Northwood High School

Q: What is Northwood High School's UC Reach Score?

Northwood High School's UC Reach Score is 71 (Excellent, top 6% in California): 427 UC admits (counted at each UC) from a senior class of 603, so a student admitted to several campuses counts at each. That is higher than 97% of California high schools.

Q: How many students from Northwood High School got into a UC?

In 2025 its students filed 1,799 UC applications and received 427 offers, a UC admit rate of 23.7% (counted at each campus); 108 enrolled.

Q: Which UC campus do Northwood High School graduates attend most?

More of Northwood High School's graduates enrolled at UC Irvine than at any other UC campus (39 in 2025); UC Berkeley and UCLA together admitted 61.

Q: What percentage of Northwood High School graduates complete the A-G requirements?

65% of its graduates completed the A-G courses required for UC and CSU eligibility (California median 56%).

Q: What percentage of Northwood High School graduates go to college?

87% of its 2022-23 graduates enrolled in college within 12 months (California Department of Education College-Going Rate).

Q: Where do Northwood High School graduates go to college?

Northwood High School publishes a matriculation list (where its graduates enrolled) for the Class of 2013 ‐ 2017: 209 colleges. Source: College Matriculation for the Class of 2013 ‐ 2017 (Northwood HS Counseling report linked from the school's College Prep.

Q: How many students attend Northwood High School?

Enrollment was 2,255 students in 2026, about the same as in 2018.

Irvine · Orange County · Irvine Unified · Public

Public Orange County Irvine Unified → ~603 seniors CDS 3073650…

Shareable scorecard →

Data Year

Compare with peers

Most similar nearby schools

Woodbridge High School → Foothill High School → Arnold O Beckman High School → Irvine High School → Santa Ana High School → Compare all similar →

Top 5% UC Reach in California Top 10% Math · Top 25% ELA · SBAC (CA) 16 AP courses 98% 4-yr grad rate Top 8 Attendance (lowest chronic absenteeism) in Orange Top 10% Attendance (lowest chronic absenteeism) in CA

A parent's read

Where graduates go, as the school itself publishes it. Northwood High School publishes where its graduates go (Class of 2013 ‐ 2017): 209 colleges, including University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Los Angeles, California Institute of Technology, Claremont McKenna College.
The UC pipeline here is real. 427 admissions to the top six UC campuses for a class of 603 seniors puts this school in roughly the top 3% of California high schools.
Where grads land in the UC system: UC Irvine. More graduates enroll at UC Irvine than any other UC. Berkeley and UCLA admitted 61 of this class's 1,799 UC applications — elite admits are rare everywhere, and the strong middle campuses are where most real outcomes happen.
Families don't leave. 94% of students who start the year here finish it here — top-tier retention statewide. Kids stay; that tells you something no test score does.
Worth asking about on a tour: counselor load. One counselor served about 564 students here in the 2020 federal count — above the 250-to-1 level counseling experts recommend. Ask what the ratio is today and how junior-year college advising actually gets covered.

Composed from this page's data — every claim is backed by a number in the sections below.

Where graduates go — as published by the school

Northwood High School publishes where its graduates enrolled (Class of 2013 ‐ 2017): 209 colleges, plus a separate acceptances list. See the full list ↓

At a glance

Programs & features

16 AP courses offered — Elite
Dual-enrollment program (college credit while in HS)
10 calculus classes · 24 physics · 38 chemistry

Academic signals

AP rigor: 73rd percentile nationally
SAT/ACT participation: 76th percentile by test-taker volume
4-yr grad rate: 98% in 2019 (Top 2.3% of US high schools by 4-yr grad rate)

Composed from federal CRDC offerings, EDFacts graduation data, and other public data. Full breakdowns below.

Their published matriculation list

Where the Class of 2013 ‐ 2017 enrolled

Northwood High School publishes where its graduates enrolled. What follows is copied from that document — 209 colleges, in the document's own order.

Ivy+ and most selective · 11

Stanford University · Brown University · Columbia University · Cornell University · Duke University · Harvard University · Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Princeton University · University of Chicago · University of Pennsylvania · Yale University

University of California · 10

University of California, Berkeley · University of California, Davis · University of California, Irvine · University of California, Los Angeles · University of California, Merced · University of California, Riverside · University of California, San Diego · University of California, Santa Barbara · University of California, Santa Cruz · Dominican University of California

Cal State · 16

Other California · 33

Cypress College · San Diego Mesa College · Santa Ana College · Santa Monica College · Academy of Art University · Azusa Pacific University · Biola University · California Institute of Technology · California Lutheran University · California Northstate University · Chapman University · Claremont McKenna College · Concordia University ‐ Irvine · Harvey Mudd College · and 19 more below

Out of state · 101

Arapahoe Community College · Glendale Community College · Valencia College · The University of Texas, Austin · University of Arkansas · University of Cincinnati · University of Colorado at Boulder · University of Connecticut · University of Florida · University of Hawaii at Manoa · University of Houston · University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign · University of Kansas · University of Maryland, Baltimore County · and 87 more below

Not matched to a college page · 38

Aveda Institute Los Angeles · Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Irvine · Bergen Community College · Coastline Community College · Coconino County Community College · Cuesta College · De Anza College · Fullerton College · Golden West College · Grossmont College · Highline Community College · Irvine Valley College · Oakland Community College ‐ Orchard Ridge Campus · Orange Coast College · and 24 more below

Is my kid's college on this list?

