Woodside Priory: How to Ace Boarding School Admissions

Overview

The Woodside Priory School, founded in 1957 by seven Hungarian Benedictine monks, is an independent Catholic Benedictine college preparatory school. Originally founded as an all-male boarding school on an 18-acre ranch, it is located in the beautiful town of Portola Valley, California. Over time, the school began admitting women and is now encompassing 51 acres. Known for being the only coeducational Benedictine college prep school in the state, Priory is currently ranked 7th among California’s best boarding high schools.

The school strives to foster a community of kindness where students are empowered to explore interests that are beyond their comfort zone. At Priory, students are encouraged to take intellectual and creative risks to help them develop into lifelong learners and stewards. The curriculum and community are founded upon a strong commitment to Benedictine values, seeking to bring depth and meaning to students’ lives as they gear up to productively serve a world in need of their gifts.

How hard is it to get into Woodside Priory School?

The Woodside Priory School is a highly regarded institution. It currently holds first rank in San Francisco Bay Area’s best Catholic high schools, 2nd among California’s best Catholic high schools, and 10th among America’s best Catholic high schools. Due to Priory’s outstanding reputation, admissions can be highly competitive. The competition might be tougher than you think! As of late, the Woodside Priory School acceptance rate has remained remarkably low at only 30%. Compared to the average boarding school acceptance rate of 60%, it is clear that Woodside Priory is much more selective than most other schools.

We are incredibly familiar with succeeding in the face of such challenges here at Cardinal Education. To ensure your success, we have experienced and dedicated admissions consultants, tutors, and academic advisors to provide you with the best admissions strategies. Our educational consultants not only help you craft strong admissions requirements but also guide you in setting yourself apart from others in admissions events. We have been the most sought-after educational consulting firm for a reason. Contact us today!

How to Apply to Woodside Priory

Application to Woodside Priory is purely online. To get into Priory, all applicants must create an account in Ravenna. There, you will be able to sign up for events and submit the required documents for your application. Are you ready to embark on your admissions journey? Here’s what you need to do:

1. Create your account
2. Submit the application form
3. Participate in the following admissions events:
   1. Priory Open Houses 
   2. Parent Fireside Chat via Zoom
   3. Parent Tours
   4. Campus Visit
4. Submit the Parent Supplement
5. Complete the Student Activity and Interest Form
6. Take the STAR assessment
7. Submit other application requirements, including the following:
   1. Letters of Recommendation (English, Math, Counselor/Principal, Clergy)
   2. Official Transcripts from the current and previous school year
   3. Letters of Recommendation (English, Math, Counselor/Principal)
8. Schedule a student interview with a member of the residential faculty and/or admissions team
9. Schedule a one-on-one parent interview with the Admissions Director 

Woodside Priory School Application Requirements

Parent Supplement/Parent Statement

The parent supplement requirement for Woodside Priory School involves completing short essay questions designed for parents or guardians. This component is essential to provide insights into the family’s values, support system, and perspective on the applicant’s educational journey. Admissions committees often consider this essay to understand the context in which a student is being raised and how parental involvement aligns with the school’s mission. A well-crafted Parent Supplement can enhance an application by showcasing a family’s commitment to education and their child’s success. 

If you are not sure how to answer the questions, our educational consultants can help you understand specific prompts and expectations, ensuring that your responses reflect your family’s values and insights effectively. Additionally, Cardinal Education offers the Program in Writing and Reading (PWR) to enhance writing skills, allowing you to articulate your thoughts clearly and compellingly. 

Student Supplement

Woodside Priory requires all applicants to complete a student supplement. This supplement allows students to showcase their individuality, interests, and motivations, providing the admissions committee with a deeper understanding of their character and potential fit within the school community. 

Our Program in Writing and Reading (PWR) can help your child write compelling essays that highlight their uniqueness and fit for the school. Our educational consultants offer tailored guidance and provide insights on how to effectively respond to essay prompts. 

STAR Assessment

The STAR assessment is a standardized, computer-adaptive tool designed to evaluate a student’s skills in reading, math, and early literacy. It adjusts questions based on student responses, providing accurate insights into academic abilities and progress while helping educators tailor instruction to meet individual learning needs. 

Our expert tutors provide tailor tutoring and test preparation services for applicants preparing for the STAR assessment. We help students strengthen their foundational skills in reading and math, develop effective test-taking strategies, and build confidence. Additionally, we assist families in interpreting STAR results to better understand academic performance and identify areas for improvement, ensuring students are well-prepared for future academic challenges. 

Recommendation Letters

Priory requires all applicants to submit recommendation letters. Take this as a chance to emphasize your child’s strongest suits! These letters will come from your child’s current English and math teachers, principal or counselor, and a clergy who may be your pastor, minister, or spiritual advisor. These letters should provide insights that demonstrate your child’s personality and competence as a student. When requesting recommendation letters, remember that every piece of information shared by your recommenders must be reinforced by other credentials. This includes your GPA, test scores, and extracurricular activities.

Recommendation letters are some of the most crucial aspects of your application. A strong recommendation letter will set your child apart from countless other students applying to Woodside Priory. Many students falsely believe they can get into their dream school through outstanding grades alone. As your trusted advisors, we will make sure you avoid committing the same colossal mistake. We recommend establishing a more personal connection with teachers, counselors, and the school principal to allow them to write strong recommendation letters. Let our admissions consultants guide you through the process!

