Beyond GMS

Moving on to High School

Each year, about half of GMS graduates choose to enroll at independent (private and parochial) high schools, and half choose to go on to attend their local public high school. GMS supports students and families in pursuing both paths, and ensures their success in whichever they choose.

GMS helps all students and their families evaluate their options for high school, apply to independent schools for those who choose to, and select the best place for each student to continue her education.

Beginning at the end of seventh grade, families meet with our High School Placement Advisor and our Head of School to review the high school decision process, timeline, and support system at GMS. Students and families have the opportunity to meet one on one with the High School Placement Advisor in the summer and fall of eighth grade for guidance. GMS organizes brown bag lunch visits from independent schools, an alum panel to discuss the high school transition, and essay writing workshops for students.

Our Humanities and Math faculty and the Head of School write recommendations for all students applying to private high schools. Our High School Placement Advisor and Head of School work closely with the admission teams at independent schools to ensure GMS applicants are compliant and competitive in the application process.

If you have questions about high school advising or placement, please contact Kirstin Sego, High School Placement Advisor. 

If you’d like to talk with alum students or parents to get your questions answered about the transition to high school (and beyond), please join us at a Preview Day or one of our Parent to Parent Chats.

Learn more about what GMS alums are doing at #AfterGMS

high schools attended by GMS Graduates

Alberta Ballet School
Aragon High School
Archbishop Mitty High School
Carlmont High School
Castilleja School
Choate-Rosemary Hall (CT)
Crystal Springs Uplands School
Cupertino High School
Design Tech High School
Eastside College Preparatory School 
Fremont High School
Fusion Academy
Gunn High School
Homestead High School
Kehillah Jewish High School
Lakeside School (WA)
Lick Wilmerding
Los Altos High School
Menlo School
Menlo-Atherton High School
Mercy High School
Mid-Peninsula High School
Mountain View High School
Notre Dame High School Belmont
Notre Dame High School San Jose
Palo Alto High School
Peddie School (NJ)
Phillips Academy Andover (MA)
Pinewood School
Ruth Asawa School of Performing Arts
Sacred Heart Preparatory School
Santa Catalina School
St. Francis High School
Stevenson School
The Athenian School
The Harker School
The Nueva School 
The Thacher School
Wilcox High School
Woodside High School
Woodside Priory School