Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory

Great education. & a very diverse co ed private school. College is a breeze because classes here were so hard but worth it!

I am the parent of a freshman so the SHC experience is new to me. So far it’s been good. The academics are rigorous enough that it hasn’t been easy for my son to get all A’s and B’s. However, he is headed in the right direction and I am confident he will thrive. When my son slipped in one of his classes, the teacher emailed me about it. I admit it was unpleasant to read that my son was not doing well in this class but the alert was invaluable. Figuring out how to improve his grades not only brought results, but it also gave my son the confidence to know that he has control over his studies. I am looking forward to the changes my 14yo will experience in the next four years. Just recently I attended the Bruce-​Mahoney football game where my son played in the Irish Band. The spirit of SHC was evident all around! Like you would expect at a big high school game, the kids were boisterous as they cheered their team against their rival SI. Yet, in every interaction, SHC students displayed respect and good-​will. As I witnessed the behavior of the teenagers all around me, I became reassured that this school will play a large role in my son becoming a considerate young man prepared for college. I will update on this journey.
This is now an update on 12÷4÷14, and my son’s sophomore year. Though it hasn’t been easy, my 15yo is maintaining a good GPA. He is excited about his teachers and classes but most of all, he is learning. He is becoming passionate about causes, he’s reaffirming his values, and he’s maturing in a wonderful way. SHCP was definitely the right choice!

I’m an alumni from this high school and the one aspect I loved about going to SHCP is the diversity ethnically and religiously. All the teachers I had the pleasure of having class with were helpful and nice (I really enjoyed taking English class with Mr. Pardini and gym class where I could barely do a pull up back then, but the teacher made no judgements). But there was the other side with teachers who you can easily get by with a passing grade without doing much. But other than that, I am jealous about the resources that students have there now (a better gym and fitness center) and regret that I never attended any of the Bruce-​Mahoney rivalry sports games.

Graduated back in ’94. Overall liked the curriculum and had a good balance between academics, sports, extra-​curricular activities, and student body. No one was really a bad apple and the brothers and sisters made sure you fell in line. I recently revisited the ol’ campus and am proud that it has expanded, as the school was smaller than SI.
One thing that always bothered me was that the top students from middle school all went to SI, and it just felt like SHCP was a second tiered school. I mean in the end, it didn’t really matter that much, as both SI and SHCP students went to the same universities. It really depends on the individual student. The other issue was the name «College Prep». I was under the impression that just because SHCP had the «CP», it meant college was going to be a breeze. Not so. I was certainly top 95^th percentile at SHCP. I had AP up the wazoo, but after getting into UC, I found that all of those AP classes didn’t measure up. I even recall that UC didn’t accept any AP score of less than 5, to get credit. *Sigh* My point being, it should really be just called SHHS.
Now, that I am looking at high schools again. SHCP is really a pretty good school. Just wish there wasn’t this rivalry between SI vs SH. I hope someday SH will be looked up as an equal vs SI or even better. Go Fighting Irish!!!

I’m about to graduate from here and I absolutely love it. No «AHH I’m a senior, get me out!!!» attitude here. I came here in the middle, at the beginning of junior year. Coming from a public school previously (hello, Lowell, you are not missed) I expected to only make one or two friends to scrape my way socially until graduation. Wrong. The kids and administration here are incredibly friendly, and the sense of community is something I’d never experienced before. I also like how they practically force you to get involved, so you’re not missing out. Granted, it’s a huge partying/​drinking school and there’s not one day where I don’t hear some comment about beer pong from a Grove rat, but that’s just the minority. The majority are smart, hardworking and kind. The school is revered for its sports teams, which are incredible. (Sip on that, SI). The visual and performing arts department, while not quite as well-​known as the sports program, is bar none. Our fall play of Moliere’s The Miser was this weekend, and I was proud to be part of such an amazing production.
I’m also getting waaaaaaaaay better of an education then I would have had I stayed at Lowell. Teachers are helpful and want to see you succeed. I get a little frustrated with how much of a stickler for rules the deans can be (dress code) and how conservatively Catholic the school can be. Parking is the pits and the deans get irate if you park in the cathedral parking lot without a pass. But overall, this is the happiest I’ve ever been at a school.

If your child is Afro American do not send him/​her to this school. I have discovered that this school is extremely racially biased and favors others. Public schools is a better way to go. When a problem arises at the school, the staff does not return phone calls at all-​also keep an eye out on your items. My son had his backpack, tennis shoes, and lunch stolen while attending SHCP and nothing was done about it. There is no brother or sisterhood at the school.

My son has been both academically challenged and supported at SHCP. SHCP provides lots of guidance to help students get to the college of their choice. My son has made some wonderful friends, and we have loved being a part of the SHCP community.

graduated in 2002… SHCP was the most expensive public school ever… but the actually academics was good…

It was a great school. The teachers I had were great, compassionate and knowledgable. I made some good friends there too. How would I get in contact with some of those teachers there? It was a long time ago.

