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Everything Bay Area families need to know about admissions, academics, and student life at this San Mateo PreK-8 school.
Quick Answer for Busy Parents
Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew is a coeducational, independent, Episcopal-affiliated day school in San Mateo, CA serving PreK through 8th grade. Admission runs through Ravenna and centers on a Parent Statement, teacher recommendations, transcripts, and a proctored writing sample; testing is optional and waived for middle school. Kindergarten and 6th grade are the primary entry points, with deadlines of January 21 (PreK-4th) and January 5 (5th-8th).
Why Do Families Choose Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew?
Founded in 1953, Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew has grown into one of the Peninsula’s established PreK-8 independent schools, enrolling roughly 279 students across two sections per grade on its downtown San Mateo campus. The school is a full member of the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), with additional memberships in NAIS, NAES, Cal-ISBOA, ISM, and POCIS. On Niche, Episcopal Day carries an overall “A” grade with a 4.06-out-of-5 parent and student rating, and Private School Review places it in the top 20% of private schools statewide. Families are drawn to its small-school model: chapel services, service-learning, and a mentorship culture (Reading Buddies, Chapel Buddies) that pairs older and younger students, all built around a stated mission to develop intellectual curiosity, confidence, moral courage, and character.
Accreditation & Athletics Snapshot
| Category | Detail |
| Founded | 1953 |
| Accreditation | CAIS full member |
| Additional memberships | NAIS, NAES, Cal-ISBOA, ISM, POCIS |
| Student-teacher ratio | Approximately 8:1 |
| Athletic league | West Bay Athletic League (established 2002) |
How Hard Is It to Get Into Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew?
Episcopal Day does not publish an official acceptance rate, and its process is best described as selective-holistic rather than numbers-driven. Admissions officers weigh academic performance, teacher recommendations, the Parent Statement, and, for middle school applicants, a shadow day and interview. Because entry is concentrated at Kindergarten and 6th grade, those two years are the most competitive; other grades open up only as space allows, closer to a transfer application than a standard admissions cycle. Families often also look at other West Bay Athletic League member schools such as Keys School and Crystal Springs as points of comparison when evaluating fit within the same Peninsula independent-school landscape.
Top Tips for Applying
- Apply for Kindergarten or 6th grade if possible; other grades are space-available only.
- Build the Parent Statement around specific, concrete family and child anecdotes.
- Confirm the school’s current grade-by-grade testing policy before assuming the ISEE applies.
Best Practices for Families
- Visit during an open house or campus tour before applying to gauge cultural fit, not just academics.
- Start gathering teacher recommendations and transcripts well ahead of the January deadlines.
Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew Admission Process
- Create an account on Ravenna, the school’s admissions platform.
- Submit an inquiry form to begin the process.
- Attend a campus tour, open house, or virtual information session (optional but recommended).
- Complete the online application, including the Parent Statement, transcripts, and recommendations.
- Complete the proctored writing sample through Test Innovators.
- Middle school applicants: attend a shadow day and admissions interview.
- Receive an admissions decision and, if accepted, submit the enrollment contract and deposit.
Admissions Calendar and Key Dates
Episcopal Day publishes exact open house, information session, and shadow day dates each cycle on its own Visit page; check there for the current year’s schedule rather than a prior cycle’s dates. The two fixed points on the calendar are:
- PreK-4th grade application deadline: January 21
- 5th-8th grade application deadline: January 5
Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew Application Requirements
Parent Statement
Parents or guardians of applicants are required to answer a parent/guardian questionnaire that is found on Ravenna. You will be asked to talk about your child and share information about their personality, achievements, and other personal information. The last question asks about your family’s goals and willingness to participate in activities that promote the values and mission of the Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew.
How to write a parent statement
The parent statement is an integral part of the application process as it will help admissions officers better understand your child’s background and potential to become successful at Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew. It will also demonstrate your family’s commitment to your child’s education. When choosing what to write about, remember that you have to be honest and authentic. Focus on your child’s strengths and unique characteristics, and provide anecdotes to support your statements. For some tips on how to write a powerful parent statement from experienced educational consultants, click here.
Personal/Student Statement
There are questions on Ravenna that an applicant has to answer within a limited character count. The questions look into your child’s personality, skills, and interests, as well as their expectations of Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew. The questions might seem simple and easy to answer, but admissions officers are looking at certain characteristics and values in your child that will determine if they are a good fit at Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew.
Crafting a compelling personal statement
Our private school admissions consultants can guide your child and give advice on how to best answer the questions truthfully. Our years of experience working with families applying to Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew have allowed us to understand what they are looking for in applicants. From your child’s personal circumstances, we can identify what traits and characteristics will interest the admissions team and be considered for admission. Here are some useful tips on how to write a compelling personal statement.
