Southwestern Academy

Southwestern Academy, founded in 1924, is a distinguished boarding and day school for grades 6–12 located in the prestigious community of San Marino, California. One of the few boarding schools in the greater Los Angeles area, Southwestern serves approximately 200 students — with a significant international student body representing dozens of countries — offering a rigorous college preparatory curriculum with comprehensive ESL/EFL support. WASC-accredited, the school provides personalized attention with small class sizes rarely exceeding 12 students. Southwestern's unique position in San Marino places students near Caltech, the Huntington Library, and the cultural richness of greater Los Angeles. The school specializes in supporting international students from Asia, Europe, and Latin America in their transition to American university life. Graduates gain admission to universities across the United States and internationally. The school's residential life program fosters independence, cross-cultural understanding, and lifelong global friendships.