My four years at SHCP shaped me into a hard-​working student, challenged me to solidify my faith, and gave me invaluable relationships with friends and teachers. This school has prepared me for college in every way. Supportive teachers and stimulating curriculum were huge factors in my acceptance into colleges such as Georgetown and UCLA. One of the many gems of SHCP is the De Paul Scholar Program. Senior Seminar was definitely the class that, despite the intense workload, changed the way I think most drastically. I read Aristotle, C.S. Lewis, and Freud. I learned how NOT to read several chapters of intense philosophy the day before class. And I learned to stand up for my own viewpoint without bashing what anyone else believed. Many of the teachers acted as big brothers and sisters for their students, working with them at lunch and during their breaks. It’s not all academics, either – the SHCP music program is now flourishing, and new clubs are coming up all over the place – the Outdoor Adventure Club, Earth Action, and the Irish Dancing Club. I am so glad to have been a Fightin Irish!

I definitely enjoyed my 4 years at SHCP. Other than the early morning commute from SSF to downtown SF… and then the commute back home after school/​practice/​game, I can’t complain. I got along with everyone that I knew and I don’t remember disliking any of the teachers/​classes that I had. I really do believe that SHCP really did Prep me for college.
Even though I have not yet been back to SHCP since graduation I do still keep myself updated through the
website and through the sports teams.
I am PROUD to say that I graduated from Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory and as a SHCP Alumni I would not hesitate to sent my children here for high school!

I’m just going to say ths now, many of these kids are STUPID. they have absolutely no idea what they’re doing and when i shadowed the school, the teacher put on a pointless movie in earth science about hurricanes and everyone, including the teachers fell asleep. SHC doesnt have a rigorous schedule and doesnt challenge its students at all. Dont send your child here if you want them to have a good education. The students are excessive drinkers and many of the girls are totally bitchy. Many of these kids all came from the same schools like St. Stevens, St. Brendans, SVDP, and St. Cecilias, and they tend not to branch out any further, These kids also bully other kids and minorities at SH tend to get pushed around (this school is very separated by race).
Many of these kids do not end up going to decent colleges or even graduating. I would say that High school is something a parent shouldn’t skimp on since it pretty much sets the tone for how you’re going to act in college when a parent isnt around to control their child. Many of these kids have a lot of trouble in college so i suggest you dont send your child here. As a student with many friends here, i have first hand information.

There were some cool kids at SHCP, but for the most part i would say 70% of my alma mater class were jackass jocks who binge drink every day at the grove. I remember irish vs asian beef going down in the avenues pretty often. Funny how i hear alot of them havent even graduated yet and are having problems now… There were some cool folks though, SUP OTIS I SEE YOU. i had much better friends from WASH HOUSE and the other public schools like SOTA and gateway we threw way better parties. SHCP isnt as bad as SI though, SI is like 80% douchebags.

Oh shit. I probably didn’t say it enough while I went here, but I freaking loved this school. Sure, they constantly harangued me for having dyed hair, or being late, or pretty much everything I did inside of those walls, but somehow they still liked me. I’m pretty sure I spent a year skipping detention, and writing my own absence notes so that on sunny days I could enjoy the sun with a bottle of wine in Dolores park with friends. But I played within their rules and they loved me, because I was part of the family.
I did everything here, from running the stage crew to playing on the soccer team to being editor in chief of the paper to campus ministry, to doing the morning announcements. All while making some amazing friends who really defined my time in high school.
the one thing this school really has going for it are some of it’s teachers. They care like hell, they really want to see you succeed, and be your friend. I still talk to many of them regularly. My best friend in high school and I would meet our chemistry teacher on weekends to get lunch or just hang out. I would run into another teacher at concerts constantly, and we’d talk about our favorite bands in the hallways, alerting each other of upcoming events. And then of course my favorite math teacher who still harasses me for my inability to remember to do anything and disappear. To the english teacher who was my biggest fan while struggling to find my place in the school.
I never wanted to come to this school, I wanted to go to SOTA so badly, and spent my first two years bitching about it, but slowly it grew on me, and now I would not trade the experience for anything in the world. The diversity is really great, you really get a chance to learn about people from all walks of life here.
Sure we made fun of the school and all the silly events while going there, but deep down, you can’t not love this place. I should mention though, a lot hangs on choosing the right teachers, and petitioning heavily to switch into their classes. take as many AP’s and honors as you can, because the ugly underbelly of SHCP is that they do let a lot of people slip by in easy classes.

