Gretchen Whitney High School
Cerritos · Los Angeles County · Public
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John Glenn High School → Pioneer High School → Artesia High School → Oxford Academy → Western High School → Compare all similar →A parent's read
- Where graduates go, as the school itself publishes it. Gretchen Whitney High School publishes where its graduates go (Class of 2025): 44 colleges, including University of Southern California, Claremont McKenna, Boston College, Boston University.
- The UC pipeline here is real. 222 admissions to the top six UC campuses for a class of 176 seniors puts this school in the top handful of schools in California.
- Where grads land in the UC system: UC Irvine. More graduates enroll at UC Irvine than any other UC. Berkeley and UCLA admitted 37 of this class's 742 UC applications — elite admits are rare everywhere, and the strong middle campuses are where most real outcomes happen.
- Almost all students read and write at grade level. On the state's own 11th-grade test, 100% met or exceeded the college-readiness bar — the top 10% of California high schools (statewide: 54%).
- Worth asking about on a tour: counselor load. One counselor served about 336 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
Gretchen Whitney High School publishes where its graduates enrolled (Class of 2025): 44 colleges. See the full list ↓
At a glance
- 15 AP courses offered — Elite
- Gifted & talented program
- 7 calculus classes · 11 physics · 10 chemistry
- AP rigor: 71st percentile nationally
- 4-yr grad rate: 97% in 2019 (90th percentile nationally)
Composed from federal CRDC offerings, EDFacts graduation data, and other public data. Full breakdowns below.
Their published matriculation list
Where the Class of 2025 enrolled
Gretchen Whitney High School publishes where its graduates enrolled. What follows is copied from that document — 44 colleges, in the document's own order.
Ivy+ and most selective · 3
Brown University · Cornell University · University of Pennsylvania
University of California · 8
University of California Irvine · University of California Los Angeles · University of California Davis · University of California Berkeley · University of California Riverside · University of California Santa Barbara · University of California San Diego · University of California Santa Cruz
Cal State · 5
California State University of Long Beach · California State University Los Angeles · California State University Fullerton · California State Polytechnic San Luis Obispo · California State Polytechnic Pomona
Other California · 9
University of Southern California · Chapman University · Claremont McKenna · California Baptist University · Otis College of Art and Design · Santa Clara University · Whittier College · Cypress College · Santa Ana College
Out of state · 14
Mount Saint Mary’s University · Boston College · Boston University · Carnegie Mellon University · Johns Hopkins University · George Washington University · Grinnell College · Hofstra University · Northeastern University · Rochester Institute of Technology · Tulane University · Arizona State University · Colorado School of Mines · The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Not matched to a college page · 5
Irvine Valley Christian · Emory College · Purdue University of Indianapolis · Cerritos College · Long Beach City College
Is my kid's college on this list?
All 44 colleges, as the document prints them
and 14 more
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 Gretchen Whitney High School — College Summary Class of 2025 ↗. Found at: Counseling > College Summary page (uREC_ID=1185580); one-page PDF headed "Whitney High School Class of 2025 College Matriculation", colleges listed under destin.
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Where grads go — and what it costs & pays
UC admits by campus · Class of 2025
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
86.8% 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.
Give the same class four more months and 89.2% had enrolled — CDE publishes a 16-month window alongside the 12-month one, 149 students.
About the same as the 2021-22 class (87.5%).
Where the 2022-23 class enrolled
In California — 123 students (73.7%)
Out of state — 22 students (13.2%)
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.
How Gretchen Whitney High School compares for families
One of California's strongest schools for college outcomes.
- ▸ StatewideUC Reach Score of 126 — 107 points above the California median of 19. Ahead of 100% of California high schools.
- ▸ Locally📘 #1 in Los Angeles County on ELA proficiency — plus 7 more top-ranks.
- ▸ vs Similar SchoolsBeats the peer median (UC Reach Score 126 vs a 20 median) across the 5 most similar nearby schools.
For Parents
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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
71st percentile nationally
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 · 2020-21Source: 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?
90th percentile nationally
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
Mixed-income school
Below Title I eligibility threshold (FRPL < 35%)
25-34% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch. Below the federal Title I threshold but a meaningful share of the population is income-eligible for free lunch.
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.
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
Program subgroups
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.
Low and stable absenteeism — students are engaged and showing up. The leading indicator is healthy.
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
If this trend holds (+0.1%/yr, Total enrollment)
At per-pupil funding of $ / student:
| Horizon | Projected Total enrollment | Change | Funding impact / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 yr (2027) | ~1,010 | +1 | $0 |
| 3 yr (2029) | ~1,011 | +2 | $0 |
| 5 yr (2031) | ~1,013 | +4 | $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 Gretchen Whitney High School really compare on getting kids to college?
We've ranked it #1 of 10 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.
Your similar-school group includes
John Glenn High School · Pioneer High · Artesia High School · Oxford Academy · Western High School · International Studies Learning · +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 Los Angeles County baseline — the demographic tide is moving every CA HS, so a school's gap vs. county is the actionable signal.
Gretchen Whitney High School outperformed Los Angeles County on enrollment (school +3.7% vs. county -6.2%) AND maintains 99.6% stability. Replicable model — worth documenting what's working.
3 of 697 students who enrolled at Gretchen Whitney High School this year didn't maintain continuous enrollment (0.4% non-stability). Mid-year transfers, dropouts, and other exits are all counted.
Stability by student group
Nearest peer high schools
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.