Transcript

Transcripts showcase your child’s academic intellect and preparedness for Priory’s coursework. What if the transcript isn’t that remarkable? We recommend that you start early with your preparation. We can provide comprehensive services that can help your child get higher grades, but it might take longer than expected. We offer online or in-person diagnostic testing for the assessment of current skills as well as tutoring and academic coaching for different subjects. However, since boosting your child’s GPA won’t guarantee success, our academic coaches and tutors utilize a holistic approach to help students learn executive function and overcome challenges that might hinder them from succeeding.

Student and Parent Interviews

The final steps of the application consist of two different interviews, the student interview and the parent interview. 

It is important to note that the student interview will be a group interview. For 30 minutes, kids will be doing group activities facilitated by a Priory faculty member. This is for Priory to know if your child fits in well with their culture and values. During the interview, there will be a lot of questions regarding a student’s background, passions and interests, experiences, and vision of success, some could be extremely tricky! 

As for the parent interview, this is completely separate from the students and will consist of a one-on-one interview between the parents and the Admissions Director. Keep in mind that as you share more information about your family, Priory wants to gauge how well your values and goals align with the institution. The school values community not just on the student level but also in terms of how you, as parents, will contribute to the growth of Priory.

For both interviews, responses should be sincere, compelling, and backed by personal anecdotes. As your dedicated allies, we can provide an interview preparation program to help you practice answering common interview questions. Start your preparation with our experts!

Woodside Priory School Alumni

1. Taylor Eigsti – a Grammy-nominated jazz pianist
2. Marc Fiore – known for being awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Political Cartooning
3. Matt O’Sullivan – former member of the 1976 Olympic Soccer Team and the Memphis Americans
4. Brian Leetch – Hockey Hall of Fame member and Olympic athlete.
5. Kristian Bush – Grammy Award-winning musician from the duo Sugarland.
6. Neil Gorsuch – Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
7. Brett Kavanaugh – Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Student Life at Woodside Priory School

Life at Priory is guided by the five Benedictine values: community, spirituality, hospitality, individuality, and integrity. Every year, the school strengthens its community ties through the values that its members uphold. With members supporting one another, Priory has a lively campus atmosphere and a comprehensive co-curricular program that sets students up for a balanced educational adventure.

The beginning of the school year is marked by unitedly singing the school hymn, All Are Welcome, during Priory’s first chapel service. There are ancient redwood trees standing alongside the school’s state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center, teachers and students alike get to laugh and talk in Priory’s cozy outdoor plazas. Don’t be surprised to see monks strolling along a trail past a wide array of solar panels!

Woodside Priory School Academics

Woodside Priory has a community of educators that continually reflect on its practices, seek innovative educational thinking, and cultivate better ways to meet the necessities and demands of its students. As of today, Priory caters to over 400 students in grades 6 through 12 and around 40 boarding students in grades 9 through 12. With an average class size of 13 and a student-to-teacher ratio of 7:1, Priory teachers are able to promote a rigorous and robust curriculum that engages students in substantive intellectual discussion and critical thinking, all while maintaining a balanced life. Among the school’s faculty members, 80% hold advanced degrees.

Woodside Priory School Athletics

At the core of Priory’s competitive interscholastic athletic program is the school’s mission to develop athletic skills and a healthy, active lifestyle. The school strongly believes that interscholastic athletics are vital components of its mission to develop every student as a whole person. At Woodside Priory School, dedication, sportsmanship, hard work, and commitment are rewarded. Many of the coaches are faculty members, giving students the opportunity to bond with their teachers outside of an academic setting! 

Priory offers sports according to the season, such as basketball, cross country, water polo, lacrosse, football, track and field, tennis, swimming, and volleyball, to name a few. Every team gets an equal opportunity to compete in league playoffs, while the best ones get to regional and state levels.

Woodside Priory School Arts

Woodside Priory places a high value on the arts as a means to express one’s self and better understand others. In the visual and performing arts, every student is empowered to delve into their creative and expressive capabilities. There is a vast range of vocal, visual arts, orchestral, and theater classes where students can learn to produce finished works of art. 

Priory takes pride in its new Performing Arts Center, which includes The Rothrock Performance Hall and The Marquart Family Set Shop, among many others. In terms of Visual Arts, Priory organizes an open, multi-media presentation of students’ AP Art portfolios and an indoor/outdoor gallery-style presentation during spring to highlight the Visual Arts year.

Priory also founded the Kriewall-Haehl Gallery in 2007 to inspire the school community and truly bring art to life. This is not a commercial gallery, as the artworks showcased are created by students, staff, and alumni. The gallery also frequently collaborates with artists around the San Francisco Bay Area to showcase independent and local talent.

Woodside Priory School Activities

Through a variety of clubs and activities, Priory provides its students with opportunities to explore and discover their passions, cultivate self-knowledge, solidify their forte, learn optimal time management, and apply academic knowledge in a practical way. 

During “H Block,” a class period dedicated to activities or tutoring, students can choose from much more than over 30 clubs and activities. Priory offers an array of co-curricular programs such as music, theater, athletics, class retreats, and service learning projects, along with a wide range of activities for the school day. 

Some of the middle and upper school clubs are Priory Honors Society (US), Model UN (US), Sustainability Club (US), and Priory Signs! American Sign Language Club (US), MS Robotics (MS), and the Priory Book Club (MS & US), to name a few.