Academics at Bellarmine | A Top College Prep School in San Jose
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Archived: 2026-04-23 17:13
Academics at Bellarmine | A Top College Prep School in San Jose
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Academics
A Prestigious College Prep High School in San Jose
Ranked among the
top 10% of college prep schools
in California, Bellarmine’s rigorous curriculum gives students the knowledge, skills, and discipline to excel at top universities and in competitive careers.
With high SAT/ACT scores, advanced coursework, and
the most robust college counseling department of any Bay Area high school,
Bellarmine graduates are prepared to lead.
Start Your Application
View Daily Schedule
Academic Requirements
Academic Profile
Academic Departments
Bell is very rigorous academically. I've been told it’s even harder than college at times. But Bell offers you so many resources to set you up for success: tutors, a ton of time to get your work done during school, office hours with teachers, community time, free periods—all this time so you can stay on top of your work, because almost every student here does co-curriculars. Along with those things, the counselors here have our best interests in mind.
— Nolan Lyle ’27
Across a Range of Disciplines
To Challenge High-Achieving Students
~300 Points Higher than the National Average
10.4 Points Higher than the National Average
For a High Level of Personalized Attention
Attend Four-Year Colleges
The Most Robust College Counseling of Any Bay Area High School
The college admissions process is more competitive than ever, but Bellarmine gives you the structure and strategy to stand out.
With six full-time college counselors—
more than any other private school in the Bay Area
—you get the personalized guidance you need to identify and get into your best-fit colleges. Our college readiness resources also include:
Four years of developmentally appropriate college preparation guidance
covering academic pathways, leadership development, and co-curricular exploration.
Workshops for students and parents
on applications, scholarships, and financial aid.
120+ college admissions officers
who visit Bellarmine each year.
A dedicated
two-week College Guidance class
for juniors.
Led by a nationally recognized expert—our Director of College Counseling is the
former president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
and works directly with students every day.
Learn More About Our College Counseling
Counseling from Day One
From your first day at Bellarmine, you are assigned a Personal Counselor. This person supports you throughout high school—not just on your academic success, but on life skills and emotional wellness, too.
Academic Counseling
Your counselor works with you one-on-one to set and reach academic goals. They help you:
Build a strong academic foundation
by selecting the right courses.
Study smarter
and manage your time
with strategies that improve performance.
Stand out in college applications
by pursuing leadership roles that match your strengths.
Make a meaningful impact
through service opportunities that reflect your values.
Personal Counseling
In the spirit of caring for the whole person, our counseling program also supports emotional wellness and personal development.
Social-Emotional Counseling:
Individual and group sessions addressing stress, anxiety, and personal growth.
Personal Counseling Parent Events:
Additional support and engagement for students and families.
CURA Program (10th-12th Grade):
Monthly counselor-led sessions focused on social-emotional skills and personal development.
Go to Personal Counseling
Additional Academic Resources
Office of Accessible Education:
Personalized plans and accommodations for students with learning differences
Academic Resource Center and Tutoring
: Extra help available during free periods and after school.
Our Jesuit Philosophy: Educating the Whole Person
Bellarmine embraces the Jesuit ideal of
cura personalis
, or care for the whole person. This means we challenge students to grow academically, spiritually, and ethically. Inspired by the Jesuit motto
ad majorem Dei gloriam
—for the greater glory of God—we cultivate each student’s gifts and talents in service of a greater purpose.
Grounded in the Ignatian philosophy of education, Bellarmine forms young men of intellectual competence, moral integrity, and religious conviction, as reflected in the Ignatian Educator’s Prayer:
"Teach us to serve you as you deserve…to form our students into persons of intellectual competence, moral integrity, and religious conviction whose actions are informed by conscience, infused with compassion, and inspired by a commitment to a faith that seeks justice."
Ignatian Educator's Prayer
Through our rigorous college-preparatory curriculum, students sharpen their critical thinking and creativity while developing resilience and compassion. Their learning extends beyond the classroom through service, immersion trips, athletics, the arts, and leadership opportunities. Here, students are challenged to bring their God-given talents to fullness in all areas of life.
Bellarmine’s educators are committed to this mission. They continually grow in their faith and professional excellence. As members of the Jesuit Schools Network (JSN), our faculty upholds the
Profile of an Ignatian Educator
and strives to instill in students a lifelong commitment to reconciliation, justice, and service.
Read "Ignatian Educators, Companions in Ministry"
What makes Bellarmine one of California’s top college prep schools?
How many AP and Honors courses are offered?
