St. Margaret's Episcopal School
San Juan Capistrano · Orange County · Religious-affiliated
Compare with peers
Most similar nearby schools
JSerra Catholic High School → Crean Lutheran High School → Orange Lutheran High School → Calvary Chapel High School → Linfield Christian School → Compare all similar →A parent's read
- Where graduates go, as the school itself publishes it. St. Margaret's Episcopal School's own list (Class of 2026), enrolled: University of San Diego (6), USC (6), Chapman (5), NYU (5), Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo (4). Feeder standing: #4 University of San Diego, #6 Chapman.
- The UC pipeline here is real. 74 admissions to the top six UC campuses for a class of 102 seniors puts this school in roughly the top 3% of California high schools.
- Elite admits are rare — here and everywhere. Berkeley and UCLA admitted 12 of this class's 301 UC applications. The strong middle campuses — San Diego, Santa Barbara, Irvine, Davis — are where most real UC outcomes happen.
- Worth asking about: the recent trend. UC admissions per senior have slipped for three straight years. Ask the school what changed — counseling, course access, or just class-size shifts.
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
St. Margaret's Episcopal School publishes where its graduates enrolled (Class of 2026): 59 colleges with per-college counts — the largest counts enrolled at University of San Diego (6), University of Southern California (6), Chapman University (5). See the full list ↓
Feeder standing #4 to University of San Diego, #6 to Chapman University — from its own published counts, ranked per class year
Admissions at a glance
Is St. Margaret's Episcopal School a good school for college admissions?
St. Margaret's Episcopal School's UC Reach Score is 73 (Excellent, top 6% in California; higher than 97% of California high schools), from 74 UC admits (counted at each UC) for 102 seniors in 2025, and it publishes a college list with per-college counts.
How hard is it to get into St. Margaret's Episcopal School?
St. Margaret's Episcopal School does not post an acceptance rate on its admissions pages; applications are due Dec 15, 2026 and tuition is $52,950 for 2026-27.
From the school's own admissions pages and public filings. Dates verified Oct 1, 2026; exams verified September 2026. Full calendar: California private-school admissions tracker · entrance exams. More private high schools in Orange County · Entrance exams in Orange County · Is St. Margaret's Episcopal School worth the tuition?
Private high schools near St. Margaret's Episcopal School
Five private high schools within 21 miles of St. Margaret's Episcopal School, with tuition and the exam each requires where the school publishes them.
| School | City | Miles | Grades | Tuition | Entrance exam | UC Reach Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JSerra Catholic High School | San Juan Capistrano | 1.5 | 9–12 | $26,200 | HSPT | 33 |
| Sage Hill School | Newport Coast | 12.7 | 7–12 | $58,100 | ISEE or SSAT | 151 |
| Crean Lutheran High School | Irvine | 14.5 | 9–12 | $23,575 | No entrance exam posted | 94 |
| Calvary Chapel High School | Santa Ana | 20.0 | 9–12 | No entrance exam posted | 28 | |
| Mater Dei High School | Santa Ana | 20.3 | 9–12 | $21,150 | HSPT | 36 |
Distances are straight-line miles between school locations. Tuition and exams are from each school's own admissions pages; see the entrance-exam guide.
Their published matriculation list
Where the Class of 2026 enrolled
St. Margaret's Episcopal School publishes where its graduates enrolled. What follows is copied from that document — 59 colleges, ordered by the number of students enrolled.
The ten largest counts, enrolled · Class of 2026
Is my kid's college on this list?
The school down the road: JSerra Catholic High School
| College | St. Margaret's Episcopal School | JSerra Catholic High School |
|---|---|---|
| Boston College | ✓ named | ✓ named |
| Boston University | ✓ named | ✓ named |
| Brown University | — | ✓ named |
| Carnegie Mellon University | — | ✓ named |
| Cornell University | ✓ named | ✓ named |
| Emory University | ✓ named | — |
| Georgetown University | — | ✓ named |
| Georgia Tech | ✓ named | — |
| Johns Hopkins University | ✓ named | ✓ named |
| New York University | ✓ named | ✓ named |
| Northeastern University | ✓ named | ✓ named |
| Northwestern University | ✓ named | ✓ named |
Both schools print names, not counts, so this shows which selective colleges each list names.
All 59 colleges, as the document prints them
College · Students
and 29 more
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 St. Margaret's Episcopal School — Class of 2026 College Matriculation ↗. Found at: single-page document ('CLASS OF 2026 COLLEGE MATRICULATION'), linked from the College Counseling page's 'Class of 2026' download.
