This school is a waste of your money, and I agreed with a prior comment, they do not care about their students they only care about your money. How is it that their mission is to serve and help the world, but when their own students begin showing signs in disorders like autism or ADHD there is nothing they can do? They do not have teachers in special education? With all the money that you spend, the response is ultimately sorry we can't help you, even if your kid is a 4.0 student. read more

Doesn't prepare students for the real world. Poor teachers. In my experience there, most of the teachers didn't care for their students.

This is an update: After my son's graduation from SHCP, he attended Skyline Community College. He then got accepted to UC Davis and UC Irvine. He chose UC Irvine and graduated June 2022 with a BS in Theoretical Mathematics and a minor in History. It was his choice to first attend Skyline, primarily due to costs. He's now a college graduate with no student debt. SHCP prepared him for the academic challenges of a UC. He's now applying to grad schools. read more

Class of 1998 I LOVED LOVED LOVED high school, and it would have never been the same if I went anywhere else but here... My teenage years will forever be cherished all because of the place I chose to earn an education of a LIFETIME! I just went to my HS Reunion last Saturday... They've done amazing things to the school, specially the gym! I am speechless and amazed at how beautiful they're gymnasium is... And I say gymnasium because this is not your ordinary gym... The coolest thing that happened to us in high school in terms of new developments would be the 6th floor library... which is gorgeous by the way, since we were able to enjoy a view of the city from the rooftop... And of course, the 7th floor pool (j.p there isn't one, we just used to tell the freshmen that!) I was so in love with my school, I made sure I was involved with every aspect of student life that I was capable of... from student government to chorus... and let me just add that our Chorus was the ISH with Mr. D'Ollio as our founding choir director... We went on the very first SHCP school chorus trip abroad to Italy where we were able to sing for the late Pope John Paul ... it was amazing! So many memories and so many loves here.. The staff such as Mrs. Shapiro, Coach Fran, Mr. Saso, Mr. Benette... the lunch ladies!!! All of you were amazing and taught me things that I've used to this present day! read more

Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory - SHCP - Middle Schools & High Schools Near Me - San Francisco, California

If I could give zero stars I would . Over rated , and unbelievably greedy school . You pay college tuition prices for nothing special and yet they always have their hand out looking for more ! Where does all that tuition go ? Do yourself a favor and pass this on to others .... TAKE your time and find somewhere else to go for your child . Plenty of other great schools that dont cost your life savings ! read more

Graduated back in '94. Overall liked the curriculum and had a good balance between academics, sports, extra-curricular activities, and student body. No one was really a bad apple and the brothers and sisters made sure you fell in line. I recently revisited the ol' campus and am proud that it has expanded, as the school was smaller than SI. One thing that always bothered me was that the top students from middle school all went to SI, and it just felt like SHCP was a second tiered school. I mean in the end, it didn't really matter that much, as both SI and SHCP students went to the same universities. It really depends on the individual student. The other issue was the name "College Prep". I was under the impression that just because SHCP had the "CP", it meant college was going to be a breeze. Not so. I was certainly top 95th percentile at SHCP. I had AP up the wazoo, but after getting into UC, I found that all of those AP classes didn't measure up. I even recall that UC didn't accept any AP score of less than 5, to get credit. *Sigh* My point being, it should really be just called SHHS. Now, that I am looking at high schools again. SHCP is really a pretty good school. Just wish there wasn't this rivalry between SI vs SH. I hope someday SH will be looked up as an equal vs SI or even better. Go Fighting Irish!!! read more

I am the parent of a current senior and a sophomore. My son (Senior) transferred in this year after 3 years in a boarding school and my daughter started there last year. Both my kids attended public schools K-8. SHCP is such a wonderful school on so many levels. The academics are top notch, with a great variety of subjects to challenge or interest any kid. The co-curricular activities offered span from athletics, drama, speech and debate, art, chorus, dance plus amazing extras like the TedX talks held in the Spring. But where Sacred Heart shines is in its community. The motto of the school is Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve and they really live and breath this motto. From the first year, the grades have retreats to help them understand their place in the world, school and with each other. This makes for a very tight class. Because the school is located near the Tenderloin, they have many programs that involve working with underserved in that part of town, breaking down barriers and helping the kids understand what it means to be a part of a supportive community. One of my favorite programs is the Piro Scholars program, which targets the most underserved communities and provides scholarships and other assistance to often first generation families who would not normally have access to Sacred Heart. We have been incredibly pleased with every part of the school, from administration to the amazing instructors and staff, to the families we have met through our kids. It was the best decision we could have made for our kids and one that will serve them for years to come. read more

