Note on test scores: the UC system has been test-blind since 2021, meaning UCLA, Berkeley, and the rest of the UCs do not consider SAT or ACT scores in admissions. CSU is also test-blind. So California public schools have de-emphasized standardized testing more than any other state. Scores below come from voluntary submission rates plus PSAT data, which most schools still track.
Bay Area
| School | City | Zip | Avg SAT | Top college destinations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mission San Jose HS | Fremont | 94539 | 1450–1520 | UC Berkeley, UCLA, MIT, Stanford, CMU |
| Lynbrook HS | San Jose | 95129 | 1430–1510 | Berkeley, UCLA, UCI, Stanford, MIT |
| Monta Vista HS | Cupertino | 95014 | 1430–1500 | Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, Stanford, MIT |
| Henry M. Gunn HS | Palo Alto | 94306 | 1410–1490 | Stanford, Berkeley, UCLA, MIT, Yale |
| Palo Alto HS | Palo Alto | 94301 | 1390–1480 | Stanford, Berkeley, USC, UCLA, NYU |
| Saratoga HS | Saratoga | 95070 | 1420–1500 | Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, Stanford |
| Lowell HS | San Francisco | 94132 | 1390–1470 | Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD, Stanford, Cornell |
| Los Altos HS | Los Altos | 94022 | 1370–1460 | Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford, USC, Northwestern |
| Mountain View HS | Mountain View | 94040 | 1340–1430 | UCLA, UCSD, Berkeley, USC, Stanford |
| Aragon HS | San Mateo | 94402 | 1320–1410 | UCLA, UCSD, Berkeley, USC, Cal Poly SLO |
Greater Los Angeles
| School | City | Zip | Avg SAT | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitney HS | Cerritos | 90703 | 1430–1510 | ABC USD magnet, top-ranked CA public for years |
| Diamond Bar HS | Diamond Bar | 91765 | 1340–1430 | Walnut Valley USD; AP-heavy |
| Beverly Hills HS | Beverly Hills | 90212 | 1290–1400 | Beverly Hills USD |
| Palisades Charter HS | Pacific Palisades | 90272 | 1290–1380 | Charter, large AP enrollment |
| Polytechnic HS (Pasadena) | Pasadena | 91106 | 1430–1530 | Private — listed for context |
| San Marino HS | San Marino | 91108 | 1340–1430 | San Marino USD; near-100% college matriculation |
| South Pasadena HS | South Pasadena | 91030 | 1290–1390 | South Pasadena USD |
| Walnut HS | Walnut | 91789 | 1310–1410 | Walnut Valley USD |
| La Cañada HS | La Cañada Flintridge | 91011 | 1340–1440 | Strong feeder to Caltech, Berkeley |
Orange County
| School | City | Zip | Avg SAT | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University HS (Irvine) | Irvine | 92612 | 1330–1430 | IUSD; UC-heavy matriculation |
| Northwood HS | Irvine | 92620 | 1310–1410 | IUSD; growing in selectivity |
| Beckman HS | Tustin (Tustin USD) | 92782 | 1320–1420 | Tustin USD; large AP enrollment |
| Troy HS | Fullerton | 92831 | 1340–1450 | Magnet IB program; one of OC's strongest publics |
| Corona del Mar HS | Newport Beach | 92625 | 1310–1410 | Newport-Mesa USD |
| Woodbridge HS (Irvine) | Irvine | 92604 | 1290–1390 | IUSD |
| Sage Hill School | Newport Coast | 92657 | 1380–1480 | Private — listed for context |
| Oxford Academy | Cypress | 90630 | 1430–1530 | Anaheim Union HSD magnet, application-admit |
San Diego region
| School | City | Zip | Avg SAT | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Torrey Pines HS | Del Mar | 92014 | 1340–1450 | San Dieguito UHSD; near La Jolla |
| La Jolla HS | La Jolla | 92037 | 1290–1390 | San Diego USD |
| Canyon Crest Academy | Carmel Valley | 92130 | 1340–1440 | San Dieguito UHSD |
| Westview HS | Torrey Highlands | 92129 | 1310–1410 | Poway USD |
| Del Norte HS | 4S Ranch | 92127 | 1290–1390 | Poway USD |
| Rancho Bernardo HS | Rancho Bernardo | 92128 | 1280–1380 | Poway USD |
Where these schools actually send students
California's top high schools share a near-universal college destination pattern: heavy UC admissions (UCLA, Berkeley, UCSD, UCI, UC Davis as a backstop), strong Stanford and USC representation, and increasing East Coast cross-country flows (especially to MIT, Cornell, Columbia, and Northeastern). Caltech is concentrated among Pasadena-area schools (Polytechnic, La Cañada, San Marino, Arcadia HS).
Cupertino vs Palo Alto vs Irvine — the real comparison
Cupertino (Monta Vista, Lynbrook, 95014, 95129) and Fremont (Mission San Jose, 94539) have the highest average academic performance in the state — and the most intense competition. Palo Alto (94301, 94306) is comparable on outcomes but with a more relaxed (still intense) culture and stronger humanities focus. Irvine (92612, 92620, 92604) is the Southern California analog: heavily Asian-American, AP-driven, UC-heavy outcomes, with lower stress than Cupertino but the same college trajectory.
How AceNotes fits California students
- AP exam prep for every subject — California top schools push 6–10 APs per student. AceNotes has 100 AP-aligned study sets across every AP subject.
- SAT/ACT prep — even though UCs are test-blind, private schools (Stanford, USC, Ivies, Northwestern) and out-of-state publics (Michigan, UNC) still consider scores. AceNotes has 100 SAT and 100 ACT study sets free.
- UC application personal-insight question prep — drop in your draft and use the AI tutor for feedback.
- Class material — convert any textbook PDF or Khan Academy video to a study set in 30 seconds.
Test-blind UC admissions: what you should know
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