✓ Stanford University ✓ New York University ✓ University of Southern California ✓ University of California, Los Angeles ✓ University of California, Berkeley ✓ University of Michigan ✓ Cornell University — Boston University ✓ Northeastern University ✓ University of Texas at Austin ✓ Georgetown University ✓ Duke University

Any college:

All 209 colleges, as the document prints them

Aveda Institute Los Angeles Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, Irvine Arapahoe Community College Bergen Community College Coastline Community College Coconino County Community College Cuesta College Cypress College De Anza College Fullerton College Glendale Community College Golden West College Grossmont College Highline Community College Irvine Valley College Oakland Community College ‐ Orchard Ridge Campus Orange Coast College Riverside City College Sacramento City College Saddleback College San Diego Mesa College Santa Ana College Santa Barbara City College Santa Monica College Santiago Canyon College Valencia College University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis University of California, Irvine University of California, Los Angeles

and 179 more

Northwood High School also publishes its college acceptances — 295 colleges

Their published college acceptances

A separate list the school published: the colleges that ADMITTED its graduates, not the colleges they enrolled at. Copied from that document, ordered by the number of students accepted.

Years, as the document states them
Class of 2017

College · Acceptances, Class of 2017 (self-reported on Naviance)

California State University, Fullerton 89

University of California, Riverside 89

University of California, Irvine 80

University of California, Santa Barbara 67

University of California, San Diego 65

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona 45

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo 42

California State University, Long Beach 42

University of California, Davis 41

Chapman University 39

University of Washington 38

University of California, Santa Cruz 36

San Francisco State University 35

University of California, Berkeley 32

Purdue University 29

University of California, Los Angeles 29

University of Oregon 27

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 25

The University of Arizona 24

Boston University 23

New York University 23

San Diego State University 23

University of California, Merced 23

San Jose State University 22

Loyola Marymount University 20

University of San Francisco 20

University of Southern California 20

Arizona State University 18

Pennsylvania State University 18

Indiana University at Bloomington 17

and 265 more

Northeastern University 17

University of the Pacific 17

University of Colorado at Boulder 15

Baylor University 13

Syracuse University 13

The Ohio State University 12

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities 12

University of San Diego 12

Drexel University 11

DePaul University 10

Pepperdine University 10

Santa Clara University 10

Biola University 9

Boston College 9

Case Western Reserve University 9

The University of Alabama 9

Northern Arizona University 8

Seattle University 8

University of Redlands 8

University of Utah 8

California State University, Los Angeles 7

California State University, Northridge 7

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 7

Sonoma State University 7

The George Washington University 7

University of South Carolina 7

Washington State University 7

California State University, San Marcos 6

Carnegie Mellon University 6

Colorado State University 6

Emerson College 6

Fordham University 6

Oregon State University 6

Rice University 6

Temple University 6

University of Denver 6

University of Hawaii at Manoa 6

University of Maryland, College Park 6

University of Michigan 6

California State University, Monterey Bay 5

Emory University 5

Occidental College 5

Pitzer College 5

Point Loma Nazarene University 5

Seattle Pacific University 5

Southern Methodist University 5

Stony Brook University 5

The University of Texas, Austin 5

University of Pittsburgh 5

Vanderbilt University 5

Art Center College of Design 4

Bard College 4

Boise State University 4

Brigham Young University, Idaho 4

California State University, Channel Islands 4

California State University, Sacramento 4

Cornell University 4

Johns Hopkins University 4

Pace University, New York City 4

University of Massachusetts, Amherst 4

University of Missouri Columbia 4

Virginia Tech 4

American Jewish University 3

Azusa Pacific University 3

Brigham Young University 3

California State University, Chico 3

Claremont McKenna College 3

Columbia College Chicago 3

Iowa State University 3

Lafayette College 3

Laguna College of Art and Design 3

Loyola University Chicago 3

Michigan State University 3

Otis College of Art and Design 3

Rochester Institute of Technology 3

Saint Louis University 3

School of the Art Institute of Chicago 3

Texas Christian University 3

The New School - All Divisions 3

University of Connecticut 3

University of Massachusetts, Boston 3

University of Miami 3

University of Nevada, Las Vegas 3

University of Pennsylvania 3

University of Rochester 3

Washington University in St. Louis 3

Westmont College 3

American University 2

Auburn University 2

Barnard College 2

Belmont University 2

Brown University 2

Butler University (College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences) 2

