Some of the best high schools in the US are located in California, where students can enjoy a wide range of extracurricular activities in addition to an excellent education. Every student can find something they enjoy at California’s high schools, whether they are seeking academic excellence, robust athletic programs, or cutting-edge arts instruction. We examine the Best High Schools in California in this post, giving you the knowledge you need to make an informed decision.
Here’s the list of best high schools in California:
University High School
- Total Enrollment: 487
- Statewide Ranking: #7
- Senior Enrollment: 113
- Average ACT Score: 30
- Graduation Rate: 100%
- Average SAT Score: 1300
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 24:1
- College Readiness Index: 88.2
- Passed at Least One AP Exam: 84%
71% of students at this Best High Schools in California are expected to be minority. It’s interesting to note that every senior chose to take at least one AP exam. Of these students, 83% received a 3+. Students outperformed expectations in every subject when it came to subject proficiency scores. For science (90%), reading (98%), and math (87%). Subject proficiency scores correspond to the district average.
Troy High School
- Graduation Rate: 94%
- Total Enrollment: 2,614
- Senior Enrollment: 623
- Statewide Ranking: #28
- Average ACT Score: 32
- Average SAT Score: 1400
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 24:1
- College Readiness Index: 70.5
- Passed at Least One AP Exam: 69%
With 87.7% of its students being minorities, this public school also boasts a high level of student diversity. 93% of seniors received a 3+, and 74% of seniors chose to take at least one AP exam. Students at Troy High School also performed significantly better than expected on their subject proficiency tests. Students here achieved 80% proficiency in mathematics (district average: 39%), 88% proficiency in reading (district average: 61%), and 74% proficiency in science (district average: 33%) when compared to other schools in the district.
Canyon Crest Academy
- Graduation Rate: 99%
- Total Enrollment: 2,356
- Senior Enrollment: 601
- Statewide Ranking: #16
- Average ACT Score: 32
- Average SAT Score: 1430
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 28:1
- College Readiness Index: 87.1
- Passed at Least One AP Exam: 86%
Minority enrollment at this high school is expected to be 55.7%. Eighty-nine percent of seniors chose to take at least one AP exam. Of those seniors, 97% received a 3+. Students performed well above expectations and received higher grades than the district average, with high scores in reading (88%), science (68%), and mathematics (80%).
California Academy of Mathematics & Science
- Total Enrollment: 667
- Statewide Ranking: #3
- Graduation Rate: 100%
- Senior Enrollment: 161
- Average ACT Score: 30
- Average SAT Score: 1340
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 27:1
- College Readiness Index: 92.9
- Passed at Least One AP Exam: 91%
The student body at this high school is extremely diverse, with 93.9% of its students being minorities. All senior students at this school chose to take the AP exam, and at least 90% of them received a score of 3+. In terms of subject proficiency, students also performed significantly better than expected. Students here achieved 95% (district average, 34%) in mathematics, 93% (district average, 57%) in reading, and 83% (district average, 23%) in science, in comparison to the other schools in the district.
Palo Alto High School
- Graduation Rate: 95%
- Average ACT Score:31
- Total Enrollment: 2,010
- Senior Enrollment: 516
- Statewide Ranking: #34
- Average SAT Score: 1410
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 17:1
- College Readiness Index: 79.9
- Passed at Least One AP Exam: 79%
This high school has a diverse student body, with 61.6% of its students being minorities. 97% of seniors received a 3+ on the AP exam, and at least 82% of seniors decided to take at least one exam. The school’s subject proficiency scores were significantly higher than expected. However, the scores for science (61%) and mathematics (77%) were somewhat below the district average of 86% and 80%, respectively. Overall subject proficiency scores, however, continued to surpass the state average.
California School of the Arts
- Graduation Rate: 98%
- Total Enrollment: 982
- Senior Enrollment: 249
- Average ACT Score: 28
- Statewide Ranking: #176
- Average SAT Score: 1260
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 16:1
- College Readiness Index: 59.3
- Passed at Least One AP Exam: 56%
This art school has a diverse student body, with 71.9% of its students being minorities. The fact that women make up 71% of the student body is also noteworthy. Seventy-nine percent of seniors who chose to take at least one AP exam received a 3+. This high school’s students achieved subject proficiency in science (42%) and math (34%), which was comparable to the district average.
Orange County School of the Arts
- Graduation Rate: 98%
- Total Enrollment: 1,671
- Senior Enrollment: 410
- Average ACT Score: 30
- Statewide Ranking: #38
- Average SAT Score: 1320
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 16:1
- College Readiness Index: 75.8
- Passed at Least One AP Exam: 74%
Students can anticipate a minority enrollment rate of 69.6% at this art school. Additionally, women make up 69% of the student body. Eighty-two percent of seniors chose to take the AP exam. Ninety percent of these pupils received a 3+. Students’ subject proficiency scores were significantly higher than expected. While their reading (89%), science (62%), and math (73%), scores were in line with the district average, they were at least 20% above the statewide averages in each subject.
Saratoga High School
- Graduation Rate: 97%
- Total Enrollment: 1,248
- Senior Enrollment: 357
- Statewide Ranking: #24
- Average ACT Score: 33
- Average SAT Score: 1450
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 20:1
- College Readiness Index: 71.5
- Passed at Least One AP Exam: 71%
This high school is among the best public high schools in California, with a diverse student body that includes 80% minority students. 95% of seniors received at least a 3+, and 74% of them chose to take at least one AP exam. In terms of subject proficiency, students performed well in reading (94%) and mathematics (91%). Science subject proficiency was likewise high at 65%. All of these scores exceeded the state and district averages.
Henry M. Gunn High School
- Graduation Rate: 97%
- Total Enrollment: 1,868
- Senior Enrollment: 481
- Statewide Ranking: #23
- Average ACT Score: 32
- Average SAT Score: 1430
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 17:1
- College Readiness Index: 75.6
- Passed at Least One AP Exam: 75%
This high school enrolls a diverse student body, with 69.3% of its students being minorities. At this high school, 78% of seniors opted to take the AP exam, and 96% of them achieved a 3+ on at least one test. The reading and math proficiency scores of the students at this high school were at least 80%. Students also achieved a 68% proficiency score in science. Overall, this high school’s students outperformed the state and district averages in every subject.
Lowell High School
- Graduation Rate: 99%
- Total Enrollment: 2,652
- Senior Enrollment: 723
- Average ACT Score: 30
- Statewide Ranking: #11
- Average SAT Score: 1370
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 22:1
- College Readiness Index: 88.2
- Passed at Least One AP Exam: 87%
This university has a diverse student body, with 82.3% of its students being minorities. 92% of seniors chose to sit for an AP exam, and 94% of them received a 3+. It is noteworthy that this high school achieves at least 30% higher subject proficiency in each category than the state and district averages. Reading (93%), science (73%), and mathematics (84%), all had scores significantly higher than the district average.
Conclusion
Best High Schools in California have access to a wide range of opportunities, from strong extracurricular activities to academic success. These institutions prepare students for college and beyond with high graduation rates, excellent AP exam scores, and remarkable subject proficiency. Every school mentioned offers a distinctive educational setting that aids families in making well-informed choices regarding their kids’ education.