Keep this page current
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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.
How St. Margaret's Episcopal School compares for families
One of California's strongest schools for college outcomes.
- ▸ StatewideUC Reach Score of 73 — 54 points above the California median of 19. Ahead of 97% of California high schools.
- ▸ Locally🎓 Top 5% in California on UC Reach — plus 1 more top-rank.
- ▸ vs Similar SchoolsBeats the peer median (UC Reach Score 73 vs a 33 median) across the 5 most similar nearby schools.
For Parents
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Objective, government-grade data — no school pays us for placement.
No SBAC data for private schools — and that's not the metric you want anyway
California's Smarter Balanced (CAASPP) assessment is administered by the state, by statute, to public & charter schools only. Private schools don't sit for it. That's why the SBAC card is missing on this profile — not a data gap on our side, a deliberate scope of the state's testing program.
For private schools, UC Reach is the stronger academic signal anyway. SBAC measures grade-11 inputs (proficiency on a state standard); UC Reach measures outputs (who actually got into the most selective UCs). For private-school families weighing tuition against college outcomes, the outputs are the relevant signal.
Scroll up to the UC Reach card for St. Margaret's Episcopal School's 2025 number, statewide percentile, and 5-year trend.
Enrollment trend & projection
If this trend holds (-0.1%/yr, Total enrollment)
At tuition of $ / student:
| Horizon | Projected Total enrollment | Change | Tuition impact / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 yr (2026) | ~1,158 | -1 | $0 |
| 3 yr (2028) | ~1,157 | -2 | $0 |
| 5 yr (2030) | ~1,156 | -3 | $0 |
Straight-line extrapolation of the recent annual rate — a what-if, not a forecast of intent. Default = a wide range — Jewish day $25k–35k, Lutheran/Christian $10k–18k. Edit the figure to match your school.
How does St. Margaret's Episcopal School really compare on getting kids to college?
We've ranked it #2 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
Jserra Catholic High School · Crean Lutheran High School · Orange Lutheran High School · Calvary Chapel High School · Linfield Christian School · Crossroads Christian School · +4 more
St. Margaret's Episcopal School sent 301 applications to the six most selective University of California campuses and 24.6% were admitted, producing a UC Reach Score of 72 (top-6 UC admits per 100 seniors, counting a student at each campus that admitted them) — 53 points above the California median of 19, higher than 97% of California high schools. The school produces 11.8 UCLA + UC Berkeley admits per 100 seniors.
19
33
53
72
Higher than 97% of California high schools (1105 ranked, ≥50 seniors)
St. Margaret's Episcopal School's UC Reach Score of 72 clears the statewide top-10% cutoff (53) — meaning roughly 72 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, St. Margaret's Episcopal School stands out clearly — the peer-group median is 33.
For context, the elite tier (top 1%) clears 95 — a gap of 23 pp from where this school sits.
Overall, St. Margaret's Episcopal School's UC Reach is higher than 97% of California high schools (1105 ranked).
Private-school figures come from the California Private School Affidavit. Per CDE, inclusion in private-school data is not an evaluation, approval, or endorsement of a school.
GPA figures reflect 2024 — UC has not yet released applicant/admit GPA for 2025.
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 | Real shot | Long odds | Filtered out |
| UC Santa Barbara | Strong shot | Moderate | Long odds | Filtered out |
| UC Irvine | Strong shot | Real shot | Long odds | Filtered out |
| UC Davis | Strong shot | Real shot | Moderate | Filtered out |
The numbers behind it
| Campus | Applicant GPA | Admit GPA | Lift ⓘ | Admit rate | vs peer schools @ same GPA ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley | 4.12 | 4.27 | +0.15 | 15.3% | Peers +0.17 · matches |
| UCLA | 4.08 | 4.20 | +0.13 | 13.9% | Peers +0.22 · wider |
| UC San Diego | 4.07 | 4.26 | +0.19 | 24.2% | Peers +0.22 · matches |
| UC Santa Barbara | 4.05 | 4.25 | +0.20 | 35.4% | Peers +0.23 · matches |
| UC Irvine | 4.08 | 4.22 | +0.14 | 42.9% | Peers +0.16 · matches |
| UC Davis | 4.04 | 4.27 | +0.23 | 31.6% | Peers +0.19 · steeper |
Statewide CA admit rates by individual GPA band, 2024 (for reference)
| GPA band | UCB | UCLA | UCSD | UCSB | UCI | UCD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.00+ | 17.1% | 14.4% | 43.5% | 57.3% | 46.0% | 64.1% |
| 3.70–3.99 | 2.8% | 1.5% | 11.2% | 9.2% | 16.5% | 27.5% |
| 3.30–3.69 | 0.8% | 0.9% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 3.4% | 9.1% |
| 3.00–3.29 | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 2.1% |
| < 3.00 | 0.6% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.6% |
Where St. Margaret's Episcopal School sits vs. all California schools ⓘ
Overall, this school admits its UC applicants in line with what their GPAs predict (26.1% actual vs. 21.6% expected), based on 2024 data.
