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As San Francisco's Oldest All-Male Catholic High School, educating young men in the Marianist Tradition since 1906, Archbishop Riordan is the only "Urban" boarding school in the Western United States after opening the doors to the dormitory on August 1, 2011.

It is our commitment to educating and preparing young men in an ethical, spiritual and intellectual way to prepare them well for the challenges of a global economy. U.S. students as well as students from Asia and Eastern Europe will be the first boarders to enroll in our residential program.

Located just 20 minutes from San Francisco International Airport and minutes from Northern California's financial center, Archbishop Riordan is situated off the 280 interstate and directly across the street from San Francisco City College. Archbishop Riordan is also located among the nations leaders in technology, bio medical, science, alternative energy, and finance. San Francisco is considered the most beautiful city in the United States and one of the top three tourist destinations across the world.

Your son will be educated in one of the finest schools and will receive an education focused on him as an individual.

Archbishop Riordan's graduates have been accepted into the following universities and colleges, just to name a few:

  • Harvard
  • Stanford
  • MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
  • U.C. Berkeley
  • U.C.L.A
  • U.C. San Diego
  • All University of California Institutions
  • Cornell
  • Brown
  • Columbia
  • Notre Dame University
  • St. John's University
  • New York University
  • Santa Clara University
  • St. Mary's College - California
  • University of Dayton
  • Chaminade University
  • Northwestern University
  • California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

We offer 15 AP courses and a spacious environment for our students to be fully engaged in order to educate them in a university preparatory setting focusing on each student as an individual. We have San Francisco's best RSP program for students with learning deficiencies and is considered one of the finest in the United States by many educational leaders in private education.

Each student will be assigned a roommate with another student from a different country, unless otherwise requested. Students with a deficiency in English speaking skills will be assigned a language partner, an Archbishop Riordan American student, to converse and communicate with in order to assist in strengthening his English speaking skills. All first and second year students will be required to attend an after school TOEFL and SAT prep class to ensure success on their required exams.

Students will be encouraged to participate in San Francisco's oldest and most respected Theatre and Music program, as well as participate in Northern California's most competitive athletic conference, producing some of the United States' most prominent athletes that have competed in the NFL, MLB, and many Division I and Olympic teams.

For more information on tuition and boarding, contact the office of the president at pdaly@riordanhs.org

Tips for International Students and Families when choosing a United States Prep School:

1. History, Location, Opportunities, University Counseling, Services, Class Size

  • As an international student and a parent helping guide your son to make the right decision for him to attend a Catholic, private or prep school in the United States, you take into consideration the length that a school has been open, the City or town where it is located, the courses offered, the universities and colleges students have been accepted into and services offered to ensure an enjoyable, productive, and excellent experience.
  • San Francisco is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world and located within four hours of snow skiing, an hour from water sports, and the world famous Sonoma and Napa Valley Wine Country
  • Students are well supervised and driven to meet the academic demands of the schools and the university requirements expected of our students
  • Students are encouraged to be well rounded and well prepared for a university by enrolling in our theatre, music and athletic programs
2. Living Accommodations, Cultural Experience, and Professional Internships
  • Archbishop Riordan offers students two floors of living accommodations, modern bathrooms and living arrangements, wireless connectivity, media centers, study areas and private dining facilities.
  • San Francisco and New York are considered the two most ethnically diverse communities in the United States. Recent immigration from Eastern Europe and decades of established relationships with Asian Countries is evident throughout the City of San Francisco. The celebration of Chinese New Year, as well as other ethnic groups is celebrated in the City.
  • Many of our graduates are leaders in Research, Finance, Bio Medical Science, Technology and Engineering and we have established a partnership with our alumni to have our students' intern in their companies. Businesses from San Francisco to Silicon Valley are among the list of our student contacts.
3. College Acceptances and Visitation
  • Have a school provide a list of universities and colleges their students have been accepted to and ask as many questions as you deem necessary in regard to university and college admissions and counseling.
  • Contact the office of admissions and schedule an appointment to visit the campus and meet with the admissions and college counseling departments.
4. Admission Requirements
  • Which tests are required for admission?
  • Do transcripts have to be translated into English or does the school provide that service?
  • Are letters of recommendation required and from which of my teachers?
  • Is an oral interview required via Skype or other conference call avenues?

Click here if you would like more information about our boarding program or if you would like us to contact you.

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