Portrait of a Graduate
A Marin Horizon graduate steps into high school with confidence, curiosity, and resilience. Academically, they are well prepared—ready for the rigors of high school and beyond.
Socially, they navigate new environments with openness. Coming from a small, tight-knit community, they learn to branch out, make new friends, and explore diverse perspectives. They engage in athletics, arts, journalism, music, and service, eager to discover new passions and contribute to their school communities.
Perhaps most importantly, Marin Horizon graduates are self-advocates. They know how to seek support, build relationships with teachers, and use their voices with confidence. Whether on stage, in the classroom, or on the field, they take creative risks, speak up, and lead with authenticity.
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High School Acceptances
Our graduates choose to attend a wide range of independent and public high schools. Marin Horizon students have attended all of the following schools, and more.
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS
The Bay School
The Branson School
Marin Academy
University High School
San Domenico Drew School
The Urban School
International High School (IHS)
Lick Wilmerding High School
PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS
Marin Catholic
Convent of the Sacred Heart
Stuart Hall
St Ignatius High School
Sacred Heart Cathedral College
Prep Seton
Seton Catholic Prep High School
BOARDING SCHOOLS
Brentwood School
The Cate School
Colorado Academy
Midland School
Milton Academy
Ojai Valley School
Phillips Exeter Academy
The Thacher School
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Tamalpais High School
Redwood High School
Archie Williams High School
Lowell High School
Terra Linda High School
San Rafael High School
Novato High School
College Choices
Marin Horizon graduates continue to excel in high school and go on to be successful at top universities including the following, and more.
IVY LEAGUE
Harvard
Cornell
Princeton
Columbia
STATE UNIVERSITIES
UC Berkeley
UCLA University of Texas
University of Virginia
GLOBAL UNIVERSITIES
Stanford
New York University
Duke
Rhode Island School of Design
Oxford University
The Sorbonne
LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES
Boston College
Smith College
Mount Holyoke
The Claremont Colleges
Carleton College
Skidmore College.
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High School Placement Process
At Marin Horizon, our high school placement process is intentionally student-centered and process-oriented. Rather than approaching the transition from middle school to high school as an endpoint, we view it as an opportunity for continued skill development, emotional growth, and student empowerment. Importantly, we want students and families to feel supported throughout their high school transition experience.
While the majority of our students elect to apply to and attend independent schools, we feel strongly that students electing to attend public school are celebrated along with their peers. Above all, we want our students to derive benefits from the process of choosing high school, rather than tying success to a particular outcome.
Finding the right "fit" for each student
For families that apply to independent schools, we begin the process by focusing on finding the right “fit” for each student. When students emphasize identifying the right school, rather than the “best” school, they are able to present themselves with confidence and authenticity, which typically yields better outcomes for applicants. Students are encouraged to take the lead throughout their application process. They practice essential skills including researching, self-advocacy, resume building, interviewing, personal essay writing, and, ultimately, succeeding with grace and coping with disappointment. In the end, students are able to reflect on their achievements during their application process and recognize their own successes, regardless of outcome.
At Marin Horizon, we are proud to say that our emphasis on the process yields excellent results year after year. Our students are consistently accepted at premier high schools throughout the Bay Area, with nearly every applicant finding a home at their first or second choice school.
95% of Marin Horizon graduates will enroll at their 1st or 2nd choice high school.
100% of our accelerated-track math students will enter high school on track to reach a Caculus AB class or higher. And non-accelerated track math students will cover two thirds of typical freshman year curriculum in 8th grade.
Marin Horizon graduates consistently place into second and third level Spanish classes their freshman year in high school.