Dunn School vs. Cate School
Should you attend Dunn School or Cate School? Visitors to our site frequently compare these two schools. Compare their rankings, scores, reviews and more to help you determine which school is the best choice for you.
School Overview
School
Definition of Terms | 2024 School Data
Dunn School
P.O. Box 98, 2555 W. Highway 154
Los Olivos, CA 93441, United States of America
Los Olivos, CA 93441, United States of America
Top Rankings
Dunn School ranks among the top 10 schools with 200-400 students (out of 99 schools) for:
Category
Attribute
Student Attention
Student Attention
Cate School ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 280 schools) for:
Category
Attribute
School Resources
Selectivity
Offering Breadth
Student Test Scores
Student Test Scores
Overview
Founded in 1957, Dunn School is an independent, college preparatory, 6th through 12th grade coeducational boarding and day school.
We are located in the heart of the Santa Ynez Valley, in Los Olivos, California, 30 miles from Santa Barbara.
Dunn School's 60-year old mission is to educate the whole student to his or her fullest potential in preparation for a life of learning and responsible leadership in society. We achieve this by focusing on the development and integration of 5 core values: Social and emotional wellness; physical readiness; intellectual growth; social responsibility; and moral courage.
Founded in 1910, Cate School is a grade 9-12, coeducational, college preparatory boarding school in Carpinteria, California.
What began as a group of twelve boys and a few teachers has expanded into a 300-student, 57-teacher, deeply academic, and talented community with the most diverse student body of any boarding school of its size in the United States.
One of the most experienced and committed teaching faculty in the country: 82% hold advanced degrees, 18% of these have PhDs.
Cate is one of this nation's most selective boarding schools, accepting under 20% of our applicants each year.
60% of Cate's most recent graduating class attend the country's 25 top-ranked colleges and universities, and 18% went to Ivy Leagues and Stanford.
The Cate experience combines academics, athletics, art, and co-curricular activities in a close-knit, community setting where students are enriched by their relationships with their teachers and each other.
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
Grades Offered
9-12
9-12
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
Year Founded
1957
1910
Campus Size
58 acres
150 acres
Students Body
Enrollment
249
300
% Students of Color
45%
54%
% International Students
16%
17%
% Students Boarding
60%
80%
Average SAT Score
1210
1350
Average ACT score
25
31
Offers Post-Grad Year
No
No
Academics and Faculty
Saturday Classes
No
No
Frequency of Saturday Classes
Less than once a month
Bi-Weekly
Classroom Dress Code
Casual
Casual
Average Class Size
10
10
Student : Teacher ratio
5:1
5:1
# of AP/Advanced Courses Offered
13
46
ESL Courses Offered
No
No
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
63%
80%
Summer Program Offered
Yes
Yes
Finances
Endowment Size
$13 million
$90 million
Tuition (Boarding Students)
$66,900
$74,975
Tuition (Day Students)
$31,600
$58,975
Tuition (international students)
$66,900
n/a
Avg. Financial Aid Grant
$22,961
$54,405
Admission
Application Deadline
Feb. 1 / rolling
Jan. 15
Accepts Standardized Application
Yes
No
SSAT Required
No
No
Acceptance Rate
45%
17%
Director of Admissions
Mike Mckee
Kyle Mason
Associate Director of Admissions
Sarah Harris
David Soto
# of AP/Advanced Courses Offered
13
46
Sport
Total Sports Offered
8
20
Sports
Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball
Ballet, Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Cross Country Running, Dance, Football, Lacrosse, Mountain Biking, Mountaineering, Rock Climbing, Soccer, Surf Team, Swimming, Tennis, Track, Track and Field, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball, Water Polo
Extracurricular
Total Extra-curric.Total Extracurriculars
19
32
Extra-curric.Extracurriculars
Affinity Club, Badminton Club, Computer Science Club, Dance Company, Debate Club, Dormitory Council, Drama/Theatre, Dunn School Band, Film Club, Mountain Biking, Peer Tutoring Association, Pickle Ball, Spirit Committee, Student Government, Surf Club, Sustainability Club, Swimming, Yoga, Youth 4 Direct Relief Club
Alianza (Latino Student Alliance), Black Student Union, Blue Crew, California Mathematics League, Camerata, Cate Artists' Theatre, Cate Review (Literary Magazine), CateNet Masters, Chamber, Chinese Language & Culture Club, Chorale, Cultural Awareness Club, Dance Club, El Batidor (School Newspaper), Film Society, Finance Club, Green Team, Hiking Club, Latin American Students Organization, LOGOS, Round Square, RRCE (LGBTQ+ Support Club), South Asian Student Society, Student Book Club, Student Senate, TERRA, The Crew (Video Club), The Mesan (Yearbook), Theatre Arts, Tour Guides, Women's Forum, Young Men's Forum