Palo Alto Senior High School

Q: What is Palo Alto Senior High School's UC Reach Score?

Palo Alto Senior High School's UC Reach Score is 70 (Excellent, top 6% in California): 346 UC admits (counted at each UC) from a senior class of 495, so a student admitted to several campuses counts at each. That is higher than 96% of California high schools.

Q: How many students from Palo Alto Senior High School got into a UC?

In 2025 its students filed 1,702 UC applications and received 346 offers, a UC admit rate of 20.3% (counted at each campus); 59 enrolled.

Q: Which UC campus do Palo Alto Senior High School graduates attend most?

More of Palo Alto Senior High School's graduates enrolled at UC Berkeley than at any other UC campus (26 in 2025); UC Berkeley and UCLA together admitted 68.

Q: Where do Palo Alto Senior High School graduates go to college?

Palo Alto Senior High School publishes a matriculation list (where its graduates enrolled) for the 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026: 266 colleges, with per-college counts; the largest counts are Foothill College (42), Stanford University (16), University of California-Berkeley (16), New York University (12), University of California-Irvine (12). Source: College Matriculation Summary (Palo Alto High School College & Career Center).

Q: Which colleges is Palo Alto Senior High School a top feeder school to?

Palo Alto Senior High School's feeder standing, from the schools' own published counts: #3 USC, #4 Northwestern, #7 Northeastern, #8 NYU, #8 Colorado, #9 Boston University. Ivy+ enrollment: #23 of 298 schools per class year.

Q: How many students attend Palo Alto Senior High School?

Enrollment was 1,828 students in 2026, down 5% since 2018.

Palo Alto · Santa Clara County · Public

Public Santa Clara County ~495 seniors

Shareable scorecard →

Data Year

Compare with peers

Most similar nearby schools

Palo Alto High → Menlo Atherton High School → Sequoia High School → Woodside High School → Henry M. Gunn High School → Compare all similar →

Top 5% UC Reach in California

A parent's read

Where graduates go: #1 feeder school to Stanford; top 10 for Johns Hopkins and USC. Palo Alto Senior High School's own list (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026), enrolled: Foothill College (42), Stanford (16), UC Berkeley (16), NYU (12), UC Irvine (12). Feeder standing: #3 USC, #4 Northwestern, #7 Northeastern, #8 NYU, #8 Colorado, #9 Boston University. Ivy+ enrollment: #23 of 298 schools per class year.
The UC pipeline here is real. 346 admissions to the top six UC campuses for a class of 495 seniors puts this school in roughly the top 4% of California high schools.
And it's a rising stock. UC admissions per senior have climbed three years running — the trend line, not just the snapshot, is moving the right way.
A deeply UC-focused culture. Seniors here file about 3.4 UC applications each — among the most UC-oriented schools in California. The counseling office lives and breathes this system.
One question for any counselor: who should still test? Plenty of strong students skip the SAT/ACT now — but merit scholarships at dozens of colleges still key off scores. Ask how the school decides who should still sit for one.

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

Palo Alto Senior High School publishes where its graduates enrolled (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026): 266 colleges with per-college counts — the largest counts enrolled at Foothill College (42), Stanford University (16), University of California-Berkeley (16). See the full list ↓

Top-10 feeder to 15 top colleges #1Stanford University16.0/yr #1Johns Hopkins University4.0/yr #3University of Southern California11.0/yr #4Northwestern University6.0/yr #4Carnegie Mellon University8.0/yr #6University of California-Berkeley16.0/yr #7Northeastern University9.0/yr #7University of Washington (Seattle)8.0/yr

Feeder standing #23 of 298 schools for Ivy+ enrollment per class year · #1 feeder to Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, Saint Mary's College of California · #3 to University of Southern California, #4 to Northwestern University, #4 to Carnegie Mellon University, #6 to University of California-Berkeley — from its own published counts, ranked per class year

Their published matriculation list

Where their graduates enrolled

Palo Alto Senior High School publishes where its graduates enrolled. What follows is copied from that document — 266 colleges, ordered by the number of students enrolled.