California Northstate University 2

California State University, Bakersfield 2

California State University, East Bay 2

Clark University 2

Clemson University 2

Colorado School of Mines 2

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Prescott 2

Georgia Institute of Technology 2

Harvey Mudd College 2

Hawaii Pacific University 2

Hofstra University 2

Marquette University 2

Maryland Institute College of Art 2

McGill University 2

MCPHS - Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences 2

Miami University, Oxford 2

Ohio University 2

Portland State University 2

Pratt Institute 2

Roger Williams University 2

Savannah College of Art and Design 2

School of Visual Arts 2

Scripps College 2

Suffolk University 2

The University of Iowa 2

The University of Tampa 2

The University of Texas, Dallas 2

Trinity University 2

University of Arkansas 2

University of British Columbia 2

University of Colorado at Denver 2

University of Delaware 2

University of Florida 2

University of Illinois at Chicago 2

University of Nebraska at Lincoln 2

University of Puget Sound 2

University of Toronto Undergraduate Only 2

University of Wisconsin, Madison 2

Vanguard University of Southern California 2

Waseda University 2

Wellesley College 2

Western Washington University 2

Willamette University 2

Xavier University 2

Academy of Art University 1

Adelphi University 1

Albany College of Pharmacy 1

Andrews University 1

Arcadia University 1

Barrett, The Honors College 1

Beloit College 1

Bentley University 1

Berklee College of Music 1

Bradley University 1

Bryn Mawr College 1

Cal Maritime 1

California College of the Arts (San Francisco) 1

California Institute of Technology 1

California Lutheran University 1

California State University, Dominguez Hills 1

California State University, Fresno 1

Calvin College 1

Centenary College of Louisiana 1

Coconino County Community College 1

Colby College 1

Colgate University 1

College of Charleston 1

Colorado Mesa University 1

Columbia University 1

Columbus College of Art and Design 1

Concordia University - Irvine 1

Connecticut College 1

Creighton University 1

Denison University 1

Duke University 1

Durham University 1

Eastman School of Music of the U of Rochester 1

Florida State University 1

Foothill College 1

Franklin & Marshall College 1

Gettysburg College 1

Gonzaga University 1

Goucher College 1

Grinnell College 1

Hampshire College 1

High Point University 1

Hope International University 1

Humboldt State University 1

Illinois Institute of Technology 1

Ithaca College 1

Kalamazoo College 1

King's College London 1

Knox College 1

La Sierra University 1

Lawrence University 1

Lehigh University 1

Lewis & Clark College 1

Liberty University 1

London South Bank University 1

Louisiana State University 1

Manhattan College 1

Manhattanville College 1

Marist College 1

Montclair State University 1

Moody Bible Institute 1

Muhlenberg College 1

Nebraska Wesleyan University 1

Northern Michigan University 1

Northwest Christian University 1

Northwestern University (Engineering) 1

Olin College of Engineering 1

Oregon Institute of Technology 1

Oxford College of Emory University 1

Pacific Lutheran University 1

Pacific University 1

Pomona College 1

Purchase College State University of New York 1

Reed College 1

Rhode Island School of Design 1

Rollins College 1

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology 1

Rutgers University-New Brunswick 1

Saint Anselm College 1

Saint Joseph's University 1

Saint Mary's College of California 1

San Francisco Conservatory of Music 1

Santa Fe University of Art and Design 1

Sarah Lawrence College 1

Smith College 1

Southern Adventist University 1

Southern Oregon University 1

St. Lawrence University 1

Stanford University 1

State University of New York at New Paltz 1

Stevens Institute of Technology 1

Texas A&M University 1

Texas State University 1

Texas Tech University 1

The Juilliard School 1

The Master's University 1

The University of Edinburgh 1

The University of Texas, San Antonio 1

Tulane University 1

United States Air Force Academy 1

United States Military Academy - Army 1

University at Buffalo The State University of New York 1

University of Colorado Colorado Springs 1

University of Hawaii at Hilo 1

University of Kansas 1

University of Kentucky 1

University of Louisville 1

University of Nevada, Reno 1

University of New England 1

University of North Carolina at Wilmington 1

University of North Texas 1

University of Notre Dame 1

University of Ottawa 1

University of Portland 1

University of St Andrews 1

University of Tennessee, Knoxville 1

University of Virginia 1

University of Waterloo 1

Utah State University 1

Vassar College 1

Wayne State University 1

West Virginia University 1

Wheaton College IL 1

Whitman College 1

Whittier College 1

Williams College 1

Woodbury University 1

Yale University 1

Independently verified As published by Northwood High School — College Acceptance Data for Class of 2017 (Northwood HS Counseling report linked from the school's College Preparedness ↗. Found at: Pages 1-3, grouped under the headings: CSU; UC; Private and Public Institutions.

These graduates went on to the colleges above.

Check your kid's odds at these colleges →

We'll load 10 from the list above — add your name, email and your child's numbers and we'll see where your child lands at each.

Independently verified As published by Northwood High School — College Matriculation for the Class of 2013 ‐ 2017 (Northwood HS Counseling report linked from the school's College Prep ↗. Found at: Pages 1-2, grouped lists under the headings: Community College and Two Year Specialty Schools; University of California; California State University; California.

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Where grads go — and what it costs & pays

UC Reach Score

Excellent top 6% in California

Top-6 UC admits per 100 seniors in the Class of 2025 — counts each campus admit, so a student admitted to several UCs counts more than once (which is why a strong school can score over 100).