Class of 1998
I LOVED LOVED LOVED high school, and it would have never been the same if I went anywhere else but here… My teenage years will forever be cherished all because of the place I chose to earn an education of a LIFETIME!
I just went to my HS Reunion last Saturday… They’ve done amazing things to the school, specially the gym! I am speechless and amazed at how beautiful they’re gymnasium is… And I say gymnasium because this is not your ordinary gym…
The coolest thing that happened to us in high school in terms of new developments would be the 6^th floor library… which is gorgeous by the way, since we were able to enjoy a view of the city from the rooftop… And of course, the 7^th floor pool (j.p there isn’t one, we just used to tell the freshmen that!)
I was so in love with my school, I made sure I was involved with every aspect of student life that I was capable of… from student government to chorus… and let me just add that our Chorus was the ISH with Mr. D’Ollio as our founding choir director… We went on the very first SHCP school chorus trip abroad to Italy where we were able to sing for the late Pope John Paul … it was amazing!
So many memories and so many loves here. The staff such as Mrs. Shapiro, Coach Fran, Mr. Saso, Mr. Benette… the lunch ladies!!! All of you were amazing and taught me things that I’ve used to this present day!

SHCP was a great school. They helped me get into Cal, learn and interact with people of many different social classes (LaSallian Youth), and, in my opinion, gave me a very enjoyable adolescence.
SHCP, because it is not a part of the SFUSD, is noticeably easier than public schools. Although I got excellent grades (4.3 graduating GPA), I didn’t LEARN anything. When I got to Cal, I was way in over my head. I concede, however, that I did manage to get all easy teachers while at SHCP… when I took Chemistry my junior year, we spent about half the year trying to calculate molecules to moles to molecular weight, when a normal SFUSD school (Washington, in particular) was moving onto more advanced material. A lot of the teachers at Berkeley even say, «I assume you learned this in high school, so I won’t go into it…»
However, if you do manage to get good teachers (Pardini, O’Neill, Musallum — never had him, but heard he is excellent) you will go far. Pardini and O’Neill are notably my two favorite teachers and have really inspired me to think in ways I never have. They have a genuine passion for teaching that is often overlooked.
Yes, there has been a lot of bad publicity on the school, but those are just a few people within the scope of an entire school. Like any school, there are mess ups but unfortunately high profiled cases tend to be run in the newspaper far more than some high school dropout from Balboa who beat up another kid in the Tenderloin.
Overall, SHCP was very easy on academics which allowed me to pursue extracurriculars (martial arts, yearbook, newspaper, LaSallian Youth, CSF, and even some Amnesty International). If you’re a parent reading this, however, be prepared to shovel out more money than the (what is it now? $ 14k?) tuition… walkathon and all those other fundraisers. Your kid will get an average education but maybe enrich their lives in places other than academics.

Sacred Heart (SHCP) is one of the best high schools in San Francisco, if not the whole Bay Area! Yeah, this might sound a little biased and people might think that I am saying this because SHCP is my alma mater (Class of ’04), but SHCP is really a great school and I had fun there when I went there. The great things about Sacred Heart is that the teachers and the faculty really do care about the students. They want the students to succeed and they’ll do anything for you to succeed. A lot of the teachers are more than willing to help you out whenever you need help with HW or any material that you covered in class. They help you out before class or even after school if you need more time to review the material… Of course Sacred Heart is known for it’s education. You get a quality education at Sacred Heart and I learned a lot when I went there.
Another great thing about Sacred Heart is the people there and the diversity of the school. You get a chance to interact with all different types of people and that makes you open to different types of cultures and opinions. A lot of people that I went to Sacred Heart with are really good people, and I have continued to be friends with a lot of people that I went to Sacred Heart with. A lot of the teachers from Sacred Heart are nice as well.
Another great thing about Sacred Heart are the games. The Bruce Mahoney games (SH and SI games) are pretty fun and are intense. The rallies that we use to have were pretty cool as well… I have a lot of respect for Sacred Heart and Sacred Heart is an all around great school!
Go Irish!

I want to write a nice fancy review for my alma mater (class of ’01), but I just can’t.
Honestly, most of the kids in my class were jackasses. It’s not a coincidence that all of the fuck ups became members of the SFPD (oddly enough, the murder rate is now skyrocketing and the police can’t solve a crime to save their lives. Coincidence?). The teachers were above decent and involved, but you can’t help students that are just born retarded (in the non-​literal sense). Unfortunately, SHCP has a large group of those kinds of people.
It’s not necessarily the kind of school where you’ll get ridiculed because you don’t believe in Jesus (that’s Archbishop Riordan), but it is the kind of school where the white Irish Catholics will beat the shit out of asian strangers just because they are asian.
The education I got from SHCP wasn’t bad, per se, but overall the experience isn’t one I’d like to repeat.

I went there when it was SHHS (’85) therefore my ring is an antique and I am a dinosaur :)
Overall, the Christian Brothers taught me well, especially…
«GO IRISH! SKIN THE ‘CATS!»

In honor of my high school reunion, review #92 will go to my alma mater SHCP. I loved going to school in downtown San Francisco.
But alas, there are so, so, so many juicy stories that I started writing but just deleted. All I gotta say is that… catholic guilt runs deep. Sorry Unilocalers, blame it on JC.