Midland School vs. Cate School
Should you attend Midland School or Cate School? Visitors to our site frequently compare these two schools. Compare their rankings, scores, reviews and more to help you determine which school is the best choice for you.
School Overview
School
Definition of Terms | 2025 School Data
Midland School
(4)
PO Box 8 / 5100 Figueroa Mountain Road
Los Olivos, CA 93441, United States of America
Los Olivos, CA 93441, United States of America
Top Rankings
Midland School ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 307 schools) for:
Category
Attribute
Boarding Focus
Student Attention
Student Test Scores
Cate School ranks among the top 20 boarding schools (out of 307 schools) for:
Category
Attribute
School Resources
Selectivity
Offering Breadth
Student Test Scores
Student Test Scores
Student Test Scores
Overview
Midland School, located on a 2,860-acre ranch at the edge of the Los Padres Wilderness, has been the leader of place-based college preparatory education since 1932.
Everything we do-from the courses we choose to teach to how we maintain our campus to the way we feed ourselves-originates from an intentional curriculum that focuses not only on college preparatory classes, but also on leadership, community, and stewardship.Our scale empowers students with authentic leadership opportunities, provides highly personalized learning, and inspires the pursuit of intellectual passions.
At Midland, thirty-eight percent of our students identify as students of color, over half receive generous financial aid to attend, and the depth of our boarding experience facilitates both top-tier college admissions and future success.
Founded in 1910, Cate School is a grade 9-12, coeducational, college preparatory boarding school in Carpinteria, California.
What began as a group of twelve boys and a few teachers has expanded into a 300-student, 57-teacher, deeply academic, and talented community with the most diverse student body of any boarding school of its size in the United States.
One of the most experienced and committed teaching faculty in the country: 82% hold advanced degrees, 18% of these have PhDs.
Cate is one of this nation's most selective boarding schools, accepting under 20% of our applicants each year.
60% of Cate's most recent graduating class attend the country's 25 top-ranked colleges and universities, and 18% went to Ivy Leagues and Stanford.
The Cate experience combines academics, athletics, art, and co-curricular activities in a close-knit, community setting where students are enriched by their relationships with their teachers and each other.
School Focus
College Preparatory
College Preparatory
Grades Offered
9-12
9-12
School Type
Co-ed
Co-ed
ADD/ADHD Support
No
No
Supports Learning Differences (LD)
No
No
Year Founded
1932
1910
Campus Size
2860 acres
150 acres
Students Body
Enrollment
82
300
% Students of Color
38%
54%
% International Students
8%
17%
% Students Boarding
100%
80%
Average SAT Score
1220
1350
Average ACT score
25
31
Offers Post-Grad Year
No
No
Academics and Faculty
Saturday Classes
No
No
Frequency of Saturday Classes
weekly
Bi-Weekly
Classroom Dress Code
Casual
Casual
Average Class Size
10
10
Student-Teacher Ratio
4:1
5:1
# of AP/Advanced Courses Offered
n/a
46
ESL Courses Offered
No
No
% Faculty with Advanced Degree
70%
80%
Summer Program Offered
No
Yes
Finances
Endowment Size
$22 million
$90 million
Tuition (Boarding Students)
$69,700
$74,975
Tuition (Day Students)
n/a
$58,975
Tuition (international students)
$75,200
n/a
Avg. Financial Aid Grant
$48,800
$54,405
Admission
Application Deadline
Feb. 15 / rolling
Jan. 15
Accepts Standardized Application
No
No
SSAT Required
No
No
Average Percentile SSAT
85
n/a
Acceptance Rate
40%
17%
Director of Admissions
Cierra Rickman
Kyle Mason
Associate Director of Admissions
n/a
David Soto
# of AP/Advanced Courses Offered
n/a
46
Sport
Total Sports Offered
7
17
Sports
BasketballCross Country
Cross Country RunningEquestrian
SoccerSoftball
Volleyball
BaseballBasketball
Cross CountryDance
FootballLacrosse
SoccerSoftball
SquashSurf Team
SwimmingTennis
TrackTrack and Field
Ultimate FrisbeeVolleyball
Water Polo
Extracurricular
Total Extra-curric.Total Extracurriculars
12
44
Extra-curric.Extracurriculars
Club or Organization:
Arts and Music Programs:
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Community Service ClubLGBTQ Club
PrefectsStudent Government
Woodworking
Arts and Music Programs:
ChoirNewspaper
Theater
Recreational Athletic Programs:
GardeningHorseback Riding
SurfingYoga
Club or Organization:
Arts and Music Programs:
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Alianza (Latino Student Alliance)Black Student Union
Blue CrewCalifornia Mathematics League
Cate Liberals LeagueCate Repbulicans
Cate Review (Literary Magazine)CateNet Masters
Chinese Language & Culture ClubCoagess (Yearbook)
Cougar CupCougar Online
Cultural Awareness ClubCulture Pot
Dance ClubFilm Society
George School Investing ClubGoldfish in Java
Green TeamHavurah
Jewelry and Metalsmithing ClubLantern (School Art & Poetry Magazine)
LOGOSPennswood Committee
Pets Are Worth SupportingR&B Step Team
Round SquareSouth Asian Student Society
SquaresStudent Book Club
Student SenateTERRA
The Crew (Video Club)The Curious George (School Newspaper)
Theatre ArtsTour Guides
Women's Forum
Arts and Music Programs:
CamerataCate Artists' Theatre
ChamberChorale
Latin American Students Organization
Recreational Athletic Programs:
Martial Arts ClubPacific Rim Organization (PRO)