College Prep

“Mens conscia recti (a mind aware of what is right)”

AKA: CPSOakland (East Bay)Independent

The College Preparatory School

“Mens conscia recti (a mind aware of what is right)”

AKA: College Prep, CPSOakland (East Bay)Independent

Students: ~370
Ratio: 8:1
Tuition: $63k

Base tuition as published for 2026–27.

Admissions

Applications open: Late August
Application due: Beginning of January
Decisions released: Mid-to-late March

admissions@college-prep.org

Visit admissions site

Enrollment: ~370
Student:teacher: 8:1est.
Base tuition: $62,760; 2026–27 school year
Real cost: $65k–$70k
Flexible tuition: ~40%

What makes this school special

A small, intense Oakland liberal-arts school of about 370, built around honors and seminar courses rather than an AP program
The four-year Intraterm requirement clears the calendar for immersive short-term courses and experiences
A culture the school frames as rigor inside respect and empathy — small classes (averaging 14) and close faculty relationships
Alumni skew creative and entrepreneurial: BuzzFeed's Jonah Peretti, filmmaker Miranda July, Asana's Justin Rosenstein

Academics

Curriculum

Honors/seminar-based liberal arts; yearlong courses on a semester system

World languages

Mandarin, Latin, Spanish

Schedule

Semester system, yearlong courses

Signature programs

Intraterm (immersive short-term courses)
Applied Learning (STEM)
Recreation, Health & Fitness requirement

College matriculation

University of Chicago, UC Berkeley, Swarthmore, Georgetown, Washington University in St. Louis, Harvard, NYU, Tufts, Cornell, Barnard, Brown, Stanford, Williams, UCLA, Yale

See the full list

Athletics, arts & activities

Athletics · Bay Counties League (East); CIF North Coast Section

Cross CountrySoccerTennisVolleyballBasketballBaseballGolfSwimmingTrack & Field

Arts

Visual ArtsDanceDramaMusic

Clubs & activities · 90+

Asian American AssociationBlack Student UnionLatinos UnidosMiddle East & North African AssociationJewish Student UnionMuslim Student AssociationFilipino Student AssociationSouth Asian AllianceGender Sexuality AllianceNeurodiverse Affinity GroupChessRoboticsScience OlympiadEthics BowlMath ClubComputer Science Team

See all clubs

Life there

Learning support

Learning Services department

Notable alumni

Jonah Peretti (BuzzFeed co-founder)
Chelsea Peretti (actor and comedian)
Miranda July (filmmaker and artist)
Justin Rosenstein (Asana co-founder)

Admissions

Applications open: Late August
Application due: Beginning of January
Decisions released: Mid-to-late March

admissions@college-prep.org

Visit admissions site

The application

College Prep admits through its own application; family forms are due in early January, with recommendations, transcripts, interviews, and testing in early February. Unlike most schools on this list, it requires a standardized test, either the ISEE or SSAT. The school reports roughly 40% of students receive financial aid.

Application requirements

Application via Ravenna ($100 fee, waivers available)
Transcripts (7th–8th grade)
Three recommendations (English, math, principal/counselor)
Student short answers and a parent statement
ISEE or SSAT
Zoom interview with faculty or staff

Testing

ISEE or SSAT required

Getting there

6100 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94618

Transit

Rockridge BART
AC Transit on Broadway (51A/51B, 6)

Transit directions

Often on the same list

Head-Royce School

Independent

University High School

Independent

Lick-Wilmerding High School

Independent

Lowell High School

Public

The Bay School of San Francisco

Independent

Sources

The College Preparatory School — mission, class size, enrollment, financial aid
Admission and How to Apply — deadlines, ISEE/SSAT requirement
Tuition & Fees — tuition, incidental fees
Academics — model, Intraterm, requirements
Athletics — sports, Bay Counties League
The College Preparatory School | Wikipedia — founding, motto, notable alumni
NCES PSS 2023-24 — student:teacher ratio estimated from PSS (367 students / 46.4 FTE teachers = 7.9)

Last reviewed July 2026