Summary: Any school—including Cate—can offer you a devastatingly challenging calculus class. Our goal is to get you to tackle challenges beyond calculus, to discover the variety of disciplines and activities at which you might excel, and to explore how your diverse talents and interests can be combined in an education that is unique to you. Freshman year is designed to introduce you to living and learning in a residential setting. Your courses will focus on honing your reading, writing, and critical thinking skills while exposing you to the broad expanse of human thought and endeavor. The goal is to get you asking questions and to provide you with the intellectual foundation you need to find the answers. By sophomore year you will know how to manage the challenges of Cate’s academic program and the responsibilities of living in the Cate community. You will have the freedom to choose some of your own courses and the opportunity to take high-level classes in different disciplines. Toward the end of the year, you will begin a series of conversations with your faculty advisor about your interests and talents and what you want to have achieved by the time you graduate. In junior year, you begin to take charge of your own education. Working closely with your advisor and relying on the framework you established at the end of your sophomore year, you will begin selecting courses based on your unique goals and interests and start your college preparation. Senior year is when you realize the full benefit of the Cate curriculum. You will have completed most, if not all, of the required courses and can choose from among Cate’s many challenging electives to create your own “year of personal inquiry.” Many seniors also take on faculty-mentored research projects and assume leadership positions on campus.

Department Director Lisa Holmes

Student/Teacher Ratio: 5:1

Average Class Size: 12

Summer Programs: Offered

Full Time Teachers: 57

Number of AP Courses Offered: 51

Teachers Holding Advanced Degrees: 82%

Number of IB Courses Offered: 0

Learning Support

• Evening Study Assistance
• Peer Tutoring
• Study Skills Assistance
• Technology Center

English

• Classics
• Creative Writing
• Honors
• Literature
• Playwriting
• Poetry

History

• Asian History
• Classical History
• European History
• Honors
• United States History
• World History
• African History

Foreign Languages

• Chinese-Mandarin
• French
• Japanese
• Spanish

Humanities / Social Sciences

• Economics

Sciences

• Anatomy
• Astronomy
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Earth Science
• Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Genetics
• Geology
• Health
• Marine Biology
• Oceanography
• Physics

Math

Computer Studies

• Computer Programming
• Computer Science
• Web Design

Music

• Band
• Choral Music
• Composition
• History of Jazz
• Individual Instructions
• Music Theory
• Orchestra
• Recording
• Voice

Performing / Visual Arts

• Acting
• Animation
• Art History
• Ballet
• Ceramics
• Choreography
• Dance
• Debate
• Design
• Directing
• Drama
• Drawing
• Graphic Design
• Painting
• Photography
• Portfolio
• Printmaking
• Publications
• Public Speaking
• Sculpture
• Studio Art
• Theater Arts
• Theater Design
• 3-D Art
• Modern Dance
• Jazz Band
• Orchestra

Special Programs

• Study Abroad
• Community Service
• Exchange Programs
• Independent Study
• Leadership
• Outdoor Education

Distinctive or New Programs

• Marine Biology, Anatomy & Physiology, Chinese, Japanese, Asian Studies, Humanities, Modern Middle East, International Relations, Directed Studies, African American History, Genetics, Round Square, The American Wilderness, Outdoor Program, Los Ninos Progra

Dorm Life

Number of Dorms: 9

Average Students Per Dorm: 25

Number of Girls Dorms: 4

Number of Boys Dorms: 5

Dorm Amenities

• Laundry Facilities
• Lounge
• Wireless Internet

Other Dorm Amenities

Student Life

You may never live in a place more beautiful than Cate. Several dorms overlook the ocean. The beach is close enough for a morning swim or surf. There’s a special bench just for watching sunsets, though some would argue that the views from the "Pizza Lawn" are just as spectacular. Behind campus a series of trails lead you to the splendor of the Los Padres National Forest. And you share this space—150 acres of trees and light—with fewer than 350 other people. It’s like having a world all to yourself. You’ll live in one of eight remarkably home-like dorms. In addition to your bedroom, there will be places to study, play games,watch movies, and just hang out. Faculty members and their families live in the dorms as well, so you’ll always have an adult to talk to, or the occasional kitchen table to do your homework. You’ll also have a senior prefect—a kind of big brother or sister—to offer guidance and support as you get the hang of living in your home away from home. But the dorms at Cate are more than a place to live, they’re also a place to learn and grow. In fact, your interactions with your dorm parents and prefects and the talks and activities they plan for you are an integrated part of the curriculum. We call it PARK—Persistence, Awareness, Responsibility, and Kindness—and it’s all about learning how to cooperate and collaborate with others. And then there’s the food. The chefs at Raymond Commons prepare meals from scratch and buy as much of their produce, meat, and dairy as possible from local farmers. There’s always a waffle bar at breakfast, sandwich and salad bars at lunch and dinner, as well as frequent theme nights—Italian, Mexican, Breakfast for Dinner. There are always bowls of fruit out for snacking, and many students (and faculty) find themselves wishing for the occasional cold snap just for the pleasure of sitting by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate.