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) '24 | Avg GPA (Adm) '24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Berkeley → Elite | 52 | 9 | —† | 17.3% | 9 | — | 4.12 | 4.27 |
| UCLA → Elite | 64 | 3 | —† | 4.7% | 3 | — | 4.08 | 4.20 |
| UC San Diego → Selective | 53 | 6 | —† | 11.3% | 6 | — | 4.07 | 4.26 |
| UC Santa Barbara → Selective | 54 | 20 | —† | 37.0% | 20 | — | 4.05 | 4.25 |
| UC Irvine → Selective | 44 | 19 | —† | 43.2% | 19 | — | 4.08 | 4.22 |
| UC Davis → | 34 | 17 | —† | 50.0% | 17 | — | 4.04 | 4.27 |
What This Means
At a glance
JSON · Using this page with an AI assistantSt. Margaret's Episcopal School is a private high school in San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, California with 102 seniors in the Class of 2025.
Its UC Reach Score is 73 (Excellent, top 6% in California): 74 UC admits (counted at each UC) from a senior class of 102, so a student admitted to several campuses counts at each. That is higher than 97% of California high schools.
In 2025 its students filed 301 UC applications and received 74 offers, a UC admit rate of 24.6% (counted at each campus).
Enrollment was 1,159 students in 2025, about the same as in 2020.
St. Margaret's Episcopal School publishes a matriculation list (where its graduates enrolled) for the Class of 2026: 59 colleges, with per-college counts; the largest counts are University of San Diego (6), University of Southern California (6), Chapman University (5), New York University (5), Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo (4). Source: Class of 2026 College Matriculation.
St. Margaret's Episcopal School's feeder standing, from the schools' own published counts: #4 University of San Diego, #6 Chapman.
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 St. Margaret's Episcopal School's UC Reach Score? St. Margaret's Episcopal School's UC Reach Score is 73 (Excellent, top 6% in California): 74 UC admits (counted at each UC) from a senior class of 102, so a student admitted to several campuses counts at each. That is higher than 97% of California high schools.
How many students from St. Margaret's Episcopal School got into a UC? In 2025 its students filed 301 UC applications and received 74 offers, a UC admit rate of 24.6% (counted at each campus).
Where do St. Margaret's Episcopal School graduates go to college? St. Margaret's Episcopal School publishes a matriculation list (where its graduates enrolled) for the Class of 2026: 59 colleges, with per-college counts; the largest counts are University of San Diego (6), University of Southern California (6), Chapman University (5), New York University (5), Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo (4). Source: Class of 2026 College Matriculation.
Which colleges is St. Margaret's Episcopal School a top feeder school to? St. Margaret's Episcopal School's feeder standing, from the schools' own published counts: #4 University of San Diego, #6 Chapman.
How many students attend St. Margaret's Episcopal School? Enrollment was 1,159 students in 2025, about the same as in 2020.
What is the tuition at St. Margaret's Episcopal School? At St. Margaret's Episcopal School, tuition is $52,950 for 2026-27.
When is the application deadline for St. Margaret's Episcopal School? At St. Margaret's Episcopal School, applications are due Dec 15, 2026.
Is St. Margaret's Episcopal School a good school for college admissions? St. Margaret's Episcopal School's UC Reach Score is 73 (Excellent, top 6% in California; higher than 97% of California high schools), from 74 UC admits (counted at each UC) for 102 seniors in 2025, and it publishes a college list with per-college counts.
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 St. Margaret's Episcopal School?
When a parent asks an AI assistant about St. Margaret's Episcopal School, the answer is built from a handful of sources, and Reach is often one of them. We will send the admissions office a short report on what AI says about St. Margaret's Episcopal School and where it comes from. The first report is free.
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