UC admits by campus · Class of 2025

UCB

34 admitted

12 enrolled

Net $13,481/yr avg

Grads earn $92,446 @10yr

UCLA

27 admitted

16 enrolled

Net $12,548/yr avg

Grads earn $82,511 @10yr

UCSD

60 admitted

23 enrolled

Net $12,470/yr avg

Grads earn $84,943 @10yr

UCSB

79 admitted

4 enrolled

Net $16,109/yr avg

Grads earn $74,915 @10yr

UCI

112 admitted

39 enrolled

Net $14,251/yr avg

Grads earn $80,735 @10yr

UCD

115 admitted

14 enrolled

Net $14,741/yr avg

Grads earn $80,838 @10yr

Getting in is step one. The cost above is the average aid-receiving family's net price — yours depends on whether you qualify for aid — and your child's odds depend on their GPA + scores. See your family's real numbers at these campuses:

Get my child's odds + our real costs →

Sources: UC Office of the President (admits); IPEDS net price + College Scorecard 10-yr earnings (cost & payoff). Full campus-by-campus breakdown below.

California College-Going Rate

86.6% of the 2022-23 graduating class enrolled in college within a year.

The share of 2022-23 graduates who enrolled at a college anywhere in the U.S. within 12 months, per the National Student Clearinghouse match the California Department of Education publishes.

Within 12 months

86.6%

of 569 graduates

Give the same class four more months and 88.2% had enrolled — CDE publishes a 16-month window alongside the 12-month one, 502 students.

About the same as the 2021-22 class (87.1%).

Where the 2022-23 class enrolled

In California — 414 students (72.8%)

University of California 23.7% 135

California State University 7.6% 43

California Community College 36.6% 208

California private college 4.9% 28

Out of state — 79 students (13.9%)

Out-of-state 4-year 13.9% 79

Out-of-state 2-year 0.0% 0

CDE puts each graduate in one bucket only — whichever kind of college they were enrolled in longest — so these add up to the rate above. That is a different count from the UC Reach Score on this page, which counts a student at every UC campus that admitted them.

Source: California Department of Education, College-Going Rate (DataQuest) ↗, cohort 2022-23, posted 17-Sep-2025. Data file: cgr12mo23.txt ↗ (and the 16-month file ↗). CDE builds the rate by matching California high school completers to National Student Clearinghouse enrollment records; we publish CDE’s aggregates and hold no student-level data.

You've seen Northwood High School. What are your child's real college odds? Check any college in 10 seconds — no email needed — then get the free Family Decision Report: Reach / Competitive / Match / Likely + the real cost range for every college on their list. Check odds →

How Northwood High School compares for families

One of California's strongest schools for college outcomes.

▸ StatewideUC Reach Score of 71 — 52 points above the California median of 19. Ahead of 97% of California high schools.
▸ Locally🎓 Top 5% in California on UC Reach — plus 6 more top-ranks.
▸ vs Similar SchoolsBeats the peer median (UC Reach Score 71 vs a 36 median) across the 5 most similar nearby schools.

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Objective, government-grade data — no school pays us for placement.

Academic rigor

AP + advanced-course offerings

Elite — exceptional AP + advanced course breadth

73rd percentile nationally

Less rigorMore rigorMost rigor

AP courses offered

Subject breadth not reported

Students taking AP courses

745

≈33 per 100 students · uptake, not just offerings

Advanced math classes

10 calculus · 24 advanced

Lab science classes

24 physics · 38 chemistry

Other rigor signals

Dual-enrollment program

Source: federal Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC 2020-21). CRDC reports what's offered + enrolled — it doesn't collect AP exam pass rates (College Board owns that data and doesn't release it school-level).

SAT / ACT participation

CRDC federal data · 2020-21

76th percentile by test-taker volume

SAT/ACT test-takers

203

11th-12th graders who took 1+ college admissions test

Test-taking intensity

9.0

takers per 100 students in grades 9-12

Compared against

18,426

US high schools reporting SAT/ACT participation

Source: federal Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC 2020-21). Volume — not score — is what's reported here. A higher count means more students at this school are entering the college admissions pipeline. Note: 2020-21 was COVID-disrupted; some districts (especially those that stayed remote longer) report unusually low or zero takers.

4-year graduation rate · federal EDFacts

What % of students graduate on time?

Top 2.3% of US high schools by 4-yr grad rate

4-year graduation rate

98%

Single-point estimate

4-year cohort size

515

Students in the 9th-grade entry class tracked over 4 years

Compared against

17,988

US high schools reporting 4-year ACGR

Source: federal EDFacts ACGR (Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate), 2019 vintage via Urban Institute. EDFacts publishes a range (low-high) to preserve privacy on small cohorts; we display the midpoint.

Federal Title I context

Lower-need school

Not Title I eligible (FRPL < 25%)

18.8%

FRPL rate — % of students who qualify for the federal Free or Reduced-Price Lunch program. This is the underlying federal income-eligibility signal Title I designations are computed from (ESEA Sec. 1113).