I'm an alumni from this high school and the one aspect I loved about going to SHCP is the diversity ethnically and religiously. All the teachers I had the pleasure of having class with were helpful and nice (I really enjoyed taking English class with Mr. Pardini and gym class where I could barely do a pull up back then, but the teacher made no judgements). But there was the other side with teachers who you can easily get by with a passing grade without doing much. But other than that, I am jealous about the resources that students have there now (a better gym and fitness center) and regret that I never attended any of the Bruce-Mahoney rivalry sports games. read more

A thing about this school is how it's so damn greedy for money. Where does all of our tuition money go to?? Honestly every catholic school is just trying to get at people's wallets and take every thing out of it. Making donating money fun with the walkathon is just an excuse to get freshman to donate all for what? A $5 ice cream and $6 taco for raising over $300?? It's kind of a shame how much money this school asks people to just give out. read more

I definitely enjoyed my 4 years at SHCP. Other than the early morning commute from SSF to downtown SF... and then the commute back home after school/practice/ game, I can't complain. I got along with everyone that I knew and I don't remember disliking any of the teachers/classes that I had. I really do believe that SHCP really did Prep me for college. Even though I have not yet been back to SHCP since graduation I do still keep myself updated through the SHCP.edu website and through the sports teams. I am PROUD to say that I graduated from Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory and as a SHCP Alumni I would not hesitate to sent my children here for high school! read more

Oh shit. I probably didn't say it enough while I went here, but I freaking loved this school. Sure, they constantly harangued me for having dyed hair, or being late, or pretty much everything I did inside of those walls, but somehow they still liked me. I'm pretty sure I spent a year skipping detention, and writing my own absence notes so that on sunny days I could enjoy the sun with a bottle of wine in Dolores park with friends. But I played within their rules and they loved me, because I was part of the family. I did everything here, from running the stage crew to playing on the soccer team to being editor in chief of the paper to campus ministry, to doing the morning announcements. All while making some amazing friends who really defined my time in high school. the one thing this school really has going for it are some of it's teachers. They care like hell, they really want to see you succeed, and be your friend. I still talk to many of them regularly. My best friend in high school and I would meet our chemistry teacher on weekends to get lunch or just hang out. I would run into another teacher at concerts constantly, and we'd talk about our favorite bands in the hallways, alerting each other of upcoming events. And then of course my favorite math teacher who still harasses me for my inability to remember to do anything and disappear. To the english teacher who was my biggest fan while struggling to find my place in the school. I never wanted to come to this school, I wanted to go to SOTA so badly, and spent my first two years bitching about it, but slowly it grew on me, and now I would not trade the experience for anything in the world. The diversity is really great, you really get a chance to learn about people from all walks of life here. Sure we made fun of the school and all the silly events while going there, but deep down, you can't not love this place. I should mention though, a lot hangs on choosing the right teachers, and petitioning heavily to switch into their classes. take as many AP's and honors as you can, because the ugly underbelly of SHCP is that they do let a lot of people slip by in easy classes. read more

Sacred Heart (SHCP) is one of the best high schools in San Francisco, if not the whole Bay Area! Yeah, this might sound a little biased and people might think that I am saying this because SHCP is my alma mater (Class of '04), but SHCP is really a great school and I had fun there when I went there. The great things about Sacred Heart is that the teachers and the faculty really do care about the students. They want the students to succeed and they'll do anything for you to succeed. A lot of the teachers are more than willing to help you out whenever you need help with HW or any material that you covered in class. They help you out before class or even after school if you need more time to review the material..... Of course Sacred Heart is known for it's education. You get a quality education at Sacred Heart and I learned a lot when I went there. Another great thing about Sacred Heart is the people there and the diversity of the school. You get a chance to interact with all different types of people and that makes you open to different types of cultures and opinions. A lot of people that I went to Sacred Heart with are really good people, and I have continued to be friends with a lot of people that I went to Sacred Heart with. A lot of the teachers from Sacred Heart are nice as well. Another great thing about Sacred Heart are the games. The Bruce Mahoney games (SH and SI games) are pretty fun and are intense. The rallies that we use to have were pretty cool as well.... I have a lot of respect for Sacred Heart and Sacred Heart is an all around great school! Go Irish! read more

