How to Get Into The Athenian School: Achieve Admissions Success!

Overview

The Athenian School is nestled in the picturesque town of Danville, California. It is an independent college preparatory boarding school that educates students from Grades 6-12. Since it was first established in 1965, Athenian School has always been open to recruiting every exemplary student who seeks admission. The school deeply values creating inclusive spaces for people of any color, gender, and socioeconomic background. Dyke Brown, the founder of The Athenian School, firmly believes that a diverse community of learners best enriches the learning experience. To this day, Athenians continue to respect young people and their potential as individuals.

Athenian education is centered around academic programs that facilitate intellectual inquiry. Students are active participants inside and outside of the classroom as they use interactive methods of cross-disciplinary discussion. The community is situated at the intersection of analytical and creative thinking through experiential learning. With this, students find genuine joy in education and grow to become responsible citizens who collaborate on the betterment of society. 

Is Athenian Hard to Get Into? 

The Athenian School is a top-rated, selective college preparatory boarding school and is ranked as the best boarding high school in the San Francisco Bay Area. At Athenian, the admissions committee carefully looks for students who are prepared to take on the school’s rigorous curriculum, evidenced by strong academic records. Applicants must be ready to embrace the Athenian experience and positively contribute to the school community. 

With this, you should keep in mind that your GPA, writing prowess, admissions essays, recommendation letters, and behavior during events will all be thoroughly assessed. As such, the Athenian School admissions can be an overwhelming process for the whole family. We are prepared to be your dependable allies who will equip you with essential skills to overcome challenges that could hinder you from success. 

We have experienced admissions consultants who can provide you with a personalized time. We prioritize working closely with students to understand personal goals and lay out the steps for how to achieve them. Reach out to us so you can learn more about our services and make the most out of Athenian admissions.

Athenian Application Process

Keep in mind that the Admissions Committee is seeking to admit students who fit perfectly into the school’s philosophy and approach to education—students who can contribute to the rich variety of talents, perspectives, and experiences that make up Athenian’s vibrant learning community. If you’re wondering how to get into The Athenian School, here are the steps in the application process:

1. Create an account in Ravenna and apply to “The Athenian School” through the School Directory
2. Sign up for Open House and Campus Visit events (available for Middle School and Upper School)
3. Request for Recommendation Forms
4. Submit Transcript Request Forms
5. Complete an online writing exercise, also known as a Proctored Writing Sample (Upper School only)
6. Answer the parent/guardian questionnaire and student questionnaire
7. Schedule one student and family interview (for Upper School; both boarding and day)
8. Submit a Student Activities and Interest Form (for Upper School)
9. Take a TOEFL, TOEFL Jr, TOEFL@Home, or IELTS (for international students applying for Upper School)

The Athenian School Admissions

Recommendation Forms/Letters

To get into The Athenian School, every applicant must submit the following recommendation letters: one from a current English teacher, one from a current Math teacher, and one from the current principal/counselor. In our experience, it is also best to have multiple people vouch for the qualities and passion a student has mentioned in an application. 

Having strong recommendation letters can provide you with the differentiation that you need to stand out in admissions. Surprisingly, many students are complacent and believe that they will gain admission through outstanding academic achievements alone. As your trusted partners, it is part of our mission to ensure that you do not fall into common admissions pitfalls such as this. Remember: many students from all over the world are interested in getting into The Athenian School! There would be numerous applicants with the same or even better GPAs and achievements in comparison to yours. 

What most students do not know is that the key to admissions is early preparation. Let our admissions experts walk you through the process! It is important to remember that everything written in your recommendation letters must be reinforced by other credentials such as your GPA, test scores, and extracurricular activities. Check out our comprehensive admissions consulting to learn more about our writing services for your recommendation letters.

Transcripts

Transcripts are one of the best opportunities to showcase your academic prowess and prove you are ready to handle Athenian coursework. Depending on how good your transcripts are, admissions officers will determine if you are a good fit for the Athenian School’s rigorous academic program. What if your school records say otherwise? We advise that you start your admissions consulting as early as possible. 

