Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory Reviews

196 reviews

I think that Sacred Heart is very hit and miss. On the one hand, I feel incredibly prepared for choosing colleges and getting accepted into at least one, but the diversity and arts programs need to be improved.

I am happy with the teachers, student life, and overall facilities. There are lots of opportunities for kids to participate in the arts and sports, and the administration communicates often and well. My only complaint is that there are too many applications for parents and students: one for emails, one for grades, another to purchase sports/art event tickets, one to buy lunch points, one to load medical forms onto, and another to pay tuition. It is challenging; sometimes, you need clarification to navigate these applications. Consider consolidating these into one multi-purpose platform.

The collective drive as a school comes and goes, I have seen an abundance of school spirit at times, as well as complete disregard at others. Moving forward, I would love to see more effort and money put into school spirit because that can make or break a high school experience.

Review Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory

I am very fortunate to have attended SHCP and had overall a great educational experience as well as a wonderful community.

The best parts of my school are the science and English departments. Sacred Heart Cathedral offers a lot of different interesting literature classes focused on different cultures and types of writing, and they also offer a lot of different science classes. The worst parts would have to be the diversity being that my school is predominantly white. I would like to see there be more support for students who are struggling academically, and I would also like for there to be better diversity.

The best part about attending SHC is the teachers and their involvement in learning, I have rarely encountered a teacher who was unwilling to help you understand lessons.

Had an overall good experience there as an alumni, but it is sadly not the same school that I had so wanted to go to as an incoming freshman. If you want a good education and not much else, by all means attend the Prep. If you want a Christian education, I would look for it elsewhere. During my junior and senior years, topics like “white privilege, BLM, and LGBTQ” were emphasized far more than the values on which the school was founded. The administration is hell bent on pandering to a woke mob that will never respect Christianity. While it may seem like this viewpoint is radical, a lot of alumni and parents hold these beliefs but are understandably afraid to voice them. Even the athletic department, historically known for being strong, has gone downhill, firing and forcing out a lot of coaches that have done a lot for their respective programs. The athletic department seems to care more about a social media image and being flashy than winning games and it is showing.

Overall, as a women of color, I had a nice experience at SHC. I was not an athlete or heavily involved in after school activities because I played club soccer. I definitely felt challenged by the academics and had incredible teachers that strengthened my reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. As a now second year in undergrad, all the work I did in high school taking advanced courses enhanced my capabilities to produce valuable work while crunching on time. The college work load was a smooth transition due to the vigor of academics at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory. I definitely found my people at SHC. The majority of those in my friendship circle were of a similar cultural background to my own. I formed strong relationships and the culture of the school made it a fun environment for those who have a strong friendship circle. However, I do wish administration would have handled things better when it came to issues that affected the student population.

My son is a freshman and LOVES attending this high school. It offers a diverse, caring community and focuses on balanced and challenging academic curriculum, sports, arts and excellence. The school's commitment to service learning and building community is impressive and we are really happy with the school so far.

SHCP is an amazing school and I've really enjoyed my time here. It can sometimes be difficult as people generally underestimate the academic rigor of the school, but that seems to be becoming less of an issue as time goes on. Though every school has its challenges, I overall have found it a really great high school experience! I do wish it was easier to play a sport while still participating in arts programs, and other small issues, but overall I would definitely recommend.

Great school. Ive met some amazing friends and the teachers really care about you as a student and as a person

Honestly the only school in San Francisco worth paying for. You get the full high school experience, something that not all SF kids can say they get. From athletics to academics, this school pushed me and prepared me for D1 athletics at one of the top schools in the country.

Having spent four years at SHC, I can confidently say that I made the right choice to attend SHC over other schools that I was admitted to like SI, Urban, Drew, and Lick. SHC makes it a priority for freshmen to feel engaged in the community. There are a plethora of clubs and teams for students to enroll and the lunches were surprisingly decent, dare I even say quite good. Practically every teacher I had was very knowledgeable, driven, and willing to work with me when I required help (additionally, each one knew my name by the end of the third week of school). SHC offers over 20 AP classes and makes it easy for sophomores and up to enroll in these courses, unlike rival schools which make enrolling in numerous challenging courses nearly impossible. If you chose to study hard, you will end up in a great top college (just like my friends and I did (T20s)). The opportunities are bountiful, it's on the student to seek them out! Overall I felt welcome, at home, and loved my SHC experience!

In my opinion, SHC is what you make of it. There are opportunities everywhere to take challenging honors/AP classes, to join nearly any student organization (or even start your own), to play sports you’re passionate about… the choices are endless. However, if you don’t apply yourself, SHC is probably going to seem mundane. (That’s l why I think they pick applicants with a variety of extracurriculars; they want you to continue that kind of involvement in high school.)
For me, SHC has been challenging academically but very enjoyable! Most teachers (especially in honors/AP courses) are really passionate about what they teach and want you to retain what you learn. They also are usually available for office hours if you need any help, which I really appreciate. I’m also pretty active in the VPA sphere, and there’s a great community there.

I love the community SHC has and how they offer that through a variety of ways, like clubs, sports, and VPAs. Academics are good especially when you pick harder classes and teachers and counselors are very helpful. I would like to see a little more diversity in my class, but the underclassmen do have more diverse students. Additionally, there needs to be more equality with specific programs. As an athlete, female sports or sports that don't gain a lot of attention at the school (swimming, tennis, golf, softball) are less prioritized than bigger sports like football, baseball, and volleyball.

I found that SHC was a very amazing experience, considering all the clubs and classes available for just about any interest. Academically, I felt challenged while also supported by the majority of my teachers. Socially, I believe there is bound to be a line drawn between the party people/"it-clique," and the rest of the student body, causing a bit of a divide between them. However, even as an introvert, you are bound to find a crowd there due to the sheer breadth of diversity and walks of life you'll encounter at SHC. There are so many distinct departments and the organization of the campuses makes it a bit more understandable where you should go for leisurely time. The artsy kids on one campus, the STEM kids in the other, etc. It's really something else, and was a much better experience than I could have expected.

I love the diversity and community at SHC, especially in the volleyball program. I've had the most supportive coaches and teammates in my time in the program. Also, the Student Council makes developments every year in terms of hearing the voices of the entire student body in order to improve the quality of student life and open up more experiences for all classes. School spirit is always highly encouraged at rallies and events taking place both in and out of school (e.g. Walkathon). There are also countless service opportunities that the school offers in order to help the community (e.g. Habitat for Humanity, St. Anthony Foundation, etc.). The free college advising/counseling we receive beginning in our junior year is incredibly helpful, especially for first-generation college students.

Review Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory

While it was a great time, you won't get your best experience unless you try new things and put yourself out there.

As a current junior at SHC, I love almost everything about it! The community here feels like a family in sports, clubs, in classes, and even in the hallways. Most of the teachers are extremely helpful and supportive when you need extra help with your academic and personal needs. The counselors are also very welcoming and open to anything you want to get off your chest.

As a student who has attended SHCP for almost four years, it is an amazing school! My favorite about it is the abundant amount of resources available for students and teachers. In short, it is a second home for everyone! There are a variety amount of activities that students can participate in to harness their individual talents.

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