SHCP was a great school. They helped me get into Cal, learn and interact with people of many different social classes (LaSallian Youth), and, in my opinion, gave me a very enjoyable adolescence. SHCP, because it is not a part of the SFUSD, is noticeably easier than public schools. Although I got excellent grades (4.3 graduating GPA), I didn't LEARN anything. When I got to Cal, I was way in over my head. I concede, however, that I did manage to get all easy teachers while at SHCP... when I took Chemistry my junior year, we spent about half the year trying to calculate molecules to moles to molecular weight, when a normal SFUSD school (Washington, in particular) was moving onto more advanced material. A lot of the teachers at Berkeley even say, "I assume you learned this in high school, so I won't go into it..." However, if you do manage to get good teachers (Pardini, O'Neill, Musallum - never had him, but heard he is excellent) you will go far. Pardini and O'Neill are notably my two favorite teachers and have really inspired me to think in ways I never have. They have a genuine passion for teaching that is often overlooked. Yes, there has been a lot of bad publicity on the school, but those are just a few people within the scope of an entire school. Like any school, there are mess ups but unfortunately high profiled cases tend to be run in the newspaper far more than some high school dropout from Balboa who beat up another kid in the Tenderloin. Overall, SHCP was very easy on academics which allowed me to pursue extracurriculars (martial arts, yearbook, newspaper,LaSallian Youth, CSF, and even some Amnesty International). If you're a parent reading this, however, be prepared to shovel out more money than the (what is it now? $14k?) tuition... walkathon and all those other fundraisers. Your kid will get an average education but maybe enrich their lives in places other than academics. read more

I went there when it was SHHS ('85) therefore my ring is an antique and I am a dinosaur : ) Overall, the Christian Brothers taught me well, especially... "GO IRISH! SKIN THE 'CATS!" read more

In honor of my high school reunion, review #92 will go to my alma mater SHCP. I loved going to school in downtown San Francisco. But alas, there are so, so, so many juicy stories that I started writing but just deleted. All I gotta say is that...catholic guilt runs deep. Sorry Yelpers, blame it on JC. read more

Our daughter is in her second year at SHC. She went to SF public schools K-8. It was a tough choice between SHC and Lowell for high school, and we are thrilled with the outcome so far. She is absolutely thriving. She has a great group of friends who seem supportive and genuine. They encourage each other both in making good social decisions (i.e. staying away from the Grove) and in academics. SHC is a great place for scholar athletes. Our daughter has experienced top-notch coaching from a coach who pushes the kids to excellence while helping develop them as human beings in terms of responsibility and wellness. We've been incredibly impressed with the athletic success she's been able to achieve, the grit she's been developing in working hard, and the enduring friendships she's making with her teammates. Meanwhile, she is well challenged academically in her honors classes. To us, it feels like the right amount of homework - enough that she has to be disciplined with the way she uses her time to keep up with everything, but not too much, so that she can still get enough sleep, spend time with friends and family on the weekends, and participate in clubs and sports. The teachers are caring, and the best teachers she's ever had both in terms of keeping the content engaging and pushing the students to do their best work. She gets good grades, and they are hard won. It's helpful to be able to see grades throughout the semester on the mobile app. We appreciate the diversity of the school. She meets all kinds of kids from various backgrounds. Nearly all of her friends live in SF, which is great (not Marin, Peninsula, etc). We're not encountering problems with elitism at this school, and her friends are not vacationing in Fiji. It's a more "middle class" demographic (or at least middle class for SF, which we realize is not really middle class), which was important to us as we had concerns about the influence of entitlement and privilege at other private schools. We feel the cost is appropriate for the excellent high school experience. In terms of logistics, I've never had problems parking on the street for school events, including back to school night. As working parents, we appreciate the easy MUNI access (most kids take MUNI everywhere, which I prefer over kids taking Uber). The central location is also a huge plus for us after years of driving to outer corners of the city for school. There's a real sense of community here. Our daughter feels a deep sense of safety and belonging. The values around social justice are real and our daughter's character has been developed through volunteer activities at nearby charities. We highly recommend SHC to everyone. read more

The Creekside campus is horrible it is much smaller than a elementary school! If you send you child here oh boy are you going to hear complaints. The staff is so rude once I heard a girl shattered her leg and the nurse gave her a bandaid. Like Who does that. Please do not send your child here it will ruin there mental morality. read more

No matter where you go, there will be teachers and personnel that you find less than ideal. Overall, we have found the staff, facilities and program quite good to excellent. I really like the vibe of SHC. It is inclusive and tolerant of the different permutations of the human experience. Kids that might be targets of bullying at other schools can find space to be themselves here. THAT is priceless. read more