We have experienced academic coaches and tutors who can provide you with online or in-person diagnostic testing, tutoring, and academic coaching for various subjects. However, good grades do not guarantee success. With that in mind, we utilize a holistic approach to equip students with the fundamental skills that they need to overcome challenges that might hinder them from succeeding.

Admissions Interview

As much as the Athenian School is interested in your scholastic achievements, they would like to see if your personality is an ideal match for the Athenian community. Do you fit in well with the culture and values of the school? Does your family believe in similar goals and approaches to learning as what the school offers? The Admissions Committee will try to find that out during the interview.

There will be variations of questions as to why you want to attend The Athenian School, your background, interests, goals, and experiences. Your answers should be honest and compelling! Better yet, you should throw in some personal anecdotes to give an insight that is nowhere in your application. Are you worried you might not do well? Practice! At Cardinal Education, we offer an interview preparation program, which provides students an avenue to practice answering common interview questions. Many have chosen us as their partners and succeeded, so give us a call if you want to experience similar outcomes!

Parent/Guardian Questionnaire

As part of the application submission, parents must answer a questionnaire about their child. Prompts will cover topics such as a child’s strengths, passions, and how they overcome obstacles both inside and outside of the classroom. Overall, the parent/guardian questionnaire must give a fuller picture of who the student is in terms of their character and values. 

While most parents mistakenly provide unimpressive personal details about their children, we are here to help you discern what admissions officers truly want to see. We know how to best strengthen your child’s profile in the application process while staying true to your stories and anecdotes. Work with our admissions consultants who have two decades of experience in this process!

Student Questionnaire

The Student Questionnaire is an opportunity for you to provide a more in-depth look into your experiences and aspirations. A student’s answers to the prompts are meant to show admissions officers their qualifications, experiences, and long-term goals. Moreover, we highly recommend that you demonstrate exemplary writing abilities, as this would further justify why you have the skills necessary to be an exceptional student at the Athenian School.

At Cardinal Education, we help students stand out in admissions through a good narrative. Students often opt to take our Program in Writing and Reading to develop themselves into inquisitive, active readers and significantly improve their writing skills.

Online Writing Exercise/Proctored Writing Sample

Another requirement in addition to the questionnaires for students is an online writing exercise or proctored writing sample (PWS). This is an online test wherein students write an essay about a specific prompt or topic under time pressure. While there is no standardized testing required to apply to the Athenian School, all applicants must complete this writing test. 

Because of the short span of time given, many students find it challenging to craft well-written essays. At Cardinal Education, we provide our students with Proctored Writing Sample (PWS) preparation to get them accustomed to writing under time pressure about a wide variety of topics. Reach out to us to learn more!

Student Activities and Interest Form

Submitting a Student Activities and Interest Form provides another opportunity for Athenian’s Admission Committee to learn more about your child’s talents. Submissions can range from artworks, performances, or proof of achievements. You may share such materials through either uploaded images (pdf) or online links.

English Test

International students are required to submit their English test results which could be TOEFL,

TOEFL Jr, TOEFL@Home, or IELTS. If not available, please contact Athenian’s Admission Office. (Athenian School Code for TOEFL: 9155)

The Athenian School Alumni

1. Mary Costantino – a women’s health advocate and pioneering vascular & interventional radiologist
2. Musadiq Bidar – an Afghan refugee and a Tech and Politics reporter for CBS News
3. Pendarvis Harshaw – a KQED columnist and host of KQED-FM’s podcast Rightnowish
4. Phillip Bennett – Geology Professor at the University of Texas, Austin and 
5. Greg Sherwood Cohalen – an Emmy Award-Winning Public Broadcasting Anchor
6. Kraig Debro – a reporter for KTVU 2, Oakland, Television News Reporter
7. Daniel Ziblatt – author of the New York Times best-selling book “How Democracies Die,” Eaton Professor of Government at Harvard University
8. Carol Moldaw – a renowned poet and novelist, winner of the FIELD Poetry Prize
9. Andrew Wistrich – a former Magistrate Judge of the United States District Court
10. Jackie Thomas – an LGBTQ+ advocate, serial entrepreneur, and the first woman executive to run a global marketing division at NIKE

Student Life at Athenian

The Athenian experience is incredibly expansive, given that the community encourages students to go beyond their comfort zones—both figuratively and literally! More than 90+ students have had opportunities to travel internationally through school programs, and the numbers are set to increase further. 

