How to Get Into St. Ignatius College Preparatory: Navigating Competitive Admissions

Quick Answer for Busy Parents

St. Ignatius College Preparatory (SI) is a coeducational, Catholic, Jesuit high school in San Francisco serving Grades 9-12. Founded in 1855, it enrolls 1,500-1,600 students. Admissions weigh the HSPT, transcripts, and personal statements. For the Class of 2031, applications are open September 9 through November 16, 2026, with the HSPT on December 5, 2026. SI is celebrated for its Jesuit curriculum, extensive athletics program, and the upcoming 165,000-square-foot New Learning Commons.

Why Do Families Choose St. Ignatius College Preparatory?

Founded in 1855 by Jesuit priest Anthony Maraschi, St. Ignatius College Preparatory (SI) is one of California’s oldest and most respected secondary schools. Families choose SI for its grounding in cura personalis (care for the whole person) and magis (the pursuit of the greater good). These principles drive a balanced curriculum that pairs rigorous academics with intentional character formation.

The school reinforces this educational vision with a bold investment in its future. The new 165,000-square-foot Learning Commons, the most ambitious project in SI’s history, provides cutting-edge spaces designed for collaborative learning, innovation, and student life.

Beyond academics and infrastructure, parents choose SI for its deeply supportive environment. Robust athletics, vibrant arts programs, and an extensive Bay Area alumni network give students a strong sense of community and lifelong connections.

How Hard Is It to Get Into St. Ignatius College Preparatory?

Earning a spot at St. Ignatius involves navigating a selective and competitive admissions process. While the school keeps its official acceptance rate private, the admissions committee takes a comprehensive look at every applicant. Evaluation balances multiple components: standard High School Placement Test (HSPT) scores, middle school grades, and personal essays from both the student and parents.

Although SI emphasizes that the HSPT is merely a single data point in a broader review, achieving a strong score remains an advantage, it strengthens the candidate’s overall profile and determines eligibility for advanced placement in foundational subjects like math, English, and biology.

Top Tips for a Strong Application

• Submit your application as soon as it opens on September 9, since SI’s own HSPT test date has limited capacity.
• Indicate your HSPT testing location and date. SI encourages top-choice applicants to test on-site on the primary date to demonstrate interest.
• Attend the Wildcat Experience visit program to see a typical day at SI.

Best Practices for Families

• Attend a CATS Information Night if your child has a documented learning difference.
• Ask directly about the New Learning Commons and how construction timing may affect your child’s early years at SI.
• If applying to multiple schools, testing at SI on the primary date is encouraged for top-choice applicants to demonstrate interest.

What Is the Admission Process at St. Ignatius College Prep?

The following steps outline the key requirements for a complete application to St. Ignatius College Preparatory.

1. Submit the Online Application
   • Application Fee
   • Student Statement
   • Parent Statement
2. Register & Take the HSPT Entrance Exam
3. Submit the Admissions Video
4. Designate Recommendations
   • Principal, counselor, or teacher
   • Optional: Clergy Recommendation Form
5. Request Transcripts
   • 7th grade & 8th grade transcripts
6. Await Admissions Decision

What Are the Application Requirements for SI College Preparatory?

Student Statement

The online application submitted through the MySI portal requires 8th-grade applicants to complete a student statement. These written reflections ask candidates to articulate why they want to attend SI, highlight their personal interests and co-curricular pursuits, and show how their goals align with St. Ignatius’s Jesuit mission of cura personalis and becoming people “with and for others.”

How to write an effective student statement

Focus on a specific moment of growth rather than a list of activities. Authenticity is key. This is where Programs in Writing and Reading (PWR) helps students develop essential reading and writing skills that would allow them to produce compelling written outputs. Learn how to develop an authentic writing voice that helps your statement stand out.

Parent Statement

Completed inside the MySI online portal, the parent statement gives families an opportunity to share insights into their child’s character, personal development, and intellectual curiosity. This section allows parents to demonstrate how their family values align with SI’s faith-filled, service-oriented Jesuit education.

How to write a compelling parent statement

Share anecdotes that demonstrate your child’s maturity and values rather than repeating their resume. Keep your tone authentic and collaborative. Learn how to write a compelling private school parent statement.

HSPT

Required for all applicants and registered for directly within the online application. Students applying to multiple Catholic high schools within the San Jose, Oakland, or San Francisco Dioceses need only take the HSPT once. Subject-area HSPT scores also play a key role in placement for freshman honors-level courses in core subjects like math, biology, and English.

How to prepare for the HSPT

Because the HSPT is only offered once, thorough preparation is key. Engaging in targeted HSPT test prep can help students master the test’s fast-paced sections, develop effective pacing strategies, and gain familiarity with the exam’s unique structure, all of which are vital for performing your best on this one-time assessment.

Recommendations

SI requires a confidential recommendation for 9th-grade applicants. This evaluation is requested directly by the SI Admissions Office from the student’s current middle school principal, counselor, or 8th-grade teacher. Applicants may also submit an optional Confidential Clergy Recommendation Form if active in a faith community.

How to get the best recommendation letter

To secure a strong recommendation letter, your child must build genuine relationships with teachers. Recommenders should highlight your child’s leadership, behavior, and academic impact on the school community.

Transcript

The SI Admissions Office directly requests official academic records from the applicant’s middle school. Requirements include complete report cards from the 7th grade (full year) and 8th grade (first term/semester). This academic record is evaluated to ensure candidates are prepared for St. Ignatius’s rigorous college-preparatory curriculum.

