High School Transition
I see graduates from many local middle schools. The San Francisco School graduates stand out as intellectually curious, able to make connections across disciplines, are confident public speakers and, above all, seem very much themselves. SFS graduates are accomplished but are still very fresh and real.”
— Faculty/Administrator at a Bay Area Independent School
At The San Francisco School, we are confident that our graduates leave the gates of 300 Gaven as passionate learners who practice mutual respect, embrace diversity, and promote equity and justice for all. The transition to high school can seem overwhelming, particularly here in San Francisco, but with the partnership between the Upper School Head, Eighth Grade families, and the SFS Middle School team, our graduates enthusiastically enroll at high schools across San Francisco, the greater Bay Area, and beyond. SFS looks at this transition as a process - and if we do this process well, our graduates have a better understanding of themselves as learners and can identify learning environments where they will thrive.
Our work together for the high school transition process begins in the spring of Seventh Grade. We hold a preliminary information night for parents/guardians only, with a panel of current Eighth Grade parents/guardians sharing about their recent experiences as a highlight of the evening. During the summer, the Upper School Head and Upper School Student Activities Coordinator hold individual meetings with the parents/guardians of each Eighth Grader to begin formally the discussion about the high school transition process. The process then officially begins in the opening weeks of school, with an overview meeting and a Q&A session with SFS alumni representing public, private, and parochial school experiences.
The fall of Eighth Grade will include shadow visits, open houses, and for most, testing. Our Eighth Graders take a seminar class that focuses on interview skills, SSAT prep (using Test Innovators), essay writing, application timelines, class discussions about shadow visits, and how to make informed decisions in the spring. We strongly suggest our families consider the full range of high schools: public, charter, parochial, and independent day schools, as well as boarding schools. At SFS, we work closely with families to ensure that our students enroll at the school where they will thrive. Our alumni arrive at high school prepared, enthusiastic, and ready to take on new challenges.
SFS Alumni currently attend the following high schools:
Independent |
Parochial |
Public / Charter |
Marin / East Bay /
|
Boarding |
Bay Drew International Lick-Wilmerding Sterne University Urban Waldorf |
Archbishop Riordan Convent Jewish Community Sacred Heart St. Ignatius |
Gateway Lowell Mission SOTA |
Aragon Branson College Prep El Camino Gunn Marin Academy Piedmont Saint Mary’s Sequoia |
Eastside Prep Groton School McCallie School Phillips Academy Andover Villanova Preparatory |