What are Bellarmine’s average SAT and ACT scores?
What is the student-to-teacher ratio at Bellarmine?
What kind of college counseling is available?
Is there support for students with disabilities or learning differences?
Are tutoring and academic resources available?
How does Jesuit education shape the academic experience?
Bellarmine is ranked in the
top 10% of college prep schools statewide
and as the
#1 all-boys high school in the Bay Area,
thanks to a rigorous curriculum, strong AP and Honors offerings, and exceptional college placement. Our students consistently outperform national averages on standardized tests, and
98% attend four-year colleges.
The academic, co-curricular, leadership, and service opportunities available here are what build your candidacy for top colleges. Then, our team of
six full-time college counselors
help shape your application and present it in the best light.
We offer
23 AP
and
14 Honors
courses across a broad range of subjects. This provides the challenge and depth students need to prepare for top universities.
See all of Bellarmine’s academic departments
Our students are among the highest-scoring in both the country and the Bay Area:
SAT average: 1310
(nearly 300 points above the national average)
ACT average: 30
(10+ points above the national average)
Bellarmine maintains an
18:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
This allows for personalized attention and strong faculty-student relationships.
Bellarmine employs
six full-time college counselors
—more than any other Bay Area private school and more than most schools in the country. Students receive
individual college counseling starting junior year,
plus college workshops, a dedicated guidance course, and visits from over 120 college reps annually.
Learn more about College Counseling at Bellarmine
Yes. The Office of Accessible Education provides personalized plans and accommodations to make sure every student has what they need to succeed.
Learn More About the Office of Accessible Education
Absolutely. Students have access to tutoring during free periods and after school through the Academic Resource Center, along with additional academic and personal support from the counseling team.
Learn More About The Academic Resource Center
Our academics are grounded in the Jesuit principle of
cura personalis,
or care for the whole person. We challenge students intellectually and support them in developing character, leadership, and a lifelong commitment to service. This idea is woven throughout the curriculum at Bellarmine.
Ready to Reach Your Full Potential?
Bellarmine’s academic offerings challenge you and prepare you well for college. With advanced coursework, individualized counseling, and a Jesuit approach that develops the whole person, you’ll graduate ready to thrive at your best-fit university.
If you’re looking for one of the best private high school educations in the Bay Area, your path starts here.
Start Your Application
View Our Academic Departments
Skip To Main Content
Academics
A Prestigious College Prep High School in San Jose
Ranked among the
top 10% of college prep schools
in California, Bellarmine’s rigorous curriculum gives students the knowledge, skills, and discipline to excel at top universities and in competitive careers.
With high SAT/ACT scores, advanced coursework, and
the most robust college counseling department of any Bay Area high school,
Bellarmine graduates are prepared to lead.
Start Your Application
View Daily Schedule
Academic Requirements
Academic Profile
Academic Departments
Bell is very rigorous academically. I've been told it’s even harder than college at times. But Bell offers you so many resources to set you up for success: tutors, a ton of time to get your work done during school, office hours with teachers, community time, free periods—all this time so you can stay on top of your work, because almost every student here does co-curriculars. Along with those things, the counselors here have our best interests in mind.
— Nolan Lyle ’27
Across a Range of Disciplines
To Challenge High-Achieving Students
~300 Points Higher than the National Average
10.4 Points Higher than the National Average
For a High Level of Personalized Attention
Attend Four-Year Colleges
The Most Robust College Counseling of Any Bay Area High School
The college admissions process is more competitive than ever, but Bellarmine gives you the structure and strategy to stand out.
With six full-time college counselors—
more than any other private school in the Bay Area
—you get the personalized guidance you need to identify and get into your best-fit colleges. Our college readiness resources also include:
Four years of developmentally appropriate college preparation guidance
covering academic pathways, leadership development, and co-curricular exploration.
Workshops for students and parents
on applications, scholarships, and financial aid.
120+ college admissions officers
who visit Bellarmine each year.
A dedicated
two-week College Guidance class
for juniors.
Led by a nationally recognized expert—our Director of College Counseling is the
former president of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
and works directly with students every day.
Learn More About Our College Counseling
Counseling from Day One
From your first day at Bellarmine, you are assigned a Personal Counselor. This person supports you throughout high school—not just on your academic success, but on life skills and emotional wellness, too.
Academic Counseling
Your counselor works with you one-on-one to set and reach academic goals. They help you:
Build a strong academic foundation
by selecting the right courses.
Study smarter
and manage your time
with strategies that improve performance.
Stand out in college applications
by pursuing leadership roles that match your strengths.