Gretchen Whitney High School sent 742 applications to the six most selective University of California campuses and 29.9% were admitted, producing a UC Reach Score of 126 (top-6 UC admits per 100 seniors, counting a student at each campus that admitted them) — 107 points above the California median of 19, higher than 100% of California high schools. The school produces 21.0 UCLA + UC Berkeley admits per 100 seniors.
19
53
126
Higher than 99% of California high schools (1105 ranked, ≥50 seniors)
126 is exceptional and very rare. For every 100 seniors at Gretchen Whitney High School, the school is generating roughly 126 admissions to California's six most selective UCs (UCB, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, UCI, UCD). The typical strong senior here is winning admission at multiple top campuses — a result fewer than 1% of California high schools achieve.
In Los Angeles County — a competitive market where the median is already 25 — this still clears the county top-10% bar (56).
This places Gretchen Whitney High School in the elite tier statewide — the top-1% threshold is 95.
Overall, Gretchen Whitney High School's UC Reach is higher than 99% of California high schools (1105 ranked).
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.
| 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 |
The numbers behind it
| Campus | Applicant GPA | Admit GPA | Lift ⓘ | Admit rate | vs peer schools @ same GPA ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | 4.18 | 4.28 | +0.10 | 19.3% | Peers +0.15 · wider |
| UCLA | 4.15 | 4.31 | +0.17 | 9.4% | Peers +0.18 · matches |
| UC San Diego | 4.16 | 4.31 | +0.15 | 23.6% | Peers +0.17 · matches |
| UC Santa Barbara | 4.16 | 4.28 | +0.11 | 48.0% | Peers +0.17 · wider |
| UC Irvine | 4.15 | 4.26 | +0.11 | 43.3% | Peers +0.14 · matches |
| UC Davis | 4.17 | 4.26 | +0.09 | 46.3% | Peers +0.13 · 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% |
Where Gretchen Whitney High School sits vs. all California schools ⓘ
Overall, this school admits its UC applicants 5.1 points above what their GPAs predict (29.9% actual vs. 24.8% expected).
UC Outcomes Trend — 2018–2025
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 | 119 | 23 | 13 | 19.3% | 13 | 56.5% | 4.18 | 4.28 |
| UCLA → Elite | 149 | 14 | 10 | 9.4% | 8 | 71.4% | 4.15 | 4.31 |
| UC San Diego → Selective | 140 | 33 | 3 | 23.6% | 19 | 9.1% | 4.16 | 4.31 |
| UC Santa Barbara → Selective | 102 | 49 | 6 | 48.0% | 28 | 12.2% | 4.16 | 4.28 |
| UC Irvine → Selective | 150 | 65 | 19 | 43.3% | 37 | 29.2% | 4.15 | 4.26 |
| UC Davis → | 82 | 38 | 6 | 46.3% | 22 | 15.8% | 4.17 | 4.26 |
What This Means
For School Admins
The full Reach Report for Gretchen Whitney High School
A board- and LCAP-ready intelligence brief: your enrollment retention and college outcomes, benchmarked against your closest competitors, with a 5-year forecast, concrete steps to act on, and the rigor + outcomes story you can share with your families. Built from primary public data — prepared for you, not auto-generated.
- ✓Your UC Reach Score (126) ranked head-to-head against your closest competitor schools
- ✓Your 5-year enrollment forecast (currently 0.1%/yr) with the revenue at stake
- ✓Student-retention benchmarking vs your county median — and the LCAP evidence to back your goals
At a glance
JSON · Using this page with an AI assistantGretchen Whitney High School is a public high school in Cerritos, Los Angeles County, California with 176 seniors in the Class of 2025.
Its UC Reach Score is 126 (Incredible, top 1% in California): 222 UC admits (counted at each UC) from a senior class of 176, so a student admitted to several campuses counts at each. That is higher than 99% of California high schools.
In 2025 its students filed 742 UC applications and received 222 offers, a UC admit rate of 29.9% (counted at each campus); 57 enrolled.
More of its graduates enrolled at UC Irvine than at any other UC campus (19 in 2025); UC Berkeley and UCLA together admitted 37.
96% 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, 93% earned a degree within six years (cohort entering 2019).
It has about 336 students per school counselor.
Enrollment was 1,009 students in 2026, about the same as in 2018.
Gretchen Whitney High School publishes a matriculation list (where its graduates enrolled) for the Class of 2025: 44 colleges. Source: College Summary Class of 2025.
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 Gretchen Whitney High School's UC Reach Score? Gretchen Whitney High School's UC Reach Score is 126 (Incredible, top 1% in California): 222 UC admits (counted at each UC) from a senior class of 176, so a student admitted to several campuses counts at each. That is higher than 99% of California high schools.
How many students from Gretchen Whitney High School got into a UC? In 2025 its students filed 742 UC applications and received 222 offers, a UC admit rate of 29.9% (counted at each campus); 57 enrolled.
Which UC campus do Gretchen Whitney High School graduates attend most? More of Gretchen Whitney High School's graduates enrolled at UC Irvine than at any other UC campus (19 in 2025); UC Berkeley and UCLA together admitted 37.
What percentage of Gretchen Whitney High School graduates complete the A-G requirements? 96% of its graduates completed the A-G courses required for UC and CSU eligibility (California median 56%).
What percentage of Gretchen Whitney 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 Gretchen Whitney High School graduates go to college? Gretchen Whitney High School publishes a matriculation list (where its graduates enrolled) for the Class of 2025: 44 colleges. Source: College Summary Class of 2025.
How many students attend Gretchen Whitney High School? Enrollment was 1,009 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.
What does AI tell parents about Gretchen Whitney High School?
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