Teacher Recommendations/Recommendation Letters
Recommendation letters from current math and English teachers and the principal or counselor are required for applicants. The forms can be found on Ravenna and will be sent to the admissions committee online.
How to get strong recommendation letters
Teacher recommendations are crucial for admission since they give a more thorough evaluation of your child’s character, personality, and academic aptitude. Because they deal with your child on a daily basis and can confirm your child’s academic success, they can make professional and unbiased observations. Building strong relationships with teachers is crucial if you want them to be able to provide strong recommendations that support other application materials when the time comes for them to do so.
Student Writing Assessment
The Writing Sample is an online test proctored by Test Innovators, in which students are expected to write an essay in response to a prompt within 30 minutes. Due to the limited time, applicants often have difficulty composing their thoughts and are not able to produce well-written essays.
Writing Sample tips
To help your child with this challenging admissions requirement, we offer Proctored Writing Sample (PWS) preparation. Our admissions consultants have a list of common essay prompts that your child can practice and get trained to organize their ideas and put them into writing. To take your child’s writing skills to the next level, enroll in our Program in Writing and Reading (PWR), where our writing tutors will help your child develop reading comprehension skills and eventually unlock writing skills.
Standardized Testing
Optional at most grades; the ISEE is waived entirely for middle school applicants. See our take on whether test-optional private schools are really test-optional before deciding whether to submit scores anyway.
How to prepare for standardized tests
We are aware that getting ready for standardized tests can be somewhat stressful, but we can be of assistance. We will help your child via a customized test preparation strategy, from recognizing their strengths to addressing areas they find challenging, based on our years of expertise working with families applying to Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew. Our objective is to alleviate the burden of test preparation and ensure your child is prepared to present their best self on test day. View our services for test prep here.
Shadow Day & Interview (Grades 5-8)
Middle school applicants attend a mandatory shadow day and complete an admissions interview; formal interviews aren’t part of the process at younger grades.
Ready to Build a Standout Episcopal Day Application?
Cardinal Education consultants can help with every step, from the Parent Statement to the middle school interview.
Student Life at Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew
Academics
The curriculum builds in stages: a play-based Pre-Kindergarten program; grades 1-4 emphasizing student voice, discussion, and Morning Meetings; and grades 5-8 delivering interdisciplinary coursework across math, science, humanities, and world languages, with an emphasis on leadership and community engagement.
Activities
Beyond the classroom, students take part in the Mustang Afterschool Program (MAP) and its Learning Enrichment Afterschool Program (LEAP) offerings, which include robotics, coding, chess, cooking, and dance. Student-led clubs and mentorship programs like Reading Buddies and Chapel Buddies round out extracurricular life on campus.
Athletics
Episcopal Day is a member of the West Bay Athletic League (established 2002), competing alongside schools including Castilleja, Harker, and Keys School. Athletics run without tryouts, open to all eligible students from 4th grade (basketball) or 5th grade (other sports) onward, spanning cross country, flag football, girls’ lacrosse, basketball, soccer, tennis, and volleyball, plus one-day golf and swimming events. See our overview of competitive sports in private school admissions for how athletics can factor into an application.
Arts
Visual arts, music, and drama are built by grade band. Grades 1-4 explore painting, drawing, and global musical traditions through the Junior Choir; grades 5-8 add art criticism and history, deeper music composition and performance, and drama coursework in improvisation, voice, and script analysis.
Summer Programs
The school runs its own Mustang Summer Academy for current and prospective families during the summer months.
Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew Famous Alumni
Episcopal Day’s roots trace to 1865 as Saint Matthew’s Hall, a military boarding school; several notable alumni date from that earlier era rather than the current PreK-8 day school founded in 1953:
- Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole. Fifth in line to the Hawaiian throne, attended the school in the late 19th century.
- Prince David Kawananakoa. Third in line to the Hawaiian throne, was a student during the same period.
- Prince Edward Keliiahonui. Fourth in line to the Hawaiian throne, also completed his education at the school.
- Lincoln Steffens. The investigative journalist and writer, was among the school’s alumni.
“Cardinal Education really helped us see what we were missing in the application, and they sat down with our daughter to actually prep her for everything (essays, writing sample, interviews, test scores). Their guidance was very helpful. She got in!”
— Parent of 8th grader
Ace the Episcopal Day Admissions with Top Bay Area Consultants
Episcopal Day’s small-school, mentorship-driven model rewards families who can speak specifically to fit, not just academics. Cardinal Education’s private school admissions consultants help Bay Area families do exactly that, from the Parent Statement through the middle school interview.
Considering Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew?
Our consultants help families navigate the admissions process with clarity and confidence.
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Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew Admissions Timeline: Every Deadline Parents Need to Track
Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew Athletics: The No-Tryout Sports Program Explained
How to Start and Lead a Student Club at Episcopal Day School of St. Matthew