Marin Academy: Tuition, Admissions and Reviews | Marin Private Schools

Marin Academy

San Rafael, California · Est. 1972

Think. Question. Create.

We are an independent, coeducational college preparatory high school for grades 9-12, blending academics with experiential learning.

Ch. 1

The Story

Marin Academy asks every individual to think, question, and create in an environment of encouragement and compassion and challenges each person to accept the responsibilities posed by education in a democratic society. Our program blends a college-preparatory academic program with experiential learning, rooted in the belief that real growth happens through both intellectual challenge and meaningful experience, inside and beyond the classroom.

We are a forward-thinking school that strives for inclusivity across many spectrums. We give students the tools to learn how to express their viewpoints, and how to listen to other viewpoints with respect. At MA, everyone can find a path that's right for them.

Ch. 2

Academics

We provide a challenging academic program based on experiential education that focuses on the critical and creative thinking our students need to chart their course in the world. We encourage students to explore complex ideas and diverse perspectives, to test their values and judgments, to make their own discoveries, and to make mistakes.

Advanced courses

All of the departments in our school (except for the Visual Arts Department) provide an opportunity for students who are interested in taking special courses and thereby earning honors credit. In the History Department, U.S. History and all elective courses receive honors credit.

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Ch. 3

The Campus

Our ten-acre campus is in the heart of San Rafael, the oldest, largest, and most diverse city in Marin County. MA is not a gated community or a school on the hill. We sit 13 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, where our campus is woven right into the neighborhood around us.

The campus facilities include a library, a science and innovation center, a theater, a visual arts center, a music and dance building, two gymnasiums, a swimming pool, and an all-weather synthetic playing field.

Ch. 4

Enrichment

The Visual and Performing Arts programs at Marin Academy cultivate the imagination, creativity, passion, and aesthetic sensibility of each student, balancing theory and practice, process and product, structure and free exploration.

We offer clubs, activities, and Identity and Equity Groups that are both traditional as well as unexpected, all formed and led by students who we encourage to follow their passions and interests.

Co-Curricular TheaterOne-Act Play FestivalStagecraftMarin Academy Dance Company (MADCO)Fall and Spring Dance AssembliesSpring Dance ConcertFoundations of Music PerformanceAdvanced BandsMusic After SchoolDraw/PaintCeramics

Ch. 5

Athletics

Marin Academy's athletic mission is to develop in body, mind, and spirit, scholar athletes who commit to their teams, act with integrity, and compete with sportsmanship, character and pride.

Teams represent Marin Academy in the Bay Counties League - West.

BaseballBasketballCross CountryField HockeyGolfLacrosseMountain BikingSailingSoccerSwimmingTennisTrack & Field

Ch. 6

Values

Grounded in our mission and shared values, we are prepared to meet the world with purpose and possibility.

Think Critically

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Discover Perspectives

iii.

Ignite Creativity

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Cultivate Connections

Embrace Possibility

Ch. 7

Tuition

Tuition 2026-27$67,500 per year

Fees

Books and incidentals$600 to $1,200 per year

Tuition assistance application fee$60 once

Families can pay by check, credit card, or by debiting a checking or savings account.

With household income under $100,000, tuition is free, the commitment we call the MA Promise. About one in five students is funded by tuition assistance, and we invest $5.26 million in it annually with no cap once need is demonstrated.

Once a year, we invite parents to come together to contribute to a ready-to-use, flexible fund that covers the difference between tuition revenue and the full cost of an MA education.

Ch. 8

Admissions

We are delighted that you are considering Marin Academy as your next home and cannot wait to get to know you!

Nov 15

Open house

Jan 5

Application due

Jan 5

Financial aid due

Mar 12

Decisions

Mar 18

Enrollment due

Tours

Tours are typically forty-five minutes with a student ambassador or a member of the Admissions team. To schedule one, first fill out the MA Preliminary Form in Ravenna Hub, then email us at admissions@ma.org. Availability may be limited. Nothing on our events calendar is required.

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Application

Create a Ravenna Hub account and click "Apply to School" on Marin Academy's directory page. This gives you access to sign up for events and complete all required steps. Application, transcript, and teacher recommendations, all submitted or requested through Ravenna. No test scores; we are test-free.

Apply online