Academics
SI has been one of the state’s best college prep schools since its founding in 1855.
- Since 1984, SI has been ranked as one of the nation’s top-60 prep schools by the U.S. Department of Education.
- SI has ranked among the top 20 schools in the nation for our success in the Advanced Placement Program.
- In 2004, SI was ranked among the top 12 Catholic high schools for professional development.
SI offers a wide-range of college-preparatory classes that give students the tools they need to succeed in college and in their careers. It also helps students develop the values needed to make the world a better place for all people.
Intrinsic to the Ignatian vision of education is the "magis" — that students should extend themselves beyond the ordinary to reach their full potential. In the classroom, students are challenged to put forth their best effort, for much is expected of those to whom much has been given. For some, this challenge is met by enrollment in the school’s Honors Program of Studies. This honors level curriculum is designed to stretch high-achieving students beyond the basics of college preparatory coursework.
Honors & AP Program
The Honors Program consists of honors and advanced placement courses. Honors classes are so designated because, in addition to meeting the requirements of regular coursework, they provide opportunity for enrichment and in-depth study of particular subject matter. Students are encouraged to use more sophisticated and abstract reasoning, employ a greater degree of analysis, and synthesize ideas from different academic disciplines.
Advanced Placement coursework, normally offered to students in the junior and senior years, is equivalent to introductory college work. Outlines for these classes are formulated by the College Board, and the courses culminate in nationally standardized examinations taken by students in May. Students who pass such examinations are awarded college credit, effectively shortening time spent in undergraduate study. In 1999, SI ranked 19th in the nation for the number of Advanced Placement tests administered and 16th in terms of number of tests passed. In 2006, 541 SI students took 1,220 AP tests with a pass rate of 74.26 percent, earning valuable college credit while still in high school. Perennially, SI ranks among the top three schools in Northern California for its AP success. (Click here for Current AP results.)