High School Placement
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Our students enroll at independent, parochial, public, and charter high schools, and they thrive at all of them.
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Counseling Eighth Graders To High School
Whether it’s learning about the Black Panther Party in Fourth Grade, marching for climate change around Oakland, or discovering why Lake Merritt isn’t actually a lake, St. Paul's students engage with their learning in many ways. When students enter the Eighth Grade, one of their final milestones is to explore where they would like to go to high school. To start the high school decision making process, they meet with the Director of Middle School in August, before Eighth Grade even begins. Along with their parents, they learn the steps they will need to take in order to find the high school match that is right for them. Families explore the school options available to them from public/charter, independent, parochial, and even boarding schools.
Once the school year begins, the eighth graders take a high school placement class where they learn more about the application process, conduct mock interviews with St. Paul’s teachers and staff, practice their writing for applications, and develop a solid list of schools to which they may want to apply. By the time the class ends in November, the eighth graders and their families are well prepared to finish the application process.
St. Paul’s students have an extraordinary track record when it comes to high school acceptance rates. Ninety percent of our graduating Eighth Grade matriculate to their first choice of high schools. During our visits to the various schools this summer admission directors all commented on how much they appreciate St. Paul’s students; they know our students are well prepared academically, aware of the world around them, and ready for their next chapter of their lives.
Joanna & Marcus
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St. Paul's students are sought by top high schools.
Each year our graduates and their families go through a supportive process to choose a high school that will provide them with the environment and experiences they seek. Our students enroll at independent, parochial, public, and charter high schools, and they thrive at all of them.
Here are several schools at which our graduates most commonly enroll:
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Joanna Belkin - Eighth English
Marcus Chang - Director of Middle School
High School Placement
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A family meeting at the beginning of the year with the Director of Middle School to talk about a student’s interests and options for high school
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Lunch visits by admissions representatives from many local high schools
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Essay writing support from the Eighth Grade English Teacher
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Practice interviews with the Director of Middle School
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Optional test prep classes offered on site
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Support for students as they make their enrollment decision
Laura Lance
Middle School Coordinator & School Registrar