Years, as the document states them
2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

The ten largest counts, enrolled

Foothill College 42

Stanford University 16

University of California-Berkeley 16

New York University 12

University of California-Irvine 12

University of Southern California 11

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo 10

Northeastern University 9

University of California-Santa Barbara 9

Carnegie Mellon University 8

Is my kid's college on this list?

✓ Stanford University · 16 ✓ New York University · 12 ✓ University of Southern California · 11 ✓ University of California, Los Angeles · 4 ✓ University of California, Berkeley · 16 ✓ University of Michigan · 3 ✓ Cornell University · 6 ✓ Boston University · 7 ✓ Northeastern University · 9 ✓ University of Texas at Austin · 3 ✓ Georgetown University ✓ Duke University · 1

Any college:

#23of 298 schools for Ivy+ enrollment per class year · 35.0/yr #1of 169 feeder schools to Stanford University · 16.0/yrTop college #1of 157 feeder schools to Johns Hopkins University · 4.0/yrTop college #3of 214 feeder schools to University of Southern California · 11.0/yrTop college #4of 190 feeder schools to Northwestern University · 6.0/yrTop college #4of 167 feeder schools to Carnegie Mellon University · 8.0/yrTop college #6of 169 feeder schools to University of California-Berkeley · 16.0/yrTop college

The school down the road: Henry M. Gunn High School

College	Palo Alto Senior High School	Henry M. Gunn High School
Foothill College	42	15
University of California-Berkeley	16	19
University of California-Santa Cruz	6	22
Stanford University	16	9
New York University	12	11
University of California-Irvine	12	10
University of Washington-Seattle Campus	8	12
San Jose State University	8	9

Each school's own printed counts (matriculation, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 vs matriculation, 2026); spans may differ.

