Directory

Independent · Presidio · AKA: Bay

Bay School

“Rigorously Designed. Thoughtfully Delivered.”

Students
~400
Ratio
7:1
Tuition
$66k

What makes this school special

  • A campus inside the Presidio, a national park, with Golden Gate Bridge views from campus and Tunnel Tops park a short walk away
  • Twice-yearly Immersives, when the usual class schedule stops and students spend three weeks on a single subject
  • "Inclusive tuition" covers what other schools bill separately: a MacBook, meals, books, athletics, and every trip

Academics

Curriculum

25 in-house honors courses; no APs

Do APs matter?

World languages

Spanish, Mandarin

Schedule

Semesters + Immersives

Signature programs

  • Immersives (twice-yearly three-week intensives)
  • Senior Projects
  • Ethnic Studies requirement

College matriculation

Amherst, Brown, Carnegie Mellon, NYU, Northwestern, Pomona, Stanford, Tufts, UC Berkeley, University of Michigan, WashU in St. Louis, Wesleyan

See the full list

UC admissions

In fall 2025, 98 students applied to the UC system from this school; 66 were admitted to at least one campus, and 23 enrolled.

What these numbers can and can’t tell you

Athletics, arts & activities

Athletics · Bay Area Conference — BCL Central / CIF NCS

Baseball (boys)BasketballCross CountryFlag FootballGolfLacrosseSailingSoccerSoftball (girls)TennisTrack & FieldVolleyball

Arts

DesignDramaDrawingJazzMusic ProductionPaintingPhotographyVideo ProductionVocal Music

Clubs & activities · 48+

RoboticsModel United NationsMock TrialChessBay SoundWaves (a cappella)Climate Action TeamAstronomySTEMinistsProgrammingCreative WritingPhilosophyBayMDFinanceOutdoors
See all clubs

Life there

Tuition includes

  • MacBook for every student
  • Books, materials, and a scientific calculator
  • Daily lunch, snacks, toast bar, and tea
  • Athletic uniforms, equipment, and travel
  • Field trips, Immersives, and Senior Project costs

Food

Included in tuition — daily lunch, snacks, toast bar, and tea

Learning support

Bay Learning Services — individualized support plans and accommodations

Often on the same list

The Urban School of San Francisco

Independent

Lick-Wilmerding High School

Independent

Lowell High School

Public

The International School of San Francisco

Independent

Sources

  1. Bay at a Glance — enrollment, founding year, mission
  2. Affording a Bay Education — 2026-27 cost $69,899 ($65,630 tuition + $4,269 inclusive fee), flexible tuition, food
  3. Admissions Process — deadlines, requirements, test-free policy
  4. Curriculum Overview — no APs, schedule, signature programs
  5. College Counseling — college matriculation
  6. Sports & Teams — sports
  7. Arts — arts disciplines
  8. Affinity Groups & Clubs — clubs
  9. Learning Services — learning support
  10. NCES Private School Survey — student:teacher ratio (2023-24)
  11. Getting to Bay — Bay bus routes (Marin and San Francisco)
  12. Bay Area Conference — conference structure and division membership
  13. Languages — world languages

Details checked August 2026