About Cathedral

Since 1905, Cathedral High School has provided a transformative Catholic education to the young women of New York City: an education that challenges them to fulfill their academic potential, inspires them to lead and serve their communities, and imbues them with a deep sense of their own human dignity. 

We Believe That:

• We form a community of faith and shared values by celebrating the Good News of Jesus Christ.
• We respect diversity within our school community by recognizing God’s presence in all creation promoting that recognition.
• We recognize and nurture the God-given talents of each student to reach her full academic potential.
• We are part of a global community, and we empower our young women to respond with integrity to the needs of our times.

Cathedral began in 1905 when it became obvious that young women should also have the chance for advanced learning that would open many career doors and enrich the human person. There were two faculty -- both Sisters of Charity -- and a student body of 28. Even from the beginning, the school was known for excellence in academics.
In 1924 Cathedral moved into a new building on Lexington Avenue that many of the Alumnae called “home” for decades. In 1925, because of the huge numbers who wanted a Cathedral education, the first of five Annexes was opened.

By the 1950s, Cathedral was graduating classes as large as 850 students.  This was our home until 1973 when we moved to 350 East 56th Street inside of the Terence Cardinal Cooke Building that we called "home" for fifty years.  In the summer of 2023, we relocated to our present location at 116 East 97th Street.

The world has changed a great deal since the first CHS class graduated in 1909, a year in which women could not vote, were denied access to many professions and rarely worked outside the home. Today's graduates can expect to achieve goals that would have seemed impossible for members of the Class of 1909.

Yet there is one consistent thread that has tied all of these women of Cathedral together and that has been their dedication to academic excellence and commitment to service.

In the 1940s Cathedralites sold bonds and bought jeeps and ambulances to bring relatives home from war sooner. Today in addition to a demanding course load, Cathedralites still make time to serve the poor, work with AIDS children, tutor, help the elderly and are present where there is poverty and need.

Cathedral has always had a rich and diverse population that gave it a cosmopolitan atmosphere. This blend of cultures encourages students to appreciate the value and unique beauty of all people and attain a deeper appreciation and understanding of what it means to be a global citizen and to live in a global community.

FACTS ABOUT CATHEDRAL

• Cathedral is a Catholic College Prep school with a record of success dating back to 1905
• Student-faculty ratio is 12:1
• Scholarships: This year Cathedral is offering several full and partial tuition scholarships. The awarding of scholarships is based on TACHS scores, grades and recommendations.
• Our school is located on 97th Street between Lexington and Park on the Upper East Side , just two blocks or less from the 6 train, the Q train, the crosstown M96 bus, and several other bus lines in Manhattan and the Bronx.
• Cathedral's beautiful historical, newly renovated building is located in the safe residential Carnegie Hill neighborhood.
• Our highly accomplished faculty members possess among them over 50 master's degrees and 5 with double master's

CATHEDRAL IS A CATHOLIC SCHOOL

As a Catholic school, Cathedral High School seeks to center the school day and year on the person of Jesus Christ and the sacraments of the Church. We begin each school year gathering at a Liturgy and asking for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Each day begins with the celebration of the Mass, to which students and faculty are invited, in the school chapel. This is followed by morning prayers with the entire student body asking God’s blessings on the day.

In the course of the year, the students gather for a Thanksgiving Mass, the May Mass honoring the Virgin Mary, and an Ash Wednesday service. Many of these services and our graduation ceremony take place at St. Patrick's Cathedral so that the entire Cathedral family can celebrate together.

In order to experience the Liturgy in a more intimate way, each student has the opportunity to prepare and participate in class Masses.

In preparation for Christmas and Easter, the students attend Penance services with the opportunity for private confession. Confessions are also available on request at any time.

The religion classes, while respecting the different religious traditions represented among the student body, seek to impart not only religious knowledge but also insight into the impact the person of Jesus Christ should have in our lives.

Students have said that Cathedral is a place that continues to sustain them - long after they have left to pursue higher levels of education.

Since 1905 we have educated over 35,000 women. Today we continue to help students develop their own unique gifts as well as teaching them the skills to compete in a vast and ever changing global economy. At graduation the CHS student leaves us a highly skilled, literate young woman who is ready to attend competitive colleges and who possesses the moral strength to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

True to the spirit in which it was founded, Cathedral High School is a school with ties to a rich history and tradition, yet it has remained responsive to the changing needs of our times.

Cathedral High School is accredited by the Middle States Association of Secondary Schools. Our Certificate affirms that Cathedral High School:

• Provides high-quality educational experiences for students
• Meets its responsibilities to the profession of education
• Complies with standards established by the Commission on Secondary Schools