Learning

High School & Beyond

Personalized High School Counseling

In the spring of seventh grade, our full-time High School Transition Counselor, Amanda Richard, meets individually with each student and their family to kick off the high school journey together. These meetings set expectations, establish a timeline, and ensure everyone feels informed and supported.

Eighth graders take a dedicated High School Transition class, where they explore options, stay organized, and gain confidence in the application process. Throughout the year, Amanda and the CDS team—who know each student so well—are there to guide families every step of the way. Whether it's discussing applications, gathering recommendations, or making final decisions, we work together to ensure that each student finds a high school that is the right fit for them.

At CDS, we are proud of how our high school process celebrates each student’s individuality. By eighth grade, CDS students know themselves deeply and are able to advocate for their needs and interests. Students take an active role in identifying schools, applying, and making choices, with a strong support system behind them. 

When they move on, our graduates step into their next chapter as confident, self-aware, and eager learners. We are so proud of who they are becoming!

Admission Officer at a San Francisco High School

This past fall, I've had the pleasure of meeting current CDS eighth-graders during their high school admission process. Time and time again, without prompting, these CDS students unabashedly expressed their genuine love for the school. It was a window into their CDS lives, and I was sincerely touched and impressed by their appreciation of all they have gained as CDS students.

Where Our Graduates Go

The independent and faith-based high schools offering places to the graduates of the Classes of 2021-2024 include:
  • Archbishop Riordan High School
  • The Bay School 
  • The College Preparatory School
  • Crystal Springs Upland School
  • Drew School
  • 'Iolani School 
  • International High School
  • Lick-Wilmerding High School
  • Marin Academy
  • Nativity High School
  • Northfield Mount Herman
  • Nueva High School
  • Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory
  • Sterne School
  • Saint Ignatius College Preparatory High School
  • Stuart Hall High School
  • Sugar Bowl Academy
  • University High School
  • The Urban School of San Francisco 
  • The San Francisco Waldorf High School
     
Our students have also been accepted to various public schools, such as Balboa High School, Galileo Academy of Science and Technology, Lowell High School, Oakland School of the Arts, Oceana High School, and Ruth Asawa School of the Arts.
CDS graduates from the Classes of 2018-2020 have gone on to attend the following colleges and universities:
American University
Babson College
Bard College
Barnard College
Boston College
Boston College at Berklee School of Music
Boston University
Bucknell University
Cal Poly SLO
CCA
Colby College
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
DePaul University
Drexel University
Georgetown University
Gonzaga University
Kenyon College
Lehigh University
Lewis and Clark College
Loyola Marymount University
Macalester College

Northeastern University
NYU
Occidental College
Oregon State University
Parsons
Pitzer College
Pomona College
Reed College
Rochester Institute of Technology
Santa Barbara Community College
Santa Clara University
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
Scripps College
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
Scripps College
Syracuse University
Trinity College Dublin
Trinity University
Tufts University
Tulane University

UC Berkeley
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UC Los Angeles
UC San Diego
UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Cruz
University of Alaska
University of Arizona
University of Colorado Boulder
University of Edinburgh, Scotland
University of Glasgow
University of Michigan
University of Oregon
University of Sydney
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin - Madison
WashU
Wesleyan University
West Virginia University
Yale University

Children's Day School

Children's Day School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.  Learn More