Archbishop Riordan High School

Overall great parent support. The young men are responsible and very respectful. The Dean takes his job too seriously and harasses students for minor infractions (such as a little stuble on their chin). Great academics and teacher support. Very rigorous schedule!
—Submitted by a parent

I am an Alumni. Archbishop Riordan High School was not only a Great School for me as student but being an alumni of this great community, continues to be a great force in my life today!

Both my son and husband went to Archbishop Riordan High School. ARHS is excellent in every aspect. They care about every aspect of your son. The teachers go way beyond what is necessary if your son has a problem. They will go to other teachers if your son isn't succeeding in their class. The principal is very involved with the boys. Every boy who goes here is a special person to each and every teacher. The boys act the same whether they are in public or in the school. They are very courteous and responsible.

Who knows the email address of the school? I have a stuent want to apply this school, but don't konw the application conditions. Thank you!
—Submitted by a teacher

Riordan is an awesome school for boys because it treats boys as whole persons and is tuned into the ways boys develop academically and in all other ways. The result is fine young men who do well after Riordan. I cannot speak highly enough of the excellent academic education at this school and also the 'heart' that accepts the boys and helps them become gentlemen in the true sense of the word -- putting others first. Our son has been accepted at a number of top schools as a senior at Riordan and we plan to send the rest of our boys to this topnotch school.
—Submitted by a parent

I'll be honest, the first month of Riordan I hated it. Now I really can't say any more great things about it. Riordan offers grade academics for both those who are struggling and those who want to excel. The teachers really want to see their students succeed and make themselves available after school and during lunch. But it's not just the academics, its the sense of brotherhood. The boys who go there are your friends for life and will always be there for you. Riordan is just a great school. Not that SI and SH are bad but from the way I look at it Riordan prepares their students better morally for the future ahead. This is because the student body is very diverse, you get boys from all different backgrounds. This way everybody respects all different people: rich or poor. Send your boy here and you'll get what I mean.
—Submitted by a student

We have two sons attending Riordan High School. We made our selection of Riordan after visiting the other regional Catholic High Schools all fine institutions. We were impressed with Riordan s preparedness in educating our sons and this was the school they chose to attend! They participate in AP classes, multiple athletic WCAL teams and band. We were hesitant about the all male enrollment but the academic, social and athletic maturity growth afforded by the lack of distractions is measurable. There are dances and co-ed school activities with Mercy SF. Academics is the core focus but if your son is interested in a fine athletic program, strong band program, theater, media production and many clubs then you should consider Riordan as a strong school.
—Submitted by a parent

I have a sophomore attending Riordan and the teachers and staff are top notch. They truly care about their student's success. There are high schools that we could have sent our son to that are closer to home (SHCP/Stuart Hall for Boys) but we chose the best by choosing Riordan.
—Submitted by a parent

I have already graduated one son from Riordan and think it is a great school. many view it as being a step down from SI or SH but in my mind the maor difference is that they are Co-Ed. As many others have pointed out, there is a great sense of family at Riordan and I get the feeling that all are welcome here. My other son is a Junior and although he would prefer to be with a bunch of girls all day long he clearly has benefitted from the all boys format and the associated lack of distraction. We attend many sporting events even though our kids are not in sports and find the parents to be genuinely nice people with a great sense of school and commitment that extends beyond just paying rather than committing.
—Submitted by a parent

Riordan is a fantastic school steeped in tradition and excellence. My first choice was SH. Once I entered the school, I never looked back! If I was given the chance to go to SH, I wouldn't have gone for anything in the world. Riordan is a great institution that focuses a lot on academics. I got involved every year in every aspect of the school. It truly is a great school and the experience was life changing. Riordan is a very close environment in which everyone has great respect for one another. There are so many opportunities at the school such as marching band, campus ministry, art, theater, excellent sports programs, and more. Riordan is the school to be at.
—Submitted by a student

My son struggled the 1st year he was Riordan, mainly because he did not want to go to an all boys school. His 1st choice was SH. He resisted, and his grades suffered because of it. Now that he is a Junior, he just can't say enough good things about the school and what wonderful experience he's had so far. He encourages 8th graders to apply to Riordan. Riordan is easier to get into than some of the other private high schools because the school wants to give these young men an opportunity. Once in the school you must maintain a certain GPA otherwise you're out. 5 of my son's friend's were asked to leave by Sophomore year because they could not maintain their GPA. Riordan means business. They're main goal while you're at Riordan is to prep the boys for college. They have such a wonderful, friendly staff .
—Submitted by a parent

A great school with a great tradition!
—Submitted by a former student

A great school, with a great staff and well qualified staff. Offer many AP classes to help your child suceed!
—Submitted by a student

Lots of AP classes, sports and ec's. Takes boys of all abilities. Strong parents groups.
—Submitted by a parent

Excellent school. My son is a Sophomore and loves it. Classes are hard, but the free period each day allows students to complete homework and still have time to play sports.
—Submitted by a parent

I have a junior at ARHS and have been pleased from the very first day of the choice we made in this high school. The quality of the staff and administration is absolutely fantastic as are the extra curricular activities from the athletic department to a superb drama department and to being home to the only marching band (80 strong) in San Francisco. There are many more fine attributes that I have left out. Riordan is a 'diamond in the rough'
—Submitted by a parent

We choose this high school for our 14 year-old son based on a number of factors--mainly small class size and individual attention to the students. Also, being an all boys school we felt that there would be less distractions for our son. The ARHS has a unique college prep program called the '4X4' in which the school term is split into 2 terms, students take 4 separate courses per term. Each class lasts for 80 minutes daily, allowing the students a more concentrated time for their classes. Also, ARHS gears their education towards the way a boy processes information, making it an ideal school for boys to learn at their optimal potential. Also, the school has a strict dress and grooming code which we felt that other schools (mainly public) lack. Also, ARHS uses 'Power School' for both parents and teachers where parents can go on-line on a daily basis to check their son's attendance, academic performance and e-mail teachers directly about their son's performance. Overall, we thought that in comparison to other private schools in the city of San Francisco, Riordan would give our son an extremely well-rounded education. The school has a great community spirit and parents are asked to take an active role in providing the 'Riordan family' atmosphere.
—Submitted by a parent