Admissions Essentials · UC admissions data
Best high schools in Costa Mesa for UC admissions
From fall 2023 to fall 2025, the 3 published high schools in Costa Mesa sent 412 applicants to the University of California, and 290 were admitted to at least one campus (70%). Among schools with at least 100 applicants, Early College High School had the highest rate, 75% (78 of 104).
SourceUniversity of California Information Center, Admissions by source school, fall 1994 to fall 2025.
Costa Mesa high schools ranked by UC admit rate
Share of applicants admitted to at least one UC campus, fall 2023 to fall 2025. A school has its own page when the University of California printed both applicants and admits for at least 3 fall terms, including at least 2 falls from 2023 to 2025, and at least 30 applicants in those window years. A city page ranks those schools when the city has at least 3 of them, not counting online schools, and they are not already the whole county. A rate on this page counts only the years in which UC printed both the applicants and the admits.
| Rank | School | Type | Applied | Any UC | Berkeley | UCLA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Early College High School | Public | 104 | 75% | 21% | 24% |
| 2 | Estancia High School | Public | 136 | 70% | 33% | 23% |
| 3 | Costa Mesa High School | Public | 172 | 68% | 15% | 10% |
Costa Mesa combined
The 3 schools above added together, fall 2023 to fall 2025: 3 public and 0 private. The county and California rows count every school UC lists, published here or not.
| Applicants from | To | Applied | Admitted | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costa Mesa | Any UC campus | 412 | 290 | 70% |
| Costa Mesa | UC Berkeley | 113 | 21 | 19% |
| Costa Mesa | UCLA | 175 | 29 | 17% |
| Orange County | Any UC campus | 38,780 | 27,213 | 70% |
| California | Any UC campus | 393,310 | 283,716 | 72% |
Costa Mesa high schools ranked by UC Berkeley admit rate
3 of the city’s published schools have a UC Berkeley figure. A rate built on a handful of applicants moves a long way with one student, so the counts sit beside it.
| Rank | School | Admitted | UC Berkeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Estancia High School | 6 of 18 | 33% |
| 2 | Early College High School | 3 of 14 | 21% |
| 3 | Costa Mesa High School | 12 of 81 | 15% |
How to get into UC Berkeley: the GPA and SAT of admitted applicants
Costa Mesa high schools ranked by UCLA admit rate
3 of the city’s published schools have a UCLA figure. A rate built on a handful of applicants moves a long way with one student, so the counts sit beside it.
| Rank | School | Admitted | UCLA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Early College High School | 9 of 38 | 24% |
| 2 | Estancia High School | 12 of 53 | 23% |
| 3 | Costa Mesa High School | 8 of 84 | 10% |
How to get into UCLA: the GPA and SAT of admitted applicants
Questions
- What are the best high schools in Costa Mesa for UC admissions?
- By the share of applicants admitted to at least one UC campus from fall 2023 to fall 2025, among schools with at least 100 applicants, the highest in Costa Mesa were Early College High School (75%, 78 of 104), Estancia High School (70%, 95 of 136) and Costa Mesa High School (68%, 117 of 172). A school's rate reflects who chose to apply as much as the school itself.
- What is the UC acceptance rate for high schools in Costa Mesa?
- 70%. The 3 published high schools in Costa Mesa sent 412 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025, and 290 were admitted to at least one UC campus. Every high school in Orange County together, as UC counts them, had 70%; 1 of the 3 ranked schools in Costa Mesa was above that.
- Which high school in Costa Mesa gets the most students into UC Berkeley?
- Costa Mesa High School, with 12 admitted of 81 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025. All of Costa Mesa's published high schools together sent UC Berkeley 113 applicants and 21 were admitted (19%). Among schools with at least 30 UC Berkeley applicants, Costa Mesa High School had the highest rate, 15% (12 of 81).
- Which high school in Costa Mesa gets the most students into UCLA?
- Estancia High School, with 12 admitted of 53 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025. All of Costa Mesa's published high schools together sent UCLA 175 applicants and 29 were admitted (17%). Among schools with at least 30 UCLA applicants, Early College High School had the highest rate, 24% (9 of 38).
- Which high school in Costa Mesa sends the most UC applicants?
- Costa Mesa High School, with 172 applicants from fall 2023 to fall 2025. Of the 3 published schools in Costa Mesa, 3 are public and 0 are private.
How to cite
Aristo Scholars, "Best high schools in Costa Mesa for UC admissions," https://aristoscholars.com/uc-chances/city/costa-mesa, updated October 31, 2026. Figures from the University of California Information Center, Admissions by source school, fall 1994 to fall 2025.
A school’s rate is not one student’s chance
These figures average every application a school sent, and they depend on who chose to apply. To read one profile, use Chance Me, start with a Specialist, or ask on the forum.