Directory

Independent · Haight-Ashbury

Urban

“Urban for a reason”

Students
~420
Ratio
9:1
Tuition
$68k

What makes this school special

  • Four classes at a time, a trimester of long blocks built for depth over breadth
  • Faculty-designed "Urban Advanced Studies" courses instead of APs, recognized by the UCs as honors level
  • A feedback culture of detailed written reports twice a term, not just a letter grade
  • A Haight-Ashbury campus that keeps growing, most recently a performing arts center in the converted St. Agnes gym (2024)

Academics

Curriculum

Urban Advanced Studies, faculty-built advanced courses

Advanced coursework

No AP courses · 32 UC-approved honors courses

See the list filed with UC

World languages

Mandarin, French, Spanish

Schedule

Trimester block

Signature programs

  • Service Learning & Identity (four years)
  • Urban Advanced Studies (UAS)
  • City-as-classroom

College matriculation

UCLA, NYU, Northeastern, Occidental, Pitzer, Cal Poly SLO, University of Oregon, Loyola Marymount, Tulane, UC Berkeley, Boston University, Wesleyan, Brown, Stanford, Yale

See the full list

UC admissions · For fall 2025 entry

applied
79
admitted to at least one campus
43
enrolled at a UC
7
What these numbers can and can’t tell you

Athletics, arts & activities

Athletics · Bay Area Conference — BCL West / CIF NCS

Baseball (boys)BasketballCross CountryFencingFlag FootballGolfLacrosseSailingSoccerSoftball (girls)SwimmingTennisTrack & FieldVolleyball

Arts

Visual ArtPhotographyVideo ProductionGraphic DesignInstrumental MusicChoral MusicTheater

Clubs & activities · 40+

Model United NationsPeer ResourcePeer TutoringUrban Legend (newspaper)YearbookStudent GovernmentEnvironmental ClubGreen TeamHIPE (peer education)Library LeadersMultiCulti Leadership TeamPlaywriting WorkshopPortfolio PrepUrban Singers (chorus)Chamber OrchestraAdvanced Jazz Band
See all clubs

Life there

Food

On-site café (pay as you go)

Learning support

Learning Specialists — one-on-one tutoring and accommodations

Notable alumni

  • Hannah Dreier (Pulitzer-winning reporter)
  • Zelda Williams (actress and director)
  • Matt Deakin (Olympic rower)
  • Maggy Krell (CA Assembly)
  • Bobby Chinn (chef)

Often on the same list

Lick-Wilmerding High School

Independent

The Bay School of San Francisco

Independent

University High School

Independent

Sources

  1. Applying to Urban — requirements, deadlines, test-free policy
  2. Tuition and Fees — tuition, fees, food
  3. Admissions Welcome — enrollment, students of color, financial assistance
  4. 2026 School Profile — the AP position, footnoted under the profile's data table: "Urban does not offer AP courses, though we do support students interested in AP testing with prep and study resources." Also graduation requirements, admissions volume, and the class-of-2026 testing and GPA figures
  5. What Makes Urban Unique? — the trimester schedule: "We have three terms every school year (Fall, Winter, Spring) instead of two. Students take only four core classes every term," in extended periods of one to two hours; also narrative feedback with letter grades only at term's end, and UAS classes "recognized as honors level courses at all colleges"
  6. The Urban Curriculum — Urban Advanced Studies (UAS): faculty-developed courses that are "comparable to college level work," offered in every subject area and "most are recognized by colleges (including the University of California) as honors level courses"
  7. World Languages — languages offered
  8. Athletics — sports teams by season and gender, league
  9. The Arts at Urban — arts disciplines
  10. Admission FAQ — clubs, learning support
  11. Wikipedia — Urban School — founding, notable alumni
  12. College Matriculation 2020–24 — colleges attended
  13. Bay Area Conference — conference structure and division membership
  14. UC A-G course list — Urban School Of San Francisco — the 2026-27 course list the school files with the University of California: 32 UC-approved honors courses

Details checked September 2026