How to improve grades

If grades have been a genuine struggle, improving them before applying requires targeted, consistent support, not last-minute cramming. This is where tutoring and academic coaching help strengthen the student’s key skills months before applications are due, allowing students to demonstrate meaningful, sustained academic growth.

Admissions Video

Required for all 8th-grade applicants as part of the MySI online application. Submitted directly through the portal, this short video allows the admissions committee to see the applicant’s personality, interests, and character beyond test scores. Candidates respond to specific prompts, with the committee prioritizing authenticity and clear communication over video production quality.

Have Questions About Your Child’s Application?

Cardinal Education’s consultants help students prepare for the HSPT and craft strong parent and student statements.

Schedule a Consultation

What Is Student Life Like at St. Ignatius College Preparatory?

Student life at St. Ignatius College Preparatory (SI) is a dynamic mix of challenging academics, creative expression, competitive athletics, and Ignatian spiritual formation.

Beyond classroom learning, students are encouraged to pursue personal talents and leadership across diverse co-curricular activities, building lifelong friendships within a supportive school community.

Academics

Academic life at St. Ignatius balances a rigorous college-preparatory core curriculum with advanced specialized pathways, fostering intellectual curiosity and critical reasoning skills across nine academic departments.

This structured academic framework prepares students for higher education by combining foundational mastery with opportunities for independent thinking and intellectual leadership.

Arts

The fine arts curriculum offers extensive hands-on creative training in both performing and visual disciplines, supported by dedicated facilities and regular showcase events.

• Historic Drama Program: Home to the oldest continuously producing high school theater program west of the Mississippi.
• Instrumental & Vocal Ensembles: Offers multiple auditioned music groups, including Jazz Band, Pep Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Orchestra, Honors Strings, and Choral programs.
• Dance & Visual Arts: Encompasses studio arts (Studio 108) alongside inclusive and advanced dance workshop programs exploring ballet, jazz, and contemporary technique.
• Performance Schedule: Features annual major musical and theatrical productions staged in the Bannan Theater, alongside Pops Concerts and gallery exhibitions.

Students acquire artistic confidence and technical proficiency while sharing their creative works with the school and wider Bay Area community.

Athletics

The Wildcats athletic program emphasizes high student participation, teamwork, and championship-level competition across regional California leagues.

The athletic program fosters discipline, sportsmanship, and physical fitness while accommodating both novice athletes and collegiate-bound competitors.

Faith & Ignatian Formation

Rooted in Jesuit tradition since 1855, SI provides regular opportunities for spiritual discovery, personal reflection, and community service.

• Frosh & Sophomore Retreats: Guided single-day and multi-day retreats focused on building community, personal reflection, and the mission of becoming individuals “with and for others.”
• Kairos Retreat: A signature multi-day retreat experience offered to upperclassmen to deepen their relationships with self, God, and peers.
• Liturgies & Prayer: Regular communal liturgies, prayer services, and opportunities for interfaith dialogue integrated into campus life.
• Service & Social Justice: Structured community service initiatives and immersion programs that put faith into action through direct neighborhood and global outreach.

These faith initiatives help nurture empathetic leaders who are spiritually grounded and committed to serving the broader world.

Notable Alumni of St. Ignatius College Preparatory

The legacy of St. Ignatius College Preparatory is best reflected in its graduates, who embody the school’s commitment to academic rigor, creative expression, and leadership in service to others. Across public service, medicine, journalism, and the arts, SI alumni have made a lasting impact on their communities and the world at large.

1. Jerry Brown: A transformative public servant who served four terms as the 34th and 39th Governor of California, as well as Mayor of Oakland and California Attorney General, leaving an indelible mark on state policy and public administration.
2. Gordon Getty: An internationally recognized classical music composer, philanthropist, and businessman whose operas, choral works, and symphonic compositions have been performed in major venues worldwide.
3. Gianna Toboni: An Emmy-nominated investigative journalist, documentarian, and correspondent best known for her groundbreaking, high-risk field reporting on HBO’s Vice covering global politics, conflict, and social issues.
4. Darren Criss: An Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award-winning actor, singer, and songwriter who achieved national prominence for his roles in Glee and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, as well as starring roles on Broadway.
5. Dr. Emmet B. Keeffe, M.D.: A world-renowned hepatologist, medical researcher, and professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine, who made landmark contributions to liver transplantation research and served as president of both the American Gastroenterological Association and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

These distinguished graduates demonstrate that a foundation built on intellectual growth and service prepares students for extraordinary achievement, matriculation to prestigious universities, and meaningful lifelong impact.

What Families Say

Partnering with Cardinal Education for SI Admissions

Securing a spot at St. Ignatius College Preparatory is a highly selective and competitive endeavor, requiring families to navigate a rigorous admissions process where every detail counts. Cardinal Education provides the strategic guidance families need to excel.

Our consultants help students achieve their potential on the HSPT, a critical factor for both admission and initial course placement, and guide families in crafting authentic parent and student statements that clearly articulate alignment with SI’s Jesuit mission. Whether you are aiming for advanced course placement or looking to present a compelling narrative, our expertise ensures your application stands out.

Schedule a Consultation

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Did You Know?

SI’s men’s rowing program has won 3 national championships, making it the school’s most successful athletic program in its 66-team athletics offering.

SI pushed our son academically while building genuine character through service and community. Cardinal Education helped us prepare for the HSPT and put together strong parent and student statements.

— Parent of a 9th Grade SI Student