A Shared-Class Arrangement Between Two Bay Area Catholic Schools.
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In This Guide
Most single-sex Catholic high schools operate entirely on their own. Mercy High School Burlingame takes a different approach: a formal Tri-School Program that shares select classes with nearby Junipero Serra High School.
Quick Answer for Busy Parents
The Tri-School Program is a shared-class arrangement between Mercy High School Burlingame and Junipero Serra High School, a nearby Catholic boys’ school with which Mercy maintains a sister-school relationship. Students travel between the campuses for select courses, with dedicated transportation provided.
What the Tri-School Program Is
Mercy is a sister school to both Junipero Serra High School (an all-boys Catholic school in San Mateo) and Notre Dame High School (Belmont), part of the broader Bay Area Catholic school network. The Tri-School Program formalizes that relationship into shared academic programming, specifically coordinated coursework with Serra, giving Mercy students access to a broader course catalog than a single-campus school could offer alone.
How It Works Day to Day
| Detail | Value |
| Partner School | Junipero Serra High School (San Mateo) |
| Arrangement | Shared select classes across both campuses |
| Transportation | Dedicated transportation provided between campuses |
| Broader Network | Mercy also maintains a sister-school relationship with Notre Dame High School (Belmont) |
Why the Partnership Makes Sense
Single-sex schools face a real tradeoff: a focused, single-gender learning environment can mean a narrower course catalog than a larger co-educational school offers, part of a broader educational philosophy debate. The Tri-School Program addresses that directly, letting Mercy students access additional coursework through Serra without requiring Mercy itself to become co-educational.
Why This Matters for Families Evaluating Mercy
For families comparing Mercy against other single-sex and co-educational Bay Area Catholic schools, the Tri-School Program is a concrete way to evaluate how a single-sex school addresses course breadth without sacrificing its core identity, part of what schools look for in applicants and what families look for in return. It reflects genuine, longstanding institutional cooperation, not just a one-off elective arrangement.
Get Into Mercy Burlingame with the Best Admissions Consultants
The Tri-School Program reflects Mercy’s practical approach to expanding academic opportunity while remaining a dedicated all-girls’ school. Cardinal Education’s private school admissions consulting and academic coaching help families evaluate whether this kind of shared-campus program fits their daughter’s academic goals, backed by real results.
Curious How Tri-School Coursework Fits Your Daughter?
Cardinal Education helps families evaluate whether shared-campus programs are the right fit.
Families specifically interested in how these same fundamentals apply to Asian American applicants can also see our dedicated guide to Mercy for Asian American families.
Considering Mercy High School Burlingame?
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