Make a meaningful impact
through service opportunities that reflect your values.
Personal Counseling
In the spirit of caring for the whole person, our counseling program also supports emotional wellness and personal development.
Social-Emotional Counseling:
Individual and group sessions addressing stress, anxiety, and personal growth.
Personal Counseling Parent Events:
Additional support and engagement for students and families.
CURA Program (10th-12th Grade):
Monthly counselor-led sessions focused on social-emotional skills and personal development.
Go to Personal Counseling
Additional Academic Resources
Office of Accessible Education:
Personalized plans and accommodations for students with learning differences
Academic Resource Center and Tutoring
: Extra help available during free periods and after school.
Our Jesuit Philosophy: Educating the Whole Person
Bellarmine embraces the Jesuit ideal of
cura personalis
, or care for the whole person. This means we challenge students to grow academically, spiritually, and ethically. Inspired by the Jesuit motto
ad majorem Dei gloriam
—for the greater glory of God—we cultivate each student’s gifts and talents in service of a greater purpose.
Grounded in the Ignatian philosophy of education, Bellarmine forms young men of intellectual competence, moral integrity, and religious conviction, as reflected in the Ignatian Educator’s Prayer:
"Teach us to serve you as you deserve…to form our students into persons of intellectual competence, moral integrity, and religious conviction whose actions are informed by conscience, infused with compassion, and inspired by a commitment to a faith that seeks justice."
Ignatian Educator's Prayer
Through our rigorous college-preparatory curriculum, students sharpen their critical thinking and creativity while developing resilience and compassion. Their learning extends beyond the classroom through service, immersion trips, athletics, the arts, and leadership opportunities. Here, students are challenged to bring their God-given talents to fullness in all areas of life.
Bellarmine’s educators are committed to this mission. They continually grow in their faith and professional excellence. As members of the Jesuit Schools Network (JSN), our faculty upholds the
Profile of an Ignatian Educator
and strives to instill in students a lifelong commitment to reconciliation, justice, and service.
Read "Ignatian Educators, Companions in Ministry"
What makes Bellarmine one of California’s top college prep schools?
How many AP and Honors courses are offered?
What are Bellarmine’s average SAT and ACT scores?
What is the student-to-teacher ratio at Bellarmine?
What kind of college counseling is available?
Is there support for students with disabilities or learning differences?
Are tutoring and academic resources available?
How does Jesuit education shape the academic experience?
Bellarmine is ranked in the
top 10% of college prep schools statewide
and as the
#1 all-boys high school in the Bay Area,
thanks to a rigorous curriculum, strong AP and Honors offerings, and exceptional college placement. Our students consistently outperform national averages on standardized tests, and
98% attend four-year colleges.
The academic, co-curricular, leadership, and service opportunities available here are what build your candidacy for top colleges. Then, our team of
six full-time college counselors
help shape your application and present it in the best light.
We offer
23 AP
and
14 Honors
courses across a broad range of subjects. This provides the challenge and depth students need to prepare for top universities.
See all of Bellarmine’s academic departments
Our students are among the highest-scoring in both the country and the Bay Area:
SAT average: 1310
(nearly 300 points above the national average)
ACT average: 30
(10+ points above the national average)
Bellarmine maintains an
18:1 student-to-teacher ratio.
This allows for personalized attention and strong faculty-student relationships.
Bellarmine employs
six full-time college counselors
—more than any other Bay Area private school and more than most schools in the country. Students receive
individual college counseling starting junior year,
plus college workshops, a dedicated guidance course, and visits from over 120 college reps annually.
Learn more about College Counseling at Bellarmine
Yes. The Office of Accessible Education provides personalized plans and accommodations to make sure every student has what they need to succeed.
Learn More About the Office of Accessible Education
Absolutely. Students have access to tutoring during free periods and after school through the Academic Resource Center, along with additional academic and personal support from the counseling team.
Learn More About The Academic Resource Center
Our academics are grounded in the Jesuit principle of
cura personalis,
or care for the whole person. We challenge students intellectually and support them in developing character, leadership, and a lifelong commitment to service. This idea is woven throughout the curriculum at Bellarmine.
Ready to Reach Your Full Potential?
Bellarmine’s academic offerings challenge you and prepare you well for college. With advanced coursework, individualized counseling, and a Jesuit approach that develops the whole person, you’ll graduate ready to thrive at your best-fit university.
If you’re looking for one of the best private high school educations in the Bay Area, your path starts here.
Start Your Application
View Our Academic Departments