How to Get Into San Domenico: Key to Admissions!

Overview

Founded in 1850, San Domenico School is the oldest independent school in California. Nestled in the beautiful town of San Anselmo, its 515-acre campus caters to kindergarten through twelfth-grade students, offering day school, regional, and international boarding school options for upper school students. With a total population of 690, students enjoy a 13:1 student-teacher ratio and an average class size of 17.   

The institution has been known for its distinctive, innovative programs. For instance, San Domenico has a thoughtfully designed Virtuoso Program, making it the only upper school in the entire United States to offer an integrated and comprehensive music program that equips young artists who want to delve deeper and pursue music as a career.

Is it Hard to Get Into San Domenico School? 

Due to its excellent reputation, students from different parts of the world are attracted to the institution and want to get in. What’s more, San Domenico School pays close attention to sibling applications. This only means your chances of gaining admission could be a more formidable challenge than expected. 

At Cardinal Education, we have admissions experts who know exactly how to get into the best boarding schools. Through holistic boarding school admissions consulting, our experts will help you stand out and ace the San Domenico School admissions process. Call us today so you can learn more about how to get into San Domenico School.

San Domenico School Application Process

There are several steps you need to take to apply to San Domenico School. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the admissions process first to optimize your time and increase your chances of success. To begin with your application, you must fill out the necessary information and create an account in Ravenna. The steps vary depending on your child’s grade level, but here are the general steps you will encounter:

1. Submit an application form
2. Submit student evaluation forms 
3. Request recommendation letters
4. Request transcripts
5. Undergo the student assessment
6. Schedule the parent/guardian appointment interview
7. Sign up for a student interview

San Domenico School Admissions Requirements

Recommendation Letters

Aspiring San Domenico (upper school) students are required to submit recommendation letters from their English and math teachers as well as from their school counselor or principal. You should take this as an opportunity to showcase your unique qualities as a student along with all the reasons why you deserve to be part of the San Domenico community. However, you should bear in mind that information written in your recommendation letters must be supported by your other credentials, which include your test scores, GPA, and active participation in extracurriculars.

Recommendation letters play an important role in your child’s application. It will provide teachers and school administration with an opportunity to vouch for the interests and attributes that your child has demonstrated in their application. At Cardinal Education, we have experienced admissions consultants who know exactly what your family should do to guarantee strong and remarkable recommendation letters. Start your preparation early with us!

Transcript

To get into San Domenico School, all applicants must submit their official transcripts. Emphasize your child’s academic prowess! This will be a good indication that they are well-prepared to take on the challenge of a San Domenico education. 

But what if your child’s grades are not that exceptional? We have the best academic coaches and tutors to provide you with online and in-person tutoring and academic coaching as well as diagnostic testing for different subjects. We highly suggest that you start preparing your child as early as possible. Through a more holistic and long-term approach to our services, our experts are able to equip students with the fundamental skills and knowledge they need to succeed in admissions.

Admissions Interview

The San Domenico School requires a 20-30 minute interview via Zoom for all prospective high school students. Students are also encouraged to prepare some questions to ask during the interview. The admissions officers will try to figure out if your child will excel in San Domenico. Aside from academic performance, they also want to see if your child will fit in well with the school’s culture and values. 

Are you worried you or your child may not articulate your answers well? Check out our interview preparation program. This will help your family establish confidence and be more accustomed to the pressure of facing an admissions officer. 

Personal Statements and Essays

Through personal statements or admissions essays, you will be able to give admissions officers an insight into your vision of success, aspirations, background, and capabilities. While you demonstrate your writing prowess, it should also be your goal to prove that you are suitable for the San Domenico School. The content of your essays should be directly relevant to the prompts given and interesting enough to keep your reader hooked until the very end, and remember your application for all the good reasons! 

However, not all stories are appropriate and can be used as leverage. As educational consultants for almost two decades, we know what works and what doesn’t! If you are struggling to write a good narrative, we recommend that you take our Program in Writing and Reading to get help from our dedicated tutors and advance your writing skills.

Student Life at San Domenico

Grounded on the values of service, community, reflection, and study, San Domenico equips students with a long-lasting passion for learning and a deep-rooted global perspective. Students are not just empowered to study but to reflect on what they have learned, celebrate in the community, and discover their purpose. With a diverse group of students hailing from all across the globe, students at San Domenico embrace new cultures and distinct perspectives as they pursue new academic heights. It has a distinctive international learning community where each of its members is encouraged to take full advantage of what the campus has to offer—from painting in the creekside visual arts studio, swimming in the pool, or going on a 20-mile hike.

San Domenico Academics

At San Domenico, education goes beyond simply acquiring facts and figures. Faculty and staff inspire students to find purpose, meaning, and joy in every endeavor. Students develop into outstanding academics armed with the motivation, empathy, and knowledge to be leaders. Through meaningful exploration of academic curiosity, San Domenico strives to support students for excellence not only at school but in the broader world. May it be in game design and filmmaking, pre-professional orchestral strings ensemble, or a self-reflective curriculum in world religions, philosophy, and ethics, San Domenico School provides its students with unparalleled opportunities to explore and delve deeper into their passions.

San Domenico Activities

Only 30 minutes away from San Francisco, San Domenico students enjoy a stunning 515-acre campus with a wide array of unrivaled opportunities for both academic and personal growth. From cooking lessons to a micro-course in hip-hop, yoga, and rock band, San Domenico’s PERK (Passion, Engagement, Reflection, and Knowledge) offerings run deep and wide! Likewise, student-initiated Student clubs provide yet another opportunity for creativity, intellectual pursuit, forging bonds, social impact, and fun. Recent student clubs have included the Social Justice Club, K-Pop and KR & B Language Club, Chess Club, Black Student Union, Panther Spirit Club, Jew Crew, Hydroponics Club, and so many more.

San Domenico Athletics

The Double-Goal Philosophy, which holds that “winning is important, but teaching life lessons through athletics is most important,” is something that San Domenico School is steadfastly dedicated to. With the best coaching staff in Northern California, every single one of San Domenico’s student-athletes is provided with the support they need as they embark on their journey to academic and athletic success, which is why it is no surprise that 70% of San Domenico students are actively involved in extracurricular activities. San Domenico School is home to a multitude of sports teams, including flag football, golf, sailing, tennis, mountain biking, swimming, volleyball, water polo, track & field, basketball, cross country, beach volleyball, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, and badminton.

San Domenico Arts

San Domenico takes pride in having one of the most innovative and extensive programs in the Visual and Performing Arts within the San Francisco Bay Area. There are several programs wherein students can hone their artistry, including theatre, music, digital media, dance, and visual arts. From submitting films to Sundance, cultivating photography skills in the studio, staging a performance in the Hall of the Arts, or studying in San Domenico’s globally recognized Virtuoso Program for professional-track classical string musicians, San Domenico School has all the opportunities you need to explore and discover your creative passions.