All 266 colleges, as the document prints them

College · 2026 · 2025

Foothill College 42 39

Stanford University 16 12

University of California-Berkeley 16 23

New York University 12 11

University of California-Irvine 12 2

University of Southern California 11 9

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo 10 7

Northeastern University 9 15

University of California-Santa Barbara 9 12

Carnegie Mellon University 8 5

San Jose State University 8 7

University of California-Davis 8 6

University of California-San Diego 8 2

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 8 7

University of Washington-Seattle Campus 8 15

Boston University 7 7

Santa Clara University 7 3

University of Colorado Boulder 7 6

Cornell University 6 5

Loyola Marymount University 6 7

Northwestern University 6 6

Purdue University-Main Campus 6 13

University of California-Santa Cruz 6 11

Chapman University 5 5

University of Miami 5 —

Case Western Reserve University 4 1

Johns Hopkins University 4 —

University of California-Los Angeles 4 11

University of Wisconsin-Madison 4 4

Washington University in St Louis 4 2

and 236 more

College · 2026 · 2025

Boston College 3 —

Colby College 3 —

Colorado College 3 1

De Anza College 3 5

George Washington University 3 2

Pitzer College 3 2

Rhode Island School of Design 3 2

Saint Mary's College of California 3 1

San Francisco State University 3 1

Smith College 3 1

University of California-Riverside 3 9

University of Chicago 3 3

University of Hawaii - Manoa 3 1

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor 3 3

University of Oregon 3 5

University of Texas at Austin 3 2

Barnard College 2 —

California Polytechnic State University-Humboldt 2 1

Canada College 2 2

Columbia University 2 3

Dartmouth College 2 1

Emory University 2 5

Haverford College 2 1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2 1

Rutgers University 2 3

San Diego State University 2 4

Skidmore College 2 —

Southern Methodist University 2 2

Syracuse University 2 2

University of Arizona 2 2

University of Calgary 2 —

University of Maryland-College Park 2 2

University of Pennsylvania 2 1

University of Vermont 2 —

Vanderbilt University 2 —

American University of Paris 1 —

Arizona State University-Tempe 1 1

Auburn University 1 —

Babson College 1 1

Baylor University 1 —

Berry College 1 —

Bocconi University 1 —

Bowdoin College 1 —

Brandeis University 1 3

Brigham Young University 1 —

Brown University 1 2

Bucknell University 1 —

California Polytechnic State University-Pomona 1 1

California State University-Fullerton 1 —

California State University-Monterey Bay 1 1

California State University-San Marcos 1 —

Carleton College 1 —

Chico State University 1 —

City College of San Francisco 1 —

Claremont McKenna College 1 2

Colgate University 1 —

College of San Mateo 1 4

Colorado School of Mines 1 —

Colorado State University 1 —

Denison University 1 —

Duke University 1 1

Fashion Institute of Technology 1 —

Florida International University 1 —

Fordham University 1 1

Harvey Mudd College 1 1

Hokkaido University 1 —

Lehigh University 1 1

Loyola University Chicago 1 —

Marquette University 1 —

Massachusetts College of Art and Design 1 —

McGill University 1 —

Menlo College 1 —

Miami Dade College 1 —

Middlebury College 1 1

Oberlin College 1 2

Occidental College 1 —

Ohio State University 1 —

Oregon State University 1 —

Peking University 1 —

Pepperdine University 1 1

Pratt Institute-Main 1 2

Queen's University Ontario 1 —

Radford University 1 —

Reed College 1 —

San Francisco Bay University 1 1

Sciences Po - Columbia University Dual Degree 1 —

Scripps College 1 1

Siena College 1 —

Swarthmore College 1 —

Texas A & M University-College Station 1 2

The New School 1 —

Tulane University of Louisiana 1 1

University of Alabama 1 —

University of California-Merced 1 2

University of Connecticut 1 —

University of Edinburgh 1 —

University of Leeds 1 —

University of Notre Dame 1 —

University of Rochester 1 —

University of San Francisco 1 —

University of Toronto 1 1

University of Utah 1 3

University of Victoria 1 —

University of Virginia 1 —

Wellesley College 1 —

Wesleyan University - CT 1 —

Whitman College 1 1

Williams College 1 —

American University — 2

Amherst College — 1

Art Center College of Design — 1

Bard College — 1

Bates College — —

Biola University — —

Bryn Mawr College — 3

California College of the Arts — —

California State University-Channel Islands — —

California State University-Dominguez Hills — —

California State University-East Bay — —

California State University-Fresno — —

California State University-Long Beach — 2

California State University-Sacramento — 2

Christian Life College — —

Clark University — —

Clemson University — 3

College of the Holy Cross — 1

College of William and Mary — —

Connecticut College — —

Contra Costa College — 1

Cooper Union — —

Culinary Institute of America — 1

Davidson College — —

Dickinson University — —

Drexel University — 3

Durham University — —

Eastman School of Music — —

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical - Daytona Beach FL — 1

Emerson College — —

Emory University - Oxford College — 2

Far Eastern University — 1

Florida State University — 1

Franklin W Olin College of Engineering — —

Georgetown University — 2

