Enrollment
299
Student:teacher
7:1
Published tuition
$63,780–$79,980
Application fee
—
Auto-sourced profile. These details were collected from the school's own website and may be out of date — always confirm tuition with the admissions office. Something wrong? Suggest a fix.
Tuition by division
| Division | Grades | Annual tuition | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| High school2026-27 | Day Students (Grades 9-11) | $70,990 | — |
| High school2026-27 | Boarding Students (Grades 9-11) | $87,340 | — |
Head of school
Alexandra Lockett
Head of School
Alexandra Lockett is Head of School at Cate School, a residential high school founded in 1910 in Carpinteria, California, where she leads 310 students and 150 employees as the institution’s first female and 8th head of school. Prior to Cate, Alex served as Head of Upper School at Crystal Springs Uplands School in Hillsborough, California, and spent 16 years at San Francisco University High School.
Curriculum & special classes
Cate is a college preparatory boarding and day school that emphasizes inquiry-based learning. The curriculum includes place-based learning, interdisciplinary opportunities, Harkness-style discussions, hands-on lessons, and guided independent research.
Financial aid
Cate offers $4,250,000 in need-based financial aid to 28% of the student body annually. The Director of Financial Assistance is Vanessa Cruz Santana.
Before & after school care
Before school
Not listed
After school
Day students may stay through the evening to study in the library, eat dinner with friends, get extra help from a teacher, or attend student-led labs. Evening commitments include convocations, formal dinners, student-run activities, clubs, affinity groups, senate, student leadership meetings, and Peer Learning Labs. Study hours are held from 8:00 to 10:00 pm for 9th, 10th, and 11th graders. Day students are not required to remain on campus for study hours, but can if they wish.
Cost
Not listed
Extended-care hours and rates change yearly — parents can correct these below.
Admissions
Cate School accepts applications for 9th, 10th, and 11th grades only. The application journey starts by completing an Inquiry Form to set up an Admission Portal account. The process involves submitting application requirements, completing an interview, and can include optional campus visits.
Apply by
January 15
Acceptance rate
Not listed
Application fee
Not listed
What they ask for: Candidate Profile, Applicant Writing Prompts and Parent Statement, virtual Interview, Principal/Counselor Recommendation, Current English Teacher Recommendation, Current Math Teacher Recommendation, Standardized Testing (SSAT or ISEE for 9th/10th grade, PSAT/SAT/ACT for 11th grade), Transcript Report (current and previous year grades), Special Interest Recommendation (optional), Language Testing (TOEFL, DuoLingo, IELTS) for International Applicants.
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