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Study Like a Tiger.

“A Notre Dame education is, at its core, rigorous academics — but what differentiates Notre Dame is that it's about the holistic person — developing compassion and empathy and having a vision for how you want to go out and impact the world.”

- Meredith Essalat ‘98, Head of School

Distinguished Academics

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Voted Best Private High School in SF Bay Area

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Notre Dame Belmont has been voted Best Private High School of the San Francisco Bay Area for three consecutive years ('26, '25 and '24). SFGATE spotlights the top-tier businesses and schools that make our Bay Area community shine, and Notre Dame Belmont won the public vote as best private high school!

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Named Best Private High School Near Santa Clara

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SF Gate has named Notre Dame Belmont one of the best private high schools near Santa Clara. Private high schools on this list have an A+ rating from Niche.com, a 4-star rating from a minimum of 60 combined reviews from Niche, Google and Private School Review. 

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AP Honor Roll Platinum Designation

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The AP School Honor Roll offers four levels of distinction: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. NDB has been designated as Platinum for our second consecutive year, rising from Gold in 2023. In May of 2025, 212 students took 439 examinations in 20 subject areas. From this total, 71% earned a score of 3 or higher.

Niche 2026 Best School Badge

Notre Dame Belmont Stands out on Niche Best Schools Rankings

On Niche.com, Notre Dame Belmont ranks:

#3 in Best Catholic High Schools in San Mateo County

#5 in Best All-Girls High School in the SF Bay Area

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of data and reviews.

NDB students achieved 100% pass rate on the following AP Exams, exceeding CA and global scores!

3D Art
Calculus AB Subs
Calculus BC
Drawing
Micro Economics
Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism
Physics C: Mechanics
Precalculus
Spanish Literature
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Academic Concentrations

Discover my ConcentrationAcademic Concentrations empower students to dive into the field of study that they are most interested in, preparing them for a successful college and professional career. Students have the option to choose a concentration at the end of their sophomore year, as the majority of courses take effect during junior and senior year. 
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21 AP Courses and 15 Honors Courses

Explore AP and Honors

From STEM to humanities to the arts, NDB offers a wide variety of AP and honors courses to prepare students for college. 
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College Structured Science Courses and Labs

NDB is one of the only college preparatory high schools in the country to offer biology and chemistry courses that include a full-length class block in addition to a full-length laboratory block, as practiced at universities.
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Honor Societies

Achieve Honors

Students who demonstrate outstanding achievements in academics are indoctrinated into the National Honors Society and California Scholarship Federation each year.

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Academic Teams

Join a Team

NDB offers competitive academic teams including Math Team, TigerBots and Mock Trial to apply skills learned in the classroom.

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InterSession

Learn About InterSession

InterSession is a week-long intensive that provides students the opportunity to immerse themselves in learning a new skill or diving into a new topic.

Academic and College Counseling

NDB gets students ahead of the curve by beginning a rigorous college preparation process their freshman year and sustaining growth throughout their four year career at NDB. Over four years, students grow equipped with skills to apply for and gain entrance to competitive colleges across the country.

Learn more about Academic and College Counseling

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Graduation Requirements

Notre Dame Belmont graduation requirements provide students with the necessary credits and variety of courses needed for admission to the University of California campuses, California State Universities, and private and out-of-state colleges and universities. NDB requires that students must take a minimum of 60 credits per year for graduation. 

240 credits are required for graduation. All courses required for graduation must be taken at Notre Dame Belmont. 80 hours of service must be fulfilled in order to receive a diploma. NDB requires that students must take a minimum of 60 credits per year for graduation (the equivalent of six classes/30 credits per semester).

All of my NDB teachers have had a huge impact on me and my desire to pursue STEM. Their knowledge, kindness and passion for science have made the classes I've had with them so enjoyable. NDB has prepared me for my future most of all by building my confidence. Being in such a supportive all-girls environment has allowed me to discover my passions in a comfortable, collaborative place.

Maggie Blanchard

Maggie Blanchard '26
Electrical Engineering, Stanford University

The staff and teachers at NDB continuously motivated me to do my best every day, encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone, and truly cared about my success both inside and outside of the classroom. Their constant support, guidance, and belief in me have helped shape me into the person I am today and have prepared me for success in my future at Santa Clara University and beyond.

Laila Daheb

Laila Daheb '26
Communications, Santa Clara University

Notre Dame has prepared me for my future by giving me a strong academic foundation while also helping me to grow as a leader and as a person. The supportive community and close relationships with teachers allowed me to challenge myself and step outside of my comfort zone. Having been in leadership roles at NDB, I was ready to step into the world of college and immerse myself in each and every opportunity it had to offer.

Hailey Kockos

Hailey Kockos '25
Cognitive Science Major at UC Berkeley

After being at Notre Dame, I feel prepared to go to a big college out of state. NDB prepared me for my future by giving me leadership skills that can help me succeed in any career field. NDB taught me that women and girl empowerment can be a powerful thing, especially in male-dominated fields, and gave me skills, friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.

Autumn Deetz

Autumn Deetz-Rodriguez '26
Sports Management, Louisiana State University

I'm extremely grateful for the education, experiences and friendships from NDB. Teachers and staff really cared about the success of the students, and we had the opportunity to develop trusted relationships. There were many life lessons learned that helped build resilience and confidence in the classroom and in life. I felt well prepared to be successful in college and work because of my education and experiences at NDB. The best part was the lifelong friendships I made.

Jennifer Callen

Jennifer Callen ‘96
Managing Director, US Sales and Travel at Pinterest

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