Georgia Institute of Technology — —

Gonzaga University — —

Grinnell College — 1

Hamilton College — 1

Hampshire College — —

Harvard University — 1

Hofstra University — —

Howard University — —

IE University — —

Imperial College London — —

Indiana University-Bloomington — 1

Ithaca College — —

James Madison University — —

Lawrence University — —

Lewis & Clark College — —

Linfield University — —

Macalester College — 1

Marist College — —

Maryland Institute College of Arts — —

Michigan State University — —

MiraCosta College — —

Mission College — —

Monterey Peninsula College — 1

Mount Holyoke College — —

Mount Saint Mary's University — 1

New England Conservatory — —

New Mexico State University — 1

Northeastern London University — —

Otis College of Art and Design — —

Pace University, New York City Campus — —

Pennsylvania State University — —

Pima Community College — 1

Pittsburg State University — 1

Pomona College — —

Princeton University — —

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute — —

Rice University — —

Rochester Institute of Technology — 2

Sacramento State University — 2

San Joaquin Delta College — —

Santa Barbara City College — —

Santa Monica Community College — —

Sarah Lawrence College — —

School of the Art Institute of Chicago — —

Seattle University — 1

Simpson University — —

Sonoma State University — —

Southern A&M University — —

St. Olaf College — —

Stevens Institute of Technology — —

Temple University — 1

Texas Christian University — 2

Trade School — —

Trinity College Dublin — 1

Trinity University - Texas — —

Tufts University — 3

United States Military Academy — 1

United States Naval Academy — —

University College Dublin — —

University in India — —

University of Alberta — —

University of British Columbia — 2

University of Cambridge — —

University of Central Missouri — —

University of Denver — —

University of Florida — 1

University of Georgia — —

University of Houston — —

University of Illinois Chicago — —

University of Iowa — —

University of Kings College — —

University of Massachusetts-Amherst — —

University of Minnesota — 1

University of MIssissippi — —

University of Nebraska — —

University of Nevada-Reno — —

University of New Hampshire — 1

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus — 1

University of Puget Sound — —

University of St Andrews — —

University of Tennessee — —

University of the Pacific — 1

UPMC Shadyside School of Nursing — —

Vocational School — —

Wake Forest University — —

Washington State University — 1

West Valley College — 2

Western New England University — —

Western Washington University — —

Willamette College — 1

Wofford College — —

Worcester Polytechnic Institute — —

Yale University — 3

These graduates went on to the colleges above.

Check your kid's odds at these colleges →

We'll load the 10 colleges the class chose most often — add your name, email and your child's numbers and we'll see where your child lands at each.

Independently verified As published by Palo Alto Senior High School — College Matriculation Summary (Palo Alto High School College & Career Center) ↗. Found at: Campus Life > College & Career Center > College Matriculation Summary; the page's single table, headed "Institution | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026".

From the school

Palo Alto Senior High School had 28 National Merit Semifinalists in the Class of 2025, the seniors who graduated in June 2025 (Palo Alto Senior High School 2025-2026 school profile). Source ↗ (page 2)

Palo Alto Senior High School had 79% of the Class of 2025, the seniors who graduated in June 2025, attending four-year colleges (Palo Alto Senior High School 2025-2026 school profile). Source ↗ (page 2)

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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

41 admitted

26 enrolled

Net $13,481/yr avg

Grads earn $92,446 @10yr

UCLA

27 admitted

10 enrolled

Net $12,548/yr avg

Grads earn $82,511 @10yr

UCSD

43 admitted

Net $12,470/yr avg

Grads earn $84,943 @10yr

UCSB

97 admitted

13 enrolled

Net $16,109/yr avg

Grads earn $74,915 @10yr

UCI

58 admitted

3 enrolled

Net $14,251/yr avg

Grads earn $80,735 @10yr

UCD

80 admitted

7 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.

You've seen Palo Alto Senior 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 Palo Alto Senior High School compares for families

One of California's strongest schools for college outcomes.

▸ StatewideUC Reach Score of 70 — 51 points above the California median of 19. Ahead of 96% of California high schools.
▸ Locally🎓 Top 5% in California on UC Reach.
▸ vs Similar SchoolsBeats the peer median (UC Reach Score 70 vs a 51 median) across the 5 most similar nearby schools.

For Parents

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

Enrollment trend & projection

Total enrollment (9–12)

1,932 (2018) → 1,828 (2026)

-5.4%

Grade 12 (graduating class)

520 (2018) → 477 (2026)

-8.3%

If this trend holds (-0.5%/yr, Total enrollment)

At per-pupil funding of $ / student:

Horizon	Projected Total enrollment	Change	Funding impact / yr
1 yr (2027)	~1,819	-9	$0
3 yr (2029)	~1,802	-26	$0
5 yr (2031)	~1,785	-43	$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 Palo Alto Senior High School really compare on getting kids to college?