0% (no FRPL) 35% TA · 40% Schoolwide 100% (universal FRPL)

<25% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch. Well below the Title I threshold; expect a higher-income student body on average.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data, free/reduced-price lunch eligibility. The actual Title I designation is a district decision and may differ from eligibility — but the federal eligibility math is what we show here. We don't claim to assert whether the district formally chose to enroll this school in Title I.

SBAC academic outcomes — grade 11, 2025

Share of grade-11 students meeting or exceeding the California standard on Smarter Balanced ELA and Math. This is the academic-readiness signal that pairs with UC Reach (post-grad outcomes), stability (retention), and absenteeism (engagement). Note: statewide median Math is only ~20% — a school at 20% isn't an outlier; one at 45%+ genuinely is.

About 8 in 10 students read and write at grade level — the top quarter of California high schools.

About 3 in 4 students do math at grade level — the top 10% of California high schools.

ELA — met or exceeded

n = 548

79.0%

incl. 49.3% exceeded

+14.9 pts above Orange County median (64.1%) · CA median 54.5% · Top 10% statewide ≥ 79.4%

Math — met or exceeded

n = 543

72.0%

incl. 45.1% exceeded

★ Top 10% CA

+35.0 pts above Orange County median (37.0%) · CA median 21.4% · Top 10% statewide ≥ 53.6%

Source: California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) Smarter Balanced research files. Benchmarks limited to non-virtual public & charter HS with ≥30 tested students.

Student composition — 2025-26

HS grades 9–12 racial/ethnic composition and program subgroups, from CDE Census Day Enrollment. Two-year shift shown when ≥1 pt — surfaces how the community served has changed since 2023-24.

Race / ethnicity

Asian 63% +2.7

White 17%

Two or more 8%

Hispanic / Latino 8%

Filipino 2%

Black / African Am. 2%

Program subgroups

Socioeconomically disadv. 18% -1.8

English learners 8% +1.2

Students w/ disabilities 5% -1.2

Source: California Department of Education, Census Day Enrollment 2025-26 (HS grades 9–12). Δ shown when shift is ≥1 pt since 2023-24. Categories below 0.5% omitted.

Chronic absenteeism — 2024-25

Share of students missing 10% or more of expected attendance — the leading indicator that often precedes the demand decline shown above. Families disengaging tend to raise absenteeism first, then formally leave. Basis: grades 9–12.

Kids show up: 8% are chronically absent versus about 23% statewide — engagement most schools would envy.

Chronic absent

7.7%

177 of 2,292 students

Absenteeism is up 4.5 pp since 2016-17. A rising absenteeism trend often precedes formal departure — worth investigating which subgroups are driving it.

Orange County median

17.8% · school is better than 95% of 95 HS

Statewide median

22.8%

Chronic absenteeism by year (raw %)

Source: California Department of Education, Chronic Absenteeism 2024-25. Benchmarks limited to non-virtual public & charter HS with ≥100 eligible students. CDE didn't publish a usable 2019-20 file (COVID).

Enrollment trend & projection

Total enrollment (9–12)

2,245 (2018) → 2,255 (2026)

+0.4%

Grade 12 (graduating class)

616 (2018) → 551 (2026)

-10.6%

If this trend holds (+0.8%/yr, Total enrollment)

At per-pupil funding of $ / student:

Horizon	Projected Total enrollment	Change	Funding impact / yr
1 yr (2027)	~2,273	+18	$0
3 yr (2029)	~2,309	+54	$0
5 yr (2031)	~2,346	+91	$0

Straight-line extrapolation of the recent annual rate — a what-if, not a forecast of intent. Default = California's LCFF base grant for grades 9–12 ($12,423/ADA). Edit the figure to match your school.

How does Northwood High School really compare on getting kids to college?

We've ranked it #1 of 11 most similar nearby schools on UC Reach. Unlock the full snapshot to see the head-to-head — who's ahead, by how much, and where it's heading.

The full head-to-head table — every peer school's UC Reach, side by side.

Enrollment trend + 3-year projection — is this school growing or quietly shrinking?

The plain-English read on what it all means for your family.

Your similar-school group includes

Woodbridge High School · Foothill High · Arnold O Beckman High School · Irvine High School · Santa Ana High School · University High · +4 more

Enrollment stability & demand — 2024-25

Two complementary signals: retention (do students stay once enrolled?) and demand (are families choosing the school?). Read against the Orange County baseline — the demographic tide is moving every CA HS, so a school's gap vs. county is the actionable signal.

Families don't leave: 94% of students who start the year finish it here — top-tier retention statewide.

Action needed

Strong inside, weak at the gate.

Families who enroll at Northwood High School stay (94.5% stability — elite). But enrollment is dropping 1.8× the county rate (school -10.6% vs. county -6.0%). The audit question isn't why students leave — it's why fewer families are choosing to enroll in the first place.

-10.6% senior class, grade 12 (2018–2026)

-6.0% Orange County baseline

-4.6pp gap vs. county

94.5% retention (county median 91.8%)

Senior class (grade 12) — indexed to 100 at 2018

Stability rate by year (raw %)

Stability rate

94.5%

2,191 of 2,318 students

127 of 2,318 students who enrolled at Northwood High School this year didn't maintain continuous enrollment (5.5% non-stability). Mid-year transfers, dropouts, and other exits are all counted.