My son is very happy at SHC. The kindness is palpable. Really nice group of kids he has met. The teachers are 95% strong. Some stellar! Solid (and wide range) choices for academics from year one--as well as athletics and extracurricular. Robotics. Theater. Ultimate frisbee club. Marine Biology. Criminal Law. Nothing like that kind of range when I went to high school. Physics first science is forward thinking and on point. The diversity of the students is a window of SF. No "we're better then you" attitude as I've found with some other SF schools. Really polite and kind kids I've interacted with. We came from a non catholic school and have really enjoyed the added service learning and added "meditative" aspect of masses and such. Who can argue with being in that St Mary's Cathedral church building once in a while. It's a phenomenal piece of architecture! read more

My son is a sophomore in the I2 program. This is a STEM oriented track created 3 years ago by an exceptionally inspiring Chemistry teacher (sadly leaving now) who created a wonderful community amongst the "scholars" and parents. My son had no problem finding friends and it was a pleasure seeing the students interact in a kind, goofy and caring way when they presented their I2 projects during a showcase last month. We feel truly lucky to be part of this program (smaller cohort) that gives access to rigorous classes, lots of community building activities and the development of a project they feel passionate about. The school (website) makes it easy for a parent to follow how your child is doing academically, what is going on regarding the many extracurricular activities, how to plan for college, when to turn in the physical forms needed for sports, ... The teachers and couselors are doing a great job by keeping my son on track with assignments, classes, community service hours and extracurricular activities. Everyone seems to be stressed about college, but I feel SHCP in on it and provides a lot of help and information. Lastly, we really like the "open" and welcoming atmosphere of SHCP. While it is a catholic school, there are students from all different faiths, sexual orientations and socio- economic backgrounds. This was very important to us. Our son gets a solid "moral" education, but with a true SF spirit about inclusion and acceptance of everyone. read more

Currently have two students enrolled. Both are very involved with sports and the SHC community. They both love the diversity of the school and how they always feel welcomed. The staff has always been amazing and anytime I have a question I get an answer almost immediately. Communication has always been wonderful. I am very happy with our high school choice and recommend it to anyone. read more

Parent of a current Junior. Pluses: multicultural, welcoming educators, staff and parents. Strong education and life preparation. Negative: parking. Love that home football games are at the historic Kezar Stadium. Not only has our son made many friends, so have we! Go Irish! read more

My son is a sophomore at SHCP and we could not be happier! The quality of the teachers is wonderful, the administration is always one step ahead and my son loves going to school. I look forward to my daughter attending in a few years. read more

My daughter starts her senior year in the fall of 2016. I can still remember orientation day, back when she was about to start freshman year, how worried she was fitting in being the only girl in her class to go to SHC. As orientation day ended, she came smiling and commented on how she knows she will like the school. SHC has the diversity that makes everyone feel welcome and encouragement to reach their potential. Now almost 3 years later, my daughter has matured into her best self at SHC. She has the drive and determination to succeed but best of all is the compassion I see in her. I credit the school environment, the teachers, the challenging classes, and available opportunities. SHC is the best decision for my daughter. read more

As a past, current and future parent, I am very happy with this High School. Both of my older children got accepted to many great colleges. It has classes for the academically inclined and for the academically challenged. Ethnicity or class do not matter there. This is a school for everyone. read more

I have a daughter just ending her Sophomore year at SHCP. She came from a smaller, more elite "all girls" school in SF. The transition to a much larger and co-ed environment has been seamless. SHC has all the benefits of a much larger school, but with the sense of community of a smaller school. The dePaul program has provided a smaller cohort within the school to be a member of, that allows you to feel like you belong from day one. Each kid seems to find their own, or a few groups to be part of from guitar club, to cross country, and from debate to the major sports teams. She has loved helping the tennis team have the most success the team has ever had in the school's history - yes, even beating SI! The friendly rivalry between SI & SHC is great, but I believe SHC now has the edge in most respects! The benefits of SHC include the size and scale to have a big high school experience, supporting school teams, finding the right level of challenge in just about every class; the only truly racially diverse school in the city, surprisingly open-minded attitude to embracing all religions and atheists; a great campus with lots of space outdoors for the kids to hang out at lunchtime and the walk between two campus's to catch up with friends between classes; the most fantastic school library in the city - in every respect; a fantastic theater and great arts/music program, and so much more. I had never even considered the school until I dropped in on the Open House on a whim and I was sooooo happy when my daughter chose SHC over the 5 independent school places she was also offered. Two years in we have no regrets! It's a school that encourages every individual kid to thrive and be the best version of themselves that they can be - allowing huge levels of independence whilst offering support and an invisible safety net should they start to need it. I'd strongly recommend including it on your list of potential high schools to consider. read more