We've ranked it #3 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.

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

Palo Alto High · Menlo Atherton High School · Sequoia High School · Woodside High School · Henry M. Gunn High School · Los Altos High · +4 more

Key takeaway · Class of 2025

Palo Alto Senior High School sent 1,702 applications to the six most selective University of California campuses and 20.3% were admitted, producing a UC Reach Score of 70 (top-6 UC admits per 100 seniors, counting a student at each campus that admitted them) — 51 points above the California median of 19, higher than 96% of California high schools. The school produces 13.7 UCLA + UC Berkeley admits per 100 seniors.

UC Reach Score 70 ⓘ 346 admits (counted at each UC) / 495 seniors +19 pts above peer median (51) · #3 of 10 similar schools methodology

Where this sits on the California curve

CA median
19

Peer median
51

Top 10%
53

This school
70

050100

CA median 19 Top 10% ≥ 53 This school 70

Higher than 96% of California high schools (1105 ranked, ≥50 seniors)

What this number means

Palo Alto Senior High School's UC Reach Score of 70 clears the statewide top-10% cutoff (53) — meaning roughly 69 top-6 UC admits per 100 seniors, well above what most California schools achieve.

Against similar schools, Palo Alto Senior High School stands out clearly — the peer-group median is 51.

For context, the elite tier (top 1%) clears 95 — a gap of 25 pp from where this school sits.

Overall, Palo Alto Senior High School's UC Reach is higher than 96% of California high schools (1105 ranked).

UC Application Reach Score ⓘ

344

1702 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 · Santa Clara Co. Top 10% ≥ 374 · higher than 98% of CA HS.

UC Admit Rate ⓘ

20.3%

346 / 1702 applications

In context: CA median 26.1% · Top 10% statewide ≥ 40.4% · higher than 18% of CA HS.

UC Yield Rate ⓘ

17.1%

59 enrolled of 346 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 ⓘ

59 enrollees / 495 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.

UC 6-Yr Grad Rate ⓘ

92% of this school's UC entrants earn the degree within six years — about the norm.

92%

81% finished in 4 yrs · N=59 entered 2019

In context: CA median 88.6% · +2.9 pp above.

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

53.7

per 100 seniors · campus-level total

In context: CA median 16.0 · Top 10% statewide ≥ 42.2 · higher than 96% of CA HS.

Elite UC Reach (UCB + UCLA) ⓘ

13.7

per 100 seniors · campus-level total

In context: CA median 3.4 · Top 10% statewide ≥ 10.2 · higher than 96% of CA HS.

Senior Class Size ⓘ

495

CDE grade 12 (exact)

Total School Enrollment ⓘ

1,891

All grades · CDE Census Day

Avg. Applicant GPA · top-6 UCs ⓘ

4.04

Avg. Admitted GPA · top-6 UCs ⓘ

4.24

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 Palo Alto Senior 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	4.04	4.25	+0.20	14.4%	Peers +0.21 · matches
UCLA	4.05	4.23	+0.18	9.2%	Peers +0.23 · wider
UC San Diego	4.03	4.26	+0.23	15.0%	Peers +0.25 · matches
UC Santa Barbara	4.04	4.26	+0.22	32.9%	Peers +0.25 · matches
UC Irvine	4.05	4.24	+0.19	22.7%	Peers +0.20 · matches
UC Davis	4.01	4.21	+0.20	28.1%	Peers +0.21 · matches

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 Palo Alto Senior High School sits vs. all California schools ⓘ