Facilities

• All-Weather Track
• Baseball Field
• Fitness Center
• Football Field
• Indoor Basketball Court
• Pool
• Technology Center
• Volleyball Court
• Squash Court
• Softball Diamond

Other Facilities

• Gymnasiums (2)

Clubs & Organizations

• Community Service
• Computer Club
• Debate Club
• Drama Club
• Environmental Club
• Foreign Language Clubs
• Gardening Club
• International Club
• Literary Magazine
• Math Club
• Model UN
• Newspaper
• Peer Tutoring
• Photography Club
• Student Activities
• Student Government
• Student Publications
• Surfing Club
• Theater Club
• Yearbook
• Yoga Club

Summary: Imagine competing against some of the best high school athletes in the country. Imagine incorporating an ocean swim or a mountain run into your training routine—year round. Imagine playing a new sport—or maybe any sport—for the first time and finding out you’re good at it. Imagine heading from the fields to the dining hall with teammates,sweaty and laughing. Imagine becoming a team leader—someone to whom younger players look for advice and who coaches trust to help them out on the field. That’s the Cate athletic experience. Cate fields 22 varsity athletic teams, and our quality of play is so high—seven titles and championships in 2011-2012, eight in 2012-2013—that we’re entering the more competitive Tri-County Athletic Association in 2014. There are junior varsity and even 3rds teams for many sports, allowing less experienced players to try new sports without the pressure of intense competition. Cate also offers intramural options like dancing and surfing, so no matter what your interests or current level of play, you’ll find opportunities to have fun and improve your skills. If you’re already a seasoned athlete, Cate’s coaches will help you reach your performance goals. If you’re trying team sports for the very first time, they’ll be patient teachers, eager to share their love of the game. And Cate’s athletic requirement ensures that every student at every level is always trying—and learning—something new.

Arts Department Director: Patrick Collins

Athletics Department Director: Wade Ransom

Arts

• Acting
• Animation
• Art History
• Ballet
• Ceramics
• Choreography
• Dance
• Debate
• Design
• Directing
• Drama
• Drawing
• Graphic Design
• Painting
• Photography
• Portfolio
• Printmaking
• Publications
• Public Speaking
• Sculpture
• Studio Art
• Theater Arts
• Theater Design
• 3-D Art
• Modern Dance
• Jazz Band
• Orchestra

Interscholastic Sports

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross Country Running
• Football
• Lacrosse
• Soccer
• Squash
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Track and Field
• Volleyball
• Water Polo

Recreational Sports

• Camping
• Canoeing
• Dance
• Hiking
• Kayaking
• Martial Arts
• Mountain Biking
• Outdoor Education
• Rock Climbing
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Ultimate Frisbee
• Weight Lifting

Summary: Cate’s college counselors have an easy job. Cate’s small size and tight-knit community allows them to know your needs and interests well, and Cate’s strong, vibrant, academic and extra-curricular programs will allow you to explore and excel in a variety of subjects and activities. By the time you start thinking about college in earnest, you’ll be able to make wise and well-informed decisions about your next step. You and your advisor will begin laying the groundwork for your college exploration during freshman and sophomore years. You’ll be able to start that exploration during our Fall College Night series, which brings representatives from nearly 100 colleges and universities to campus to describe their programs and meet Cate students. The formal college counseling process begins in your junior year, when you’ll start taking “college classes” run by the college counseling staff. In the winter you’ll begin meeting individually with one of Cate’s college counselors to discuss your academic and extracurricular interests, learning style, and career goals. In the spring you’ll attend our Case Studies program, during which you’ll meet in small groups with admission deans from as many as 40 competitive colleges and universities to learn how the admission process works and how schools evaluate candidates. When you leave for summer break, your counselor will reinforce your progress with a letter that summarizes the college criteria you have discussed, lists the schools that best fit those criteria, and outlines the steps you can take to hit the ground running. During your senior year, you'll continue to receive regular guidance from your counselor as you narrow choices, complete applications, and receive acceptance letters and financial aid offers. The intent of all this preparation and attention is to have you find and attend a college that is the perfect fit for your unique needs and interests.

Notable Alumni

Quotes From Alumni