I am the parent of a current sophomore. When we were looking at SF high schools we were really impressed by SHCP. We felt that the school did a really good job at their open house. In fact, what we saw at the open house was just a sliver of what the school offers. We have been really happy with the support and guidance the school provides. Also, the curriculum is custom tailored to the strengths that each individual student has. With respect to college admissions prep, have also been thoroughly satisfied with what we have seen thus far. This school has so much to offer, both in and outside of the classroom. Really nice and diverse school community on top of everthying else. Go Irish! read more

My son has been both academically challenged and supported at SHCP. SHCP provides lots of guidance to help students get to the college of their choice. My son has made some wonderful friends, and we have loved being a part of the SHCP community. read more

If your child is Afro American do not send him/her to this school. I have discovered that this school is extremely racially biased and favors others. Public schools is a better way to go. When a problem arises at the school, the staff does not return phone calls at all-also keep an eye out on your items. My son had his backpack, tennis shoes, and lunch stolen while attending SHCP and nothing was done about it. There is no brother or sisterhood at the school. read more

It was a great school. The teachers I had were great, compassionate and knowledgable. I made some good friends there too. How would I get in contact with some of those teachers there? It was a long time ago. read more

Correction to my original review back in 05.. phew it's been awhile. FOUR of my cousin's matriculated from this HS. :p

Great education. & a very diverse co ed private school. College is a breeze because classes here were so hard but worth it!

I have a very bright daughter who is absolutely thriving at SHCP. Her best friend is academically above average and also having a fantastic experience. read more

My four years at SHCP shaped me into a hard-working student, challenged me to solidify my faith, and gave me invaluable relationships with friends and teachers. This school has prepared me for college in every way. Supportive teachers and stimulating curriculum were huge factors in my acceptance into colleges such as Georgetown and UCLA. One of the many gems of SHCP is the De Paul Scholar Program. Senior Seminar was definitely the class that, despite the intense workload, changed the way I think most drastically. I read Aristotle, C.S. Lewis, and Freud. I learned how NOT to read several chapters of intense philosophy the day before class. And I learned to stand up for my own viewpoint without bashing what anyone else believed. Many of the teachers acted as big brothers and sisters for their students, working with them at lunch and during their breaks. It's not all academics, either--the SHCP music program is now flourishing, and new clubs are coming up all over the place--the Outdoor Adventure Club, Earth Action, and the Irish Dancing Club. I am so glad to have been a Fightin Irish! read more

My daughter just started her sophomore year and is very happy, as are we as parents. The staff are attentive and helpful, the coaching staff for athletics - equally great. The diversity is perfect and the dedication to academics is apparent. Your child will get out of SHCP exactly what they put into it - they will be nurtured and challenged when needed, but they need to chart their own course. I am confident my child will leave SHCP academically and socially prepared with hopefully lifelong curiosity and dedication to service. read more

graduated in 2002... SHCP was the most expensive public school ever... but the actually academics was good...

My son just finished 4 years at SHC. It was a great experience for him, a wonderful urban school with a really diverse range of students. The size is right for kids who want a 'big' school but might be put off by a place with 2500 other students. The teachers are there to help the kids get the most out of school and are very accessible to the parents. The school fosters a true sense of community with students, parents and alumns. It may not be the right fit for all kids but is well worth considering when looking at high school options for your 8th grader. read more

Our daughter is thriving at SHCP. She likes her teachers very much, and feels they know her and like her too. She describes one teacher as "very interesting" - and she means it in the best way. She was not taught to the test; but, she was thoroughly prepared for her AP history exam. Her English teacher took extra time with the class outside school hours to prepare them for the AP exam. read more

My son is entering his junior year at SHC and is having a terrific high school experience. I especially appreciate the range of academic tracks and extracurricular options. You can be an average student or a highly advanced student or somewhere in between, and you can find your place at SHC. The school is challenging and offers APs and Honors track courses without being a pressure cooker. The cross country and track programs have been a major highlight. The coach meets runners where they are, then motivates and trains each runner to be his or his best. In addition to freshman, JV, and varsity teams in many sports, the school offers an outstanding theater program, various choirs and musical options, and lots of clubs and leadership opportunities. I also love that the school is in the heart of the city. My son and his friends take muni everywhere, and the student body reflects the diversity of San Francisco. Thank you SHC! read more