Overall, this school admits its UC applicants in line with what their GPAs predict (20.3% actual vs. 23.0% 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	285	41	26	14.4%	8	63.4%	4.04	4.25
UCLA → Elite	295	27	10	9.2%	5	37.0%	4.05	4.23
UC San Diego → Selective	287	43	—^†	15.0%	9	—	4.03	4.26
UC Santa Barbara → Selective	295	97	13	32.9%	20	13.4%	4.04	4.26
UC Irvine → Selective	255	58	3	22.7%	12	5.2%	4.05	4.24
UC Davis →	285	80	7	28.1%	16	8.8%	4.01	4.21

† = 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 70% 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 Santa Clara County rankings →

For School Admins

The full Reach Report for Palo Alto Senior 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 (70) ranked head-to-head against your closest competitor schools
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At a glance

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Palo Alto Senior High School is a public high school in Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California with 495 seniors in the Class of 2025.

Its UC Reach Score is 70 (Excellent, top 6% in California): 346 UC admits (counted at each UC) from a senior class of 495, so a student admitted to several campuses counts at each. That is higher than 96% of California high schools.

In 2025 its students filed 1,702 UC applications and received 346 offers, a UC admit rate of 20.3% (counted at each campus); 59 enrolled.

More of its graduates enrolled at UC Berkeley than at any other UC campus (26 in 2025); UC Berkeley and UCLA together admitted 68.

Of its graduates who enrolled at a UC, 92% earned a degree within six years (cohort entering 2019).

Enrollment was 1,828 students in 2026, down 5% since 2018.

Palo Alto Senior High School publishes a matriculation list (where its graduates enrolled) for the 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026: 266 colleges, with per-college counts; the largest counts are Foothill College (42), Stanford University (16), University of California-Berkeley (16), New York University (12), University of California-Irvine (12). Source: College Matriculation Summary (Palo Alto High School College & Career Center).

Palo Alto Senior High School's feeder standing, from the schools' own published counts: #3 USC, #4 Northwestern, #7 Northeastern, #8 NYU, #8 Colorado, #9 Boston University. Ivy+ enrollment: #23 of 298 schools per class year.

Palo Alto Senior High School had 28 National Merit Semifinalists in the Class of 2025, the seniors who graduated in June 2025 (Palo Alto Senior High School 2025-2026 school profile).

Palo Alto Senior High School had 79% of the Class of 2025, the seniors who graduated in June 2025, attending four-year colleges (Palo Alto Senior High School 2025-2026 school profile).

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 Palo Alto Senior High School's UC Reach Score? Palo Alto Senior High School's UC Reach Score is 70 (Excellent, top 6% in California): 346 UC admits (counted at each UC) from a senior class of 495, so a student admitted to several campuses counts at each. That is higher than 96% of California high schools.

How many students from Palo Alto Senior High School got into a UC? In 2025 its students filed 1,702 UC applications and received 346 offers, a UC admit rate of 20.3% (counted at each campus); 59 enrolled.

Which UC campus do Palo Alto Senior High School graduates attend most? More of Palo Alto Senior High School's graduates enrolled at UC Berkeley than at any other UC campus (26 in 2025); UC Berkeley and UCLA together admitted 68.

Where do Palo Alto Senior High School graduates go to college? Palo Alto Senior High School publishes a matriculation list (where its graduates enrolled) for the 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026: 266 colleges, with per-college counts; the largest counts are Foothill College (42), Stanford University (16), University of California-Berkeley (16), New York University (12), University of California-Irvine (12). Source: College Matriculation Summary (Palo Alto High School College & Career Center).

Which colleges is Palo Alto Senior High School a top feeder school to? Palo Alto Senior High School's feeder standing, from the schools' own published counts: #3 USC, #4 Northwestern, #7 Northeastern, #8 NYU, #8 Colorado, #9 Boston University. Ivy+ enrollment: #23 of 298 schools per class year.

How many students attend Palo Alto Senior High School? Enrollment was 1,828 students in 2026, down 5% since 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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