San Francisco University High School Reviews (2024)

Rating 5 out of 5

UHS stands out among other private SF schools for its support of critical thinking and genuine inquiry. There's a good combination of "classic" classes, like Western Civ, which spans art, music, and history from the birth of humanity through the Western hemisphere to today, and a range of languages, including Latin, as well as more specific and modern electives such as Remaking Masculinity or Global Infectious Diseases. The Julia Morgan part of campus is very pretty and lends it a stately, classic liberal arts school feel. Especially in the summer and fall, the courtyard is a gathering place for students and clubs, and at times english classes bordering it will spend class outside in the sun. Students are motivated and often casually really good at specific things, but despite the competition there's still a feeling of camaraderie. The independent study program is especially strong, and allows students to research and create a semester-long project based around an interest of theirs.

Rating 5 out of 5

This school is truly exceptional. I am thoroughly enjoying my time here. The teachers exhibit exceptional intelligence and are incredibly supportive. The student community is warm and welcoming. The sports programs are impressive, and the range of extracurricular activities and classes offered is outstanding. I wholeheartedly recommend this school to anyone seeking a top-notch educational experience.

Rating 5 out of 5

SFUHS has been an amazing experience with top-of-the-line academics, great sports despite the small student body, and a bustling social life.

• Freshman
• 3 months ago

Rating 4 out of 5

UHS is a great school with very driven students and parents. There are multiple opportunities for leadership, sports, arts, and pursuing other interests through the Independent Study Program. I did not personally enjoy my time as a student due to the small size and school culture, however I have friends who loved it. I feel very prepared for college.

• Parent
• 6 months ago

Rating 3 out of 5

The teachers are definitely a mixed bag and can really inform your experience. It's a really clique-y school, and if you aren't entering from a "feeder" middle school, social life can be really hard.

Rating 5 out of 5

I have two children at the school. They have been very well supported and they are getting a great education. They do have a significant amount of homework but they are still able to be very involved with their sports and other extra-curricular activities. Both of my kids are involved with the sports and music programs at school. The work load is manageable and they have plenty of time to spend with their friends on the weekends. It is academically challenging but my children are thriving. I feel they are well prepared for college. They have both made great friends amongst their classmates and have no regrets about attending UHS. Also, the new head of schools is great and really accessible.

Rating 1 out of 5

UHS is very stressful because a single B+ can put you in the bottom half of your class due to huge grade inflation (60-70% of kids get >3.90 out of 4). Reports of rampant cheating are accurate.

Teaching quality is hit and miss. Junior year independent study is a high, the STEM program a low.

Administration is a C-, and very woke.

Facilities are cramped and spread out. Lower is windowless. Paul Goode is a jewel. Design lab in South is an afterthought. Rich kids Doordash to avoid bad cafeteria food. New building is 2+ years off. To pay for it UHS has increased class size 25% and is stretched thin with loan payments. Donation expectations are high.

Most unhooked parents describe college outcomes as a bloodbath. Some of it is high expectations, a lot of it is poor outcomes. "Hooked" in the language of UHS college counseling means being a rich big donor, or a recruited athlete. All the hooked UHS students badly distort the college matriculation numbers -- don't be fooled by them.

Rating 5 out of 5

During my sophom*ore year at San Francisco University High School, I truly came into my own. The school's academic rigor within its advanced coursework, such as the lecture style: Civilization and the Arts, was unlike anything I'd seen throughout middle school. Because of this school, I genuinely believe I have become a more inquisitive and interesting person, taking advantage of their numerous resources and opportunities to learn.

• Parent
• Mar 16 2023

Rating 1 out of 5

I wanted to love this school, and my son wanted to too. (Esp for the cost) But UHS is not what they tell you during the tours. My child and most of his friends are unhappy because going to a new school feels overwhelming. The problems are real: Cheating is rampant. The teenagers are under a lot of pressure. The administration is sweeps serious issues under the rug and unfortunately students and parents have no voice. Some of the teaching is great, some is not, just like any school in SF. My worry is the bigger life lessons my child will take away from his experience there. The emphasis here is fundraising, fundraising, DEI, and fundraising.

Rating 5 out of 5

I cannot be more grateful for the opportunity to attend this school. My family was offered a very generous financial aid package that made it affordable despite the high sticker price. The SFUHS environment is unrivaled in San Francisco. The staff and students have fantastic relationships, and everyone there wants one another to succeed. While academics are absolutely more rigorous than at other high schools, the school has endless advisory options, and teacher meeting hours are integrated into the schedule. This school cares about its students, reflected in its schedule with reasonable and never overwhelming start-end times or number of meetings per week.

I have been happy and comfortable for the four years I have attended this school, and do not think I could have achieved nearly as much elsewhere. College placements are incomparable in San Francisco. I will be attending a university ranked top 15 in the country next year, and many others from my class will do the same.

Rating 2 out of 5

I have one UHS grad and one currently attending. While we appreciate the teachers, the school has changed and would not send another kid to UHS.

1) PRESSURE COOKER. My kid does >4h of hmk per night, 12h on weekends. Most kids have tutors. A lot of resume padding for college.

2) LITTLE COMMUNITY worsening kids stress. Few real activities to build school spirit. Divisive student behavior is not consistently addressed.

3) POOR IMPLEMENTATION OF DEI PRINCIPLES has resulted in more tension and division among students. Everything focused on underrepresented students. Kids are on edge about using the wrong pronoun or saying something that gets them canceled.

4) DISORGANIZED. To parents it feels as if UHS is now run by overstretched novices rather than professional educators invested in your kid’s future. Standards have been lowered without broad discussion. Grading differs by instructor.

A new head of school started 2022-2023. Hopefully he improves things, especially for the tuition.

Rating 4 out of 5

UHS has a lot to offer as a school. It has amazing academics, great athletics/arts programs, and fantastic teachers. The students are driven and it's easy to bond over shared stress of finals, Civ, etc. The campus is divided into 3 buildings, all within a block of each other in Pac Heights. The lunchroom isn't that big which IMO makes a lot of students leave campus, and meeting new people at lunch virtually impossible. The only negative thing about UHS is that cliques form really easily and it can feel very isolating to be a student here. Some people I know have struggled with that feeling and some people haven't, so it just depends if you find people you click with. Clubs also aren't as big here as they are at other schools, but that I just attribute to the demanding schoolwork and size of the student body.

• Junior
• Apr 21 2022

Rating 3 out of 5

Some of the classes and teachers are really great (like Western Civ), but teaching at UHS is inconsistent, and when you have a bad teacher, that often ruins the whole class/subject.

• Senior
• Dec 30 2021

Rating 2 out of 5

UHS has a reputation for strong academics. Unfortunately, this has not been our experience, specifically in physics and math. The math & physics teachers for 9th grade were shockingly poor. In short, they did not teach. Rather, they referred students to Khan Academy (math), YouTube (physics) and Google search (physics) to "research" physics topics. Sounds hard to believe, however these are facts and this was the case for the entire school term. Families with older kids advised that they, too, experienced the same and shared this feedback with UHS. Not sure why nothing has been done. Families interested in UHS should ask what the school is doing to address poor teaching quality. Students seek outside help (paid tutors), which perpetuates a culture of inequality. Other aspects of the school such as clubs, sports, and the arts have been positive aspects of the culture. Excellent quality of teaching should be a priority, however; sadly, UHS gets poor marks for this failure.

Rating 5 out of 5

Phenomenal School if you want to go to a good high school, this is the one that will send you to dream schools.