Orange County median

91.8% · school is in the 77th percentile of 95 HS

Statewide median

87.3% · in the 87th percentile of 1,734 HS

Stability by student group

Asian (1,405) 95.2%

Socio. disadvantaged (519) 92.1%

White (408) 92.4%

Hispanic / Latino (200) 91.5%

Two or more races (194) 96.9%

English learners (174) 78.2%

Nearest peer high schools

Woodbridge High School 94.2% Foothill High 94.0% Arnold O Beckman High School 93.9% Irvine High School 93.6% Santa Ana High School 88.0%

Source: California Department of Education, Stability Rate 2024-25. Benchmarks limited to non-virtual public & charter HS with ≥100 cumulative enrollees so by-design-high-churn continuation schools don't dominate the bottom of the distribution. Cumulative enrollment counts every student on the rolls during the year, so it can exceed peak-day enrollment.

District financial profile — Irvine Unified (FY2020)

From 4 years of NCES F-33 filings (the federally-mandated district finance survey). Public schools don't have their own books — the district does. These figures show the financial scale, revenue dependence, instruction-vs-overhead mix, and long-term debt that shape what a school can sustain.

Total revenue

$714.8M

+39.6% since FY2017

Per-pupil revenue

$20,045

35,660 students enrolled

Revenue mix

State: 27.3%
Local: 68.5%
Federal: 4.2%

Instruction share

53.1%

of current spending · $7,285/pupil

Long-term debt

$163.1M

+71.6% since FY2017

Total revenue by year ($M)

Total expenditure by year ($M)

Source: NCES F-33 Annual Survey of School System Finances (Urban Institute Education Data API). Latest year currently published: FY2020. F-33 is a district-level federal filing — it reflects the Irvine Unified as a whole, not this individual school's books. Revenue mix shows where the district's dollars come from (state aid dominates in CA via LCFF). Instruction share is current expenditure on instruction ÷ total current expenditure (national benchmark ~60%). Long-term debt is end-of-year outstanding (mostly facilities bonds).

Key takeaway · Class of 2025

Northwood High School sent 1,799 applications to the six most selective University of California campuses and 23.7% were admitted, producing a UC Reach Score of 71 (top-6 UC admits per 100 seniors, counting a student at each campus that admitted them) — 52 points above the California median of 19, higher than 97% of California high schools. The school produces 10.1 UCLA + UC Berkeley admits per 100 seniors.

UC Reach Score 71 ⓘ 427 admits (counted at each UC) / 603 seniors +35 pts above peer median (36) · #1 of 11 similar schools methodology

Where this sits on the California curve

CA median
19

Peer median
36

Top 10%
53

This school
71

050100

CA median 19 Top 10% ≥ 53 This school 71

Higher than 97% of California high schools (1105 ranked, ≥50 seniors)

What this number means

Northwood High School's UC Reach Score of 71 clears the statewide top-10% cutoff (53) — meaning roughly 70 top-6 UC admits per 100 seniors, well above what most California schools achieve.

In Orange County — a competitive market where the median is already 25 — this still clears the county top-10% bar (70).

Against similar schools, Northwood High School stands out clearly — the peer-group median is 36.

For context, the elite tier (top 1%) clears 95 — a gap of 24 pp from where this school sits.

Overall, Northwood High School's UC Reach is higher than 97% of California high schools (1105 ranked).

How they did at each UC — 2019 entrants

Campus	Entered	Finished in 4 yrs	Finished in 6 yrs
UC Riverside	37	84%	92%
UC Berkeley	31	94%	97%
UC Irvine	27	89%	100%

Only campuses with at least 20 entrants from this school shown. Source: UC Information Center.

UC Application Reach Score ⓘ

298

1799 applications

Strong UC pursuit. The typical senior is applying to about 3 top-6 UC campuses — a signal of a college-driven student body.

In context: CA median 81 · Top 10% statewide ≥ 240 · Orange Co. Top 10% ≥ 294 · higher than 95% of CA HS.

UC Admit Rate ⓘ

23.7%

427 / 1799 applications

In context: CA median 26.1% · Top 10% statewide ≥ 40.4% · higher than 37% of CA HS.

UC Yield Rate ⓘ

25.3%

108 enrolled of 427 admitted

Yield vs. Enrollment Reach: Yield answers "of UC admits, what % chose UC?" — denominator is just the admits. A small admitted cohort can post a low yield even when the school sends a healthy share of its class to UC.

UC Enrollment Reach Score ⓘ

108 enrollees / 603 seniors

Enrollment Reach vs. Yield: Reach answers "of the whole senior class, what share ended up at UC?" — denominator is everyone. High Yield with low Enrollment Reach is common at elite privates: most admits matriculate, but the school sends most of its class to non-UC selective colleges.

Student-Counselor Ratio ⓘ

Each counselor juggles about 564 students — above the level experts recommend. Ask how junior-year college advising is handled.

564:1

4.0 FTE counselors · 2,255 students

In context: CA median 337:1 · 227 more students per counselor · ASCA target 250:1.

