and muck your horse’s stall. It isn’t supposed to be. But it prepares the kids for real life and knits the freshmen class together as they learn to depend on each other to ensure their horse gets fed if they have sports or other commitments that conflict with horse care. The horse program also helps self select a GREAT group of families with solid values. Like any top boarding school, there are some incredibly wealthy families from around the world who send their children to Thacher. But NONE think their princess or princeling is “above” shoveling horse crap every morning 
We could not be happier with the cohort of kids and families at Thacher.
Hope this helps! @ThacherParent , did I miss anything?
@CaliMex, thank you for posting so much helpful information. We loved the school when we visited. I have two questions about Thacher. I understand that there is an open door policy with dorms, but what about at night? Are students allowed to lock their doors whilst sleeping? At the risk of jumping the gun, do you know if the revisit days are overnight visits or just a day? Thanks again!
@janehoya I’ll ask my daughter about locking her room at night. Revisit days include overnights, which are great since the kids get a taste of what it is like to get up early to care for a horse!
Forgot to mention that at Thacher, Saturday nights are spent at the head of school’s Open House. It is one big school-wide party with something for everyone, extroverts and introverts alike: karaoke, dancing, ping pong, bananagrams, chess, puzzles, cookie baking, and more. All students and many faculty attend. It is the highlight of the weekend.
@CaliMex, well said. @Spoonbender I do think that attending Thacher is not for everyone. It’s not about the nerdiness or athleticism or brilliance or extracurricular interests of a child. Like @CaliMex said, the community is totally diverse. The way more important attributes for success are community engagement, risk-taking, and a natural predilection for the honor code “Honor Fairness Kindness and Truth.” The thing to assess with your daughter is her willingness to plunge in and try things (the horse program typically being the first huge step down this path), knowing full well that there will be lots of falls off the horse (literally and metaphorically) during her four years and especially during the first couple of years. So…Is she resilient? Is she determined? Is she persistent? Can she laugh at herself? Does she want more for herself, broader horizons, even if it means trying new things well outside of her comfort zone? If she has that sort of engagement-oriented personality then she has half the equation right.
The other half of the equation is the honor code - hugely important at the school: Honor Fairness Kindness and Truth. Is this her? I probably should have also mentioned academic strength, which is table stakes for success. Nearly every kid was an A student in their prior school. So it can come as a shock when those first grades come rolling in. It’s tough academically but infinitely rewarding, and with extraordinary student-teacher engagement.
@janehoya, CaliMex will check with her daughter, but when my son attended, doors were never locked, not sure that they have locks. Regardless, the kids are just as safe and secure at night as they are during the day. Zero worries.
@janehoya, my daughter is a student at Thacher. The students can’t lock their doors at night/whilst sleeping. However, as @ThacherParent said the kids are safe. I know, hard to believe/accept in these times! Seriously, this is the least of my worries.