Moreover, the school becomes an environment that is much like a second home for both boarding and day students. There are around 25 teachers who live on campus with their families and pets, and these mentors are always eager to interact with students or offer additional support. Peers also tend to come from all over the world and share cultures and interests that originate from over 20 countries! 

Ultimately, every member of the Athenian community practices democracy by openly exchanging new ideas and empowering one another. There are countless opportunities to form genuine bonds with others and develop a deep compassion for making a significant difference in the world.

Athenian Academics

The Athenian School believes the optimum route to mastery of academic subjects is to experience the application of concepts firsthand. Some examples of Athenian education’s distinctive features are a challenging curriculum, international experiences, a wilderness course, and community service opportunities. In the upper school, students actively solve real-world problems and create original work in collaboration with others. To prepare for these experiences, middle school students also get to work in groups and collaborate while actively engaging with the lessons. One particularly exciting event is Focus Day, a day-long interdisciplinary learning adventure conducted once a week to reinforce what students have learned within the classroom. 

Athenian faculty members are not only known for their subject expertise but also their enthusiasm, multiple roles on campus, strong bonds with students, and dynamic classes. Many of the Athenian faculty have advanced degrees, which contribute to the rich real-life experiences brought to the classroom. Faculty members are teachers, but many of them are also marathon runners, former college professors, Peace Corps volunteers, wilderness first responders, lab scientists, conference presenters, business owners, and even published authors!

Athenian Athletics

At Athenian, all students are encouraged to join and represent the Owls in interscholastic athletics. 

The school seeks to develop student-athletes who possess a strong sense of fair play and commitment, not only to the school but to their teammates and coaches as well. Athenian School competes in the North Coast Section (NCS) Division 5, and athletes face teams and competitors from around 30 different schools. 

Athenian coaches place an emphasis on teamwork and achievements for the collective over individual competition. Besides sports-specific skills, Owls cultivate self-esteem, self-discipline, and the ability to become great team players. 

The Athenian School offers several interscholastic sports such as ultimate frisbee, cross-country, flag football, track & field, sailing, soccer, tennis, volleyball, softball, basketball, wrestling, badminton, golf, baseball, and swimming.

Athenian Arts

Athenian’s Art Program serves as a gateway for all students to engage in artistic pursuits. Teachers strive to develop students’ unique voices, instill confidence in every student’s abilities, and provide a creative outlet for exploration and expression. 

Upper school students must take two years of art, one of which is a year-long UC-approved art course. There is a wide array of visual and performing arts classes for students to choose from. Athenian offers painting, band, drama, film, dance, digital art, choir, and photography to name a few of the school’s highlights. 

For middle school students, Athenian focuses on the exploration of different mediums. Aside from visual arts, Athenian’s Middle School program includes band and chorus, along with a variety of elective art offerings that vary every year.

Activities at The Athenian School

The Athenian School has a myriad of signature programs. Among such are town meetings, an airplane construction project, and an award-winning robotics team. Another aspect of Athenian activities that students look forward to is international opportunities such as service projects, annual conferences, exchanges, and faculty-led educational and service trips. 

Students in the 11th grade are required to take part in the Athenian Wilderness Experience, where they cultivate teamwork and confidence not only for academic success but also for real life. Athenian School also takes pride in its Carter Innovation Studio, where every student gets an equal opportunity to learn design and engineering through engineering and design classes, robotics, and programming.