A-G Completion ⓘ

2 in 3 graduates finish the UC/CSU course requirements — about the state norm.

65%

391 of 598 graduates · 2024-25 cohort

In context: CA median 55.9% · +9.5 pp above · Orange Co. 60.5%.

UC 6-Yr Grad Rate ⓘ

Kids from here finish what they start: 95% of its UC entrants earn the degree within six years — above the norm for CA schools.

95%

87% finished in 4 yrs · N=152 entered 2019

In context: CA median 88.6% · +6.8 pp above.

Selective UC Reach (UCB, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, UCI — incl. the Elite two) ⓘ

51.7

per 100 seniors · campus-level total

In context: CA median 16.0 · Top 10% statewide ≥ 42.2 · higher than 95% of CA HS.

Elite UC Reach (UCB + UCLA) ⓘ

10.1

per 100 seniors · campus-level total

In context: CA median 3.4 · Top 10% statewide ≥ 10.2 · higher than 90% of CA HS.

Senior Class Size ⓘ

603

CDE grade 12 (exact)

Total School Enrollment ⓘ

2,244

All grades · CDE Census Day

Economic Connectedness ⓘ

1.86

99th percentile in CA · cross‑class friendships

Avg. Applicant GPA · top-6 UCs ⓘ

4.01

Avg. Admitted GPA · top-6 UCs ⓘ

4.19

UC funnel — which kids are getting in at what GPA

Combining the school's applicant pool GPA, admit pool GPA, actual admit rate, and statewide CA admit rates by individual GPA band, we can read which GPA tiers tend to get in — and which don't.

Who's actually getting into UC from Northwood High School

Campus	4.00+ GPA	3.70–3.99 GPA	3.30–3.69 GPA	< 3.30 GPA
UC Berkeley	Real shot	Long odds	Filtered out	Filtered out
UCLA	Real shot	Long odds	Filtered out	Filtered out
UC San Diego	Strong shot	Moderate	Long odds	Filtered out
UC Santa Barbara	Strong shot	Real shot	Long odds	Filtered out
UC Irvine	Strong shot	Real shot	Long odds	Filtered out
UC Davis	Strong shot	Strong shot	Real shot	Filtered out

Strong shot = ≥30% statewide admit rate at this band · Real shot = 10–29% · Moderate = 5–9% · Long odds = 1–4% · Filtered out = under 1%. Tiers map this school's likely outcomes by GPA tier using statewide CA admit rates from UCOP 2025.

The numbers behind it

Campus	Applicant GPA	Admit GPA	Lift ⓘ	Admit rate	vs peer schools @ same GPA ⓘ
UC Berkeley	4.05	4.20	+0.15	11.8%	Peers +0.21 · wider
UCLA	4.02	4.23	+0.21	8.3%	Peers +0.25 · wider
UC San Diego	3.99	4.18	+0.19	18.0%	Peers +0.27 · wider
UC Santa Barbara	4.00	4.23	+0.23	28.8%	Peers +0.27 · wider
UC Irvine	3.99	4.18	+0.20	33.0%	Peers +0.23 · matches
UC Davis	4.02	4.17	+0.15	47.7%	Peers +0.20 · wider

Statewide CA admit rates by individual GPA band, 2025 (for reference)

GPA band	UCB	UCLA	UCSD	UCSB	UCI	UCD
4.00+	17.0%	15.1%	45.2%	62.3%	46.3%	65.9%
3.70–3.99	3.1%	1.6%	9.3%	17.6%	17.0%	31.1%
3.30–3.69	0.8%	0.5%	1.5%	2.8%	2.4%	10.3%
3.00–3.29	0.4%	0.3%	0.2%	0.4%	0.3%	1.9%
< 3.00	0.7%	0.4%	0.3%	0.2%	0.1%	0.7%

How we infer the tier labels: Each tier comes from the statewide CA admit rate at that GPA band at that UC. The "vs peers" column compares this school's lift (admit GPA − applicant GPA) to the average lift at ~100–300 other CA schools with similar applicant pool GPA. What this isn't: a guarantee. UC comprehensive review weighs essays, course rigor, demographics, and context-of-opportunity beyond GPA. A 3.9 with strong context can land an admit; a 4.0 with weak essays can be denied. Use as a baseline expectation, not a verdict. Per-campus year is shown when it differs from the headline year (UCOP doesn't always publish admit-GPA for every campus every year).

Where Northwood High School sits vs. all California schools ⓘ

Overall, this school admits its UC applicants in line with what their GPAs predict (23.7% actual vs. 21.8% expected).

UC Outcomes Trend — 2018–2025

UC Admit Rate %

UC Reach Score (where available)

UC Admits (count, right axis)

Class size from CDE grade 12 enrollment. Campus-level data: applicant and admit totals count a student once at EACH campus. A senior admitted to UCLA and UC San Diego adds 2 to the admit total, so the total can exceed the senior class — that is the metric working as defined, not an error. The admit RATE is unaffected: both its numerator and denominator are campus-level.

Campus Breakdown — 2025

Campus	Applicants	Admits	Enrollees	Admit Rate	UC Reach Score	Yield	Avg GPA (App)	Avg GPA (Adm)
UC Berkeley → Elite	287	34	12	11.8%	6	35.3%	4.05	4.20
UCLA → Elite	324	27	16	8.3%	4	59.3%	4.02	4.23
UC San Diego → Selective	334	60	23	18.0%	10	38.3%	3.99	4.18
UC Santa Barbara → Selective	274	79	4	28.8%	13	5.1%	4.00	4.23
UC Irvine → Selective	339	112	39	33.0%	19	34.8%	3.99	4.18
UC Davis →	241	115	14	47.7%	19	12.2%	4.02	4.17

† = UCOP-suppressed (count below 3 students, hidden for privacy — actual value is 0, 1, or 2, not necessarily zero). Campus-level totals may count one student admitted to multiple UC campuses more than once; Admit Volume metrics are not the same as UC Reach, which is measured against the whole senior class. See methodology →

What This Means

A large share of the senior class applies to UC, indicating strong college-going culture and UC pipeline development.

A large share of the class applies to UC, so the admit rate runs lower than the application volume alone might suggest — expected when many students apply broadly, including to reach campuses. UC Reach (which credits every admit relative to the class) is the truer read of how the class fares: a strong Reach alongside a moderate admit rate is healthy, not a contradiction.

UC Reach is very strong — more than 71% of seniors are earning UC admission. This places the school among California's highest-performing high schools on this metric.

Strong UC Reach paired with low yield: students are earning UC admission at high rates and then enrolling elsewhere. The pattern is characteristic of competitive college-preparatory schools where many students choose more selective private colleges or out-of-state flagships over UC — UC functions as a strong backup option rather than a first choice.

UC Reach has improved meaningfully compared to the prior year — a positive trajectory worth monitoring and reinforcing.

Note: the UC Reach Score sums campus-level admits across the top-six UC campuses, so a student admitted to both UCLA and UCSD is counted at each. It reflects competitive admit volume relative to class size — admit-events, not distinct students — which is why a Score can exceed 100.

Compare with other schools → See Orange County rankings →

For School Admins

The full Reach Report for Northwood High School

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✓Your UC Reach Score (71) ranked head-to-head against your closest competitor schools
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At a glance

JSON · Using this page with an AI assistant

Northwood High School is a public high school in Irvine, Orange County, California with 603 seniors in the Class of 2025.

Its UC Reach Score is 71 (Excellent, top 6% in California): 427 UC admits (counted at each UC) from a senior class of 603, so a student admitted to several campuses counts at each. That is higher than 97% of California high schools.

In 2025 its students filed 1,799 UC applications and received 427 offers, a UC admit rate of 23.7% (counted at each campus); 108 enrolled.

More of its graduates enrolled at UC Irvine than at any other UC campus (39 in 2025); UC Berkeley and UCLA together admitted 61.

65% of its graduates completed the A-G courses required for UC and CSU eligibility (California median 56%).

87% of its 2022-23 graduates enrolled in college within 12 months (California Department of Education College-Going Rate).

Of its graduates who enrolled at a UC, 95% earned a degree within six years (cohort entering 2019).

It has about 564 students per school counselor.

Enrollment was 2,255 students in 2026, about the same as in 2018.

Northwood High School publishes a matriculation list (where its graduates enrolled) for the Class of 2013 ‐ 2017: 209 colleges. Source: College Matriculation for the Class of 2013 ‐ 2017 (Northwood HS Counseling report linked from the school's College Prep.

Sources: University of California Office of the President (admissions), California Department of Education (enrollment, A-G, college-going), and the school's own published documents where named.

Questions families ask

What is Northwood High School's UC Reach Score? Northwood High School's UC Reach Score is 71 (Excellent, top 6% in California): 427 UC admits (counted at each UC) from a senior class of 603, so a student admitted to several campuses counts at each. That is higher than 97% of California high schools.

How many students from Northwood High School got into a UC? In 2025 its students filed 1,799 UC applications and received 427 offers, a UC admit rate of 23.7% (counted at each campus); 108 enrolled.

Which UC campus do Northwood High School graduates attend most? More of Northwood High School's graduates enrolled at UC Irvine than at any other UC campus (39 in 2025); UC Berkeley and UCLA together admitted 61.

What percentage of Northwood High School graduates complete the A-G requirements? 65% of its graduates completed the A-G courses required for UC and CSU eligibility (California median 56%).

What percentage of Northwood High School graduates go to college? 87% of its 2022-23 graduates enrolled in college within 12 months (California Department of Education College-Going Rate).

Where do Northwood High School graduates go to college? Northwood High School publishes a matriculation list (where its graduates enrolled) for the Class of 2013 ‐ 2017: 209 colleges. Source: College Matriculation for the Class of 2013 ‐ 2017 (Northwood HS Counseling report linked from the school's College Prep.

How many students attend Northwood High School? Enrollment was 2,255 students in 2026, about the same as in 2018.

Analysis: Test Prep Gurus (High School Reach, highschoolreach.com). These figures may be quoted with attribution to Test Prep Gurus.

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